Dear Girl Like Me,

I know exactly how you feel, trust me. I've been there. Nervous as hell, missing out on things because it's too much to handle, and making up excuses because "being afraid of change" seems so silly.

Well it's not. Change gives you anxiety just like it gives me. It may seem so dumb or stupid to some, but for us it’s very real. This is no joke, despite what others may think. I always order the same thing at each restaurant, my mom makes me the same foods, I've basically been single all my life, I’ve had the same friends since 7th grade and I go to school less than an hour away. I like routine. I don’t break away from the things I know and taking risks isn’t a hobby.

Changes in life are the scariest, but most crucial thing to experience. You get so used to being in a routine that breaking it seems unbearable. The feeling of not knowing how something will turn out is awful. The way your stomach turns because of a different setting or a new experience that you must try or do is terrifying. The thoughts and negative outcomes that race through your mind consume you and soon thinking about the change that’s about to happen is scarier than change itself.

I have been running from change all of my life.

I have become boring and that kills me. I never thought of myself as a boring person until I looked back on my life and realized why it is that I haven't done so many things: I'm too afraid. We're too afraid. We sit comfortably in our routine and hope that every aspect of our life will remain constant.

Let's not be boring. Let’s break this together. Let’s take risks, make changes, be spontaneous, and not have every second of our lives planned out.

So here's advice from the girl afraid of change, don't be.

Go make memories too risky for Instagram.