Whenever you turn on the news, it seems there’s always another horrific event. This past week it was the tragic death of Christina Grimmie, who was shot after her concert in Florida, and not even 48 hours later, a gunman killed 50 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando. With the amount of hate and death that we are surrounded by, it is hard to keep a smile on our face.

But there are ways to make each day a good day. So here are some things I do to stay positive in a world full of negativity.

1. Don’t Watch The News Religiously

I understand wanting to know what is going on in the world, but watching every day can really get you down. I used to sit down with my dad every night at 6:30 p.m. and watch the news, and I often found myself extremely upset afterward. It is important to know what is going on, but it is also important to live your life without worry for at least a few minutes

2. Journal

Journaling is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Sitting down at some time with a pen and journal in hand, and just having the freedom to write about anything is truly remarkable. You don’t have to write about your day if you don’t want to, but journaling gives you an outlet to do so. You can de-stress, unwind and get anything out that you want to and no one else has to know. This may seem silly, but trust me on this one.

3. Listen To Your Guilty Pleasure Music

Do you have that one song that just makes you smile? Good! Listen to it! Play it on repeat until you can’t take it anymore! Live in that moment and love the feeling that song gives you because it is something special. Maybe it’s a favorite artist in general that just brings you joy whenever you hear their voice. Whatever it may be, enjoy it. It may seem easy, but music can be one of the greatest escapes.

4. Read

Whether it is John Green or Shakespeare, read something that will make you happy. Some of my favorites include "Eleanor & Park," "Looking for Alaska," "The Harry Potter Series," "Pride and Prejudice" and "Before I Fall," just to name a few. These books put me in a whole different world when I read them, so I encourage you to find the ones that do the same for you.

5. Do Something Spontaneous

Spontaneous? Like what? Maybe you hop in the car with some friends and go to the nearest lake or ocean and have a blast, or you start an art project with no agenda. There are many ways to break out of your normal routine and do something crazy fun.

6. Have Good Energy And Send It To The World

There are many ways to do this: you can pray if that’s what you believe, you can meditate or you can just think happy thoughts and mentally send them to the rest of the world. By staying calm, happy and positive, we can change those around us just by being. You would be surprised how just by thinking and sending off happy thoughts can change your whole world.

7. Exercise

You may not want to hear this one since it seems to be on every list about changing your attitude or making yourself happier, but it really works. Exercise changes so many different parts of your body all at the same time, and while it may cause soreness and fatigue later on; it ultimately is a saver in the long run. You can read more about what happens to your body when you exercise here.

8. Tell Someone You Love Them

I try to make it a daily habit to tell a friend, family member or even a stranger that I love and appreciate them. I’ll send a text and tell someone I love him or her, appreciate them and that I hope they have a good day. I promise you it means something. Whenever I receive a message like this from one of my friends, it makes me sit back and realize how blessed I am to be sitting where I am reading a message from someone I care about in my life.

9. Serve Your Community

As for myself, I served as a small group leader at my church, but there are many other ways to do this as well such as: volunteering at an animal shelter, serving at a soup kitchen, visiting an elderly living center and spending time with the people there, picking up trash on the highway, helping kids with homework at your local Boys and Girls Club, the list goes on and on. Giving back is one of the best ways to spread joy.

10. Live For The Here And Now

I mentioned this in my article last week, but one of the most important ideas I keep in my head is that this is it. This is our only life and while it is the longest thing we’ll know; opportunities come and go in an instant, and those opportunities ultimately lead to the experiences that shape our lives. So don’t spend your time worrying about the future or dreading the past. Instead, take life as it comes, seize every opportunity and experience all that you can

And the list doesn’t have to end there! Every day you wake up, you have the choice to make that day a good day. There are many tragedies in the world and every day someone is going through something hard in their life, but the smallest acts, even a simple smile, can make someone’s day.

It is absolutely OK to have bad days; we will all have days where we are sad, but after acknowledging your feelings, start aiming for happiness. So smile, dance, laugh and love! Think happy thoughts, stay positive and spread joy.