I am a perfectionist - to a fault.

For as long as I can remember I would tell myself, I would find happiness when I arrived at life's next destination - whether that be getting a 4.0 in school, going on a vacation, or saving enough money to get that outfit I've been wanting. When I would achieve these things I would be satisfied for a day or two - only to make new goals.

While there are some benefits of living like this including an insane work ethic and determination to spare, the older I get the more I realize how unhealthy this mindset has been for me.

With always thinking about the future and where I wanted to be, I often forgot to enjoy the moment, and the place I was in. The truth is, life never goes as we plan it to. The quote "Life happens when we are busy making other plans" cannot be any truer. As great as it is to have goals and plans for the future, it is crucial to remember that your happiness is not dependent on whether or not you get there.

I started to realize I needed to stop wishing my life away and enjoy the place I am at in my life, without comparing it to where I think I should be.

Of course, I haven't changed overnight, and I still often fall back onto old habits of thinking happiness depends on achieving that next step in my life, or being where I think I should be. Letting go of trying to control everything in my life, and learning how to roll with the "punches" has been hard. However, realizing that putting so much pressure on myself to succeed only makes me stressed to reach that goal has been essential. When I reflect on how far I have come, and how much I have accomplished I began to realize that I am doing fine. To truly live in the moment and realize that things are going to workout has helped me learn to be happier.