Since I was little, I always had an internal want to be more outgoing and have the ability to go up to strangers to introduce myself. My fear of rejection and embarrassment overcame me for so many years until I decided to not let this control me.

With my family, it was always pretty easy to talk and joke around with my siblings because I knew that no matter what, they would always be there. When it came to other people, it was a little harder, especially with those who my siblings were friends with first because they were "their friends."

Going back and forth between homeschool, private, and public school throughout my adolescence made it difficult to find those lifelong friendships you see on the television. However, I made it work and tried my best to put on the image of a normal kid who tried to talk to everyone. For those that I was able to form relationships with, it became easier, but my fear still controlled me to a point where every word that came out of my mouth I regretted or questioned what could have been said better. To some, I was the quiet girl who just did her schoolwork and went home, but to others I was fun and saw a little bit of my outgoing side that I tried to release to those I was comfortable with.

I was about 13 years old when I met some people that I said to myself "that's what I want to be like." Bold, talkative, and fun to be around. I didn't want to be known as the quiet girl for the rest of my life, so I told myself it was time for a change. I got more involved in church and school activities, worried less about my fears, and my life seemed to have more meaning and joy to it.

This led to meeting more friends and I found it easier to speak to larger groups of people as the years passed, which definitely helped when it came to class speeches and projects. By the time I was well into high school, I had a lot of friends who I cared about, as well as those who cared about me and knew me for me. I wanted a change in my life, and through acting upon that desire to not have fear of what others think, I was able to meet one of my best friends that also happens to be my boyfriend of six and a half years – Josh.

As a girl in her young twenties, I can't deny that I still struggle with being too quiet and wary about what to say in given situations. However, my advice is that if you want to change your life, do it while you're young because kids are more forgiving than adults. No matter what path you choose to take on this wonderful journey called life, it's your choice and having a few regrets are inevitable, but live and be who you want to be and whatever makes you happy.