Being young, we are surrounded by relationships, it's all around us. We see them on every social media platform, walking through the store and pretty much every corner we turn. Being a teenager you day dream about what it would be like to be in a relationship and share the same experiences as those around you, but what happens when the boy you bring home is not who your parents expected him to be.

I met a boy during my time at my first "big girl" job, our friendship was harmless due to the simple fact that we were both in your typical "high school sweetheart" relationships. The occasional flirting here and there never hurt anyone but it was never anything beyond that (seriously, it wasn't). I very soon realized that working retail is not something I enjoy and decided to leave my job and that led to us losing contact. But who would've ever thought that the boy that I just thought was cute would end up back in my life again. Life happened and things went south in each of ours life, in very different ways but it somehow brought us closer than ever. We quickly became friends, having an occasional lunch or your normal FaceTime date just to talk about how life is going. Yet, it wasn't until the end of my senior year that I decided to give him the chance I so badly had been wanting to give him. I was freshly out of a 3 year relationship but I was out of that relationship months before I ended it so the moving on process was a pretty quick one for me. A month of talking, one graduation and a couple of dates later ... he was finally mine.

My mother did not hold back when it came to giving me her opinion on my new found love and the things she said to me became harder and harder to swallow, and being the way I am keeping my mouth shut was not an option. Countless arguments, harsh exchanges and low blows were what became of my mother and I's relationship. I understand that your mom only wants what is best for you, and as long as she is alive her opinion will always be heard. But does that mean that just because someone didn't like the person I am with that they can tell me who I can and cannot love? I quickly became confused and torn between my new relationship and my family. I love my family, more than anyone knows and I've always lived my life to their standards. All through high school I made sure to please them before pleasing myself. This doesn't make you feel as good as you think, putting everyone's feelings before yours only makes you feel worse in the long run. After starting college and coming to the realization that I am at the age where it's okay to decide things for myself, I realized the only person I needed to make happy was myself.

I have always valued my parents opinions on the things I do and I will continue to, but there comes a point in your life where you just have to put on your big girl pants and learn to make your own choices in life. Our parents have been through more than we have at this point in their life, so they sometimes feel as though they know exactly what you need to do and when you need to do it. Yet, the only way to learn from our mistakes and grow as a person is to actually make mistakes on your own. One day we won't have our parents, and I hope that is a long time from now, but when they're not here how will you know how to make decisions for yourself if they have been dictating your personal choices for so long?

My advice to those who are in a tough spot like I've been is to love who you love and love hard. Love with no regrets and let nobody tell you how you should and shouldn't feel about someone. Your life is your life and there is no one who can tell you how to live it. So love that boy that nobody likes, because only you know the real him, nobody else ever will unless they give him a chance, and if they don't then only you know what they're missing out on. At the end of the day its your life, your relationship and your feelings that should come first. If we live life to please everyone else, we will never learn to take a step back and please ourselves.