If you asked me at 8-years-old what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have told you a veterinarian. If you asked me at age 14, I would have said a housewife. I also probably would have let you in on my dreams of being married at 22 and living in a perfect house with the perfect family, without you even asking. All through high school these remained my dreams. I didn't want to go to college or have a career to call my own. I wanted a family. And while I don't really see anything wrong with that, I can now look back and laugh, being the 21 year old that I am.

The thing is, I don't know why, but I grew up thinking that ultimately you get older, get a family of your own, and that's the rest of your life. Of course, I still want that to be a huge part of my story, my legacy, my life, but I don't want it to be all that I did. I want to live a little. I want to make a couple hundred mistakes. I want to travel. I want to try new food. I want to meet new people. I want to get an apartment of my own in a big city. I want to graduate from college. I want to have the career of my dreams. I want to change somebody's life, I want to save someone's life. I want to do something that matters. I want to make a difference. And I want to do it all on my own. Ambitious, I know. But all of those plans don't involve getting married. I don't want to get married.

I'm not saying ever, but I realized there is more to life than marriage. And for those crazy young couples who did the marriage thing at 22 -- good for you. I'm not shaming getting married young because I think it's great -- heck, I'm a little jealous even. That was a dream of mine, something I hoped for at a young age but it wasn't apart of His plan, and that's OK because it was probably for the best. I didn't understand for a long time why I have yet to find someone who makes me happy, sometimes I still don't. But one thing I learned is that no matter how happy someone else can make you, in the end they are unreliable.

That's why I stopped searching and learned to lean on my self. I learned to work hard to better myself everyday to try to be even happier. I gained a zest and passion for my life and just the life around me in general because it is truly a gift and something to be enjoyed and fully lived out every single day. I realized that I shouldn't be so willing to give up the freedom of being young and single. Sure, eventually someone comes along that is worth it, but stop waiting around for that and go live your life. Do what you love and you will fall in love with your life.

Being single is not a curse, and it is definitely not something that should be looked down upon. It doesn't mean something is wrong with you or that you are not attractive enough or worthy enough of a worthwhile relationship. It just means that you are too busy living your life and doing more than OK on your own, that you don't need someone else. So stop buying into the single life stigma and go out and experience it for yourself. Make it what you want it to be. And no matter what, be in love with your life -- every minute of it.