I remember that girl. That young, doe-eyed baby to the world so eager to grow up. I remember being that reckless and wild. I was young and very naive to reality, going back and forth with going to school, never settling on a major. I never really stuck to anything. I remember always being on the run, always needing to be out and away and going here or doing this. No true direction, or even any inner urgency to find direction, just coasting by. I remember always freaking out about not having it all together, making a big deal about the fact that I "didn't go off to college" and was on a constant cycle of dead end relationships and friendships that went on way longer than they should've. I think when you're young you put up with more bulls*** for longer periods of time because you won't admit the truth of the situation to yourself. I was still in the phase of ignoring my problems or denial of the situation and swept many things under the rug instead of calling it for what it is. I see that in many of the young girls I work with. Very beautiful girls, completely unaware of the capabilities and power they truly possess. In hindsight, 18 to (almost) 26 doesn't seem that long, its only 7 years, but so much has changed. Literally everything. It took me a while, but I finally found something that I truly enjoyed doing and excelled in. I don't know when it really clicked for me, but things just started falling into place. I stopped caring so much about what others thought of me. I stopped hanging out with "friends" that weren't the real deal and I stopped chasing the idea of having to have someone. I stayed single for a long time. I spent time with good friends and poured myself into good hobbies and spent more time just taking care of myself and de-stressed my life.

I would tell my younger self to chill the f*** out! It's okay to not have it all planned out right away. It's okay to let life take you on adventures and to find yourself. Let life teach you its lessons, learn how to love properly and how to stand up for yourself. It's okay to take your time.