“I knew that I could make a difference in the world, one bold stroke at a time.”

“Rather than what I’ve accomplished and the skills I put on my resume that change in value depending on external factors, I’ve possessed an understanding that the person I am beneath all of that is actually what’s worth putting at the forefront. “

“Taking that leap to cut my hair showed me more of myself to accept and hold onto rather than want anyone else to do it for me.”

“Some may think that this is the kind of essay that only ugly women write.”

“If I stopped looking for everything I lack, I could allow myself to expand.”

“If I don’t take the time to fully see myself for who I am, how can I expect someone else to do so?”

“I’m constantly feeling like a fraud.”

“But when the interview was long over and there was no longer any pressure on me to deliver a neat answer; when I was in bed tossing, turning, and poring over the minute details of my day; when I had seemingly all the time in the world as the night stretched before me, I still had trouble hitting the bullseye. Almost like I didn’t know myself — like there was a schism of the self.”