Positive thinking and doing is quite an enigma, especially in our world right now. News sources are constantly bombarding our minds with negative story lines covering everything from murders to our seemingly feeble government. Very rarely do we hear about the good that our world has to offer. However in retrospect, there is a lot of "bad" that goes on in our world; and it is especially important to be cognizant and aware about these issues. Long story short: whatever you do, try your best to add positivity to it.

I have hit a good amount of hardships in my life, just like all of us. I got into lots of trouble my sophomore year of high school which set me in the wrong direction for my future. Once sophomore year ended, I started to clean up and get myself together. By the end of my senior year I graduated with a 4.5 GPA and had the opportunity to speak at graduation. I got accepted to a prestigious college for both soccer and academics. I was on the high of my life. I tried to reward myself with a "lavish" lifestyle. I traveled to new places in the summer and tried new things. I pulled stupid stunts and partied until my body could not take it. I hung out with the wrong people and I thought this was what life had to offer me after high school.

Little did I know that the biggest hardship of my life was yet to come in November of 2019.

I passed out on a sidewalk as my left lung collapsed on me at college. The collapsed lung caused me to fall into a coma. I was rushed to the nearest hospital who did not have the resources to monitor me, therefore I was flown to a bigger hospital an hour away from my college. I flatlined in the helicopter, but was luckily brought back to the world as the paramedics rushed me into York Hospital. From there, I woke up a little over 24 hours with a ventilator stuck down my throat and the nurses telling me everything I needed to know. After being on the ventilator, I had to learn how to do simple tasks again such as walk, talk, and even move my fingers. The physical pain I felt during this time is indescribable.

But positive thinking pushed me through the weeks of brutal shots, exams, and testing. It is cheesy, but everything does happen for a reason. I strongly believe this was a wake up call - to get my shit together and start over. And it was a scary wake up call. After being released from the hospital, I had to worry about finals for college as they were less than a week away. I had to make up weeks of work I had missed and try my best to teach the information to myself. I pulled a handful of all-nighters in our library and ended up sleeping there before my 8am class. But despite all, I really tried to push myself mentally and physically after the incident.

I ended up passing all my exams and making Dean's List, which made the sleepless nights worth it. I switched my major last minute, but found something I am passionate about. I stepped out of my comfort zone and took a job shadowing opportunity with a civil rights attorney from Harvard. I continued to go to therapy to strengthen my lungs and get me back into shape. But on my own, I would train my mind to think positively.

After everything I had been through, I was still standing on this Earth. I surely did not deserve to still be standing here, but I am. And that made me realize how important time on this Earth is. The value of life is oftentimes never realized until it is too late. Fortunately, it was not too late for me.

Now, I try my best to be positive because others have it worse. At one point in my life, I was one of those "others." I try to make people happy, keep myself busy, and love more than hate. I have also learned that the smallest gestures of kindness can make another person's day. Things like buying someone coffee or giving someone a ride are extremely manageable. And the just the reverse feeling of euphoria after someone thanks you makes you feel better. I strive for healthy habits, read books, write in a bullet journal, and meditate every day in order to be as positive of a person as I can be.

Positive thinking and doing is contagious. And with the right people, it can be a movement. Continue to strive for self development. Start little by little, until it becomes not a daily task... but a healthy habit.

You can do this.

P.S setting a schedule helps so much!