The world we live in is fast-paced, to say the least. The world is often mean; some might even say cruel, and cold, and unforgiving. When life gets rough, the rest of the world keeps moving and it is not inclined to slow down so you can catch up. Exposure to the 'real world,' as our grade school teachers called it (a term I hate to this day), is often not a pleasant experience. The 'real world' is usually given a negative connotation because it's used to describe how after you get out of high school, people won't baby you, and life is going to be hard and all that jazz. It's about making kids realize just how easy life is for them (compared to what adults deal with -- I could go on about that, but it's late and that's not the point of this piece).

This seemingly cold and scary place we live in has the ability to take our soft, squishy, instinctively loving hearts and turn them into stone. We as humans are inherently focused on the future and trying to make money and get married and have 2.5 kids and do all those other things that society has told us we need to do in order to be seen as successful. We're trying to keep up in a constantly changing world: We keep our heads down, we smile less, and we just keep pushing despite how hard it is on our mental health.

Living the way we do, always looking ahead (or regretting the past) means that we often miss the tiny, wonderful things that pass right before our eyes every day! I've preached about this before, and I will continue to preach about it, because it is so vital to our mental health that we slow down every now and again and really just embrace our surroundings.

What I'm asking of you isn't hard; it's probably the easiest way to pause and give your brain the tiniest break to breathe. The next time you're walking somewhere or waiting for a bus or doing anything that doesn't require 100% of your attention, just take a moment, clear your mind, and take in your surroundings. Listen to the sounds around you: The cars rushing past or the trees rustling in the wind. Really look at what's around you; the world is full of vibrant colors and we're all too busy to notice it! That's a real shame, considering the world is truly beautiful in more ways than we expect.

The intricate architecture of sky scrapers or ornate historic towns is beautiful; large expanses of green grass or desert is beautiful; clouds illuminated by a full moon are beautiful; graffiti is beautiful; suburbs, outdoor malls, fountains -- there's so much out there that you can find beauty in, but we don't care to look for it! Next time you're out and about, let your mind stop buzzing with the stress of everything you have to do, examine your surroundings, and find something beautiful.