I stopped trying to fit in. Stopped going with the flow. Stopped blending in with the world. I stopped trying to mold myself into what others thought a “good” Christian should look like or act like.

We don't get to choose our family, but we can choose our friends. With courage, we can weed out narcissistic people. We can focus on those who do appreciate us, love us, and treat us with respect.

I found peace of mind when I walked away from small fights not worth fighting. I stopped fighting for people who gossiped about me. I stopped fighting for those who didn't respect me. I quit worrying about those who wouldn't value me for being me.

The phrase “choose your battles wisely” means to be selective of how we spend our time and who we spend our time with. To be selective. To not join every argument or confrontation. To learn to walk away from unproductive battles.