Stop Comparing And Competing—We Only Get One Chance At This Life, So Make It Count

“To the girl who did things a little different,

Maybe you got married young. Maybe you had your first baby when you were still in high school. Maybe you didn’t go away to college or didn’t go at all.

Everyone does life a little differently; who is to dictate what is right versus what is wrong?

We all know what the easier path is. It is engrained in most of is at a young age.

You go to high school, make good grades. Apply to colleges, make some more good grades. Get a good job, meet a nice partner, and get married. After that, you can then have babies. But life doesn’t always happen like that, now does it?

I know mine sure as hell didn’t. And yours probably didn’t, either.

Life isn’t about meeting expectations laid out on a timeline others mapped out for you. Life is about doing things meant for you, when they are meant for you.

If you look at where you are now, and don’t see room for improvement, you are missing my point. But if you look at yourself now and see growth, with opportunity for so much more… you are smelling what I’m stepping in.

When you look back on what you have accomplished so far, I am sure there are things you would change. But would you change them at the cost of not being where you are now?

We get one go around on this Earth; make it count.

You cannot compare your journey to Courtney next door. She didn’t have the same cards dealt to her as you did. And you don’t always know what happens behind those perfect Instagram posts on her feed.

So what if you don’t decide until 24 what you want to be when you grow up? So what if you didn’t end up with a partner at all!? So what if you are entering your second marriage before 30? Who cares if you never went to school at all and are a stay at home mom?!

As long as you are happy with your choices, that is all you need to worry your pretty little head about.

At the end of the day, when it is all said and done, you are your only critic… so give yourself a 5-star Yelp review, dammit!”

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Harley Murphy. You can follow her journey on Instagram and her blog. Be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories.

Read more from Harley:

‘You’re the girl without a tribe. You, my dear, are not broken. People just don’t know how wonderful you are yet.’: Woman urges ‘whatever girl you are, you are not alone’

‘The invite came three months before the actual wedding date. I waited and waited, but my father never responded.’: Woman says ‘those who love you will show up, you won’t even have to ask’

‘Sometimes saying ‘I’ve had enough’ is the most generous thing you can do for yourself.’: Woman urges ‘not every relationship is salvageable’

‘If I’m so smart, why aren’t I a success yet?’ I was so hung up on this idea of what success was, I didn’t care if I was happy.’: Woman urges ‘you are a success in your own right’

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