Our world right now is falling apart in many ways. There is so much hate, anger, violence, death, abuse...the list goes on and on. You see it on social media, on TV, in newspaper and you hear about it from the people you talk to. It is really hard to get up in the morning, turn on the TV or even go outside without realizing how broken the world is.

All that negativity can start to weigh on you, and that can lead to a mountain of other problems that you did not even realize were caused just by being exposed to the harsh reality of the world. The world is not all bad, though. That may seem hard to believe, but just thinking some positive thoughts can really change your mood, your perspective and especially your mental health. Here are some to think about:

1. You are alive.

This is something that we sometimes take for granted. We witness and hear about death all around us, and sometimes we focus on it. We forget that we are alive and we forget to appreciate that. We don’t celebrate life as much as we mourn death. Think about those people that died. I’m sure that they would rather be alive and they would want everyone to celebrate and enjoy life rather than wallow in death.

2. God is still God (whether you believe in Him or not).

He has not changed. He still loves you. He is still protecting you. He is still keeping His promises. God is still in control and He will never grow weary or tired. He is still our rock and our salvation. Even though the events of the world have us asking, “Why God?” He is still here and He still has a plan for everyone. We can still trust Him.

3. There are people that love you.

Think about your family and your friends. You still have people who care for and love you. Love seems to be the last thing on our minds when we think about the world as it is. We see hate and anger and sadness and fear, but not love. Love conquers all of those, but if we don’t remember that there is love, all of those other emotions take over. Remember the people you love and those who love you.

4. It’s the summer!

Everyone loves the summer! OK, maybe there are one or two people who may not enjoy it too much, because everyone is in a different situation, but most people enjoy it. A chance to relax a little more. Trips to the beach, ice cream, traveling and a whole bunch of other enjoyable things come in the summer. You can see friends more, or just sleep in and regain all those lost hours. Whatever your summer consists of, it is definitely a time to try and have fun.

5. There are always new things coming.

There is always something to look forward to. New movies, apps, seasons, books, games, events and other new things that are coming. Some people, like me, are looking forward to another school year. Some might be looking forward to a trip or a get-together. Whatever you are into, there is always something to look forward to and get excited about. Nothing makes me happier than planning lunch or time to hang out with a friend.

6. We have the opportunity to raise today’s children to be better adults.

We know all the problems in the world, and we can see that some people are the way they are because that is the way they were raised. The things we are taught and exposed to greatly affect who we are. We have the chance to raise these kids to not repeat our mistakes and to know tolerance, peace and love. We can raise them not to hate others just because of the way they look. We have some hope for the future.

7. Every day is a new day.

Each day brings new opportunities and a new beginning. In one day, a lot of things can change. Things may not get better overnight, but we have hope that with each day, we can make peace with what has happened, and be able to understand the difference between what we can and cannot change.

8. We still have the ability to change.

Who we are is not set in stone entirely. We can change, as long as we are willing. Change can be frightening and not something we really want to do, but it is something that we all need to do. In one way or another, we all need to change something about ourselves. We all have a bad habit or an imperfection that could be changed to make us a better human. We might not have to look deep for it, either. Change is still possible.

9. We are very fortunate.

We have clean water, food, electricity and a lot of other things that people don’t have. Sometimes we forget about how blessed we are to go to school or be able to work or feed ourselves. We can talk, write, listen, read, etc, when there are so many people in the world who can’t.

10. The world is not over yet.

The world is still turning and still orbiting around the sun. The world is still changing and has the ability to become a more peaceful place. It is still a broken world and it will never be perfect, but that does not mean we should give up on it. The world is not entirely cold and cruel. There are still good people and good things in the world. Don’t forget about them. That is something to be happy about it.