It's way too easy to be sad with your life, with your decisions, with school, with friends—the list is endless. We are constantly put into situations where it would be simpler to just come out of it and say, "This sucks."
Well, I'll tell you something. I've been sad for way too long. I've been sad and angry and upset. But why? I'm sure I could tell you all of the drama: boys that break your heart, classes that don't go the way you want, a reflection of your body that makes you feel inadequate in today's society. We've all got stories. We all have a reason. But how about this? Take all of that, and flip it. Instead of finding reasons to be sad, find reasons to be happy.
You know that boy that broke your heart? Well, news flash: He was no good for you! And vice versa, because if it was meant to be, it would be. And when someone leaves your life, take it as a blessing. They were in it to teach you something about yourself, and now that they're gone it's because they no longer can make you happy or better. So be happy because you're better now. And be happy because now you can find happiness with someone else one day.
That class? You can always retake it. And I bet it was a really hard class, huh? And so what you got a B- instead of an A? Does that make you any less of a good person than the one that got 100 percent on the final? No way. So be happy, because you're still incredible at so many other things, and micro-economics does not define your intelligence or your worth.
Here comes the hard one: Be happy about yourself. The toughest thing to accept is yourself. The way your hair parts, what size your jeans are, how you look in a swimsuit. I get it; I totally get it. But be happy. Because your hair is beautiful, your jeans look amazing, and nobody gives a flying fudge what size they are. And wait a second, you rock that one-piece cut-out swimsuit like no one else. So be happy, because out there is someone who envies your legs, your incredible tan, or your perfectly curled hair. Be happy because what you have, nobody else ever could.
So here I am. My life is nowhere near perfect. I still have those ridiculous emotional breakdowns every other week. But I'm happy as ever. Learning to accept and love yourself and all of its flaws is the hardest thing to do, but once you start, it's hard to look back.
