While scrolling through my social media recently, I found a disturbing and unsettling amount of my friends who are complaining about their “crappy” lives.

They’re choosing to settle, and a lot of us do this without even realizing it.

“I wish he would make me dinner”.

“I wish she would make me more of a priority in her life”.

“I wish my job didn’t drain the happiness out of me.”

Why are we wishing?

Why are we settling for undeserving people who don’t appreciate us?

Why are we choosing to still be friends with people who don’t prioritize us in their lives?

Why are we choosing to go to a job every day that we don’t find any happiness in?

Well, we choose to.

I know it isn’t easy to leave your significant other, to leave your job, your town, your school, or even a lifelong friendship.

Life isn’t meant to be easy.

Our happiness comes first in life, and when we realize something or someone is draining and stealing it from us, we need to leave.

Immediately.

Complaining only creates more negativity in our mind, which we then release into others.

Cutting toxic people out of my life has been the biggest decision that has helped me grow as a person, and I continue to grow everyday because of it.

I quit a job that I had for over a year that I dreaded going to, and found a new job the very next day. Now I can say I love my coworkers who I consider my best friends, and they’re even some of the best advice givers I have ever stumbled upon.

I left a very toxic and draining relationship, and chose to follow my dreams by attending the University I always had my heart set on.

Not only have I found my passion in education, but I have met some of the best people to ever walk into my life, and I know they’ll be in it forever.

I now have a desire to wake up everyday.

Why do we choose to settle?

We may think there aren’t any other opportunities or choices for us out in the world, but they are actually endless.

We are too afraid to leave our lives, that instead, we leave our souls.

This results in heartbreak, and an endless desire to find something we will never find.

We choose our comfort zones, instead of what’s best for us, or where we can excel and truly thrive.

We need to stop.

Now.

Never settle for anyone who doesn’t knock your socks off, doesn’t push you to pursue your goals and dreams, or anyone that doesn’t love every thought that you carry inside of your scattered brain.

Never settle for somebody that doesn’t hurt when you hurt, and no this doesn’t apply to romantic relationships.

Never settle for a job that doesn’t care about your sanity, needs, desires, or expectations.

Stop settling for a location that you don’t absolutely admire and fall in love with every minute of every day.

We need to start putting ourselves first, and never stop.