We all know how difficult those three years of middle school can be. They are surrounded by awkwardness, fake friends, figuring out who you are, and building up your "popularity status". Most of the time, these years are where insecurities begin and those "innocent" kids become ruthless and mean.

To my middle school girls, please never let go of who you are. Never compromise your beliefs or your views just because someone won't be your friend anymore. You've got to learn that no matter what, you will always have a support group of your parents, your siblings, and myself. Things may get hard at times, you may feel as though you can't make friends, but just know that it isn't about the quantity of friends you have, it's about quality.

Find friends that will build you up.

I can already see so many incredible friendships that have formed and are still forming just from seeing you on Sunday and Wednesday. But never lose the sense of innocence and love that you show each other.

Never let a guy control who you hang out with.

If a guy is controlling and manipulative, get out faster than lightning. You may think at the time that you're in love or that he just wants to spend a lot of time with you, but if he won't let you be friends with certain people because he just "doesn't like them" then you need to take a step back and look at the big picture. No guy is worth losing friends over, trust me.

Respect your parents and their authority.

Your parents are put in your life to keep you safe and help you in times of need. They may get on your last nerve and they may seem like they are out to get you, but all they have is your best interest at heart. You never know what that day holds, so make the most of it and never go to bed angry at your parents. You may never get the chance to fix it.

Love yourself.

Not in a conceded way or like Justin Bieber talks about. But take pride in who you are. Love the person you become because of the actions you do and the thoughts you think. Don't become so transformed by the world that you forget about your self-worth and your importance. It's okay to take a little time to focus on yourself and make sure you're able to continually pour into those around you. I've had friends tell me "an empty bucket can't pour anything into another bucket", so make sure you take care of yourself.