Waking up every morning only to perform the same tasks sometimes feels like such a drag. You wake up. Brush your teeth. Eat breakfast. Go to school. Repeat.

  I hear it all the time, and of course I’ve felt it at times. We tend to let the repetition and stresses of everyday get to us, and it affects us more than it needs to. You are the only one in charge of what you choose to believe, what you choose to feel, and how you respond to things.

  Sure everyday seems exhausting, but you aren’t the only one. Everyone has their own stresses and responsibilites in life, and the only thing more tiring that living in a perpetual groundhog day is hearing about it from other people. It may seem nice to relate to somebody, but constant negativity gets irksome quickly, and it makes you want to pity yourself and lower your own expectations for yourself. It becomes so easy to forget that there is more to life than what you hate about it, especially when those around you only highlight the bad.

  If you wake up with your mind already set on how you’re not going to enjoy it, you simply will not. It is just the simple comprehension of how the human psyche works. Automatically shifting your brain into this mindset gives you a very dull and negative tunnel vision approach to life. This ties into such an important understanding that many of us lack, especially at Trinity Prep. It’s called being grateful.

  When we wake up to the sound of our alarms in the morning and dread the thought of getting up, facing responsibility, and applying ourselves, we miss the point. Have you ever woken up and smiled because you were grateful that your eyes opened and that you’ve been blessed with life again? Or that you woke up in a bed with a roof over your head? Or that you are physically able to get out of bed? Maybe some of us do, but not very often. These are the aspects about life that we so selfishly forget when we pity ourselves for our busy schedules or the inconveniences that life pitches at us. All the energy and time you devote to thinking about how you can’t do something, or dreading something, is wasted.

  The reason you woke up this morning is because you serve a purpose in life, despite whether or not you’re aware of what that may be. How can you be successful and embracing of that purpose if you’re ungrateful for the day? I know so many people who live their lives in a cycle of negativity where they only focus on the unfortunate aspects of their life. They cease to realize all of the opportunity and blessings in their life because of it. The amazing thing is that this is all a result of how you choose to think. You can either choose to let all of the inconveniences and problems in your life overshadow the good, or you can use them as a lesson to make you stronger.

  Try thinking about the minor positivities in your life to the extent that you dwell on the negative. Life is always what you make it, and if you want to succeed, your mindset is your biggest advocate. But as we know, our mind is also our biggest weapon and you should never let yourself  become a victim to it. Notice what’s in front of you and cherish even the smallest positive memories. You should never forget how powerful your mind can be, and use it to help others discover the same about themselves.