Ever since I can remember, I have been a professional at overthinking, worrying, and stressing out. All throughout high school, and even during the beginning of college, I have been prone to the occasional meltdown that implodes as a result of all the stress and pressure I put on myself. I like to plan things out ahead of time, and when things don't work out according to my plans, I become extremely frustrated.

For most of my life, I have lived for other people. I have worried about what others think of me, if I fit in or not, if I was getting good enough grades, if I was good enough at the sports I was playing, etc. Don't get me wrong, I still like to live up to other's expectations, and I still want to present myself in a way that will make others "like" me, but I've recently learned the importance of living in the moment.

Rather than spending my time worrying about things out of my control, I have started taking more time to focus on how I can make myself happy. Being myself, staying healthy, enjoying time with my friends and family, and learning to disconnect from all outside pressures of society has taught me so much about life. My mom has always told me that as long as you do your best, you have done enough. It took me a long time to realize how deep this mantra really goes, but I think I've finally started to understand it.

Life will be full of ups and downs, and you can't plan for everything. Nobody is perfect in every aspect and nobody is loved by absolutely everyone they meet. Doing my best by making myself happy, being there for those who mean the most to me, and disconnecting from superficial things that have no meaning has made me much happier and freer. I try not to stress out about things that are out of my control, and I strive to be more appreciative of all the experiences life has offered me. Chilling out and caring less has become my new approach to living my best life.