How Letting Go of My Insecurities Helped Me Gain a Better Life

Riding in Cars with Boys…and Other Things I Didn’t Do in High School

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I was what you would call a late bloomer. I didn’t get my first kiss until college or my first real boyfriend until I was 19. And while I fantasized about dating all through middle school and high school, I never acted on any of my feelings.

I was scared.

I’ve always been a little shy and growing up I was overweight. My extra pounds made me even more insecure than I already was, and that made me collapse in on myself.

I spent a lot of time by myself, which I didn’t really mind at the time. I loved reading and watching movies, still do. I focused a lot on my studies and was one of the top students in my year by the time I graduated.

And while I can’t say I really regret anything — I don’t really believe in regret — I do sometimes wish I would’ve tried to look outside of myself more.

I Was an Insecure Introvert

I had friends, though it was a small group. But I was never invited to any of those cliché high school parties. I didn’t go to prom with a boy. And I didn’t have that quintessential high school sweetheart.