Again a really good piece! It made me think of a quote I myself have come to take to heart.

“I choose to live by choice, not by chance; to make changes, not excuses; to be motivated, not manipulated; to be useful, not used; to excel, not to compete. I choose self-esteem, not self-pity. I choose to listen to my inner voice, not the random opinion of others.”
― Miranda Marrott