The strongest girls took on responsibility at a young age. They had to fast forward through their childhood and grow into an adult long before they should have reached that point.

These girls had to learn how to take care of themselves as soon as possible because they realized they were the only ones they could rely upon. They realized they were in charge of the direction their lives took. They realized they were not going to get anywhere by trusting others to carry their weight, because those others could always let them down or lie or disappoint them.

These girls are wise beyond their years. They are the definition of responsible because they had no other choice. They had to figure out how to care for themselves. They had to deal with problems on their own. They had to make their own money and find their own way.

These girls have been through the worst struggles imaginable, they have gone through periods of wanting to give up, but they continued on. They held onto hope that things would get better even when there wasn’t anyone else around to reassure them. They found their way back to a good place all by themselves.

These girls know the only person they can fully trust is themselves. That is why they have a habit of isolating themselves. They do not need anyone else in order to pay their bills or bring them happiness. They have strong work ethics and big dreams because they would rather focus on something they feel like they have control over than chase after people who they have zero control over.

Even though their fear of abandonment might keep these girls single, they are comfortable being alone because they are not under the impression they need someone else’s help to survive. They are loners. They are outsiders. They have grown used to supporting themselves. The idea of letting someone else carry their burdens never even crosses their minds. They would never ask someone else to buy their food or pay their rent. They can do that on their own.

These girls are called old souls. They are called mature for their age. They are called the mothers of their friend group. They are the ones everyone runs to when they need advice. They are the ones who always have a book in their hands or work splayed across their table. They never stop moving forward. They have high expectations for themselves, they push themselves hard, they never think they are doing enough.

Even though these girls are exhausted, even though they can chug three coffees in a day, they have a good head on their shoulders. They are the kind of people you would want around in an emergency. They are the kind of people who are unafraid of asserting their independence and will inspire you to do the same. They are motivational. They are mentors. They are role models. They are doing so much better than they will ever give themselves credit for.