Solange Shares An Inspring Message On Her B-Day

Because Solange Knowles is an angel, she's given us all a gift on her 30th birthday. The beautiful and ethereal younger Knowles sister posted an Instagram message on June 24 encouraging followers to live life on their own path regardless of whatever noise is coming from others. In the caption accompanying a photo of herself smiling radiantly, Solange gave a brief history of her 30 years so far, with a message to fans to write their own histories, too. "Don't eveeer let anyone write your story for you," she wrote. So, if you're feeling a little lost today, take a cue from 30-year-old Solange and realize that your path is still yours to forge and no one else's.

The post reveals a lot you might not know about Solange (I certainly didn't know most of it). She says at age 10, she felt god; at age 17, she lost her best friend, Marsai, to gun violence; she fell in love for the first time at age 13; she bought her first house at age 20. She also admits that when she was 24 years old, she struggled with "intense panic attacks and agoraphobia and was afraid she would die" by age 30. Her post is vulnerable but hopeful. She also details her successes and happiness, like her second marriage at age 28 (never forgot that cape dress, oh my god!), and giving birth to her "angel baby" at age 18. And her message is this: "They can talk, they can doubt, and they can say what they wanna, but only you have the words to narrate this ting we call life."

Solange has grown up in the public eye, so of course she's under a lot more scrutiny than most of us. But it's still a pick-me-up to see her admit her hardships as well as her successes, and say, rightly so, that she's just getting started at 30. It's easy to become weighed down by the judgment and opinions of others, and even easier to succumb to others' doubts, but at the end of the day, your story is your own to write and to tell. Solange has overcome a lot, and she's telling all of her fans that they can, too. So, if you're in your twenties or thirties — or any age, for that matter — let Solange help you feel a little less lost today. There's no one "right" path for everyone.