be the girl you want to be

A couple days ago, I was chatting texting with my mom about random things: social media, friends, life in general, and she said something so simple, that has really stuck with me:

Be the friend you want to be.

It's like, Duh! Why didn't I think of that?  Its so simple!  I also took this as "Be the girl you want to be."  It's easy for me to to get weighed down by the pressure of who I think I should be, and who society expects me to be. I have this vision of this woman who I want to be, and I keep figuring that I will get there.  I will be her in a few years, when I have my life together and figured out.  I will be kind and beautiful and passionate and intelligent and witty and I will have an amazing job, husband, and family.  I will be put together, there will be no drama, and my life will be fabulous.  However, I have been thinking I will be that woman since I was 13.  That I will eventually get there.

But I am not there yet. And truth is, I may never be there. But why can't I just be that woman now? Maybe not the most put together, knows exactly what she's doing and where she's going girl, but I can be the kind, smart, fun girl I expect my future self to be.  I can reach (and then exceed) my own expectations right now. I don't need permission from anyone and I don't need to wait for the perfect time to come along.

These are simple words to live by.  If I just remind myself to be the friend, daughter, sister, employee, woman I want to be, I  will be her!