Do you ever think about the random things in your life that can instantly light a smile up on your face? Maybe it is cuddling up on the couch on a rainy day with your favorite fuzzy blanket while watching Daniel scream “Expelliarus” as he fights against the creators of the dark arts. Maybe it is coming home from the perfect beach day with a sun burnt nose and sand stuck between your toes. Or maybe it ripping the wrapping paper off the first Christmas present you see underneath the tree. There are so many things on this planet that are meant to make us appreciate the life we were given, but most of us only see the glass half empty.

I am not going to lie to you; there are terrible things in our society today. The fact that 1 in 5 women are raped in the United States. And 90% of American start-up companies will fail within the first 5 years. Is terrifying for our country. How are parents supposed to feel safe while sending their daughters off to college after the Stanford rape victim case? Or how are young boys supposed to put those helmets when 47% of teenage concussions occur during high school football?

Well, honestly, I could go on and on about how many terrible things have built the world we live in today. But the fact of the matter is that terrible things should not change who we are and what we want. No female should we afraid to spend a night out with her friends or go to college. No business owner should be afraid of taking the first step in starting a company. And no child should erase their dream of playing for the NFL. If you want it, go get it. You are going to have to take a small leap of faith and maybe cross your line of comfort, but that is the price we pay for eternal success. The world is a big scary place which is why most people only see what could go wrong. But the more you sit there and complain, the less time you have the enjoy the little things that can make you think differently.

So, put down the guns and stop reflecting on the past. Focus on the future and everything that we have to look forward to in life. Every night before I go to bed, I ask myself, “What was the best part of my day?” Sometimes, it is easy to answer the question. Other days, the question makes me think about all those terrible things. But even if I try to point out the best tiniest thing, enjoying a warm cookie or catching the bus on time, I feel just a little bit better about my day. Like Audrey Hepburn says, “The most important thing is to enjoy life- to be happy- it’s all that matters.”