Throughout my life, people have questioned the authenticity of my character. I’ve heard things like, ‘You can’t really be this good. No one is,’ or ‘Aren’t you exhausted from keeping up this little Disney princess act? You know we know it’s fake right?’ My own mother, from early childhood, to this day accuses me of ‘putting on an act,’ convinced my kindness was just a mask for manipulation or a thirst for attention. She seemed certain there was some ulterior motive behind my warmth.