We have all heard the tale: You are born, face hardships, and then a prince shows up and saves you. Right? That's the way it goes. Or at least that's what we have been taught over and over and over again. For as long as I can remember, this cycle is what we have been exposed to. It started with watching Cinderella and from there it was seen in one movie after the other.

The second you enter the high school or college scene, you probably realize that this is not reality. Life is not that simple and there is a whole lot more to the story than we see in the movies.

For a second, just keep in mind that having a story that is not necessarily a Hallmark movie teaches you a lot. Through any ounce of heartbreak and imperfection, you grow IMMENSELY.

Something I have heard lately is this:

"I wish my story looked like hers."

or

"I wish my relationship looked like theirs."

Now hear me out, I have said these things too. It is so easy to see how glorious others lives look and how perfect their relationship is. However, this is false advertising. None of our lives are as perfect as they appear to be.

That friend that is in the relationship that's "picture perfect", probably experienced a tremendous amount of hardship or heartbreak before getting there. And in her story, there is a lot of beauty in that brokenness. Just like there is in yours, whether or not you are in a relationship right now.

So if you are sitting there thinking about your own life and how messy everything looks, keep in mind that it is not without purpose.

It gets easier and easier every day to compare ourselves with those on social media sporting their flawless Instagram feed. Let's be real, it feels like when you even open Facebook there is a new 'happily ever after' of a marriage, engagement, or baby announcement.

It is so fun to celebrate these things with friends and family, but don't get distraught and discouraged in thinking that their lives are perfect or that your time will never come. For now, celebrate with those friends of yours and throw that comparison out the window.

When the going gets tough, remember that each and every trial is not without reason, it is all part of what is making up your story. You might not see the outcome at this point, and that's alright.

At the end of the day, would you actually want your story to look the same as those around you? How boring would it be if we all just did the same things and got married at the same age?

I am not a pro on this whole relationship or life thing at all but for what it's worth, just because your love story isn't the same as the girls next to you, that doesn't mean it's not being written. Your story probably won't look like Cinderalla's, but it probably won't look like your sisters or best friend's either and that is most definitely not a bad thing.

Your story is allowed to be different. You don't have to have prince charming sweep you off your feet.