50 Simple Things You Have to be Happy About

We've all heard the phrase "money can't buy happiness." Modern society has done everything it can to refute this notion; I can't count how many commercials advertising luxury items I'd never be able to afford have been shown on TV since I started writing this a half hour ago. It also doesn't help that I'm watching Sportscenter reporters discuss multi-million dollar contracts for people whose job it is to throw and catch a ball.

But it's easy for society to skew your perspective. Turning off the TV for a moment, pawing through a National Geographic, it's easy to find examples of happiness sans material possessions across the globe: children living in slums, playing with a makeshift soccer ball, never pausing to wonder about the things they don't have. Women walking dozens of miles a day to get clean water for their families, and doing so with pride. Men working for pennies to feed their children, and finding happiness in having shelter from the weather.

The happiest people are not those who have the most money, the biggest house, or the most "stuff." People all over the world (who some would consider to have nothing) believe they have more than they'll ever need. The richest people in the world could learn a lot from the poorest citizens in the poorest countries. Being monetarily poor is not synonymous with being emotionally bankrupt. Being happy is not about what you own; it's about your mindset and outlook toward life. Most of the items on this list probably apply to you, and are 50 reasons you have to be grateful every day of your life.

1. Waking up every morning

2. Waking up under a roof every morning

3. Waking up next to your love (or waking up to texts from a loved one)

4. Seeing group texts from your friends first thing in the morning

5. Taking a hot shower to start your day

6. Getting rid of that morning breath

7. Replacing morning breath with coffee breath immediately

8. Leisurely eating breakfast before work

9. Catching up on all your news feeds while you eat

10. Work from home days

11. Dressing to kill

12. Having a great hair day

13. Having a full tank of gas in your car

14. Having a job to go to (any job at all)

15. Hearing your favorite song on the way to work

16. Getting down to business the second you get to work

17. Feeling accomplished by 9:30

18. Actually getting acknowledged for your work by your boss

19. That second cup of coffee

20. Being assigned a group project with coworkers you actually like

21. Actually getting work done and having fun in the process

22. Lunch breaks

23. Pizza Fridays

24. That first sip of caffeinated soda

25. Getting back to work feeling refreshed

26. Quitting time (be honest, nothing good happens at work from 2:00-5:00)

27. Fridays!

28. Paydays!

29. Weekends!

30. Calling your mom, dad, sister, brother, etc. just to say "Hey"

31. The smell of your slow-cooked meal as you open your door

32. An equally satisfying dessert

33. Relaxing with a good book

34. Watching your favorite rerun of your favorite syndicated show

35. Answering Final Jeopardy correctly (especially when the contestants don't)

36. TV night with your significant other (or in the case of my wife and I: TV nights)

37. Taking a vacation

38. Taking a staycation

39. Taking a mental health day

40. The first orange leaf in Autumn

41. The first snowfall of Winter

42. The first 70° day of Spring

43. The first Summer day when it's hot enough for a swim

44. Getting an even tan (for once)

45. Holidays with friends and family

46. Planning a life with your love

47. Starting a life together

48. Looking back on past successes

49. Improving upon past failures

50. Living every day of your life to your fullest potential