When walking around New York City, it's possible to see anything — people dressed as TV show characters, the famous naked cowboy strumming his guitar strings (and some ladies' heart strings, if you know what I mean) and photographers capturing the beauty of all this madness. The idea of everything one can see in the city leads me to ask a simple question — what do you typically not see? As I pass by thousands of different humans that lead thousands of different lives, I notice one trait that is shared among all of them and which essentially answers my question- their inability to appreciate the present moment. Regardless of where one lives, their age or even their gender, failure to prioritize the real important aspects of life has become a universal flaw in nearly all humans.

It's so easy to get caught up in everything that life throws at you, whether it's focusing too much on building your career or overthinking about what the future may bring. While it's natural to do this, it often causes us to neglect the factors that are truly essential to our well-being. At the end of the day, what will bring you more happiness- the love you receive from your family and friends or something minute, such as money? We aim to gain happiness by working a few extra hours or preparing ourselves for the future, but what we fail to realize is that in order to obtain it one must value the little moments as much as they do the big ones.

Happiness is not simply receiving a promotion, but is something much larger than that on a much more personal scale. Happiness is found in all of the little acts of kindness that take place. Happiness is the smile you receive when someone calls you beautiful, the feeling of satisfaction you get once you take a bite of your favorite food and the joy you feel after knowing that you helped someone. So many times we become so wrapped up in what we're doing that we fail to notice these minute, but significant, events that occur on a daily basis.

So next time you find yourself rushing through the day or worrying about factors that you know don't play a role in your genuine happiness, remind yourself to take a moment to breathe. Focus on all of the beauty that is surrounding you. Appreciate everything that is going on, whether it's the person that kindly held the door for you or how bright and blue the sky looks. There's so much beauty to be found within the world and within those that make up our world, so it is essential to acknowledge them, no matter what they are considered to be in size. Appreciate all of the little details in life, for it turns out that they aren't so little after all.