As a teen, you assume people who you grew up with or that surround you right now will be in your life forever. The significant other you're with may have you convinced you're going to marry them, you may say your sophomore year best friend will be your bridesmaids one day. Maybe you just feel like you're obligated to maintain a connection to these people. But you aren't.

Going to college was my biggest realization. I found myself becoming more distant to the people I swore I couldn't live without. It took me a while to understand why this was happening. I began getting angry with myself for feeling the way I did but now I know that feeling was completely normal.

My life has pulled me in a completely opposite direction than I've been in for the past 19 years. My location changed, and I grew up more being on my own this past year. The independence that I have acquired overwhelmed my need to have someone on my hip 24/7. Not only did my physical location change, I mentally advanced to a new height. I found myself relying on 1 person when things got tough: me.

I didn't call my old best friend when something didn't go my way and I didn't call my boyfriend at the time to vent about stress... I figured it out on my own.

Having myself to catch me when I was falling was all I needed. It took me a while to fully wrap my head around this because I was so used to reaching out to other people in times of need or boredom. I realized that letting people go is so necessary and important for an individual's development.

You shouldn't limit yourself to the bubble you're living in. In order to experience life to the fullest, you must allow yourself to be free and open to new things. Of course, you should hold on to the positive people in your life, but don't restrict yourself from meeting new people because you "don't want to replace the old." You are not entitled to stay in a position you feel the need to escape from. You're growing each day while learning new things about the world and yourself, so why let anyone limit you to all life's offers? If you're feeling stuck in a relationship, leave. If you are in a relationship and you meet someone awesome and you're interested in getting to know them, get to know them. You're young and you have the whole world ahead of you. Your life isn't planned out like a straight line.. it has bumps and turns. Let go of what you can't seem to shake, you'll meet someone equivalent or even better. Let go of the boyfriend/girlfriend that you feel you're growing apart from.

Life goes on, this is all part of the journey.

You outgrow people, and yes it's harder than anything to look at someone and say "I don't feel the same anymore" but it is completely normal. We are evolving as individuals and are coming to terms with understanding our worth. Our surroundings are constantly changing, forcing us to drift away from the comfort zone. Life is meant to enjoy, not to stress over. It's OK to feel like you're better than what you were or what you had. It's not wrong to feel that way.

You can find the strength within yourself to be OK with letting go of what does not benefit you anymore. The wheels of time will keep on turning and the sun will still rise each day.