The truth is, whether you’re Bill Gates or a homeless man living on the side of a busy side street, you’ve had points in your life where you felt like life was playing a sadistic joke on you, and all you wanted to do was toss up the white flag in exhaustion. No one gets through their time here without some type of struggle, or personal battle. Negative people and events throughout life are always going to be popping up left and right, and all you can do is face them with a vigilant attitude. There’s no secret formula on how to achieve a perfect life filled with strictly happiness and prosperity, you have to accept and be thankful for the days of gloom.

As people, we have a tendency to constantly think and dwell on the lousy days we’ve had to encounter. Sure, some days might be so distressing that it makes it hard to even have a positive mindset. But, who's to say that the bad days can’t be seen as valuable lessons? Time and time again, you’re going to find yourself dealing with damaging events and people you wished you would have never of came across. We can’t help this, it’s something every person has to adjust to.

Learning how to deal with negativity in our lives is one of the many things that makes us who we are as people. As we grow older, it’s pretty well known that we will have to endure more crummy circumstances than we ever would have to as a child. This is part of the process of becoming a grown adult. How we choose to face the bad days, will most likely play a huge role in where we end up in life.

Luckily, I was born into a supportive family, had admirable friends, a roof over my head, and lived in a small town where there’s more love than hate. Needless to say, I had it pretty good in comparison to some people all over the world. But, that doesn’t say that I didn’t have events or people in my life that pushed me over my line of happiness and comfort, just like everyone else. In my younger and more naive years, I may have let these days get the best of me. I would think the world is ending and handle it terribly. That may be because I didn’t have enough experience with the grief in life.

Sometimes, it may seem like it’s easier to say that your life is hard, and you can never catch a break. Feeling bad for yourself may come much easier than looking at the bright side, we’ve all been guilty of that. As I’m reaching twenty, and had my fair share of bad days, and certainly some days of “I give up”, I’ve come to the realization that to have a positive mindset and lifestyle, all you have to do is stop and be thankful for the good and the bad. If you had strictly positivity in your life, how could you be prepared for the negativity? And how could you appreciate all the good in your life if that’s all you experienced?

I’m

grateful for the days in my life where I felt like nothing could go right. That may seem odd, but it’s the truth. It’s taught me about who I am, and how I should handle life when the waters get rough. I’ve become more matured through the grief I’ve been forced to experience. When I have a bad day, I know a good one is soon to follow, and I’m more able to relish in the contentment that that day is filled with. I’m grateful for the people I’ve surrounded myself with, because I learned to stay away from people that have similar characteristics and tendencies of those who have caused me pain. Learning to be grateful for experiences that come from every end of the spectrum in life makes a big difference in your day to day mindset. You’ll find yourself happier, and feeling more empowered.

So here's to the bad days, the first time you crashed your car, the million times you stubbed your big toe, the second time you crashed your car. Here's to every single bad haircut you've gotten, to the red lights you always hit on the days you're already ten minutes late, to the days you're forced to take a cold shower because you're out of hot water. Here's to that annoying person you hate working with, to every candy crush request that random friend on Facebook sends you, to the ex who stepped all over you.

And here's to the good days, the first car you ever got and felt on top of the world, your favorite pair of shoes. Here's to all the best hair day's you've had, to the days you hit every green light and you're already ten minutes early, to every hot shower you've taken after a long day. Here's to the best friend you would have never met if it wasn't for work, to every cute video of a puppy or baby someone posted on your Facebook newsfeed, and to the new boyfriend who makes you much happier than anyone else ever has.