Know what you want and follow your gut. It's hard to truly know what you want and who you are. It's even harder to attune yourself to that inner voic… - Connor Franta

I don't know what sparked it in my mind, but I happened to be staring at myself, dead in the eyes, in the bathroom mirror. "I'm gay," I told my reflection. What happened next surprised even me: I smiled. Through all the pain, I actually smiled, feeling a sudden rush of relief, as if being freed from a choking grip. I knew this was just the beginning of a breakthrough. Next, I needed to tell someone. [...] My friend's acceptance was liberating. I was free. I was the real me. From that point on, it was the case of finding the courage, and the right time, to tell more and more people. Each of them said the same thing: "It's okay, Con. I still love you."
They were all so great that I wished I'd told them earlier. Love trumps fear every time.
My journey, and the evolving process of staying true to myself, won't stop there. I am, like everyone else, still figuring myself out on a daily basis. But this path I've been walking is clearer than it has ever been. The fog has lifted, and the possibilities are endless. This story isn't about sexuality. It's about overcoming our biggest fears. It's about seriously examining whatever it is that may be holding us back.

I refuse to let this world abuse my already beaten soul

Renowned psychotherapist Carl Jung once said, "The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are." Think about that for a second: imagine being the unfiltered, no-pretend, don't-care-what-others-think, authentic version of you. Imagine that. Personally, I'm chasing that privilege that Carl Jung referred to: a true understanding of myself. I'm learning more about who I am on a daily basis. It's a constant search, but I'm lured by the promise of the discovery of gold nuggets, especially as I face some of life's most difficult questions, moments, and situations.