One of the most joyful experiences of life is coming in to contact with others and building wholesome relationships and connections. Whether it be a long-lasting friendship with a classmate from Kindergarten or a casual relationship formed only recently, the mutual appreciation for another's presence in a relationship is a very comforting feeling. Our bonds with others allow us to escape from loneliness and enjoy the company of those who know exactly what to say to make us laugh and are aware of our deepest secrets.

However, as time goes by and these relationships become stronger, it can become easy to forget about ourselves and how we are functioning as an individual. Any friendship has the potential to become a vessel for comparison. This can be the comparison of bodies and physical traits, emotional strengths or weaknesses, or levels of intelligence.

While this may leave one feeling trapped or stuck and looking for ways to improve themselves, there is also an incredibly freeing realization that one must come to at this stage. This realization is that:

You are never going to be perfect enough for anyone.

Now, the initial reaction to this statement can surely tend to be pessimistic. One may equate perfection to self-worth and think, "I will never be perfect enough, so I will never be good enough." However, when reading more into the situation, it is important to realize that not being someone else's perfect picture is anything but pessimistic. If anything, freeing oneself from the expectations of others is the most liberating path that one can take.

Think about the nature of the situation, and ask yourself, "does the opinion of this person truly matter?" And, "how does their opinion of me affect themselves?" But most importantly, "how does their opinion affect me and my well-being?"

This may sound selfish to some, and there is value in considering how your actions will affect others. This is especially important in situations where your decisions doaffect the lives of other people and especially people that are important to you.

However, if you have taken the time to work on yourself and have now acquired traits that you deem to be self-improving and not harmful to the lives of others, then the only thing left is to enjoy the benefits of being a free-spirited and profoundly humble and happy soul.