For several months now, I have been trying to photograph myself with a smile. They have come out awful, fake and not the pretty smile I have been told I have all my life. Today, I tried again. My smile is back. My legitimate, happy smile has returned. I feel so unchained and alive. I feel beautiful and appreciated. Its like my life is moving in a positive direction again and it feels SO GOOD. I'm confident that I will be okay. This is the first time in a long time that I have been so confident in my future. It's amazing what ridding yourself of toxic people can do. How could I have let myself get so deep into a relationship with someone who didn't believe in me, didn't tell me I'm beautiful, never celebrated my success nor grieved with me through my pain. I can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring. What doesn't kill me makes me stronger and I think I have come out of this one with the strength of a champion and my heart thanks me for it.
