Sometimes it's good to give up.

It's a realization I had when I stopped focusing solely on the uncertain future and became more in touch with the now... and when I accepted that the perfection I was chasing after for so long was an insatiable illusion.

I used to become so frustrated by the prospect of not performing my best and settling for less. I was afraid of having regrets, of wondering what could have been or wishing for what should have been. Most of all, I was afraid of not reaching my potential, which I mistook for living life halfheartedly. Giving up on the unrealistic aspiration of living a perfect life was the best decision I've ever made. Instead of living a perfect life, I aimed to live life perfectly--according to my own standards.

I learned to be more forgiving with myself and to let myself be young and freedom-loving. I learned to trust myself and to not be afraid to learn from mistakes. I learned to be less flustered by the small things and to confront the big ones.

I learned to not be afraid to let go, and I learned to let life happen.

By letting go, I wasn't settling. I was redirecting my energy to what mattered most: being free, uninhibited and, most of all, happy. There will always be a better word or a better way, but there will never be a better now than right now. So live in the moment, take in the sights around you, and remember that it's a good time to live a good life.

Years from now, when you're reflecting on your best memories, you will remember the nights spent laughing with your friends on those spontaneous midnight drives, the sweet sound of the music blaring from the car speakers and the balmy breeze slipping in from the half-open sunroof. You'll remember sitting at your spot at the dinner table, hearing your siblings poke fun at each other--and at you--and wondering what you would do without them. You'll remember the times you smiled, laughed and said what you felt.

Those will be the moments that you will choose happiness and the moments that you feel full. Those will be the moments when you were unapologetically yourself.

You'll want to look back on your life and recognize a common theme of happiness. You'll want to be assured that you lived life on your own terms, guided by nothing more than your desire to simply be happy. That's when you'll know that you truly lived.

Time is fleeting, so make use of it. Make it matter. Have fun. Be honest with yourself, and don't look back. Enjoy being young, and remember that it's OK to let go.