I’ve always been someone who felt the need to grow up as quickly as possible, thinking I had to rush to get to “the good part” of life. I graduated high school early, earned my associate’s degrees in just one year, and was on track to finish my bachelor’s degree ahead of schedule. But now, in the coming weeks, most of my graduating class will be getting their bachelor’s degrees while I won’t. That thought keeps circling in my mind, leaving a sharp pain in my gut. I’m not sure if it’s embarrassment, sadness, or maybe just disappointment, but it definitely makes me feel “behind” in life.

How funny is that? I’ve spent the past year working my butt off so I could live in beautiful Colorado, married to my best friend of six years, sharing a career with him (kind of), and now we have the cutest dog ever. I’m living my high school self’s absolute dream. So why does this timeline thing still bother me?

Honestly, I’m not sure why I’m sharing all of this. Maybe it’s just a reminder for myself: there’s no such thing as being “behind” in life. I’m the one in control of my journey, and I can achieve my goals on whatever timeline works best for me.

So here’s to doing what sets your soul on fire. Don’t let the world minimize your dreams. Don’t fall into the trap of comparison. The ranking systems of this world want us to compete with each other, but I’d rather just do my thing, at my pace. I’m not behind. I’m not ahead. As Goldilocks would say, I’m just right. ✌️