#and if you can't be proud of yourself for doing something you seek that validation elsewhere

[nanachie]

religious parents teaching kids that pride is a sin so those kids grow up unable to be proud of their own accomplishments so they constantly seek external validation

[zalrb]

If stelena were a couple during the stefan human storyline - when he wanted to leave so he could atone, so Carolines life could be better - how do you think Elena would have reacted?

Caroline was pissed and you said it felt like she didn't understand the man she was in love with.

Right because of the tone

When Stefan is human and decides that he wants to leave so he can atone, so her life can be better, Caroline is pissed, she’s all but I’ve stood by you through everything, this is bullshit

and again, her being indignant is valid and obviously she knows why he’s doing it, but the tone and Candice’s read on the whole thing and the “how dare you do this to me” quality of the conversation also feels like Caroline not understanding just who she’s engaged to.

Elena calls Stefan out in 1x10 where she’s like, don’t act as if you’re doing for this for me when I’m not the one who wants this

but she’s not berating him, she’s being vulnerable which then emphasizes his vulnerability, emphasizes what he’s wrestling with, emphasizes how deeply he feels things

So effectively, my point is that Elena’s reactions to Stefan’s actions amp up Stefan’s romance and compassion and intimacy and intensity because the show let’s it breathe, let’s us revel in it, let’s us really see it.

So, if it were Stelena, I just think the entire conversation would go differently.

One very real possibility is that he would inspire Elena to seek her own type of atonement because she has her own past and has done things she isn't proud of

she killed thousands of vampires by killing Kol

and the show never really has her reckon with any of that so they could have a conversation where he's like Elena, you have to live your life, you can't put it on pause for me and she'll have her minor monologue about her own need for redemption and her own need for soul-searching

I think it would also make sense that Elena would already know that that's what Stefan is going to do and her basically being Meredith when Derek chooses Addison

Another possibility is another iteration of the conversations we've already seen with Stelena. Like, think of their angsty "I need to go/I need to give you space/I need to leave you" conversations, they look like this

so this energy combined with Elena being like, Stefan I know who you are, I know every side of you

and I've never stopped loving you. I have always loved you.

How could you say that you're doing this for me after everything we've been through? If you feel like you need to go because it's something you need to do, I'm not going to stand in the way of your choice but don't say you're leaving for me. I've never wanted you to leave. This is something for you.

If you want them to have an argument or if you want Elena to be upset, it would be the same conversation except it would be, "So, you're just going to do what you always do? Leave. Try to make me hate you, tell yourself you're doing this for me so it's easier?"

"I am doing this for you. It's not fair to you. I'm figuring out who I am now, figuring out how to help people I've hurt--"

"And I'll be there for you like you've been there for me. Why wouldn't you think I'd want to be here, Stefan?"

It's all right there.

[lollytea]

Up until a month back I liked a guy. And I really liked him. But I found out he didn't like me back. I was really upset, but I didn't want to hold it against him, but then I found out he had a reputation of being a player (which, at our age of 14 is flirtatiously texting girls and then just. Ghosting them).

And I felt really upset. I began to question if he even saw me as a friend, and whether the way he texted me was even friendly. What if he secretly loathed me and was just doing this to get a kick out of it? What if he knew about my feelings and they were just a joke to him?

I wanted to cry, but I told my friends and my sister I was okay. But I wanted to scream. Its not my fault I was born ugly. It's not my fault my face makes me unlovable. And even though I wanted to distance myself from him I felt some sort of perverse pleasure every time he did something embarrassing in front of every one.) And that's when I think it hit me.

That's why I'm unlovable. I am unlovable because I'm a terrible person. My friends tried to comfort me saying that he's a shitty person who can't see my beauty/cuteness, but friends are obligated to say that. I wanted to believe them because they're all so beautiful, and they would never lie to me because they love me. But they deserve a better friend than me.

I want to cry because I want to experience having a whirlwind romance, and falling in love. I also know I'll probably never have that.

And AGH I feel so upset. Because all my life I've known I was ugly. But when this guy showed me attention, was nice to me, it made me feel special. Made me feel like I was having my own romance.

I hate it I hate it I hate it. I hate that I can't be loved, I hate my face, I hate myself for feeling these things. Last year when I suspected I began liking him, I told myself not to fall too deep, and here I am, ranting to you on tumblr dot com.

Lollytea, I love your writing and I love your posts. I love how confident you are of yourself. I'm very sorry for ranting in your inbox about my shitty love life, if this makes you uncomfortable, please delete it. But if you don't, I genuinely would like some encouragement. That my time for my own romance will come. That I will learn to love this face.

You're not unlovable. You're just 14. It just happens that being 14 feels a lot like being chronically unlovable. But no, that is not actually the case.

Maybe you've heard this a lot. And I imagine that it must be frustrating to listen to. That being a teenager just means your emotions are bigger and more intense than they will ever be in your entire life, so they're irrational and silly.

That's not the case either. Your feelings matter. And they're worth being listened to. But I do need you to keep in mind that the age range you're in right now is one of the most difficult periods of time that a human being will ever go through. Being a teenager is very hard. Being an adult is hard too. But me and every adult I've ever met would not trade it for being 14 again. No way in hell.

It does severely influence how you see yourself and why your emotions feel so strong and messy and all over the place. But I assure you that you're doing a fantastic job for a person in your situation. It's rough and you're getting through it and I'm proud of you.

Firstly, I'm going to say this quite bluntly but dont take it as me insulting them. Most of the boys in your class probably aren't that smart. And they are the absolute worst people to be seeking validation from. I promise that their opinion of you is not worth worrying about because they are...stupid, frankly. They won't be stupid forever. Probably. But being 14 is a weird age for boys too and they're quite mean for a while before they mature and chill tf out. Please try not to let it get to you if one of them doesn't like you romantically. I promise you it is not remotely a big deal. None of them have any idea how to be good boyfriends yet anyway.

No, you're not unlovable for occasionally having spiteful little thoughts about somebody who was mean to you. Everybody has those every once in a while. As long as you maintain some self-awareness and don't let cruelty consume your whole brain, having a few mean thoughts doesn't make you a terrible person. What WOULD make you a terrible person is external terrible behaviour. It's your actions that matter. So just be kind, alright? Be kind to your friends. Ignore the people you don't like but be civil. Don't hurt anyone. If you stick to all of this, you're golden. Considering that you already seem so self-critical of being a bit bitchy inside your own head, I think that's a promising sign than you won't do anything worse than that. I hope so anyway. Be kind, that's all you can do. Your friends love you. If you put your all into loving them in return, then you can have something so special.

You're not ugly, you're 14. Sorry, I'm getting a bit repetitive but I think it's relevant information to this whole situation. At the age you're at, your face is probably in this weird transitional period between child and adult so maybe that's why it might look "uglier" than usual to you. It might last a few more years but it won't look like that forever. I assure you that your face is beautiful because it's doing exactly what it's supposed to do. It's alright if you've felt ugly your whole life. The way you look at your own face is way more personal than the way you look at other people's faces. We don't really notice the flaws on others the way we notice our own. We're wired weird like that.

All I can say is hang tight. If you don't like your face then please try not to let it upset you that much. Your face hasn't fully developed yet. For the time being, you look exactly the way you're supposed to look and you're perfect. Let's see how it looks in a few years before we make any rash decisions about it being as ugly as you think it is.

Don't be hasty in the belief that you'll never find love and romance. I assure you that the age you're at is the absolute worst time to get a boyfriend and its perfectly okay if you don't experience it for another while. It's normal. You're fine. It's okay.

I know you want it. I know it sounds nice. And I promise that if its important to you, once you're older and the people you're interested in are a little smarter, you will have it.

I'm serious when I say that for the time being, focus on being a good friend. Focus on school. Focus on your own physical and mental health. Focus on your hobbies. Being wanted by 14 year old boys won't mean shit in the long run.

Things will be okay. You talk so much about how you'll be alone for the rest of your life. But your life has only just begun and you hardly know who you are yet. It's impossible to tell what will happen in the coming years. I promise that you'll be okay.

I know you came for me for reassurance but from that last paragraphs, I'm sure you're already smart enough to know the things I've told you. But I imagine that you just needed a second opinion. Take care, love.

[priestess-of-yuri]

what trajectory are you on right now?

a timeless pick a pile reading for where you're heading right now. remember to take what resonates and leave what doesn't!

1-2-3

»————..✞..————»

pile one.

pile one, you have an optimism right now that is commendable, however you may need to check yourself. your pride seems to be getting in the way of your potential to have purity of heart, and you are likely mistreating those around you, and being hurt in the process. your passion is nothing to be sorry for, however remember it is important to address your behaviour as something to always be improved upon, something to always execute with the utmost of kindness and care. there is likely abuse within your relationships right now, or it's heading towards that direction. remember that communication is key, and that everyone's feelings and perspectives are just as important as each other's. just because you may have been mistreated in the past doesn't mean you need to seek validation from external sources all the time. sometimes people can't provide that validation that you need, and that's not their fault. sometimes they need to take care of themselves too. so you need to take care of yourself and learn to validate yourself. practice the art of self-soothing. it's not easy at first, and it takes time and practice for it to work well, but you are just as capable as anyone. you have the right inner strength to overcome anything. believe in yourself, because even if no one does, i do. the universe does. you will get there.

»————..✞..————»

pile two.

oh wow. i see, pile two, that you are going through a lot right now. you are likely letting go of something you once found very important. a relationship. you are on the road to handling it maturely, with compromise, peace, and resolution. however you may need to check that the other party isn't expressing martyrdom, or that they're not rushing you and being stubborn. you however are on the path to being efficient and effective with your actions. you are reaching a finality that will grant you release, and you are moving on. this separation will serve you and though you are in a lot of pain right now, it's clear you will become even brighter and better for it. the universe doesn't make mistakes, only grants us lessons. remember to allow yourself to feel, and then let go, though i suspect you're doing a good job of that already. the universe is always proud of you and cheering you on. you're reclaiming your power, and you deserve to be proud of yourself for that.

»————..✞..————»

pile three.

your cards are seemingly conflicting, pile three. you are on the path to a breakthrough and have limitless possibilities ahead in terms of creative ideas, and are seeking reconciliation and/or overcoming grief. however you are also keeping secrets, which can never end well. devastation will be around the corner if you continue down that road. you're hopeful for happiness and fulfillment, and that is wonderful, however your blind faith isn't serving you. you could try practicing self-reflection. try talking out what's going on with you, and you'll likely feel a lot better afterwards. faith is better held when there's substantiality to it, when there's a certain amount of effort to support your belief. you're vulnerable right now, and there's nothing wrong with that, but make sure you're expressing your faith in a way that benefits and serves you. your mind is in the right place for plenty of creative thinking to blossom, and you will indubitably have the potential to grow in ways you could never imagine should you choose to accept the challenge. the universe knows you can do it, if only you try and never give up trying varying approaches. you've got this.

»————..✞..————»

thank you for reading! wishing everyone a good day/night. do not steal/repost. remember reblogs do me more good than likes! for commissions, see my pinned!

-- alice the witch 💜

[screambirdscreaming]

Much could be said interrogating the concept of "gifted kid burnout" or "smart kid syndrome" or whatever you call it, and much of it's been said better than I can

But what gets to me about it sometimes is that.... I feel like people have described a reasonable concept and then related themselves to it backwards. Or taken a real problem and constructed their concept of it backwards.

Like yeah, it does kind of fuck a person up to be highly rewarded in this extremely arbitrary constructed environment, which incidentally is where you spend most of your waking hours, while being told that it's all deeply related to your excellence and worth as a person. And then when you leave that constructed environment, you fall apart and fail to function in all sorts of ways, because you've built your skills to so completely rely on that environment (while being told this is the best most excellent thing you could do and the best most valuable way to be).

And it basically leaves a person with several options:

1) cling tighter to the structure that validates you. Dedicate yourself to reaffirming that the structure itself is meaningful to reinforce it's ability to impart meaning back to you. Spend your whole life running from failure.

2) realize that you can't keep up with the demands, but construct this as either a personal failing or a failing of the system to train you well enough. Keep seeking sources of validation to replace the hole in your sense of self-worth where being special used to go.

3) realize that the whole thing was kind of a scam from the start. Being ranked is bad. Proving value is bad. Learn to do things and enjoy things without having to be good at them or prove something.

And the thing is that I think option 3 is necessary to actually be at peace with yourself as a person. (And also, it's necessary to find true solidarity with people who were fucked up by the same system on the opposite end, being told they *weren't* good enough. Which is worse. The fact that that's worse doesn't mean I can't or won't talk about how this one sucks, but if you can't acknowledge that that one's worse, I think that's a problem.)

Anyway. Probably I'm barking up entirely the wrong tree, because the whole concept of "gifted burnout" is basically the domain of people who are stuck on option 2. And it's not like I don't see tons of stuff aimed at "it's ok to be bad at things! Enjoy it anyway!" Like that message is very much out there and in ways that I can infer to mean other people are also wrangling with this same stuff.

The problem is. Sometimes I have a problem and this type of framing is the only way I have to get at it. Sometimes I take a class where I accidentally fall into the role of being the Whizz Kid, and it's a weird sort of adrenaline hit, where being Good At The Thing feels really good and important but it takes up too much of my brainspace and I find myself more easily frustrated and it's harder to find contentment. And then I have to unpick that whole thing and walk it back and remind myself that it literally doesn't matter to be good at the thing. It's just a thing and you're just some guy and you can engage with the actual world rather than the abstract field of Showing Off Land. Like it's this whole other plane of social interaction, which may or may not exist - as in, no one else in the room is necessarily there with you, sending or receiving any signals on that frequency - but you can get stuck there. And it feels bad to be stuck there, constantly sending out "look aren't I special?" and getting upset if you don't recieve back enough pings of "wow you're so special." What is this bullshit? I don't want to be that guy. I don't like that it runs so deeply in me that it can be activated by accident.

Sometimes I do something that turns out pretty well and I want to be regular proud of it but I find myself ping-ponging between thinking I'm amazing and unprecedented and thinking that actually it's probably stupid and all sorts of people can do it - and what sort of fucked up value scale is that? It turned out pretty good and that's neat. It doesn't matter how *common* it is, that isn't anything. If it's worth doing it's worth there being plenty of it.

Like it's fine. It's fine. I've learned to recognize it and I know how to combat it so I walk myself back out of it. It just also kind of sucks. And sometimes, I wish I had an easy way to vent about it, without falling into the whole circlejerk of people coming up with backhanded ways to tell each other they're still special enough. Rather than actually deeply accepting that it's ok that you're not any better than other people.

You are just some guy! Huzzah!

[starrforge]

Miss if its validation you seek its validation that I will GLADLY deliver for your beautiful art that you serve to us

MISS STAR

You got me giggling and kicking my feet

Especially when it comes to halsin that man the way that you draw him with one moment you draw him with the most gentle sets of eyes as he's looking at adhara like she is the most precious being nature has granted him to meet

And he just quietly enjoys the silent moments with her and then the next moment LIKE

*snaps my nonexistent fingers *

YOU DRAW HIM WITH THE MOST YEARNING AND FERAL OF EYES that man is SMITTEN and THIS CLOSE to his breaking point but he would NEVER

those gentle eyes how precious he holds her THATS what's keeping him in check without her DIRECTLY saying yes he would never and I believe that's a kind of edge he equally enjoys and what's destroying him

SPEAKING OF HOLDING lets continue this rabbit hole of a brainrot we. Are. On. A. ROLL.

THOSE ARMS OF HIS THAT YOU DRAW with the BEEF oof

Where is my equally nonexistent fan to fan myself and fake pearls to clutch at

He is PROUD of those muscles not to mean that he is intimidating ABSOLUTELY not no no no he trys not to ever so aware of his height and presence but that doesn't mean he can't be proud of his muscle and strength ESPACIALLY in the service of helping those in need of them or just to generally show them of

What I would give to have seen the arm wrestling match between him and minsc you just know that he suggested it with a calm voice and a glint of mischief in his eyes and then when he WINS WE NEED SMUG HALSIN with a playful smile

how do you think he would react after the match when he realizes the look on tav's face what face would adhara make

So many questions

You should treat yourself  make yourself something nice and warm to drink some sweets or snacks of your choosing and just enjoy an evening where you make some arm and hand drawing studies of halsin

do you know that dracy hand flex thing

THAT just that with halsin as adhara ever so slightly and soft touches his arms in admiration

We need to see him flex more

definitely

we MUST

in the morning as he woke up and stretches and flexes his muscles

WICH REMINDS ME ON THAT PAINTING YOU MADE WITH THE FANGS

miss Star I give you my thanks YES WE NEED MORE HALSIN WITH FANGS

I REALLY wanna ramble on, but sadly, time is short with me. I got to go once more

Thank you for taking joy in my brainrots and rambles, for they tend to go into a ever so endless spiral

Once more I bit you fare well and if you will so have me I wish to soon return with new rambles and brainrots containing a ball and some pet names our bois might like to use

-🦊

God fox thank you for blessing me again with your visit,

[n3xii]

What You Need to Focus on Right Now

This pick a pile is to give you insight on what area of your life requires your attention as well as what may need healing at the moment. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and let you intution guide what picture you're drawn to

°•♡pile one

What you need fo focus on 》 "perfection" "passion" + ten of cups

For this pile I'm seeing that it's very important that your daily actions align with your passions. I feel like you guys do things for your family- whether that be approval, validation, support etc. But now is a time to see if your everyday actions aligns with what YOU want, not what your family deems acceptable. I'm also getting a message about what you shouldn't focus on. High standards is a good thing, but stop fixaiting on what you deem flaws about yourself. Seek out the beauty in yourself so that you can see the beauty in others. You need to focus on what you like about yourself, what makes you feel proud and happy with who you are. Stop coming up with excuses with why you're not good enough!! Focus on your passions, focus on creating routines and habits that align with that passion. Don't use your high standards as a way to berate or put yourself down.

What needs healing at the moment 》 "angel of strength"

Heal the part of yourself that wants to remain passive or submissive. It's safe to own your power. You are capable of taking more control and creating your own destiny. For you, this may look like prioritizing your passions over what your family thinks or wants of you. Your inner strength is a limitless resource to stand up to anyone who tries to disempower you. You have one life. It's yours to live, no one else's.

♤♡•Pile two

What you need to focus on 》 "forgiveness" + three of pentacles

The answer here is very clear for pile two. Focus on forgiveness. I'm also feeling that the three of pentacles is actually referring to therapy in this pile. I think going to therapy and collaborating with a professional will help you gain alot of clairty and peace about something in the past. Focus on achieving a higher perspective on a situation so that as you move forward in life, you're not building relationships and connections from a place of resentment. So going to therapy, researching psychological tips, and working with others is something I see you need to focus on at the moment.

What needs to heal at this moment 》 " all tied up" and "the world"

Your perception of the world around you has completely removed your sense of power. You see everything going on, everything going wrong and this causes a lack of motion in your own life. Understandably so. But this is severely limiting your view of things. Expand your perspective and you'll realize that you have more room to move. Heal your perception, thinking to narrowly puts you in a box where you can't see a way out. Stop suffocating yourself with narrow view points or choices, you have room to move you just got to see it first.

☆▪︎°Pile three

What you need to focus on 》 "trickery" + king of swords

It's time to step into your authority and evaluate if your being honest with yourself and others. The king of swords is the leader of his suit, which ruled all things dealing with communication and the mind. He's not afraid to say or write what's on his mind. He expects honesty from himself and others. Something is causing your. Fear of telling your truth. Now is the time to evaluate what that is and focus on dismantling that do that you can express yourself freely. Fear of honesty keeps us from expressing our need for support or assistance. Don't block yourself in communication, focus on healing your fears.

What needs healing at the moment 》 "throat Chakra"

We've touched a bit on this already but this card just confirms it. Now is a time to focus on healing what's causing you to block your own expression. Your voice deserves to be heard. Maybe it's shyness, social anxiety, fear of rejection, fear of vulnerability. It can be anything. Maybe you just hate how your voice sounds. Reaffirm the importance of your own voice. Whatever scenario you imagine will happen if you speak up will not be worse than never using your voice at all. You are capable of speaking up and advocating for yourself, be assertive and firm

[soliloquent-stark]

Let's Get ((REAL)) fic writer asks

🌿🍉🎉

hi, dear. ✨

🌿how does creating make you feel?

with fics it usually goes like:

excited -> focused -> peaceful -> stressed -> sad -> excited again -> focused -> accomplished -> joyful

stuff like gif-making is usually heaps of fun, and the excitement when i find a good parallel and nail a transition is immeasurable 😅

🍉in what ways has writing helped you process trauma and/or navigate through your own life?

i haven't necessarily dug that deep into specific details of my trauma but several fics do have bits and pieces based on my life, both the good (🦔🐳) and the bad (🍯🥃). but you can just assume that if i talk about tony's parental issues, anxious attachment, avoidance techniques, coping mechanisms, proneness to addiction, obsessive loving, self-sabotaging tendencies, adhd traits etc. that i often use him to speak my own truth because, well, i did imprint on him for a reason. sorry this got heavy on main 👍🏻

🎉how often do you celebrate completing & posting a work? how often do you give yourself the credit/validation that you seek from others when you post? (if you don't, you should!)

often! i am so hard on myself as @whinysteve can confirm and it takes a lot to create, let alone to complete a fic, these days. so when i manage to finish something, i definitely do celebrate, usually by having some good dinner and/or a snack. i don't remember an exact moment right now, but knowing k, i feel like she's given me random gifts in the past to celebrate posting a fic, ahah. i also text fandom friends about it, and i have some very supportive people in my corner. ❤️ oh, and i of course make whiny read/beta my fic the second it's done, so i can then have a real life-conversation about it and allow my brain to close that tab. i think that's a rare privilege to have (your own live-in number one fan) and i am very grateful. it's lovely and, all in all, i probably spend 90% of my time sad and feeling like i can't write one sentence, and the rest being proud of myself (especially when i reread my own fic months later and realise it was great all along, or when i get nice comments). 🥹

[mittenskittensslay]

Hi!

I'm doing a project for school, and I need to have some stories from real people to back up my point. My topic is representation in media and how it affects mental health. I was wondering if you had any stories about a movie/show that has helped your mental health or educated you on something? I know media and representation have really helped me to figure myself out and made me feel seen, so I wanted to do this topic because of that. I really need more stories from real people, so I'm asking people online and hoping some of them reply lol. Thank you!

Wow, thanks for asking me! When is your project due? I don't know when it is but I hope I replied fast enough and I hope this helps you! :D

Well, for me personally, the way The Owl House handles neurodiversity, and LGBTQ2S+, and disability is an eye-opening experience because it was previously unseen to this extent! Notable examples are all how all the characters are shown as no less! They don't have to be "normal" or fit in! What is normal, anyway? They're celebrated and valued for being wholeheartedly, shamelessly, and unapologetically their amazing, authentic selves! No matter who you are, you're valid, there's no normal and it's not frowned upon! The manner in which they're portrayed, they're so well written and that has helped people understand that they're actually neurodiverse, or LGBTQ2S+, has helped them reach out to others and seek for help when needed, myself included!

Luz struggles to fit in on Earth and Eda as well as King, Hooty, and the Collector have a hard time belonging on the Boiling Isles. However, by being open and accepting, they realize that "us weirdos gotta stick together!" to quote the Owl Lady, which is one of the pivotal, if not the main message of this show which is "You gotta be your own witch!" Also how "magic (literally) comes from the heart" it's one of the endless reasons why I love the Owl House so much and my love for it will never die.

The Owl House has allowed me to embrace myself, love myself wholeheartedly and practice more self-care. It's helped me come out of my shell and make friends thanks to the treasure it is that we fans cherish and its beautiful fandom that lets us form profound bonds by sharing this deep love and creating our own fan arts and fan fics. Luz teaches us and helps us, reminds us to be even more vulnerable, and spread sunshine and joy, love, goodness and kindness everywhere we go, to go with all our heart wherever we go! I love myself for being autistic and a genderfluid aroace lesbian even more now thanks to them. This cartoon has even aided me in realzing my sexuality and neurodiversity.

Look, kid, everyone wants to believe they're "chosen". But if we all waited around for a prophecy to make us special, we'd die waiting. And that's why you need to choose yourself." - Eda Clawthorne

"You know, you can't hide from your fears forever, which is why you've gotta get the jump on them. Give 'em a whack right in the face." - Eda Clawthorne

Please, do yourself a favor. Never hide. I've been different than others around me all my life and will proudly continue to do so, wearing it as a badge of honor because if you don't then you insult yourself, you don't live with integrity. Easier said than done but you've got to because if you're not you, then who are you? Never let the haters get you down. I relate to Luz and the others as being a proud outsider who found friends and found family also! Imagine if Luz and the others conformed. I have always found it difficult to be who I am, it doesn't always come out but Luz is so inspiring she's so herself, unique, and spontaneous in everything, makes us accept ourselves and that way I have never been happier to be me, you feel connection to the characters: they represent you, they're others just like you: this is a part of you and I love every part of you. Break free from toxicity and recognize it. Being understood is one of the best feelings. Eda accepting her curse has allowed me to accept every part of myself. It show people that LGBTQ2S+ exists and there's no need to be afraid. Change your life, you're not a tree that's stuck, find your tribe. Keeping things in is self destructive. "Does it have to be perfect?" like the most powerful witch of the Boiling Isles says again. True friendship is also shown, being there for each other. This show also tells us that we make the labels for ourselves, we define. It's how you feel, not trying to fit in the mold, you don't need to meet every single thing on a checklist or match all criteria. The labels are what they are precisely because every beautiful individual adds their own meaning and flavor to it.

Basically, to sum it all up, it portrays neurodiverse and LGBTQ2S+ folks accurately and most importantly in a way that people can relate to and feel good about themselves. For example, for me personally, it helped me open up more, embracing and expressing my true and best self, every day we get better and better. We become more social and actually truly connect with others deeply due to our shared love for the owl house which is usually hard for me to do as a high-functioning, self-advocating, and self-diagnosed autistic (or Aspie, though I don't use this label now since its no longer in use). It shatters stigma and stereotypes. It's simply groundbreaking. With love, and support, found friends, and family both biological and found, you can thrive, not just survive, and be loved, and accepted for exactly who you are nothing lees you're just weird enough to be the awesome you that you are. These and countless others are the feel good messages of this show.

Of course this essay wouldn't be complete if I didn't mention Amity Blight! Almost everyone in the Owl House undergoes key character development and their life as they know it changes in the best possible way, no less than thanks to Luz Noceda, which is an astonishingly beautiful thing but I believe I can safely speak for many, if not all of us (also yours truly), when I say that Amity undergoes the most amazing and impressive character development I've ever seen so far! Goes without saying! She starts off being seen as a bully when in fact it is later revealed she never was. It's never taken for granted that Luz with the sunshine she is and spreads selflessly everywhere, helped Amity rediscover her true self. Amity understands and goes on a journey or self improvement. If that's not inspiring, then I don't know what it and I'm not exaggerating here! Amity does a lot of self work, recognised her mistakes and attempts to become a better friend to Luz pretty quickly.

Hm, I wonder if when Luz said, "I'm not a witch but I'm training hard to be one." and showed Amity the ball of light emerging from the light glyph, she was speaking to her essence and broke through/got through to her!

And then, when Amity said "remember to turn on the light" to Luz and saved her in WAD, she woke her up bc she reminded her that Luz is light, literally!

Luz helps Amity remember who she really is, to return to her true self, who she always has been deep down, not just sb trying to achieve ultimate status and Amity helps Luz remember that she's the light of everyone's life! To continue to be who they really are! They saw through each other! I think they also literally became each other - Amity became Luz's light and Luz was suffering with the same issues as Amity, thinking that she ruined everyone's lives which was definitely not true in both cases! Neither Luz nor Amity ruined everyone's lives, ofc! It was the complete opposite! And they did what one did for the other as I said above but reversed!

Bc Amity and Luz are essentially the same -both so positive, carefree (maybe not always but eventually and unafraid to be themselves), dorky, nerdy goofballs who are so kind and sweet and powerful and so much more and full of love! (But also different in their own unique way)!

Love and kindness always win in the end and we have them inside us! We are love and kindness themselves! We just need to give each other a chance!

Luz, Raine, Masha, The Collector, King, Papa Titan, Amity, Hunter, and basically everyone is probably on the spectrum so hats off to everyone and them. Eda helped me confirm my gayness, something I was already aware of before the Owl House. Same goes for the characters mentioned above: Luz as genderfluid; Raine, Masha and The Collector non-binary; Papa Titan as probably non-binary/agender genderfluid? (Feel free to correct me, sorry if I'm wrong)! Vee also (however, I don't think the creators have canonically confirmed whether she's/they're envy or demigirl or something similar but I'm assuming this headcanon respectfully and again, if I'm wrong, please feel free to correct me and educate me because I believe we're all always stil learning! However, again because people are allowed to be truly themselves - as it should be -and not marginalized and hiding for that, we can thrive. I understood that I can actually be attracted to women (I already knew that before, I believe I even had a type already, Eda basically confirmed that or the feelings around that time just happened to coincidentally appear and feel more real not because necessarily because of their frequency and intensity because you can still be attracted to someone even if the attraction isn't always there and strong (hence my aroace label) whether it's frequent and or not intense. Aroace folks can feel or not feel love and attraction and want or not want a relationship and sometimes I have felt not wanting that but it's always very brief, I do want love, I'm too much of a hopeless romantic at heart not too! I also already knew i was genderfluid. I'm a cis woman, I've always mainly identified as a woman but I'm more than just that "label": its doesn't define me fully. It's broad and vague so I feel it fluctuates. I can be and express myself as any gender: no gender, both genders - its never fixed. Before however I always knew I wasn't straight but I wasn't sure if i was LGBTQ2S+. I used to think I was demi sexual, panromantic but it's exactly why all kinds of representation is vital! It's ok to be a late bloomer but if this cartoon existed earlier it would have helped. Dana Terrace herself claimed to be a late bloomer also. Speaking of which, a huge thank you to her and her crew for creating the Owl House! They changed our lives forever in the best possible way! The connection and love between us fans, whether casual viewers or die hard fans will always be priceless: this show means everything to me and always will!

There's a lot more that can be covered but the essay would go on far too long and I don't know the word limit for your project but I hope this is enough!

This is an awesome post I found Life lessons from TOH

[witchthewriter]

tag game: stranger things edition

Thank you @maniac-maniac-maniac for tagging me!

Btw anyone can play if they want to! Don't feel like you have to wait to be tagged 🦋

Ride or die ship (your otp)

I- I don't really have one... I don't like Mike and El; she's on another level. I think I have to ship a couple, it would be Argle and Jonathan?? Or Robin and Vickie. Oh! Robin and Nancy!

Most annoying ship

Mike and El... I hate how she feels as if she isn't good enough for him while she is literally the main character? And I can't have El being insecure because my girl is BITCHIN' 👏👏👏

Second favourite ship

Me and Eddie <3 <;3 <3

Favourite platonic relationship

STEVE AND ROBIN! They are platonic SOULMATES! Absolutely amazing chemistry by the actors.

Underrated ship

Joyce and Jim; they were already Mother ™ and Father ™ even before going on their date at Enzos.

Overrated ship

Mike and El, AND Steve and Nancy. I mean I do like the trope of Female Character Has Big Ambitions with Boyfriend Who Has None. But Steve and Nancy are too dissimilar. As well as Nancy and Jonathan - there is no chemistry there.

One thing I would change in canon

Eddie's death duh.

Something canon did right

... Introduce Eddie, I'm SORRY I'm being annoying but c'mon he is the best thing about the goddamn show. It was boring for me before.

A thing i'm proud of creating for the fandom PLEASE BRAG ABOUT YOURSELF I WANT TO SEE/READ YOUR ART

It's so old, but my Vampire!Eddie Boyfriend headcanons. Looking back it could do with a lot of editing, but the idea that Eddie was actually turned into a vampire because of the bat bites was brilliant (credit to whoever came up with that first).

A character who is perfect to me (wouldn't change a thing)

I got TWO, season 1-3 Hopper, because I really loved his whole punch first ask questions later. And his weight, I loved his weight. I think his weightloss in season 4 wasn't just for Stranger Things, I think he genuinely wanted to be skinnier. Which ... I mean his body his rules, but I loved him more when he was heavier tbh.

And OBVIOUSLY EDDIE. HOW DID THEY COME UP WITH THE PERFECT CHARACTER?! They could have made him a one, maybe even two sided drug dealer who couldn't graduate high school. But no, he has so much heart and SOFTNESS. I actually fell in love with him after the cafeteria scene, when he was with Chrissy. He just became this caring, open, kind guy who also had a LUNCHBOX full of fcking DRUGS.

The character I relate to the most and why

You already hate me by now because I've spoken about Eddie so much, but yeah ... Eddie. It's one of the reasons why he's so well-loved. The outsider, the one everyone thinks is weird - I think all can relate on one level or another. Especially growing up ... not so well off. Seeing Eddie live in a trailer but he's still so popular; it gives a lot of gratification (if that's the right word?)

Character(-s) I hate the most and why

Mr Wheeler - he is literally such a shITTY DAD. WTF. In his daily life he doesn't care about his family, or show any interest in them.

STEVE'S PARENTS - WHERE ARE THEY? WHAT ARE THEY DOING? I mean they could be travelling for work but that's still neglect.

Billy - if he wasn't a good looking character no one would like him. In the original script he was actually supposed to called Lucas the n-word because he's racist. And in the scenes with Lucas, there are underlying motifs that show his racism. So, yeah, I hate racists.

Martin Brenner aka Papa. Motherf*cking asshole.

Something I've learned from the fandom

Um... that the majority of us really love big-haired, soft-hearted, drug dealers? I mean okay, I don't really get into fandoms anymore because of bad past experiences. I guess what I've learnt then, is that everyone has their own opinion - doesn't mean yours is wrong or any less valid.

Three tags i seek out on ao3

I don't go on Ao3 a lot, but Hopper, basically just Hopper omg ahahha. Or soulmate AU.

A song I strongly associate with my otp/favourite character

I gots no songs I associate with my otp but I do for Eddie - The Sails of Chiron by Scorpions. It's a bit of rock but also ... really sensual?? I found it because Eddie made me fall in love with 80s heavy rock.

No pressure tagging: @sardonic-the-writer.

[echosong971]

any ideas on how to get more confident in your art or just things you make in general? I struggle a lot with my thoughts and always talk myself out of trying to get better at art because of stuff so was just curious if you had any thoughts on the subject? thanks !

HI HELLO! I'm always up for hyping up fellow artists!

So, I used to struggle a lot with being confident in my art to the point where I solely relied on other people's opinions of my art to validate my self-esteem. It really sucked and dampened my enjoyment of drawing quite a bit. But one thing that helped shift my focus that I eventually realized was this:

I wasn't letting myself be proud of my own work.

It is not self-aggrandizing or wrong to simply be happy about something you have created, to look at it and go "Y'know what? I really like the way I drew that nose. And those flowers look AMAZING, actually." It's perfectly normal and healthy to hype yourself up and in fact, I encourage it! Be your own hype-man! Look at an old drawing you made and instead of only focusing on what you think looks bad, just focus on what you think you did well! Give your art three compliments today, I promise you it will make you feel better about your art skills.

Of course, that's not to say you can't critique your own work, or that you should blind yourself to what you can improve on. But you are your own worst critic, and often times people fail to remember that proper critiques and constructive criticism include mentioning things you enjoyed about the work alongside the potential improvements.

Bullying yourself or beating yourself up is not constructive, it is destructive. And thoughts that don't have your best interests in mind are not thoughts worth listening to.

And another thing, you need to accept yourself where you are. You cannot do better than your best and that is ok. With time and study and practice, you will improve. But if you don't let yourself draw in the first place, then how are you going to get better? Like a very helpful person once said: "bad art is good art because you made art."

And one final note: Art as a general, overarching concept is not something to "get right," it is not something with cut and dry rules that must be followed to the letter of the law. It's a form of expression. It is a product of passion that is tailored to the individual. And it is beautiful. When you let yourself pour your heart and soul into a piece and share it with the world, people will see that; even with any technical mistakes that you may have made, what people are going to notice and latch onto first is the love you have for art and the passion you carry for the craft that shines through what you make. So when you love what you do, other people will too :)

Like my mom always tells me: seek to express, not to impress.

I hope this advice helped ya out my dude and I want you to know that I'm rootin' for ya in your artistic journey! Art can be tough and really frustrating at times and I'm proud of ya for makin' it this far and seeking ways to improve!

I hope you have a good morning, good day and a goodnight, wherever you are Anon! ♥️

[shytastemakerthing]

Can I please request a romantic TWST matchup! I am veryyy outgoing. I make friends really easy and overall I’m a people pleaser. I do get very anxious and overwhelmed easily, which can cause panic attacks. I dont like sports, but I do like studying and my grades are something I take pride in. I overwork myself a lot and I make myself crumble. I thrive in environments where I get to help people. I tend to fall for possessive people because it makes me feel like someone actually likes me, even though they’re toxic. I get a long with people pretty easily though a lot of people have taken advantage of me because I’m naive and overly kind and I do anything in my power to make sure that people like me. I crave validation so I love being praised and takes care of, it makes me feel like I’ve done something right. I really enjoy video games and puzzles cause they challenge my brain. Its very easy to get me to do anything- just tell me “if you do _____ then I’ll be so proud of you.” And I’ll do it-. I am a little chubby with stretch marks and surgical scars. I’m very insecure in my body and I would like someone who would hold me close and let the world fall away. I love the idea of someone rough and tough getting soft and snuggling with me. I have some sensory issues that can cause panic attacks, like loud places/crowds. I prefer someone tough and dominant, but on the quieter side. I crochet and I recently finished making a blanket! Thank you!!!

A/N: Thank you so much for your request! I re!lly hope that you like this! On another note, if you ever feel like you need to vent or talk about anything, my messages are always open😊. I am in no means a therapist of any kind, but I know just what a lot of what you stated feels like and I've been there myself 😊. Continue to be amazing!!

I match you with........

Riddle Rosehearts

• Now, there are a number of reasons as to why Riddle won in terms of this matchup, and I'll touch on several of those points.

• This is a man who has always seeked validation, mostly for it to come from his mother despite how toxic she truly was for him and to him. Once he was able to look past that in his life, seeing just how she was for him, he began to find that validation in other things. He greatly helps you in that as be knows that you need it.

• He will praise you when you do well, and bring tea and tarts to celebrate. If you're falling behind in classes or not quite sure on a certain topic you are studying, he is there for you all the way to help you through it. He takes great notice of your cues if things are beginning to be too much, if you need a break, if you're hungry, or if you finally understand what js being taught.

• He knows what it's like to be around toxic individuals, mostly his mother, and he will certainly help you. Yes, they gave you validation, but they also hurt you for their own benefit. You do not need not need. Come over to Heartslabyul for an unbirthday party. You will be guaranteed to find and make new good and healthy friends there *cough* Trey *cough*.

• Beijg a people pleaser is okay, but bot when jt comes at the risk of hurting yourself. You can't make everyone happy, and then also expect yourself to be happy as well. He is gentle when telling you this. It's okay to tell people no, it's okay to let them down. It's all a part of growing. If they can't see that you did try to help, or redirect them to someone who can help them better, than that's their loss.

• He is someone who takes his relationship very seriously. Words of affirmation seem to do wonders for you, and he gives you plenty. While among his dorm members, he can be still quite strict, though not as bad as his time in overblot, there is still that nature to him. Once it's the both of you behind closed doors? Pajamas are on, and the both of you are curls into one another and he whispers praises to you and you to him. You're each other's greatest moral support.

• Make him a blanket and he melts, he loves it❤. Honestly, you'll see him using it every night within the confines of his room. It's usually going to be very nearly folded on his bed, it's either being very delicately washed, or maybe he's studying at his desk and it's being used to keep his legs warm. Can he.... possibly have a couple more?

• Overall, this relationship is built on trust, care, love, respect, admiration, gentle words, and care. He may not be perfect, but he promises to be there when you need him the most, no matter what. You're his darling rose, and he wishes to see you bloom.

[shina913]

🌈🤍🎉 for the writers ask plz 😍😍😍

Thank you for this ask!!! This got longer than expected so I'll put a cut below.

🌈is there a fic that you worked *really fucking hard on* that no one would ever know? maybe a scene/theme you struggled with?

I can't pick just one fic LOL so I'll tell you the ones that I remember struggling with:

Scale and Scions are fics that I think fall under the "Fics I worked really fucking hard on." For both fics, I contended not only with writer's block (for Scale and Scions) but I also had to do a bunch of research (for Scale) to make parts of the plot seem believable. For Scale--yeah, sure--I didn't have to do all of that but I wanted to and I'm really proud for being able to push those into writing. I'm also really happy with how it turned out and at some point, I would like to dabble in that genre again! I like challenging myself that way.

For Scions (which is an ongoing series), it's incredibly difficult for me to write because 1) it gets very emotional and 2) I'm basically trying to juggle four different stories and squeezing them into one fic. Ofc, I have my main characters but I really like the idea of having these four siblings who all have different things going on in their lives--being brought together by something that they have in common. I'm hoping I can finish it in the next few weeks!!

A couple of other scenes that I struggled with were in my fic, Coquet. There was a medical emergency that I wrote in and same thing--I had to look up videos and do research lol just for the one scene!!! The second instance was the following chapter after that medical emergency--I had to map out this complex scene where several of my principal characters were in it. It was supposed to be a big reveal and I needed to physically draw--on paper--where everyone was supposed to be standing or coming from 😅 AND THEN write it all out. It was wild!!!

And I know it's not that deep but...I like it and it's what I live for!

🤍what's one fic of yours you think people didn't "get"?

Hmm...I'm not sure. I don't get much actual feedback these days so it's hard for me to tell which fic people didn't understand. 😩

🎉how often do you celebrate completing & posting a work? how often do you give yourself the credit/validation that you seek from others when you post? (if you don't, you should!)

Oh, I always celebrate a completed series and reblog/pay tribute to my fic "anniversaries!" I may not be happy with how some of them have turned out or there may be little things that I'm not completely satisfied with BUT I love all of my stories. It's very important to me to boost myself, in that way.

While I appreciate being validated by reader comments/reviews, it is just as vital for me to have confidence in my own content whether it's through self-reblogs or queued posts. That part is incredibly hard to do, IMO, because I question myself all the time. But on the other hand, it's what also fuels my writing. I'm just happy that some people would take the time to read or interact with my stuff. It's a rarity on this platform but I do treasure any and all interactions that I receive (as long as they're respectful, ofc)!

[bookshelf-dust]

Sorry this is long ash lol just wanted you to know that you're not alone. Thats all I wanted when I was by myself.

Right. I never thought I'd open up about this lol, especially to a stranger online. But I get you… I'm a really skinny black male, and where I live, people look at me as if I'm anorexic or dying from disease or something, even when I clear it up that I'm not. I constantly have to deal with my relatives telling me about my body, and it's aggravating, cuz some of them are adults, so I'm kind of forced to respect them and take everything. And that hurts, because it's not as if I suddenly lost a lot of weight or anything. I've always been like this, have been to multiple doctors and many have commented on my body not being average.

Being a black male, everyone expects me to be all gangster and macho, and being in high school at the time, that really fucked with my already present insecurities. Not to mention I was in the closet and gay. So, everything was hell. So much so that I refused to go outside for anything aside from school. I used to get in to fights with my parents just because they would want me instead of my siblings to go to the shop right around the corner lol. I was so insecure that I would go into the bathroom or my room and hide from family members visiting. It didn't help that I was a lonely kid in school, and my parents were Christian and kind of the cause for what was happening to me, so I kind of had no one to turn too. That resulted in an extremely underage me going online and seeking validation from old disgusting perverts who had no qualms taking advantage of a child. Long story short, I ended up sending a whole lot of child porn nudes to people. That was until I went on grindr and lied to this one particular man. He called out my bs and gave me some advice. Told me to delete the app.

There is a lot to this day that I still struggle with, but after disregarding everyone and focusing primarily on me, I kind of got better. I dropped out of school for my mental health. My parents didn't agree with me. But they didn't understand when I said it was breaking me. That I couldn't take it anymore. So, I took matters into my own hands. They threatened to make me homeless, but I stood my ground, and I'm glad I did, cuz If I didn't... I don't think I'd be here today.

But anyways, as I was saying. It was hard, but I started focusing and lying to myself, till the lies eventually came true. Yes, I still have those days where things are shit, but I'm much better than before.

It took 2 years for me to reconstruct myself, and if it wasn't for Larry, Twiamz, Ravon, Stan(worldofxtra), Megan the stallion, Cardi, Nicki, cupcake, Ethan Jewel and etc. I probably wouldn't have made it lol.

Oh, and I know that you're wondering what the female rappers, and Ethan had to with this lol. Well, It's simple really. They taught me to love myself. To walk my body. They gave me confidence. And stan was like a free, personal therapist lol.

I can't tell you for sure that things will get better, but what I do want you to do is continue to fight. It's okay to feel how you feel and whine, but don't let it fully consume you. There is nothing wrong with going down. Sometimes things are just way beyond fixing. But u only get one life. So, fight like hell for it. Don't worry about the others. Fuck the others. Anybody can be the star when they wear confidence like their skin.

this is probably all over the place, but its raw lol and yes, I know, I say lol a lot😒I do it when I'm anxious.

you are such a sweetheart. i really appreciate you taking the time to say all of that to me and it means a lot that you felt comfortable enough to open up like that. i know it isn’t easy. and i’m really proud of you for getting through all of that, and i’m so glad that you’re feeling better. i’m glad that those people could help you too. i haven’t thought about some of them in a really long time. i’m glad that you can love yourself, because you deserve it. you always have deserved it and you always will. and i appreciate you being so raw with me. i understand about being anxious, and it means more than i could explain that you talked to me at all.

the thing with me though is that i’m just done. i don’t really have it in me to fight like other people do. i’m not sure what it is that i’d be fighting for. i’ve already let all of this consume me, and i know that’s probably disappointing to hear, but it’s true. this is all i think about. for awhile i tried to listen to other people, to people i know care about me, and think that things would get better. but i don’t believe it anymore. not even a little bit. i know that i only get one life, and i think i’m okay with that. i don’t really think there’s anything left for me. i’ve realized that i’m just not going to have what other people have. i won’t ever be this confident and happy person, and that’s okay. i don’t have it in me to keep going anymore. i don’t believe that good things will happen, that things will change or get better. that’s just who i am. i wish i felt differently, you know?

but it’s alright. i love you. thank you for being there for me. you are going to live a beautiful life. and i am grateful that you shared all of that with me <3

[painterofhorizons]

Let's Get ((REAL)) fic writer asks: 💘🦋🎀🎉

From this meme. Thank you so much for the ask. ^.^

💘Is there any posted fic you want to rework/re-edit/re-write?

Indeed! My Reda Shepard origin fic "You owe me, little bird" from 2015. It was my first long english fic ever, so it's dear to my heart. I had just started playing ME back then, and while I kept Reda "my" Shepard, her story has evolved a lot, as has my writing, and since I wrote more about her by now, I really want to give her origin fic a makeover. The basic idea will stay, but besides, a lot will probably change.

That being said, I'm a fan of "work on your stuff as much and as long as you want and whenever you want" since, you know, it's your stuff, right? So I've done a lot of makeovers of stories in my life.

🦋what are you most insecure about when you post a fic?

So. There's 2 types of answers to this.

In general: nothing. I'm not insecure about my writing, and I'm not insecure about posting. You could say that as every writer I love getting feedback and I'm always anxious if I'll get any, but that is beyond my sphere of power to influence.

Mass Effect related? Everything! This fandom has so many so absolutely incredibly talented people in it, that it is both language wise with not being a native english speaker and content wise with coming from a culture where military as a topic holds a less huge weight has me insecure about literally anything I might write. Like, I don't know the ME lore in and out, I have zero knowledge about military and medicine (and while I love doing research, at some point you gotta just go with it...) and English is not my native language. So yeah, writing in Mass Effect has me anxious to some extent from the early stage of having a fic idea up to having a fic published. I know that it's irrational, and that writing is not a competition. But I can't really help it.

🎀give yourself a compliment about your own writing

Dude, you got a great hand at heart wrenching emotions, and it's really cool how you use text and text compisition as a whole and be playful about it.

Yeah, thanks, me. :D

🎉how often do you celebrate completing & posting a work? how often do you give yourself the credit/validation that you seek from others when you post? (if you don’t, you should!)

I mean, i don't often post something due to not often having a finished fic to post. That being said, esp with the few things I have posted in the past few years, I have always been excited and proud and celebrater-ish about it, definitely. Writing is great, I love the process and I love having shaped a fic how I wanted to see it. I reread my own stuff a lot, and that's the biggest celebration you can do, right? So yeah, pretty satisfied on that end. :)

[linklewinklewoman]

Listen guys, I need to get something off my chest. If it's something I'm telling you, you'll be sure I'm directing it to you.

I try my best to be the nice person. I don't judge people unless I have some experience with them. Cancel culture is a joke to me because I believe people can improve. I legitimately can't stay mad because it's exhausting.

This is not how I began.

I was moody and self centered as far as my teen years. I isolated and thought myself above people. Heck, sometimes that mindset creeps back in. It happens. It was easy to follow the crowds when I was younger rather than form my own thoughts. Easier to hide in that crowd. And I couldn't really let stuff go. I was a miserable person.

What I'm trying to say is the schoolyard bullshit that I get and choose not to address in any way... Do you really think I'm stupid? I've seen the petty side of things. I was one of those in a way. But when you really force yourself to think it out, what does it get you? Imaginary points? Do the countless mob members you parade with like you better?

How long until they find something on you or the people you actually care about?

I'm nice because I've thought. I chose to be nice. I'm not stupid. I like to believe in people. I'm not naive. I'm happy with who I am. I don't need a random person's approval.

Take a bit to think, really think how you spend your life. Are you happy? Or are you seeking the validation of others who'd toss you away for a little more clout?

If you are getting angry at me over anon asks, I doubt you are proud of yourself.