In the world we live in, it's so easy to walk around with numbers attached to us. It sometimes even feels like we are dragging behind us a very heavy wagon filled with all the numbers we choose to let define us. Whether it be income, weight, GPA, height, social media likes or age, all of these things come in the form of numbers. But we are more than any of those things. Personally, I am not a math person, so this article may be a bit biased. I am not a number person, so you can see why I hate anything involving them. Here are a few things that are attached to us, and why we are more than what those numbers end up being.

Income.

I know that we all grow up in families who earn different incomes. And I know that sometimes it's two parents bringing home money, and sometimes it's just one. Even with two incomes at home, that doesn't mean things are easy or cheap. So, I am aware that income can be important. I grew up with only one parent working and making an income for our family, and it can be hard. It can feel like you are being held back by the price tag of life, and it makes you want to work even harder. I know that each person is different, and there are different circumstances that define the way we see income. But if we all stopped putting so much pressure on who is at the top, money wise, then maybe we could all invest in doing what we love rather than what will make us rich. I know that that's easier said than done. I also know that some people are actually passionate about things that will earn them good money. But I know what it's like to tell people you want to be a teacher and their first response being, "But they don't make a lot of money."

If you want to be a teacher, be a teacher. If you want to be a writer, be a writer. If you want to be a doctor, be a doctor. Stop attaching the income to the career. I know it's hard to live on the bare minimum. I know that because my family was never rich, but we were always rich in compassion, understanding and hard work (which I think is better). Don't let the number that comes with your passion keep you from following your dream. If you do what you love, then everything will find its way. You are not how much you make; you are what you make of it.

Weight and height.

I chose to pair these two up because they are things that make us human. Well, I mean a box of cereal also has height and weight ... but that's beside the point. Personally, to say these things don't matter would be to be a hypocrite. I am a little over five feet tall, and my weight is some number. I have had issues with my weight my entire life, so if you look at the number on the scale and freak out, I feel you. But I am working on not letting the number on the scale define me.

First, we should talk about height. I know people who tower over me and are insecure about it. I also know people who are shorter than "average" (whatever that means) and they are also insecure about it. You can find people of all heights and they can tell you how maybe at one point in their lives, they let how tall or short they are factor into who they are. And that's OK, if you want it to, but if you feel insecure about it, don't. Your height is something you can't control. Chances are you are fully grown, and you are not going to get any shorter or taller. So embrace your height. Let it be whatever it is, and remember that you aren't the only one who feels that way.

As for weight, I think I could write pages and pages on how much I hate it. I hate scales, and I don't like to keep track of my weight when I work out because if it goes up rather than down than I dwell on the number. Although I am not in any way a health expert, I know that there are more factors than you think when it comes to the number on the scale. I am not saying to not take care of you body or not to keep track of your weight. Do those things if you feel the need to. I am saying you are more than whatever pounds your body weighs. You are more than the number you see on the scale. You are also more than those "averages" that you look up.

Age.

I have met people more alive at 80 than people who are 18. Your age shouldn't stop you from being young spirited. You can do anything you want, at any age. The moment you think you are "too old" is the moment you have already lost. I don't mean you should tell your waiter you are not too old to use the children's menu when it's clear you are 18 years old, but take it as you will. Your age gives you experience, but that's all it should give you. It shouldn't keep you from jumping out of airplanes or learning how to salsa dance. You are never too old to learn something new.

Grade point average.

Ah, the dreaded GPA. Honestly, I think this one should speak for itself. I mean I know how it important it can be, whether it's getting into college, making the Dean's List or applying to grad school. I know that GPA matters. I am not saying in any way that you should stop putting the effort towards having a high one, but if you let it define your experience, you will severely regret it. School is more than that. If you put in the effort and you are studying what you love, then just do your work on time and let your GPA be something that follows. It is not an entire reflection of who you are, because each person has different circumstances.

You are not your 2.5 GPA or your 4.0 GPA (unless you want to be, in which case, do yo thang). You are allowed to be human and get a bad grade every once in awhile. I think it is important to state that your GPA is something you can always work on. So keep on doing what you can while also filling your school experience with fun memories, and seek help from advisers and teachers if necessary.

Social media likes.

OK, last but not least, social media likes. I think it's safe to say that in the world we are growing up in, a lot of us let how many likes our things get define us. Jokingly, I always tell my friends "It's prime Instagram like hour," which in my case is me getting 1/5 the amount of likes that my friends get, because I don't really have that many followers (whoops). Personally, I say those things, but I think going to college has kind of been an awakening. I hardly used any social media when I first left, because there was no time and I was having a better time in real life (surprise!). Now I am at the point where I will post anything, any status or picture and not care if one person or no one likes it.

Now, I post on Instagram for myself. so that I can look back at memories. I post statuses on Facebook to either keep my family up to date or, once again, memories. I hardly ever post on Twitter anymore, like at all. I like to Retweet funny things, but that's a majority of what you will see on there. I don't care anymore if a picture I upload gets enough likes on Instagram to turn into "the number." I am more than those numbers. It's kind of why I love Snapchat so much. You can put anything you want on your story and there's not a way for people to "like" what you put on there. Yes, you get views, but you never know if those are from people trying to get rid of your story or because they're actually interested, but honestly who cares? I am just glad that it doesn't say how many times I viewed my own story because let's be honest, who rewatches your own story more than you? (No one.)

I know that for people still going through a phase where they care about how many likes their things get, it is hard to explain to them that it's really not that important. Some people may say they don't care, but subconsciously they do, which I feel is something out of our control. It's the society we live in. If you can get 300 likes on Instagram from a picture of your breakfast, then more power to you. But I can assure you, at the end of the day, you are more than that 98 liked selfie on Facebook. Unless you don't want to be more, then that it's OK too I guess. Personally, I am going to choose to not let those numbers define me when there are so many better things that people can see about me and describe me as. For example, I would prefer people to define me by the amount of times I couldn't stop laughing at a joke that wasn't even funny. Or define me by who I am voting for (just kidding) (anyone but Trump tho forreal). I want people to define me by my character and by how I speak to others. I hope you do too.

Love,

A girl who would rather be defined by how many Hot Cheetos she can eat in one sitting (a lot).