I can not tell you the amount of times I have seen or heard girls cry about some boy that didn't like them. I have been one of these girls. No joke, I think I cried one time in like middle school because I texted some boy and he never texted me back. (His loss, I rock.) There's a song that literally has the words "Boys my age don't know how to treat me", and while sometimes you really have figured yourself out and deserve better, that's usually not the case until you're a bit older.

Social media is ever growing and I grew up in the era where it is supposed to consume our lives so yeah, I check it religiously whether I mean to or not. The point is that it seems like every time I get on any site there is a girl who has her boobs pushed up to her ears or her shirt doesn't cover her in some other way. There's shorts that show half of their butts and clothes that are so tight I'm really not sure if they're breathing. (Seriously, are they okay?) I admit that I have been one of these girls. I wasn't sure of who I was or my own importance and worth and that's what everyone around me was doing and dang it, doesn't it just feel so good to fit in?

But then something changed. I don't know what. I don't know when. But I think one day I just woke up and decided "nah, this isn't me" and I strayed from that particular path that I was going down and I found a new one. And I like this one better, it's more me, I think. "Jessie, where are you going with this?" Hear me out. I'm almost there.

While I was going through my "wild and free" stage I met boys who were disrespectful, crude, rude, self-absorbed, and just this long continuous list of things. Sure, I met nice guys, they'll always be there if you look, but the majority of the ones I talked to were of the first category. I dated some real...winners...............

Looking back I often think "what was I doing?" "Why the flapjack didn't anyone stop me?" Granted, my mom tried but she also knew I would fight her so she also had to let me do my own thing at the same time. Talk about a conflict. I digress. Slowly but surely I started to figure it out. "Hey, yeah, no, you're not going to talk to me like that." "Sorry, but no, I'm not doing that simply because you told me to." I lost some "friends" along the way but now I realize that true friends want what's best for you, not what's convenient for them.

It was a long and harrowing journey with many twists and turns and do-overs but I finally figured out my worth. I know who I am and gosh darn I am SO proud of her. Now, I still meet boys who try to up their charm but I can see right through it because I know what I am deserving of and let me tell ya, it's not a boy that tries to take me home within the first 30 seconds of seeing me. (Love at first sight is not a thing, that's called lust, my dear.) I recently got out of a relationship with a man (yes, man) that offered me the world. He is really, truly great. I just became someone different due to unforeseen circumstances, and that's okay!!! GROW UP! BECOME YOU! THE GOOD AND THE BAD!

...anyway...he helped me to see more of my value in the way he treated me (if you're reading this, thank you so much) and now I refuse to settle for less. BUT. There's a but! You have to make sure that you are worthy of the one who offers you the world..or, at least, his world. That means cover yourself up. Not wearing the clothing that should have been half off because it was only half there. Or, bless your heart, 1/3 there. Help others, be sweet and uplifting to all of those that you meet, be the person that you want in a spouse. Be a genuinely good person and I promise you will get just that.