The other night, my mom texted me saying, “Nothing should change a person, even hard times. A person of strong character can ride the waves and arrive safely back on the warm sand. Because the warm sand is peaceful, and comforting, and the view is beautiful.” Throughout life, she has overcome many obstacles; the biggest lesson I have learned from her is to remain positive when times get tough, because eventually it will get better. It is very hard to live each and every day optimistically, because we all have days where nothing seems to go right. Nonetheless, being positive can help build a healthier mindset, and maybe even make those tough days a little easier. You know what they say: mind over matter. Here are reasons how and why you can live each day positively:

1. Wake up believing it will be a good day.

2. Tell the people you care about that you love them every day.

3. If you’re unhappy about something, you have the power to make a change -- things can get better.

4. Instead of thinking about what may be going wrong in your life, list out what's going right.

5. Even when you feel like you’re completely alone, there are people who care and will listen to you.

6. Make you favorite tea to help you relax.

7. If you’re stressed, work out, go on a run, or do your favorite activity—exercise is one of the most natural ways to relax and boost your mood.

8. If something doesn’t go your way, try to counter it in your mind and find the positive in mishaps.

9. Don’t be so hard on yourself. A lot of us strive for perfection or are overly critical, which is never necessary.

10. Escape and go to a place that brings you peace, like the beach -- enjoying nature in general can be very soothing.

11. Listen to your favorite song: instant perk-up.

12. Balance time between relationships with those close to you, school, work, and time to yourself.

13.Think of each day as a blessing.

14. Optimistic people tend to live longer lives!

15. Take breaks from social media and schoolwork on your computer; we all need a break sometimes, and it isn’t healthy to stare at a screen all day.

16. Eat foods to nourish your mind and body: a healthy body can give you more energy and motivation to get through the day.

17. Find something to be passionate about, and practice this passion as often as you can.

18. Take care of yourself. Sleep and rest when you need it, life may seem to be going at 100 miles per hour, but that doesn’t mean you have to.

19. Laugh often.

20. Smile as much as you can.

Understandably, it is nearly impossible to be 100 percent optimistic about every day and to see obstacles positively, but at least trying can lead to a healthier and happier life. As my mom advised, do not let the hard times change you in a bad way -- you have the power get conquer and survive them. Each day can be a little better if you look at it positively.