Author Lindy West shared a piece of advice last week: “think like a baby.”

In her closing keynote speech Wednesday at Southern Methodist University’s 55th Annual Women’s Symposium, West addressed topics including body image, social justice, popular culture and oh yeah, “thinking like a baby.” The way West sees it, a baby does not have a job, insecurities, or a defined purpose at such a young age.

“Since I wrote [Shrill] especially, people come to me and they say, ‘I feel more powerful because of this book,’” West said. “Or, ‘I feel like I do not have to hate myself.’ Or, ‘I feel like I deserve more.’”

In 2016, West published Shrill, a collection of essays, with topics including how she transitioned from an introvert to an extrovert, found the confidence to stand up for herself and discovered her identity through feminism. Shrill has since been adapted into a Hulu series by the same name, starring comedian Aidy Bryant. West explains how people can no longer remain silent as pop culture continues to treat women, especially humorous, overweight women, with hostility if they want to see a change.

“[If] one person comes up to you on the street and cries and says your work changed their life, that is worth it,” West said. “It has just become clear to me that it is absolutely worth it to be as unapologetic, honest and myself as possible because it is a really scary thing to do. I already broke the seal, and no one has murdered me yet.”

While West is comfortable in her skin and has been so since around the age of 22, she empathized with an audience member when the person asked how to combat the voices in their head that brought down the woman’s sense of self-worth. West admitted to hearing those voices, too, but she reassured the audience positions and titles do not give people their purpose in life.

West engaged the audience for 90 minutes with her dry sense of humor, which she believes is an effective way to educate people on controversial topics.

“I might as well keep going because I remember being the person who needed that person,” West said. “I am not an expert at anything. I am really just some lady with opinions who is not afraid to say them, so I am just going to keep doing that.”