I just realized how lucky I am. I was thinking about how I inherited 12 acres of land and a house in upstate New York and thought how not very many people can say that. I'm not trying to sound conceited either but not very many people can say that they feel good enough in their own skin to say to themselves that they are beautiful. Of course there are days where I look in the mirror and I'd like to be better but those times are even more rare now that I feel comfortable with myself.

I always talk about how everyone else that went to my school had more money than I did and better things than what I have but there are people who have less than what I have. A lot less. I have a great, big home, my car isn't exactly nice but it works for me. At least I have a car, right? I realize now that my family is not so horrible. Of course I still have petty fights with my parents and my sister, and I may not see them or talk to them as much as they'd like but things are not as horrible as it seemed before.

I have a job and make my own money, I am a very talented singer, although I may be no Christina Aguilera I'm most certainly not William Hugh! (That's the old asian guy from American Idol who sang Ricky Martin's "She Bangs." (I know, I actually googled it haha) I think of all the great things I have in my life and then I think of the invisible children in Africa who are mal-nourished and as young as 6 having to fight in wars with guns and doing drugs, it's horrible. I definitely think it's normal, though, to have those feelings sometimes where you feel so stressed out or feel like nothing is good enough, but for the most part I've realized I am actually pretty lucky.

I think a huge part of me realizing these things is my boyfriend. He's helped me appreciate the little things more, although I did before, too. He's helped me feel like I am lucky and I am a great person and I am very grateful for the things and the people in my life.