Choose Happy

As young people, we are taught that happiness is one of the last things on our list that needs to be worried about. Happiness is important, yes, but it pales in comparison to everything else, such as grades and careers. Why is that? Why are we taught to put our mental wellness to the side when it's what's driving us forward? We've had all of these years of education, yet no one has taught us to love ourselves or even why it's important to do so.  We're taught that to love ourselves is vain, but hating ourselves makes us crazy or depressed. I've learned on my own over the years that other people matter, yes, but not as much as yourself. It's okay to value yourself over others, when at the end of the day, you're the only one guaranteed to be there for yourself. So ignore what others say. Be brave. Be daring. Be yourself. Be honest. Be open. Be full of light. Be a ray of darkness. Be whatever you want to be. Make friends. Make mistakes. Make love. Make amends. Make a difference. Make yourself happy. Do things for you. Achieve your definition of happiness.