You live life with parents telling you to make good grades, coaches telling you to run that extra lap, and teachers telling you to study for the test. Every influential adult in your life has expectations for you. I’m here to tell you that it is OKAY not to live up to them. It is okay to fail every now and then, as long as you succeed in what you love to do.

My whole life, I have always done what everyone else has wanted me to do. I have recently realized this is a problem with a lot of teenagers. Society has so many expectations for us: go to college, get a job, have a social life, eat healthy, make good grades, go to the gym, take time for yourself, get a decent amount of sleep at night, etc. It can be so exhausting to constantly do what society, your parents, or your friends want you to do.

The moment that I realized I have the freedom to do what I want to do, I started to live a happier life. It feels so much better when you accomplish things on your own because you wanted to do it. The only happiness that should matter to you is your own. When you start living your life for yourself, your whole world will change and ultimate happiness will take over.