My hand on the bar holds all my weight as my foot clumsily finds fifth position from fourth, while transitioning from relevé to plié. I struggle to remember tendu from bourree, then fall behind, as the rest of the class is executing the sequence with exact precision. I look at the 10 year old girls surrounding me, pre-puberty, then look at myself in the mirror. With thick thighs that look peculiar in pink tights, the image of me, a 15 year old girl, in this beginners ballet class, is humorous. But instead of running out the door, I rejoin and complete the sequence to my best ability.

* * *

Fifteen tabs are open on my window, including YouTube videos on coding and many retail design templates. After spending hours into the night playing with the different tools on Illustrator, I am finally pleased with the design of my logo. My website for selling pants and art prints is coming together; although my friends are skeptical, I am certain that through social media and word of mouth, I will be able to market my handmade goods.

* * *

I walk into the restaurant and take a deep breath, gripping my sense of self tightly. Although I have been vegetarian for over two years, my choice is still constantly questioned. I always thought the stigma was that I was to give the condescending looks to my meat-loving friends, not the other way around. But for some reason, this choice, based on my personal health as well as moral beliefs, is a topic of great concern and debate to everyone else. As I sit down at the table, I remember to reiterate what I believe in, then combat any patronizing looks with a smile.

* * *

I always hear whispers of doubt behind me, but I don’t mind. My ability to stay true to myself has developed through every choice I have made, and every criticism I have received. I will continue to take risks and live out of my comfort zone, despite what others say, in order to discover and explore my passions.