I found this quote while flipping through "The Pocket Book of Positives" by Anne Morland and it really spoke to me. (Side note: I highly recommend that book. It is cute and has a bunch of happy quotes to make your day brighter.) That quote is vital because it challenges you to consider your happiness and to consider what affects your happiness on a daily basis. It can apply in many different situations. However, I want us to consider the Internet and social media. Many of us let our virtual existence, or things seen on social media, impact our ability to appreciate each day. Coming across one online post, that we are not particularly fond of, has the power to ruin our mood. We often don't even leave room for an explanation before jumping to conclusions. We as children, teenagers, and young adults of society become so absorbed in checking Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter — mostly become of FOMO (fear of missing out).

We are so worried that we will miss something crucial to our social presence that we click and scroll through everyone's virtual lives, thinking that we will be able to have a constant idea of how everyone's lives are going and what we are missing out on. The truth is, you still know close to nothing about someone based off of what they put out there for you to see. We often hold false opinions and have false views on our acquaintances because of what we come across online. One wrong post, one wrong sentence — larger effect than you would think. Not to say that social media can't be enjoyable, fun, and even useful for tons of different reasons. We are definitely dependent on it for various things in today's society. Work, school, college, connections, family, etc. However, we are all victims of the negative effects of social media. I know this makes it seem much more serious than it is, but it is important to realize things such as this. Please, get out there and experience. Experience life with your own eyes, without worrying about posting it on various apps. Take a few pictures if you feel the need, but be sure to appreciate the moment you are living in. In the end, the best keepsakes are your own memories. Go for a drive and look out the window, talk, listen to music. Don't live within your little screen. Walk to places without your earbuds in. Live in the present. Attempt to practice mindfulness. It could be life-changing for you. Rather than worry about making sure everyone knows what you're doing and how "happy" you are, actually be happy. Have fun in the moment. Laugh. Love. Get out there.