I truly believe that we get one unbelievable moment in our life that defines us. Whether it be running after a lost love, speaking up for a friend, or finally letting go of what you can’t control.

I will never forget my moment. I was seventeen years old and completely lost. I was in a relationship with my boyfriend at the time and I let it consume me. But as luck would have it, he dumped me about a week after we graduated high school...right before my birthday. He was going to an Ivy league college and as dramatic as it seems now, I took it as a sign that I didn’t deserve happiness and I had completely lost control in my unpredictable world. I felt so unworthy. It felt as if the heavens had stopped moving and there was no future for me.

Then something happened. I woke up and realized that I wasn’t an idiot, I wasn’t unworthy, and that I did have a future. Just because I wasn’t going to an Ivy didn’t mean I was an idiot. Just because I was dumped didn’t make me damaged goods. I realized that I am unapologetically me and nothing can ever change that. It wasn’t an earth shattering realization, but it was enough to make me fall in love with myself again.

So no matter how hopeless it seems or how insanely horrible a situation can become, there is always a way out. Something that seems terrible can be a blessing in disguise. You don’t need to settle for anything less than amazing and it is perfectly acceptable to live your life just for you.