I'm right there with ya, girlfriend--along with millions and millions of others. You feel it in your heart, in your head, your eyes, your stomach, your bones. It can feel like a weight while simultaneously feeling like an empty void. You try to search through memories, conversations, or texts, and rummage to pinpoint where you went wrong, when that someone realized that you just didn't quite cut it for them. You'll overthink to the end of time over why you didn't quite suffice, why you weren't quite good enough. But I'll let you in on a little secret, perhaps contrary to popular belief: you are good enough.

There are going to be so many different times in our lives where we are going to feel like the dirt under someone's shoe, but we have to be able to take a step back and realize that we can simultaneously be the person wearing that shoe. We are letting ourselves be dictated by others' words, thoughts, and actions. And then there are our own words, thoughts, and actions that result because of that. We wonder if only we were a little more of this, or a little less of that. Someone having the power to influence how you view yourself, whether they are cognizant of it or not, is not okay by any means. Yet, it happens all the time. It is hard, and sometimes we don't even realize that we are doing it, but we should never feel like we have to be validated by a relationship in order to be happy or feel good enough. The relationship you have with yourself is a million times more important, I'll tell you that much. Being able to not let anyone else define you, except yourself, is the name of the game.

I'm not saying this is easily curable, and I'm definitely not telling you to snap out of it. What a hypocrite I would be. However, what I will tell you is this. Time and ice cream will do you wonders.

There is more, though, of course.

Invest time into someone who invests time into you. Do not let the blinded eyes within society make you think that your beauty and your spark have become nonexistent or have disappeared. No man, or job, or friend, or parent can grant you your worth or take it away. The worst thing you can do is feel like you have to change, morph, or adapt to fit a certain image. That image is not you and never will be.

It is so refreshing to be your own person and radiate your individuality. If someone doesn't appreciate you, wave as you pass by them and keep chugging along. It's not going to necessarily be that easy, but beginning to look at life with that mindset is the first step.

So, I will leave you with this. None of us have mastered this whole "feeling good enough" thing. We all are going to have our own internal battles. There is always going to be something that makes you feel like you are not enough and there are always going to be things that you wish you could change about yourself. The key is to not let these things hold you back from loving and embracing who you are. We are too young to be feeling like what we are doing is not enough. Life is too precious and is too short. The only thing that should have control over each of us is the knowledge that we have the power to change and design our destiny, and that the only person we need to please is ourselves.

Obviously, I'm not going to snap my fingers and we are all going to magically be confident and independent young women. However, recognizing that we are the controllers of our own happiness, and that no one else should have those reigns is such an important thing to come to terms with. When you're able to love yourself and realize that you are good enough, the whole world will be at your feet.