I turned twenty at the beginning of this year and all of those "twenty something year old" articles started to apply to me, so I began to pay attention to them. After only about a week of being twenty and reading maybe three or four of these articles, I noticed that they all had something in common. Each article mentioned something along the lines of being yourself, defining who you are, living for you and nobody else. So around that time I made a vow to myself, 2014 would be the year that I lived for myself.

I made several goals for myself that consisted of things like:

1. Keep a journal.

2. Dress how you want to.

3. Go somewhere once a year that you've never been.

Three piercings, three journals, a new wardrobe, and several vacations later, I can honestly  tell you that after only 10 months of living this way, I have never been happier. I have achieved so many accomplishments, been given new opportunities, made so many great friends, and I've honestly lived a happier and healthier life. 

No longer is my free time spent wondering how many calories I've had today, if I am wearing the right brand name, if my appearance fits into the cookie-cutter mold. Now my free time is spent journaling, plotting new trips to take to new cities, thinking about that tattoo I've always wanted, and wearing clothes and listening to music that I actually enjoy. 

So Audrey Hepburn was right, "happy girls are the prettiest." You don't have to dress a certain way or always say the "right" things. Just be happy with yourself.