When we’re young, we spend a lot of time watching fairy tales. Fairy tales teach us that anything is possible. We believed in Prince Charmings, red capes, and super strength. We believed that no matter how many mean stepmothers or evil villains got in our way, there was nothing hard work and a little bit of pixie dust couldn’t defeat.

As we got older, things changed. We realized red capes didn’t exactly help us fly and not every person will treat you like a princess. Instead of fighting hard to get those magical things, we gave in. We gave into the adult life.

People no longer tell you to go to college to find the job of your dreams; instead they tell you to pick a major that will get you a job right out of college or a major that will actually make you some money. Life isn’t about doing “what you love” - it’s about making enough money to buy yourself a house, to pay bills and to take care of everyone else around you.

The same thing goes for dating. We go out on dates or meet new potential partners and when they aren’t exactly the nicest, we make up excuses and say, “that’s just how boys are” or “girls are difficult sometimes - it’ll pass." We get into these relationships where we aren’t exactly treated the way we hoped we would or the person doesn’t try to be with you, so we put in more effort to make up for what the other person doesn’t do.

Sorry to break it to you, but you’re settling - and you should stop. Yes, life is expensive. You need to be able to make money to support yourself. But don’t settle in a career path you hate just because you’ll make extra money. If you don’t love business, don’t pick that major just because most people say that’s where the money is. Pick a major that will help you land the job you like waking up every morning to go to. Your passion and hard work WILL help make you happy and make you money.

If you’re in a relationship where the person doesn’t make you feel special or doesn’t put effort into making it work, stop settling. You deserve better than that! You deserve to feel special. You deserve to smile. You deserve to feel loved and appreciated. You’re young and it’s true what they say about there being a million fish in the sea. Don’t settle for the crappy one.

We don’t live in a fairy tale world, but why can’t we strive for greatness? Why are we told that it’s OK not to be excellent as long as we’re good? You owe it to yourself to be the very best you can be and live the most fulfilling life you can have. Stop settling. Just because our red capes don’t make us fly, doesn’t mean we can’t be superheroes.