Being the youngest sister of three happy, healthy, and independent women has its many perks. I always have an example to follow. I always have a shoulder to cry on. I always have someone to provide advice when I need it. But I have to be honest, it's intimidating sometimes thinking about starting the rest of my life and making the most of the time I'm given when my older siblings have already done so well for themselves. I admire all of them, and the feats they've conquered so much, but I sometimes catch myself worrying about not having accomplished as much as they had when they were my age.

What if I'm not working hard enough? What if I'm not as committed as they were? What if I never amount to the successes that they have?

The "what if's" go on for days. I have to stop myself. The accomplishments they've made are incredible, but they're not mine, and that's okay. I spent a lot of my life trying to be just like them, participating in the sports they played, the extracurriculars they enjoyed, and the hobbies they spent their time on. As a young woman coming into her own, I've learned that there's more than one way to lead a fulfilled life and doing the things that make me the happiest is what's going to make me the most successful version of myself.

The fact of the matter is that there is no textbook way to be successful. The sooner you learn that the sooner you'll find success. You can waste a whole lot of time trying to be someone you're not, but at the end of the day, the real you is inside just waiting to be unleashed. If you feel like you're living your life based on someone else's standards, you need to check yourself. The only person you need to be living for is you, and the only standards you need to meet are your own.

Use the triumphs of others to motivate you to become a better person, but don't think that there's is only one correct way to make it to the top. Realistically speaking, you'll probably come across a few obstacles along the way, but learning from these mistakes is what will truly set you ahead in the long run. Embrace your journey. I hear it goes by faster than you think.

So the next time you feel discouraged or maybe even a little jealous of the successes of others, remember that they got to where they were because they followed what made them happy and made it happen for themselves. They took their own route to the top and made it out just fine. Your road to success paved by you, and you only. Don't stress about the amount of work you have to do, just rejoice in the amount of work you've done and be proud of the fact that you're motivated enough to make something out of yourself. That's a feat in its own.