I'm done pining for romance. I'm done sitting and waiting for "Mr. Right" to appear.

I'm done playing the field.

I'm done going on dates.

I'm done thinking that everything will be so much better if I have a boyfriend.

I'm tired of second-guessing myself, not believing in myself, and hating who I am.

All this negativity is wasting precious time. I'm going to start enjoying my life as it is. In fact, I love my life right now. I don't deserve what I've been blessed with.

For as long as I can remember, I would think, "Why don't guys notice me?" Now I think it's ridiculous that I ever questioned this. I guess they do say, "Be careful what you wish for." I've never appreciated being single and I want to start. Working on yourself is the start of a journey towards a better life. That's what I'm going to do.

I want to love myself. I want to look in the mirror and say:

"You're important."

"You're worthy."

"You're powerful."

And "You're beautiful."

When I say these words, I want to know that they are true. I want to believe in myself the way my friends and family do. I want to go through college focusing on studying what I love, spending time with my loving friends, and having fun along the way. I want to travel and see the world. I want to be the free spirit that I know I am.

I need to be free of the demons that have been haunting me for the past six years.

Battling anxiety isn't easy, but I'm ready to defeat it. I'm going to let go. It's difficult to do this, but it's a task that needs to be completed. No more tucking my problems away to save them for a rainy day. No more bottling things up. No more hating the reflection that I see every day, and no more criticizing every single thing I do. It's time for self-acceptance, inner peace, and finding my happiness again. I need to save myself. Nobody else can do that.

It's not healthy for me to think that my worth is based on a boyfriend.

Dating is like a wild-goose chase; relentless and pointless. I'm tired of it. It doesn't amuse me anymore. There are so many things that I can do to get a better sense of fulfillment, like reading, writing articles, participating in sorority functions, and going out on dates by myself.

A guy isn't going to make my problems disappear.

In fact, it may magnify them because I'm not sure of myself yet. How can I love someone else if I can't love myself? I don't want to be the burden in a relationship. It wouldn't be fair to the person I was with to expect them to deal with the laundry load of problems I may be going through when he may have his own. It would result in flames and catastrophe. When the time is right, I want it to be carefree, easy, and solid. I want to be confident in what I would bring to the table.

I feel like I haven't truly discovered who I am. I don't know my full potential.

I don't understand the impact that I make on others each and every day. I want to unleash it. Who knows what's inside? I will eventually see and embody what everyone else sees in me, and it's going to be a milestone like no other.

Being a hopeless romantic didn't get me too far. In fact, it filled my life with more negativity and made it more difficult. I want to focus on the positives. Life is too precious and beautiful to waste. Being a free spirit is who I truly am. I don't want to belong to any city, person, or thing. I want to belong to myself.

I never gave being single enough credit.

Who doesn't like coming home to a bed that's just for you? Who doesn't like doing your favorite hobby? Who doesn't like some peace and quiet sometimes? Who doesn't like bettering yourself? Being single is amazing, and I need to give it a chance.

Don't get me wrong, eventually, the free spirit has to settle down. Currently, I'm not making the most of my existence, so I need to take advantage of this wonderful life I'm living. This article may seem totally selfish to most readers, but it means so much to me because I feel like I'm finally letting go. It's like I'm opening my eyes for the first time, and seeing life in color instead of black and white.

It's time to stop watching romance movies and feeling that my love life is inferior.

It's time to stop worrying and belittling myself. It's time to start spending time with those who are special to me. It's time to work on my mental health. It's time to be a bookworm again. It's time to immerse myself in what I love.

Goodbye hopeless romantic, hello free spirit!