Life is messy. We all go through hardships that change our lives completely. Everyone's journey is different, therefore we all have different struggles. I'm a firm believe in that life is 10 percent what happens to you, and 90 percent how you react to it. I do believe that we all go through a lot of the same stuff, but we all handle it differently. How we deal with it is everything.

I look around at people with depression and mental illnesses, and I often wonder why that isn't me. I've heard stories of how people hit rock bottom and why they simply cannot get out of bed in the morning and I wonder why I can't relate. Sure, I've had hard times where I've been so low that I struggle to get up in the morning and do life. I know what it feels like to feel worthless sometimes and have no motivation to go on, we all somewhat do. But I also know what it's like to rise up and come back stronger. I know how to turn my situation around and try to see the good through it all.

I realize that not everyone has the ability to do that. I know that mental illness can be the exception to it all. That some people are not actually mentally capable of thinking any other way and that there is a chemical imbalance in the brain causing the sickness. But for the majority of us I have something to say, please stop playing the victim.

I think at one point or another, we all do it. We all like to take our failures and defeat and make it our excuse. We like to milk it for all that it's worth.

The reality is that we play the part of the victim, and well. And for all those who truly do suffer from mental illness, depression, rape, addiction, etc., we make them look like liars and exaggerators. We down play the seriousness of those types of situations because some of us milk them for all that we can. Truth is, nobody cares. Harsh, I know, but people don't actually care what you've been through or where you're going. They could care less if you get out of bed in the morning or if you stay in it. It's a dog eat dog world.

You are your own advocate. You hold the power in your hands. You can stay down, or you can get up and allow your trials to change you and make you stronger. But just know your not fooling anyone so please stop playing the victim. Stop using your struggles in hopes that you might gain attention from them.

You are not a victim. You are a fighter, a riser, an achiever, a conqueror. You can have anything thrown your way and still know who you are and what you stand for. You know that at the end of the day it was just one bad day, not a bad life and you can get up the next day and start over. You know that staying down won't do anything for you or your situation. You can keep your goals in sight regardless of all of the odds against you. You are a swimmer.

In life there are two options. You will either sink, or you will swim. So stop playing the victim and make a choice. Which will you be?