Two weeks ago, I was kicked out of my house.
Two weeks ago, I saw my little brother every day.
Two weeks ago, I actually spoke to my parents.
Two weeks ago, I was still living a privileged life.
Two weeks ago, I was holding my breath every day.

Today, I'm breathing.

This isn't the first time I've been kicked out of my house, but it is the last. In the two weeks that I have been out of my house I've had a chance to just be. I've gotten to wake up in the morning and only be concerned about my schedule. I've gotten to wake up in the morning and play the music on my phone with the "explicit" sign next to it. I've woken up happier. I've woken up stress-free.

Two weeks ago, I was living a lie.
Two weeks ago, I had such heavy shoulders.
Two weeks ago, I was a princess.

Now, I'm an independent 20-year-old who for the first time is seeing her life through her own eyes and not the lenses that were painted for her by her parents. We aren't adults when we graduate high school because we're still at home. We aren't adults when we're at college because we're away at school and then we're back at home. And we're not even an adult when we're abroad because nine times out of ten our parents still booked our flight, made arrangements for us, and got us to the airport.

I didn't think I was ready, because college doesn't teach us how to pay bills, how to manage our time between work, internships, special occasions, family crap, and various other things. College teaches us to dash from one building to the next to make it on time to a class or to work—the real world isn't that close.

The real world is a half hour drive (or longer), plus traffic, plus that cop that seems to know you're already having a crappy day so he decides to pull you over. The real world is getting your period and not having enough money to buy tampons after paying all your bills. The real world is moving in with your boyfriend because you can.

The real world has opened my eyes. The real world has allowed my soul to breathe. The real world has taught me that love exists. The real world has shown me the good in humanity. The real world has provided me a new leaf...the real world has provided me with parents.

I always knew that one day my parents would kick me out because of my age or that my beliefs didn't align with theirs or something stupid, but I expected that time to come when I was at a good place in my life.

But that's not reality, right?
Reality is: life is messy.
Reality is: when life is going to well you're on edge for the cliff to appear out of nowhere and you fall off.

To the people still at home: be thankful. Each and every single day, please be thankful for what your parents are giving you—shelter, food, love and family. Be thankful for the tough love, be thankful they don't want you to leave, be thankful they want you around, because it means they love you unconditionally and even though you do stupid things they love you through it all. Remember, through all the fights, that they say what they say and do what they do because they love you. But, when the fights become unhealthy, consistent, and ridiculous: get out.

To the people not at home:stay out.

I've only been out of my house for two weeks. In two weeks I have learned more about myself than I did in my 20 years of being around my parents. And yes, my story and environment is different than everyone else's but my message isn't. Eventually, you need to find who you are without your parents. You need to learn what YOU believe, what YOU think about that one issue, what YOU want to wear, what YOU want to do, and where YOU want to go.

Your life isn't about your parents, it's about you and if you haven't realized that yet, I'm here to tell you that it is.

Two weeks ago, I was just another girl living at home with her parents.

Now, I'm Micaela Wilbourn and I know who I am.