The world is filled with topics that no one speaks about. Subjects that make people feel uncomfortable, convicted, guilty, or sad. So, these things are neglected, and seem to only get worse. I have never been the person to hold my tongue--even though in many situations, I know that I should have. I say things that some people are uncomfortable with, because I know that they need to be said. This is what I want to do not only in everyday conversation, but also in my articles.

The world is also filled with people who are hurting, who compromise themselves, and who settle for the easy parts of life because they do not believe they deserve more. By the easy parts of life, I mean that they do not stand up for themselves. They do not go out and grab what they deserve, they settle for what is in front of them, even if it hurts them. This does not happen to everyone, but it does happen to more people than I would like. They stay in abusive, hurtful, or negative situations, when they could be living life in freedom and fullness.

This is what I want to say to these beautiful people: you deserve more. You have the power to change things, even if you feel like you do not. What others do does not reflect you--it is a reflection of themselves. They live in their own world, and you have the power to not let that affect you in a negative way. You can change your life, even if you think you cannot. You can change your way of thinking, your actions, and your views. You can show love and respect to yourself.

Here there arises another issue: it is not easy. Actually, it is the hardest thing you will ever do in your life. But you cannot give up on it. It's like learning guitar: at first, you may feel as though you will never sound good and the strings may hurt your fingers. But after a while, you can transition from chord to chord smoothly and your callouses are built up. But, you cannot achieve that without practicing again and again, no matter how many times you mess up. And you will mess up a lot--I promise. But, you will also do the right thing a lot. Change does not happen overnight, it happens in many small moments.

I recently heard a wonderful illustration: a thermometer measures the temperature of the room, and varies according to that temperature. But, a thermostat controls the temperature of the room, and is not affected by outside influences. Which one do you want to be? It starts with one big decision, and millions of little choices after that. YOU get to choose where you go, what you do, what you say, what you participate in, and ultimately, how you live.