Being a young woman can be pretty tough. You have this idea for your life and it (shockingly) does not fall into place like you'd hoped. As you go through college you see other women thriving; making countless friends, having the time of their lives, managing to maintain a GPA above 3.5, getting internships, falling in love, landing their dream jobs, the list goes on. It's hard to not get jealous. It's hard to not feel down about where you are in your life.

A lot of this can be blamed on social media, which is a whole 'nother topic for a different time, but let me repeat what you've heard a million times: what you see on Instagram or Facebook is only the tip of the iceberg. I'm sure even you can attest that for yourself. You don't put up the pictures of the job rejection emails or the heartbreak or the 2 a.m. panic attacks. No one does. We only see the good stuff, all the success, on social media and we somehow believe that that's the whole picture. It isn't.

I know how you feel. You feel like you work so hard but you're still falling short. You see everyone around you moving forward and you still feel stuck in place. It's important to realize that life is not a race and you are not behind.

If you're not one of the girls living her best life yet, try to not get discouraged. I know it's hard. Don't stop working hard for what you want because it will pay off. Work harder, even. Stay positive. Love your life just how it is. Focus on all the good things. Success will come, I promise. Maybe it will take a while, but it will come.

Your life is beautiful, even if you're not "living your best life" just yet. Do things that make you feel good. Surround yourself with people that inspire you and erase people who are toxic and bring you down. Make small changes, because they matter. Stop waiting for your best life to happen, and go after it with all your heart. And along the way, don't forget that you're doing great, wherever you are in your life.