There comes a moment in one’s life when everything seems monotone and gray. In some cases, it is caused by depression, in other cases the winter blues, and sometimes you don’t even know what is wrong, but things just don’t seem as fulfilling. So how do you stay positive? How do you let color back into your life, when the world seems to be bitter and angry and filled with so much hate?

The first step is to embrace the way you feel; you can’t just dilute the feeling of sadness, or emptiness with fake positivity. Take in the fact that you are feeling down. The beginning of your journey is acceptance. Even though in some cases it is the result, you have to understand that some feelings will not go away, especially if you are dealing with a mental illness. But you should not let it hold you back from trying to be the best version of yourself there is.

The second step is finding your joy. And that sounds very vague and broad, because it is! There is no wrong way to be happy, and there is no wrong way to be positive. That’s the most beautiful part of enjoying life. The spectrum of happiness is infinite and never-ending, and different people find joy in different things.

While one person might get excited about a sale at Sephora, another person might feel blessed for seeing a dog on their commute to school or work. Or even new highlighters at the office, blooming spring flowers, the train arriving on time, finding a 20 dollar bill in your old vest! Happiness is whatever you choose it to be, that’s why it is so wonderful.

Being radiant is a hard thing to do sometimes, when you are stressed about the turmoil of life, and no one is asking you to be the sunshine to everyone’s cloudy day. But even a simple smile or a kind gesture spreads positivity within people, like a firecracker of positivity. And that is a genuinely kind thing to do, because even if you are not feeling your ultimate best, making someone else feel better is something that is wholesome enough to lift your spirits.

In these slightly dark times, when the world is filled with so much hate, you should try to be the change you want to see in the world. In the end, you will feel good and your happiness is what matters the most. The way you will look back on the events that shaped who you are and seeing the people you’ve helped and being happy about all the positive things you choose to remember instead of the stressful ones, will motivate you to keep shining and keep being kind. So stay kind, no matter how terrible things seem to be, because the universe is looking out for you and will reward you, in ways you just don’t realize yet.