Recently I realized that I am 20 years old. Yes, I know I turned this number over 6 months ago, but it hit me when I caught myself yet again overthinking. I realized I was asking myself "Why am I overthinking this? I am young enough to mess up, but I am old enough to try what I want." It all started with something I know all of you know. You know that feeling you get when you first get the crush? The butterflies? The nervousness of meeting them for that first date? Me too, but this time it didn't happen. Something felt right, I felt comfortable. I laughed the entire time, and caught myself smiling at the thought of him.

Everything was great, and then the bomb hit. Yet again for the 10283402nd time, the butterflies stopped flying around, the laugh turned to silent thoughts, and my smile faded. Why? The future, and overthinking it again. The topic of dating came up, and all of sudden it was "Wait. Real life is about to start, and I can't be with you." You know what I say to that comment? Shove it.

"One day she finally grasped that unexpected things were always going to happen in life. And with that she realized the only control she had was how she chose to handle them. So, she made the decision to survive using courage, humor, and grace. She was the Queen of her own life, and the choice was hers."

Your 20s are a time where you are your own person, and having a person to share that with is the best thing that could come with it. Please don't worry about the future, and please open up and let that person in. So what if it is your senior year of college? So what if you are applying for jobs half way around the world. So what? Live, love, and let it happen. If the feeling is there, please go for it. These deep talks, pros and con lists, and the constant stress of moving away honestly don't matter right now. This is the perfect time to try that long distance relationship, to try going abroad for a semester, or to try moving out on your own. This is not the time to say no to a relationship because of your future, or not go abroad because you are afraid, or not move out because of money. If you want it go for it, and if they are there in the end they are, if they're not then they aren't.

Overthinking kills friendships, relationships, and most importantly yourself. I challenge you not to let it happen, to let go, try something new, get on that plane, or say yes to a new relationship you want so badly. These years are the years when it is great to have someone there sometimes, but not right around you all the time. This is a great point in your life, to be a text or call away. Yes, maybe he won't be there to hug me on my days my student's hearts overflow into mine, or be there to laugh when I fall on my face in the snow, or maybe he won't even be there when someone close to me gets taken to soon. However, I know in my heart that he will be there. That I can pick up the phone and hear his voice, or text him that funny story and hear his laugh in my head.

And honestly for me, whoever makes me feel that way is enough no matter where they are or where they are going. I want him to be his own person, and me to be my own person. Yet, when we jump into each others arms next time- whether it be 2 weeks or 2 months- we can pick up right where we left off. That is all I want, and all I need right now at 20.

"Let all that you do be done in love." 1 Corinthians 16:14