"I woke up today, and...

"...I felt like crap."

"...I was stressed out."

"...I missed my alarm."

"...I didn't want to get out of bed."

Why is it that one or all of these are often the first thoughts I experience in the morning? How am I okay with negativity seeping in the moment I open my eyes?

I could come up with a million excuses why: it's because I'm so busy; because I've been sick with allergies for way too long; because working 10 hours on top of class calls for more than six hours of sleep; blah blah blah.

But none of these excuses suffice—none of them leave me feeling satisfied with wallowing in pity. Instead, they leave me wondering when the last time I simply said "I woke up today" was.

I woke up today.

What a beautiful, loaded phrase. There are so many who have been robbed of another morning, of another day to learn about our world. How then, could I possibly be content starting my day with complaints? Am I that selfish? That ungrateful?

The answer is no, I'm not selfish or ungrateful; I'm merely human in a society so demanding of my time and energy that I tend to forget that consistent gratitude is a necessity.

Lately, my early morning pessimism has been due to a restless night's sleep, to the fact that I ran out of coffee on a Monday, to when the last of my eggs rolled off the counter to meet their very messy fate. But oh, the things I have to be thankful for! They far outweigh the little annoyances, even at eight in the morning.

I'm thankful for my beautiful, loyal friends. For my sweet and patient boyfriend. For my family that encourages and supports me in all of my crazy endeavors.

I'm thankful for the job opportunities I've been given, and for my entire academic experience.

I'm thankful that when I look out my window, I see peaceful streets and friendly, waving strangers.

I'm especially thankful for this earth, with its trees and oceans and animals; the place that allows my beautiful, able body to love, to cry, to feel.

When we wake up, there is no end to the things we have to be thankful for, despite your current situation. And if there is one thing I've learned in my short life so far, it's that soon, the good will replace the bad. You just have to allow yourself the opportunity.

I recently read a quote that said, "Was it a bad day? Or was it a bad five minutes that you milked all day?" Well, as much as I hate to admit it, I've been a milker. We all have. But life is too short, and far too beautiful, to allow this habit to run our every day.

Instead, let's all practice filling our mornings with as much love and gratitude as we can muster up. All we have to do is take ten minutes to remind ourselves how special we are, to thank our bodies for working, and to thank our souls for being here today. Counting your blessings and perfecting self-love is truly enough to change your world. Because when it comes down to it, all that really matters is...

...you woke up today.