Back in 2008, people started to fall head-over-heels for Lady Gaga, despite her extravagant attire. I was not among those millions of people, though. It's not that I didn't like Gaga, I liked some of her songs and how she expressed herself. I was just caught up in my middle-school self, friends, and crushes. Actually, it wasn't until very recently that I fell in love with Lady Gaga.

Everyone who doesn't live under a rock has at least heard of the show "American Horror Story." And fans know that Lady Gaga pretty much replaced Jessica Lange in the last season, "AHS: Hotel." I pretty much solely rely on Netflix for my entertainment, so I naturally have to wait for all of my favorite shows.

I literally just fell in love with Gaga. Like...a week ago. No lie.

Lady Gaga was a freaking queen in her role as The Countess in "American Horror Story," as many of you may already know. She captivated us with elegance and beauty and mystery.

But she's been doing this for years, you say.

I know, but like I said, I just never took the time to appreciate Gaga. And don't assume I'm now a fan solely because of her role as The Countess. There have some other recent events that has somewhat pushed me over the edge into Lady Gaga fandom. One of the biggest things that captured my attention was a video I found while scrolling through Facebook:

This video hit me. Like, really hit me. Gaga just gets so real with us. And she does it by being open and honest. Her words helped me realize that it's okay if I say "no" to things, as long as I'm doing it to hold on to who I am. It's okay to let go of things you just don't feel passionate about anymore. And that's something that many of us truly have to consider every day.

Do we say yes to too many things? Do we ask for other people's approval too often? Do we tend to put ourselves on the back-burner so others can be happy? Do we force ourselves to live life on repeat, long after the passion is gone?

Lady Gaga says we do, but we shouldn't. I agree with her. We have become so wrapped up in such a fast-paced society, we hardly take time out for ourselves, or for the people that we love.

All of her raw honesty and beauty just add to her talent both on the screen and on stage. There are many reasons why young people, women especially, should view Gaga as a role model. She shows strength by not being afraid to just be herself.