I’m a firm believer that one of the major keys to happiness is to be grateful. Anyone can be unhappy or happy, no matter your life circumstance. What matters most of all is your mindset. The truth is, you will never reach happiness without appreciating what you have in your life. I don’t like to be a hypocrite, so here are some of the things I truly appreciate and recognize that I am privileged to have.

1. The opportunity to go to college.

I am truly blessed to live in a world in which it is the norm to go to university/college straight after high school. Although figuring out what I want to do for the rest of my life is absolutely terrifying, so many people would do anything to be in my shoes. I am currently having a mid-major crisis and one of the things that makes me feel better is to be grateful for my position. No matter what my major is, I am determined to take advantage of the opportunities that I have.

2. My body.

One of my greatest passions is running. It’s one of the activities that once I started, I never stopped. I may have took pauses, but I always come back to running. It has healed me in so many ways and I don’t want to ever take for granted that I am one of the lucky ones who are physically capable of running. I cannot imagine life without running and the effects it has on my mind.

3. My Parents

My parents have worked so hard for everything that I have, which is a lot more than a lot of people. I was blessed with everything that they were not blessed with, but worked tirelessly for me to have. It may not always seem like it to them, but I really do appreciate them for all they do for me. They are amazing human beings and the reason I am who I am.