I'm pretty sure some of you are wondering why I chose to discuss the topic of burning bridges, but I think it is an important stigma that needs to be discussed. I recently watched a video on Facebook of a school teacher's views on why burning bridges is OK, and this sparked my own take on it. We are pretty much trained our whole lives to "never burn bridges" and always have things end on good terms for the simple fact that you never know when you might need them again or need the resources that they may be able to provide you. Not once are we ever told that it's OK to "burn a bridge" if you are not happy or content with what you are doing or to explore and find what makes you happy. More so, we have fallen into a trap of what makes you the most money at all cost necessary or what supports the family or pays the bills. I'm not saying that one should not do what's best for their family, but don't become complacent with what you have always strive to be -- the best version of yourself -- and that consists of having to step on some toes and burn some bridges eventually in your life.

There is probably a majority of people who hate their jobs but choose to stay because of certain circumstances or choose to stay because they feel as though they are not good enough for anything else or just become too comfortable with the job. The same goes for relationships or people that may currently be in your life that may not be helping you reach a certain level you are trying to attain or who may just bring a sense of drama to your life. For some reason It so hard for us as people to rip that bandage off and do what makes us individually happy. I say it's time.

Why stay in a bad relationship or a situation that you know is not good. I say end that friendship and burn that bridge. Ultimately, that is proving to your self that you are more important to you than anyone can be. Burning bridges always has this negative connotation to it when in essence can bring you one step closer to reaching your overall happiness. Instead of forcing something to work that you know you don't enjoy or is not your passion, leave.

Find something you love and wouldn't mind committing hours to. Never settle for just the average things in life because you are afraid of burning a bridge. I'll use myself as an example. I have been working retail for years and I finally landed a retail job that I always wanted -- pay was great (for the average college student, of course) and the discount was fantastic. But two weeks into the job I quit without any two weeks notice. Mind you, never in my life have I ever quit a job after two weeks, and I am nowhere close a lazy worker. I work extremely hard and I am very dedicated to anything i do, but at that specific point in my life it was just not for me. It reached the point where I walked into work and I felt uncomfortable; I was scared to go to work. The environment just wasn't fit for me, and people know when something just isn't for them. So I decided to "burn that bridge." Why? Because I wasn't happy with how I was being treated, and I was being over worked for just a retail job and no where close to appreciated.Honestly it was the best decision I could have made for my happiness at the time.

My story isn't anything extravagant but it goes to show that burning bridges can indeed work out to be a positive thing and doesn't always have to be associated with a negative outcome. If things are meant to workout they will, but if not, it's time to let go. I'm referring to all aspects of life: friendships, family, work, and the list goes on. My point is step out, make a change in your life if something is just simply not working for you. Burn that bridge and find something better. We need more people in this world that know their worth instead of those that are questionable. We need more people that are willing to risk it all and truly find what they are passionate about. We need more people to have that courage to burn that bridge and that's what I believe leaders are truly made of. And in a society that has become overly systematic, we need people who have individuality and are confident enough to want more for themselves.