“Stop and smell the roses” they tell us, “stop” …just stop, “and smell” …take a big whiff, “the roses” …oh, the roses we all love. They say it as if it is easy to do, to just stop everything that is going on in the crazy lives we lead and smell the roses masked by the heavy clouds of pollution. It is easier said than done, clearly. But what if it was easier, what if stopping and smelling the roses was something you could do without actually having to stop and smell the roses. Every time you are feeling down, like the weight of the world is on your shoulders think about these simple thoughts, a way to metaphorically “stop and smell the roses.”      

1. Do not be a slave to paper: The world revolves around money, it is no surprise that you cannot survive without it, but do not be a slave to it. They are pieces of paper, and yes, the more you have the better, but they do not dictate your happiness or well being.   

2. Do not let the alphabet dictate your intelligence: We are subject to an arbitrary grading system that makes us feel inadequate and “below average” for being below a B, but your intelligence should not be measured by a scale that does not take into account all your talents. We are pressured to do well on tests and perform under pressure and the truth is that in the real world that may not all matter or be valued, but as far as we know a letter grade is. At the end of the day though a C is a C and with a C you can do many things, like write the word Cat, and it says nothing about who you are and your potential.  

3. Think positively: Put your life in perspective, think about your health, think about your family and friends or the fact that you have so many opportunities that many people your age may not. Be grateful for what you have and think about what really matters at the end of the day. Sometimes a grade, a broken heart and financial struggles might make it seem like it is the end of the world, but if you put things in perspective and realize how blessed you are compared to others.   

4. Think about your breaths: When in doubt focus on every breath you take. Breathe in, breathe out and think about how the greatest thing in the world is free; air. Your sustenance for life, it is not about money, grades or your love life, what keeps you alive is the air that you consume and release and with every breath think about what it is that you are inhaling, it is life.   

When life is rough, when things get hard or even when you are feeling low, just think about these simple things in life that we take for granted. Stop and “smell the roses,” metaphorically speaking, the beautiful things in life.