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Being happy is one of the most important things to me.  However, life has given me a lot of opportunities to be unhappy.  With that said, I really have to be pro-active when it comes to being happy.  When things are going the wrong way, keep your head up high, things will get better.  But remember, YOU will have to be the one to make things better.  Don't wait for the world to change, make it change.  So, here are the things that I do that make me happy.

Make plans with your friends.  A lot of us will get so wrapped up in work, school, and family that we put our social lives on the back burner.  It's important for you to keep doing things that you love.  If you are really short on time, make plans to get coffee, or something quick, that you would do by yourself anyways.

Enjoy the little things.  It's unrealistic for a lot of us to really only be happy when you're only celebrating for the big accomplishments.  I love waking up to song birds and the sun shining.  I love taking baths and reading a great book at the beach.

Become a more positive person.  There's a lot of negativity in the world.  For one thing, it sells.   Most TV shows are made to create an emotional response: death, heartbreak... The media is almost always filled with sad events.  Take a step back from these.  Watch a comedy rather than a drama.  Listen to uplifting music rather than sad break up songs.

Being a positive person is a mindset.   Concentrate on the good in the world.  Think of the people that you love, dance and sing a long to a happy song - I'm listening to "I'm on top of the world - imagine dragons" while writing this.  We all know that the act of smiling can make you feel better. Try it.  Get into a habit of thinking about what you're grateful for.  It can boost up that mood.

If you are suffering from a mental disease such as anxiety and depression it is incredibly difficult.  Always remember: it doesn't define you.  It's a mountain that you have to climb.  Do not be afraid to get help.

Many of us like to create goals for ourselves.  Or, expectations have been create for us.  Remember that, you can only do your best, nothing more.  Create realistic goals for you.  If you have a goal of reaching a 4.0 gpa but that's just not possible for you.  Set a new goal that is realistic.  Stop trying to reach other peoples expectations.  Stop setting unrealistic goals.

Here are some ideas of things that you can do to make life awesome:
travel (even if it's in your own city), go for a walk or a run, meet someone new, create something, try a new recipe, watch a comedy, try a new sport, dance to your favourite song, give a hug to someone that you care about, read a good book, write a letter, keep a journal, eat chocolate, play with your pets, HAVE FUN!

What are things that you do to make life awesome?

*Photo by Milo McDowell