Everyone always tells you to never give up. It is this deeply ingrained mantra parents tell their children and friends tell their friends when someone is feeling defeated. And in most cases, that is pretty solid advice. You really shouldn’t give up just because something is difficult for you.

However, like most rules, there are exceptions. Some things are not worth the fight, and in some cases not giving up can lead to worse consequences than if you had given up. So here are 5 things that are okay to give up on.

1. Give up on being perfect

I am aware that there is a lot of pressure to be perfect, especially in today’s society. You have probably felt this pressure too, especially as a university student, as an employee, as an employer, as a human being. For some reason we as a species are obsessed with perfection in all aspects of our society, from intelligence to skills to appearance to health (both physical and mental). But here is the thing –

Nobody is perfect. Nobody will ever be perfect. You will never be perfect. And that is okay.

You are the sum of your talents and faults and they all make you the unique person that you are. Being perfect means there is nowhere else to go. Having faults means you have an infinite number of paths you can take to move forward. That is what life is all about, moving forward, learning more, experiencing more, growing as a human being. Being perfect is boring.

2. Give up on complying to societal expectations

As stated above, a lot is expected of people now. Society expects a certain type of person, a cookie cutter human being that only a few will ever be able to fit. That isn’t to say that those who fit those expectations are bad, but it does say that those expectations are completely unrealistic. For the rest of us who do not fall within this very specific category, it feels like a battle was lost without you being allowed to fight.

This mentality can be very detrimental to your physical and mental health, and can lead to the very wrong idea that you are a failure as a human being. Which you are not. Society may tell you to be a certain way, but being yourself is what will truly make you happy and make life worth living. Never adhere to expectations if it means being false to yourself. If you truly want to start learning to love yourself and be happy, do what you want to do and be who you want to be.

3. Give up on unhealthy relationships

This is not just about unhealthy romantic relationships with your significant other(s). This is about every relationship in your life that leaves you broken, beaten, terrified, unwanted, and used. Throughout your existence there will be people who come into your life and bring storm clouds. They will be mean. They will be manipulative. They will be abusive. And you need to give up on those relationships as soon as they start showing signs of being unhealthy.

A relationships, whether familial, friendly, or romantic, should never make you feel worse. It doesn’t matter if the person is related to you by blood, if they abuse you then you need to cut them out. It doesn’t matter if you have been friends with someone for ten years, if they begin manipulating you or treating you like they are superior, they don’t deserve your time. It doesn’t matter if you love your significant other, if they make you unhappy and insecure, they don’t deserve your affections. Use your own discretion of course, but if the relationship is unhealthy and all you are gaining from it is pain and insecurities, then it isn’t worth your mental or physical health to stay with that person.

4. Give up on being cautious

This one may seem odd, but hear me out. Life is short. I’m already 20 years old, and those 20 years went by very fast. Your whole life will be a fast and bumpy ride, and you don’t want to be on your death bed regretting the fact that you didn’t throw caution to the wind and do the things you wanted to do when you could.

This isn’t saying stop being cautious about everything. If the milk smells gross, don’t drink it. If there is a creepy person standing in the road in the shadows, turn around and go somewhere safer. In those situations it is reasonable to be cautious. However, stop being cautious about things they you don’t need to be. If you want to go sky diving, but are afraid of all the bad thing that could happen, ignore the overly cautious side of you and go for it. If you get invited to go on a trip, but aren’t sure if you want to spend the money right now, weigh the pros and cons and go if you have the money and this is a good opportunity. Go to the concert with your friends, apply for that really cool job, try that new food or go get the food you have been craving for three days, talk to that cool person you noticed when they walked in. Stop saying “not right now” and “that’s too dangerous” and “I probably can’t do that” and “it’s too embarrassing”. Be open minded and stop being cautious about things you don’t need to be. You are going to experience so much more that way.

5. Give up on your judgments and assumptions

In most cases, first impressions are usually wrong. There are so many facets to a single person or issue that there is no way your initial judgement is going to be accurate. In this world there are a lot of undeserved and ignorant assumptions made. Everybody does it. You have done it. And this is something that needs to be given up on.

This might be the liberal millennial in me shining through, but a lot of issues in today’s society stem from lack of understanding of others. (It is not the sole source of our issues, but it is one of the roots of our problems.) We tend to believe our way is the best way and the only correct way. It is a natural thing to think, especially when it comes to our values and opinions. But what is missing is our open mindedness towards differing opinions, values, and cultures. It needs to be clear that this isn’t me saying give up on your values and opinions, but it is me saying stay true to your beliefs while allowing others to stay true to theirs. Instead of listening to mainstream media outlets or Facebook posts or a friend’s rant, look into issues yourself. Don’t judge others before hearing them out and don’t make assumptions about an issue after hearing one side of the argument. Once this kind of behavior is diminished, the world may start becoming a place where everyone is heard and given a chance.