I need to know its okay to be myself.

I need this a lot.

I need to pin point every single thing I don't like about myself, every feeling, every tendency, every fear, every grotesque moment where I pretend I'm an Extrovert and go a little bit crazy, every word I say--and I just need to root out the bad stuff and tell myself never to do it again, but to the things that are just me--I need to tell myself that it's okay.

When I'm shy and awkward in front of new people--it's okay. They're probably just as shy and awkward, and what if they're scared of you?

When I'm playing a game with a room full of competitive people and I just feel like sitting in a corner and telling everyone to be nice to each other--it's okay. They like being competitive, and if it doesn't hurt their feelings, let them be them. And it's not bad you're not competitive. There's a room full of people who are, so you can just be you without throwing the world out of balance.

When I just want to be alone for like two seconds--its okay. Heaven forbid you should stick yourself in the muck and mire of people and the world when you don't want to. It's okay to want to be alone sometimes.

When I'm around really trendy, fashionable, smart girls, and I'm still wearing overalls and braids, and feel like I'm fourteen, and really dumb--it's okay. You got the overalls 'cause you loved them, and you braid your hair 'cause they're you, and that doesn't make you fourteen and dumb, it's makes you YOU. And everyone is smarter than everybody else in different ways.

When you feel really inadequate because you can't do something as well as somebody else--it's okay. Write down a list of things you love to do and the things you CAN do well.

When you'd rather just head up stream when everyone else is heading down stream, it's okay.

When you're following your dreams and everyone really doesn't understand why you'd rather live your dreams instead of make it rich with a fashionable degree, it's okay. Doing what you love, doing what gives back to the world in amazing and quiet ways, is more you than you could ever be.

Be unapologetically you.
But be the kind of you that changes the world in unapologetically wonderful ways.

Love, Kayla