Reasons to Live Every Day

Living is not just something that happens every day. It is something that we must consciously remind ourselves to actively commit to. The most important life lesson, the mantra I live by every day, is to always choose love and happiness. And by choosing that, I am choosing to live. There is no secret to life, no code to crack, no instruction manual. Some get dealt a copious amount of tragedy, while others have a bit more fortune. This is all a matter of how you perceive the events in your life and how you choose to emerge after the dust settles. Whether you choose to live by these reasons daily, or just remember them when you've hit bottom, please choose to remember them because at some point in the future, you will regret feeling so sorry for yourself for whatever life has dealt you.

Count your blessings.

No matter your religious beliefs, this statement can apply to anyone. Simply recall all the things that you have and all the things that you are, and remember to be grateful. If you ever find yourself in a slump or down on yourself, think about the the land that we have: the food, the water, the souls that surround us. Choose to remember the people who have sacrificed things so that you could have a better life. Remember the teacher that changed your life. Remember the stranger who offered you kindness without expecting anything in return. Count your blessings, because if you lose faith in humanity, you become the very humanity that made you lose faith.

People will remember how you made them feel.

Everyone on this Earth has been dealt a different hand, and we all process things differently. Being aware of how we impact others' lives makes all the difference in how they choose to live them. While we are all responsible for our own thoughts and actions, it is completely naive to think our words do not impact other people. By choosing love and happiness, we inspire others to ultimately do the same. If someone is crude to you, respond with kindness because while it might only maybe change their life for the better, it will always change yours.

There are a lot of people that love and need you.

At times you may think that the world is out to get you, and there is no way out of a situation. This is never true! I, myself, have been in this spot many times in my adult life. Things happen that are out of our control, and we all make mistakes. There is no human on this Earth that is completely and totally evil, and it is important to remember, for your sake and others, that most people have experienced their form of rock bottom at some point. When you find yourself here, make plans A, B, C, D, etc. You are never out of options, and the people who love you will be there to help show you that. Even if you do not feel traditional love in your heart from the people who are supposed to give it to you; look a little further, trust a little more, try a little harder to see it, because I promise there is a sea of people who want you to be alive and live your fullest life.

Live for the people who have passed and no longer have the option.

Whether you've lost people close to you or not, remind yourself not to take for granted what they have lost. After you strip the material possessions and the money, the only good we have in this world is love and the human connection we surround ourselves with. Live with this in the back of your mind every day, and you will not be living in vain of the loved ones who are no longer with us.

Live for your health.

If you won't do it for other people, do it for yourself. We often have the mentality, as humans, to do everything we can to not let other people down, yet we let ourselves down all the time. Smile more, dance more, worry less, and do something that makes you happy every day. This will decrease your chances of anxiety, self-doubt, depression, and physical illness exponentially. It is proven that your overall mental health will impact your overall physical health at some point in your life. Choosing to live can be an easy way to avoid devastation, but may be difficult to follow through with. It will take time to rewire your brain to think in a different way. This is why we must practice this thought process consciously every day even when we feel the darkest thoughts creeping up on us.

Time WILL run out.

You could have years left in your life, or you could have days. Obviously, no one ever really knows the time they have left to do what they want to do. However, those who are given a timeline of how long they have left to live are also given the chance to reflect, to regret, to repent. My biggest fear in life is to find myself at the end thinking I could have done more. I'm not talking about changing that embarrassing thing I did at school once, but showing people I cared more, going out of my way to be more present in life, spending time fixing the things I was unhappy with instead of staying unhappy for years.

If you truly and utterly believe there is nothing left for you, even after reading all of these reasons to live, at least believe in the ability to change. Stuck is a word that should never be used to describe your present life. All of these reasons will make you a healthier and happier person, if only you remember to actively live.