Don't allow yourself to settle for just anything in your life. Strive to obtain your every want and desire, as long as you're not harming others. - Connor Franta

It's strange to think we're brought up in a world that judges us for putting ourselves first. Somehow, to think of ourselves first and others second has come to sound so incredibly selfish - and that just makes my stomach churn and my teeth grind. How unfair! How misguided! Because here's what I've learned (and what no one seems to teach us in life): you have to make YOU a priority and think in terms of what's good for yourself and your higher interests.
[…] Instead of thinking of an action as selfish, with all the negative connotations that this word carries, I view it more positively as "looking after myself."

Today, little things make me happy, like going for a walk, getting coffee with a friend, or creating something original. Really, I find happiness in everything now. We all go through grim times. But instead of resisting the struggle like I did, embrace it, accept it, and give the matter time to figure itself out.

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 voice that tells you what your heart is saying. You know it when something feels off, when you bristle, when you hear one big, fat screaming "NO!" in your head. Whatever the personal decision - in conversation, friendship, dating, career - pay attention to what your gut says, and not necessarily what you're told and what you think you should think (because then you'll overthink it). I always stick with my gut decision.