College is hard. At times, it can be extremely stressful and frustrating. Although these years will give you some of the best memories of your life, the day-to-day can be overwhelmingly discouraging.

My biggest downfall is my perfectionism. I want to do my best, be my best and know exactly what my future holds.

I am sure you all understand me when I say my time in college has been anything but that. I still have no idea what I want my future career to look like nor do I know how I am going to pass my exam next week.

In these times, my mindset can get very strayed. I get down on myself and frustrated. I find myself in a bit of a funk.

A couple months ago I decided that the only thing holding me in that funk was my mindset. I needed to essentially change all my negative thoughts into positive notions.

I added a time in my daily routine for this positive affirmation session. Every morning, I write down three things I am thankful for. And they are not always these big grand things, they are simple – getting a good night's sleep, doing good on an assignment, spending quality time with my friends. Then, I end my day the same way. I write down things I accomplished in that day, something special about that day and something I am proud of myself for.

This very simple daily ritual has had an immense impact on my positive mindset. It helps me stay focused when the stress is overwhelming. It helps me see the big (or small) picture – I can do anything I set my mind to. As cliché as it sounds: you are your biggest cheerleader. Even if everyone in the world believed you could do something, if you don't believe it for yourself you may never accomplish it.

If you're struggling with feeling down or discouraged I recommend trying something like this. It can be anything you want it to be – writing down goals for the day, things you love about yourself, or something that made you smile - anything that will reaffirm positivity in your daily life. The beauty of it is the simplicity of it. Day-to-day life can be boring at times, you're not going to have the best day of your life, every day of your life. Recognizing something special every day will make you more thankful for the little things in life. Setting aside special time for yourself to reflect on the positivity in your life will change the way you feel about your daily struggles, I promise.