n my late teens and early twenties, I took pride in being loud-mouthed and obnoxious because I conflated shock-value with openness (I blame my copious reality-TV consumption). I thought success equalled celebrity, and the celebrities that were poppin’ to me were popular due to their big personalities. As I’ve matured, I’ve settled into a quieter confidence. I value the validation and connection you get from being vulnerable, but also understand I don’t have to share every part of myself with the world to be “real” and authentic. I sometimes find myself wanting to slip back into the personality of my past because it’s easy, but I stop myself because I know that not liking the person you portray to the outside world isn’t a comfortable feeling. I just have to remind myself, Lil, you won’t die if you don’t get the
