Go to college at 18, graduate at 22, go straight into a job, move out, get married and have kids. This is the process of life that society has instilled into our minds for as long as we can remember.

People often say to do what makes you happy without considering the other implications behind the phrase. They mean to do what makes you happy, as long as you are conforming to these societal standards, as long as your plan involves going to college and having a family, in that order.

So naturally, there is a lot of pressure on people in their young adulthood to do everything in life “on time” and to not skip a step, or otherwise be considered a failure.

But what is wrong with taking some more years to get a degree, moving out after getting married or not getting married at all? What is the matter with starting college several years after graduating high school, getting a driver’s license after 16 or getting married at 50?

And contrary to popular opinion, people who have children at a young age are just as capable of being successful as people who wait to have children.

Besides, success is not only found in having a high-paying job; success can also come from raising kind and independent kids or accomplishing a personal life goal.

Every person is encouraged to fit the mold, but sometimes the best path for someone lies outside of that mold.

There are so many great men and women living in the world who never went to college or who didn’t get started on their passions until later in life.

For whatever reason you may not take a certain step in life at a “socially acceptable” age or not take that step at all, just know that that is OK. There is no certain age or order that you need to do things in life.

The most important thing is that you are healthy, comfortable and are working toward something that makes you happy.

Life is not a race, so work at your own pace. If you try to rush life, you won’t be able to stop and enjoy it.