Humor is about perspective, and hanging out with people who see life through a similar lens is so important.

I am grateful that I didn't let fear get the best of me. It only holds you back from possibilities and greatness.

I look at all the things life has allowed me to do, and I feel like the luckiest person in the world.

Losing my mother at such an early age is the scar of my soul. But I feel like it ultimately made me into the person I am today; I understand the journey of life. I had to go through what I did to be here.

I'm a big believer that your word is your wand. You know how people say things like, 'Oh my gosh, I'm such an idiot.' I don't say things like that anymore. Those put-downs, even if they're in jest, are little bullets of negativity that you don't need in your life.

They say that the average lifespan of an SVU detective is 4 years. People can't do it longer than that because it's so difficult.

The message I got from my father was that life is hard, but you just don't quit. I am grateful that I didn't let fear get the best of me. It only holds you back from possibilities and greatness. You've got to kick fear to the side, because the payoff is huge.