There was a point in my life that I tried to fit the image of what everyone wanted me to be. Whether it was wearing clothes that fully covered my body or not talking to certain people, I changed myself to fit others' expectations of me. After years of caring more what people thought of me than what I thought about myself, I can honestly say I could care less.

I used to put a smile on my face at times that I wanted to cry. I used to form my opinions off of what was the popular opinion. Caring so much caused me to lose myself because I was so side tracked worrying what others thought of me instead of who I am and who I want to be.

Now, I stand up for myself. I form my opinions from the thoughts in my own mind. I wear what I want and let no one’s opinions change what I like and do not like. I am happy with the person I am and no one else can change that. I am confident in the person I am, and I know there is no need for me to change. I have realized that changing for other people only makes you weak. Conforming to society takes away from your values and morals as a human.

I am standing up and saying I do not care. I do not care to flow with society and only like what is popular in society. I do not care to form my opinions off others. I do not care about others' opinions of how I choose to present myself. I am proud of who I am, and I do not believe I should change who I am for anyone.

I am now confident enough in myself to choose for myself and know my own likes and dislikes. I am happy enough with who I am that others' opinions have no affect on me. Finding myself has not been easy but it has been worth it -- worth the internal confidence and strength I have to take on every day.

I am now my own person with my own ideas, likes, dislikes, fears and accomplishments. Every day I find new confidence in myself to go against the normal and try new things to find who I am, whether it is eating a new food and wearing a piece of clothing I thought I would never wear. I now value my own opinion way above anyone else’s. Others cannot control how I feel or what I do.

Finding confidence within myself has been a huge blessing in my life that has brought me an incredible amount of happiness. Not caring has a negative connotation and is seen as absent minded in most situations, but this is different. Now, I am standing up to say I do not care. I do not care to follow society and I do not care how society looks upon me. Not caring brings me happiness and confidence that is here to stay.