Life can change in the blink of an eye. For better or for worse, life as you know it could change without any signs or warnings. Although everyone is fully aware of this possibility, it is a silent topic. The idea that we will never have complete control over our lives is terrifying. With that being said, the importance of appreciating what you have is crucial.

It is very common in today's society for people to focus on the negatives instead of the positives in their lives. People tend to focus their energy on complaining about the things they don't have as opposed to the things they do have. This needs to change. Our energy should be used to emphasize appreciation for the opportunities, people and blessings in our lives.

As easy as it can be to gain people and opportunities, we can just as easily lose them as well. Life is incredibly fragile and can be taken away from anyone at anytime. In many cases, it takes a tragic event to occur in order for people to realize what they have. It takes the death of another individual to bring out the appreciation for those still alive.

This needs to stop.

The act of showing appreciation should be done everyday. No one of importance in your life should ever question their importance to you. If they mean the world to you, tell them. If you cannot imagine your life without them, tell them. All the time. Remind your best friend how important he/she is to you. Always remember to tell your family how much you love them. Don't ever go a day without letting at least one person know you appreciate them.

Just a simple text to a friend telling them you miss them can change so much. A quick five-minute call to your grandmother can brighten her whole day. The easiest way to tell someone you appreciate them is by saying "thank you." To the stranger that just held the door for you, a simple "thank you" shows you acknowledge and appreciate their action. Telling someone you appreciate them takes little to no time or effort, so why not do it more?

It should never take a tragedy to bring out the appreciation in people. When an individual passes, their Facebook walls are filled with long posts about how much that person meant to others, which is great, but did you ever tell them how you felt in person? Most likely not. We're all guilty of doing this.

Try to get in the habit of showing appreciation. From the people in your life to the food on your table, show appreciation. If you do not show appreciation and gratitude, no good will come to you.

Start by telling one person a day how much they mean to you, whether that be in person or through text. Once you are in the habit of that, start a gratitude journal. At the end of each day write a list of things you were grateful for that day. These things don't have to be monumental, but if they had any significance in your day, write them down.

Showing appreciation will eventually manifest into bigger and better things. Start appreciating all the good in your life instead of the bad and you will immediately notice a change in your overall happiness.