The other day, as I decided to put off homework for just a few more minutes, I stumbled across one of the best videos YouTube has to offer. It was a video by a media company called SoulPancake. This media company strives to develop thought-provoking content and creative engagement opportunities that encourage people to explore what it means to be human.

This video talked about happiness. Happiness is a difficult concept to wrap one's head around. It is something that people strive for throughout their lives.

Psychologists have scientifically proven that one of the greatest contributing factors to overall happiness in your life is how much gratitude you show. That's right, being thankful and showing your thankfulness to others can greatly increase your happiness level. This is such a simple thing that many find extremely difficult to actually do.

The video tested this idea that gratitude leads to happiness by talking to random people and asking them to think of the most influential person in their life. They were then asked to write down why that person has been so important and influential in their life. The people chosen for the experiment mentioned a variety of people. Some chose their mom or sister, while others choose a friend or old teacher.

They were then asked to call the person of whomever they wrote the letter to and read this letter to them over the phone, ultimately expressing their full gratitude to their influential person. I could practically feel happiness radiating from my computer screen while watching this video.

Calling someone, and really letting them know you are aware of everything they have done for you, and expressing why you are so grateful for them, leaves you as a happier person. Expressing your gratitude will make you a happier person. It allows you see all the blessings you have in your life. As the end of this semester begins to get stressful and overwhelming, taking a step back and expressing your gratitude for another will leave you feeling less stressed and more grateful. If you are having a particularly tough time, trying this out can have a big impact on you. So I'll finish this by expressing my gratitude to you; thank you for reading this!