My go-to saying has always been “yolo.” I loved the idea of how you only live once, so live your life. But my mom would always say my version of yolo was “you only live once so be careful and don’t die.” Which honestly was true. My anxiety was such a huge aspect of my life that I was too scared to really go or do anything.
One day I was at Six Flags and it was my first time going on the eagle. I was young and my friends that had gone on it already told me how high the drop was and while I got on the ride I was freaking out. Then this man sitting right in front of me threw his hands up in the air holding peace signs and started screaming ‘YOLO” at the top of his lungs. I then threw my hands up and joined him. Every single second of that moment made me feel just a little bit more alive.
As I am going through my journey I am realizing how important the statement yolo really is, even though little twelve-year olds still wear that saying on their t-shirts with sparkles all over it. For me, yolo means happiness. It tells me to live my life. It makes me know to follow all I dream of. It tells me not to over think. It tells me to believe in myself.
Now I started doing everything in my power to believe in this saying. I push myself to live in every moment. Even though I have disorders that make my life a little harder, it does not make me weaker. I can do everything. I CAN follow my greatest dreams. Disorders should not hold anyone back from what they want to do.
If you struggle everyday. If you constantly think that because of a diagnoses (that is out of your control) you cannot accomplish any of your dreams, you are wrong. YOU CAN. It is so beyond hard to feel confident and strong when you are having a battle with your own mind. But that battle just makes you so much stronger. If you can get through everyday with this struggle, believe me your dreams can come true. So now GO. Go start believing in all you want to accomplish in life. Go on that hike. Go travel the world. Go away to college. Go tell someone you love them because you can.
You only live once. So you might as well start living now. Yolo.
xoxo
Sky