Growing up in today's younger generation, it appears as if we have been conditioned to live in a hyper-romanticized society. Influences like the media have made it seem like finding romance is just as necessary as eating, sleeping and breathing. Of course, falling in love can be a wonderful, enriching experience; however, it'd be more appropriate to start teaching our youth the importance of self-love, independence, and the abilities we all possess as individuals. I think we all deserve these reminders throughout the course of our lives.

In my personal experiences, I have always been fascinated by love and all aspects of it. Music has played an especially large role in sparking my interests in the whole process of falling in love, falling out of it, and everything in between. From a very young age, I had dreams of romantic endeavors that I would someday be able to experience firsthand; finally, right out of high school, I got a taste of what that was like. Wide-eyed and filled with young naïveté, I allowed myself to fall, hard, and completely open my heart to another human. After a beautiful, exciting, tragic, and tumultuous time, my first adventure in love came to an end. With the loss of romance, a loss of identity also occurred. I had been so well trained to give all of me in love, that I'd disregarded the love I needed to save for myself.

Flash forward to now. I finally found the strength and courage to take control of my own life, and for the past several months, I've been living for me. With each accomplishment and achievement, I find myself being reminded of exactly what I am capable of. With each adventure, I am reminded of the vastness and excitement of the world around me. With each opportunity, I am reminded that the future will take me to incredible new places where I'll be able to follow my aspirations. This confidence and passion for my future are fairly newfound but crucial. For any young individual with goals and dreams, I hope they are able to realize their potential in a similar way.

Recently, I've had the pleasure of getting into a new relationship--my first in over a year and a half. I now feel as though I am approaching things in an appropriate way, much more maturely and responsibly. Naturally, therein still lies the excitement for a newfound flame, and that should not be suppressed. However, I find myself needing to address some comments made by outsiders looking in on the relationship.

"That's so great that you found happiness!"

"Glad to see you are happy."

As much as I love seeing support and words of love from the people in my life, I can't help but be frustrated with the fact that my happiness is perceived as being based upon somebody other than myself.

I want to destroy that notion.

I am responsible for my own happiness, my own well-being, and my own future. I encourage everyone to strive to find the strength to take this action for themselves. But most of all, I want to remind others not to deny the love that comes into their lives. Be strong and independent, but also welcome and give love.