“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”

-- Dr. Seuss (via Elena)

I believe when we learn to love ourselves, we stand up for ourselves.

While married, I would tend to go around the issues I wanted to discuss, so as not to upset anyone. Sometimes I circled so much I didn't even get my point out.

As I learned to love myself and realized that what I have to say is valid, even if others may not agree, I went straight to the point and got it out and felt great.

Unfortunately I didn't discover how to communicate this way till after my divorce, but I'm still great friends with my ex, because we were able to clearly discuss what went wrong afterwards.

So I do make it a practice to be clear and not beat around the bush.

~ Gladys Jimenez

“You cannot fake a relationship and feel right with yourself or anyone else. Changing yourself to fit what you think other people want doesn’t work. Pretending to be someone other than yourself only broadens the distance between the person you are and the one with whom you’re trying to establish closeness.”

-- Mary Manin Morrissey