The world ‘almost’ isn’t something any sane person would want to hear. Because almost means, ‘good but not good enough’. Almost means, ‘maybe some other time’. It’s temporary. It is a tiny cushion to the blow. It isn’t permanent.

There are too many ‘almosts’ in this world, and not enough ‘forevers’. There are too many ‘maybes’ and not enough ‘one hundred percents’.

What happened to wanting the best for yourself? What happened to wanting forever with someone, instead of settling for someone who frankly doesn’t care about you?

Start saying ‘no’ to the boy who tells you that he might want a relationship in a few months. Start saying ‘no’ to the girl who just wants to have sex with you and nothing else. Start standing up for yourself and saying ‘no’ to the people who only know how to shout ‘almosts’ and question marks.

Treat yourself better than you have ever done in the past. Treat yourself as your own lover and stop settling for mediocre anything and anyone. Stop settling for less than forever and less than an ‘I love you’ that should be screamed from the rooftops.

You don’t deserve someone to leave you behind. You don’t deserve someone who will leave you hanging. You don’t deserve someone who has kissed so many lips that they don’t even remember your name. You don’t deserve a one night stand that leaves you feeling even more alone. You don’t deserve hookups that leave you feeling dirty and used.

You deserve a billion times more than that.

So please, speak up for yourself. Please treat yourself like gold. You are a wonderful, strong human being. You are not a piece of meat. You are not just a body. You are not something to be forgotten. And you are not something to be tossed to the side of the road.

You deserve all the yes’s in the world. You deserve all the exclamation marks and the infinite ‘I love you’s.

It is time to start recognizing your own worth. It is time to start recognizing you are worth more than someone who already left you in the past. It is time to start recognizing that you are goddamn beautiful. And anyone who doesn’t see that, doesn’t deserve to be in your life. And anyone who doesn’t see that, doesn’t deserve to ever see how brightly you can shine.