Why You Shouldn't Settle

All too often, we find ourselves constantly settling for second best. Perhaps we might decide to settle because we have tried everything, drained every possible option, yet, nothing seems to be working. So we settle. We figure, this is what we deserve, nothing else will come along, there is nothing better. We start to make excuses. We start throw the blame around, much too often, landing it on our own shoulders. We convince ourselves that our expectations were too high, that we never would have made it in the first place. Settling is a terribly vicious, almost never ending cycle. Settling is also very easy. However, we should never settled (you should never settle) or feel obligated to do such. Why? Well, here are a bunch of reasons why you should never settle, for anything.

Settling for second best—for something you know you do not really want but feel you can not do better with—is almost as if you have admitted defeat. You are worth so much more than the defeat you might feel you should admit. You are also very capable of doing better with whatever it might be you are dealing with. There is always room for improvement in our lives, it just might take one person a little more work than another, and that is OK.

You should never settle for less because you do not have what others might have. Sometimes, as stated before, it just takes others a little while longer than some to get things done. That does not and will never mean that you do not deserve what others might have, you just have to work for it. In fact, everyone has to work for something in their lifetime, so it is only natural that you would have to as well.

You should never settle for less in a relationship either. No matter what. If you are not happy, if you feel unfulfilled, if you want more and your partner is just not doing it for you or even if your partner is not very nice to you, never settle. It does not matter if you have known them your entire life. It does not matter what all you have been through with them. It does not matter if they are "nice sometimes" or that "when things are good, they are really good." If you are not happy, then you should make that clear. Not to suggest you break it off with your partner immediately, people are capable of change. Just, never settle for any relationship, any person, or any behavior you are not okay with just because you feel like you "cannot do better." Yes. Yes you can.

It is so hard not to settle sometimes. We get caught up in our fears and expectations for ourselves that we tend to lose sight of what we really want and what we actually deserves. It is OK to have high standards, it is OK to expect others to treat you as you treat them, it is OK not to settle. Why should you settle when you deserve so much more than you could ever know? Especially since you have worked so hard to get to where you are right now. Continue to chase your dreams. Let yourself rest when and if needed. Strive for greatness. Always remember that sometimes it might take you a little longer to get to where you want to be, and that is OK. Know your limits but never let those limits define you or what you strive for. Set yourself realistic goals and achieve them. And, most importantly, never settle for anything, ever.