I'm learning to accept the imperfections of life and humanity. I won't become perfect -- whatever that means anyway -- no matter how hard I try. And that's OK.

Sometimes I drive straight past the store I'm looking for. (OK, I do that many times.) Sometimes I speak too soon and further complicate things. Sometimes my spur-of-the-moment harebrained schemed don't go according to plan. Sometimes I'm not good enough and I have to quit.

None of these things mean I'm a horrible person or should give up on myself. They're normal things that all people go through. I'm still young and have a lot to learn and maybe some things will never change. (Like my laughably bad sense of direction.) That's OK too.

I'm striving to feel more like this in my weaker moments. Growing up in Silicon Valley over the past two decades makes you a little obsessed with "success" unfortunately. What is success, anyway?

If it's a big house, fancy car, a beautiful spouse, and two cishet children (one of each because gender norms!!!), I'm never going to be successful. Because I don't care about any of those things. But that doesn't mean I'm a failure either.

My definition of success is having enough money to live in a place big enough to house me and a dog and be able to eat food and buy clothes. Some spending money now and then would be good too. But on top of all that, I want to make a real impact in the world by fighting mental health stigma in my own way.

That's the goal. That's my definition of success. Suck it, [insert socially acceptable male billionaire here]!

I don't need to be perfect to achieve my vision of success. I just need to be true to me. And not afraid of talking to high school principals for reasons even I don't understand. (I'm a college student now and I'm not even in trouble?!)

I guess that's another one of my imperfections I should grow to accept. At least until I learn how to overcome it so I don't run out of adult's offices screaming. Seriously I don't know what it is with adults who have some form of reputation that scares me so badly. What are they going to do? Choke me with their many certificates?

Anyway, the moral of the story is that we're strange, imperfect beings with many complexities that deserve love and respect. It's ok if you're a hot mess (as long as you don't drag other people down.) It's ok if your social skills are completely fake and about as consistent as a runny omelet.

You don't have to make sense. You don't have to live up to anyone else's definition of success. It's okay to be you.

Anyone who tells you otherwise is a liar. That includes people who claim to be your friends or family. People who care about you should stand by you no matter how different your ideas. They don't get to claim the title of "loved one" if they don't love you for who you are.