At 26, I don't have everything I thought I would by now. When I was younger, I assumed graduating from college would be the solution for everything. Turns out, that's not the case. I must say I'm really not a materialistic person. I really don't vacation much. I don't go on lavish shopping sprees. My family even jokes with me about the clothes I still wear from my high school days.

I feel that our society emphasizes “the more the better” and “the bigger the better”. Because of this, we constantly feel the need to “keep up” with everyone else. If our neighbor buys a new car, more often than not, we feel that we must buy a new one as well. Oprah said, “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” I can’t stress enough how important this is to hear. All too often, we focus on what we wish we had, instead of appreciating what we already have.

My friends and family are the greatest gifts I have received. They provide me with continuous support, encouragement and always lots of laughs. My mom was really able to put everything in perspective for me. She reminded me that one of her friends has an aggressive cancer, which has kept her in the hospital since Christmas. Hearing this, I was reminded of how fortunate I really am.

I may not have everything I want, but I am very lucky that I have everything I need.