A wise person once told me that I am like a flower. That there will be days when the sun shines high in the sky, and I stand tall. That there will also be days that I get rained on and the wind blows me around, but I will plant my roots and continue growing. As corny as it sounds, we are all flowers. We all have great days, where we feel like we’re on top of the world and nothing can touch us. We all also have days that suck, and it seems like every possible thing goes wrong. That’s life! Life is hard. It’s exhausting, stressful, and honestly can sometimes completely suck. But life is also amazing, exhilarating, and full of possibilities. If I’ve learned anything in my 19 years of living, it’s that life is truly what you make of it.

I really learned that life is what you make of it from my mom. My entire life I’ve grown up with her telling me that “if what you’re doing isn’t working, you need to change something”. We always joke around that she should be a motivational speaker because anytime we started complaining or talking about crappy situations, my mom would go into her speech on positive outlooks; and that if you think good thoughts, good things will happen. Every time she started, I’d roll my eyes and say “Mom, please not again!!” but everything she’s ever said is imprinted in my mind, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Don’t get me wrong, I still think life sucks sometimes. I get annoyed far too easily and if you know me at all, you know that I complain WAY too often (sorry for anyone that has to hear that). Lately, however, I’ve really been trying my best to be positive and think about all the good things life has to offer, but one thing continues to hold me back from making my life the best it can be. Fear.

Recently I’ve come across an opportunity that could truly change my entire life, and to be frank, it terrifies me. But it’s also given me a completely new outlook because it is honestly the chance of a lifetime. When I was second guessing myself about applying for this internship, my sister flat out told me that this is something I cannot be afraid to go after. She pointed out that I have absolutely no reason not to try and get it. I kept coming up with different excuses as to why I shouldn’t apply for it, and she had a comeback for every single one that I threw at her. She made me realize how many times I come up with reasons not to go after the things I want and how afraid I am to live my life. There are so many times that I don’t do things because I’m scared of what people will think, or that I might get rejected, or that I think I’m not good enough. What a waste of the precious gift God gave me! Someone once said, “Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live.” This opportunity has shown me how crazy and insane life is, and that there are endless possibilities everywhere you look. I shouldn’t let what people might think hinder on things that make me happy. I shouldn’t let the thought of rejection and fear of not being good enough prevent me from going after the things I want. AND NEITHER SHOULD YOU. Start doing what scares you. Start doing what makes you happy. Start living your life. Go tell that boy you’ve been crushing on that he’s cute. Dance on a table and sing your heart out. Quit that job you hate. And for god’s sake eat the donut! You have 86400 seconds to have the best day ever, so make them count.