There was a pretty long time in my life when I allowed people to walk all over me. I wouldn’t stand up for myself; I let people use me way too often. I still struggle today with standing up for myself, but I have still learned some things along the way. This is dedicated to anyone who finds themselves in that situation.

Don’t you dare ever let anyone treat you in a way that you feel as though you have to hide your feelings, or apologize when you show them, that is toxic. If you find yourself talking with someone and you feel like you can’t speak your mind because it won’t be appreciated, that is toxic. If you feel as though your problems will never be as significant as theirs, that is toxic. If you have to plan out what you say because you don’t want to start shit with them, that is toxic. If you can't be yourself around them anymore; that, is, toxic.

I may only be nineteen years old and for some it may seem ridiculous for me to be posting things like this, but whether I’m too young to know what I’m talking about or not, I do know that I have wasted too much of my nineteen years in toxic relationships. I let people control me and I tried to please them. I let them tell me how to feel and let them walk all over me because they were the more important person. I let myself get constantly hurt and heartbroken because I would never be the right person for them; I constantly had to change myself. Don’t let that be you.

Listen when your friends tell you it’s not okay and it’s not healthy. Listen to your heart when it’s heartbroken more often than not. Listen when your mental health is begging for a break. Don’t try to numb the signs. Do the best thing you can for yourself; love yourself, stand up for yourself, be yourself, and leave that toxic person behind. You shouldn’t have to change yourself to feel loved because the really special people will love you for who you are, the real, raw, uncensored you.