I think vulnerability and transparency is such a beautifully rare thing in our modern society. People feel the need to mask themselves and pretend they don't feel emotions at all, and that they “don’t care” about anything, and honestly I don't know why this is “cool.”

It’s okay to be different, honestly, it’s better to be different. It sets you apart from the crowd. If you're more sensitive than others than you are more than likely more in touch with yourself and you know what you do and don't want. Sensitivity isn't something to be ashamed of, it’s something to embrace and love about yourself. I know that my sensitivity makes me an empathetic person. I am able to put myself into other people’s shoes and understand what they're going through, and I love this aspect about myself. I used to hate that I cried a lot, I hated that I cried so much that I just stopped letting myself cry all together. I would bottle up emotions until it was way too much for me to handle and I’d explode on other people and on myself.

Once I got to college I realized how transparency is such a beautiful thing and that I should try to be humble and as vulnerable as I could. It was around this time that I learned who my true friends were, and who really deserved my time and energy. I would do absolutely anything for a lot of people out there, but I realized that a lot of this energy wasn't being reciprocated back to me, and I was getting exhausted. So I stopped. I stopped caring about people who weren't worth my time. I stopped trying to do a million things at once and make everyone happy. I stopped pretending to be perfect and acting like I had everything together, and this is when true happiness came into my life.

I now love being an emotional person, it makes me unique. I am okay with being judged by people who don't like who I am, because I like who I am. Being up front with people, so they know exactly who I am and what I stand for, has done nothing but improved my quality of life. I can sense a fake person from a mile away and I just don't have time for them, I don't allow time for them. I’d rather put extra energy towards my genuine and amazing friends rather than give a little bit of energy to those friends along with 30 other acquaintances.

I don’t care what is “cool” and what is “dumb” anymore. I don't care if people are intimidated by my confidence and by the love I have for myself. I am happy with who I am, which is a sensitive, empathetic, and caring girl, and that is all that matters.