"I just love her because she does exactly what she wants."
"Everyone wants to be around him because he's just always so real and totally himself."
"I feel like they just love life and do what they love no matter what."
Above are a few sayings I've heard tossed around over the past few years with my friends. Heck, even I've said things along the same lines about people I see, follow, observe, whatever it may be. The craving to live out an authentic life is highly sought after. Why is there such a complex about living a life that is pure and genuine and wild all at the same time? Why do we envy the people who look like they're squeezing out every sweet and salty drop this life has to offer and not choose to do the same? Is it fear of being judged or conforming to yourself because that's just "not how you've made yourself to be" and now you can't change?
We like to fit in. We want approval on the text, the Instagram, the Instagram caption, the selfie, the Facebook post, the letter to the boyfriend, the shoes and the accessories, the plan and the date. We want approval on all of it because we have been trained to feel out what the social norm is and go from there. To see what is expected and to meet those expectations and then sometimes throw our own personal flare in there-but not too much. We wouldn't want that. The thing is, we have limited days to figure out who we want to be and how to live this so called authentic life.
"Life is short" just may be one of the most over saturated, annoying quotes of all time, but it will continue to be painted on the artsy wooden blocks and plastered the bumper stickers because it is true. Life is, in fact, short. It's too short to not wear the striped tights with the colorful shirt and it's too short not to say yes to the date even if you aren't sure about where it will go.
Life is too short to not get everything you want out of it and it's especially too damn short to have any regrets. Do all of the things. Try the weird looking food. Dye your hair and paint your nails black if that's what you want. Try something scary and buy the dress that you know is different if you love it. We become so comfortable with the people we're constantly around that we get scared to branch out and be different.
All too often we forget that this life truly is what we make it. Don't sleep your days away and stop saying no to the adventures that sporadically come up. We have people screaming at us from every street corner to be something, to do something, to try something, to life and to experience and to dream. I'm not saying exhaust yourself — definitely spend days in bed with friends eating ice cream and binge watch the Netflix shows, but don't let your days slip away from you.
Start the photography website even if you aren't the town's known and proclaimed photographer guru. Instagram five pictures a day if you want, despite the likes you may get. Reread and apply all of the cheesy quotes you've heard your whole life. They're being quoted and posted for a reason. Stop reading them and posting them and hiding behind the pretty words. Take the words, the quotes and the inspiring phrases and live them out.
Stop putting yourself in a box and stop letting other people dictate what you can and cannot do. My mom has always told me that "it's no fun to be like everyone else" and with that I say go and live the life you want. Dare to be different, if you will.
