Learning to live life to the full

I was always one of those people who felt things strongly, I tended to get worked up over little things and overthink. However, recently, I believe something in my mindset has changed. Out of nowhere, something in my mind made me realise something, life is so short and the world is so big. Honestly, it is like something in my head has clicked and I am ready to chase my dreams, chase adventure, and get muddy along the way.

Right now, at 21-years of age there is nothing I am craving more than something new. As a girl who was always nervous about everything and not very confident in herself, I have started to embrace the little things more. While I used to worry so much about the negative, I now try not to let it absorb me. If I know there is a situation I don't feel comfortable in, I will no longer put myself into it, because why should I? And if I feel there is someone close to me who is not on my side or building me up, I let them go, because I cannot settle for half hearted love and care. I don't want to live my life surrounded by negative people and the people who don't make me feel secure and alive. I think you meet several genuine supporters in life at different phases, but it gets to that stage where you have to go out and find them on adventures because they're no longer waiting for you on your doorstep. The greatest people are worth the risk of the journey and I think this realisation is all part of growing up and valuing yourself. I can not expect others to respect me if I don't respect my own happiness.

Life is not here to be lived in fear or unhappiness, of course that is a part of living and learning but surely life is meant to be lived to the full with people by your side who fully support you while you're doing everything you can to feed your soul. Recently I have tried to see my glass of life as half full and have been benefiting as a result – it appeared that as soon as I opened one door to let in good vibes there was a whole hallway of doors beginning to open for me – this is what I would call the power of positivity. The universe is recognising my longing for greater things and giving them back to me.

21 isn't an age where you need to be worrying about your career in 30 years or why you don't have a boyfriend. 21 isn't an age to feel defeated in life before you've even begun living it the way you want to. 21 is an age where I am free as a bird, I am young enough to have the opportunity and ability to do so much and old enough to do it simply because I want to. Your passion will find you and so will the person that is ready to love you.  When I started thinking more positively and freely, the world suddenly seemed much bigger because there weren't so many boundaries and restrictions to make me doubt myself.

We seem to think we need something drastic to happen to make us realise we need to start living, but you could wait forever for someone to give you a nudge and awaken your soul or you can wake up in the morning and do that yourself. This is your drastic moment, right here, right now. You can't just wait for the rain to arrive before you start thinking about your plans for the sunshine. You are your number one supporter, no one will get you further than you can with your own self belief. We could have ten lives, but as far as we know we only have one, so isn't it time to start living it? You are the person walking in your shoes, so you need to be the person in your life who is holding the map."