"Currently in this moment, you are the youngest you will ever be and the oldest you have ever been. Before you take your next breath, hallucinate your dreams, and let it enlighten you towards your desires. Time is ticking rapidly, make the best of it." -Shahrukh Nasim.

People are constantly waiting for something in a world that is always moving. The world provides us with all of the resources we need to do and say the things we want, yet we stand still. Often we pity ourselves and sulk in our sadness at the what ifs. We question, “why me?” and we are too blind and oblivious to realize there’s no one else to blame but ourselves.

“Life is too short”. We’ve heard this phrase from our parents, guardians, and sometimes in books or articles. When I was young I remember disagreeing with this phrase. I thought to myself, “I’m only 10 and I have so many years left in life it's going to go by so slow”. Now I’m on the verge of 20, and have a greater appreciation for the phrase.

Why do we hold back from doing, saying, or thinking the way we want?

We are quick to blame society. In today’s generation, we’ll draft notes and message ideas to our friends, but in the end never send them. The drafted ideas and thoughts we wish we could express linger in our phone notes until we delete them months later. Since when did we become afraid to say how we feel? Send what you feel, accept how you feel, and embrace how you feel. There’s nothing worse than regretting and imagining how things would be if you said what you felt in that moment of time.

My mom always used to say this, and she definitely lives her life by it. She does what she loves, goes where she wants, and lets negativity pass her by. It’s not that life is actually “too short”, it’s that life is too short for unhappiness, negative energy, and hate.

Most recent high school graduates agree the years flew by in the blink of an eye; the same goes for college graduates. While it is refreshing to live by this phrase, it does not mean to treat others in a hostile manner. It goes both ways; if you want to live negativity and stress free treat others the same.

Dwelling on small moments, or the mistakes of others, can make you become negative instantly. No one is perfect. Focusing your attention on negative situations and actions brings you down as a person, and can hold you back from living a happy life.

There is no better time than now to start living the way you have dreamed of. No matter your age, it is never too late to alter your life. Whether you want to change your style or want to embrace a new personality, who is holding you back?

The time is now to tell people how you feel (even if it’s just telling your best friend or mom you appreciate them), to be honest and speak your mind if there is a problem, to help others as much as possible, to stop being pushed around if you do not want to be, to stop fearing rejection, to wear whatever you want, and to be kinder.

Life really is too short to be unhappy, and if you are loving the life you live, you never want life to end.