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ave you ever wondered what you would have ended up like in an alternate life? It’s an interesting question to think about. What if you had chosen to go to a different college? How would you have changed? What people would you have met? Would you have been happier or less happy? How much of you is simply you and will always be there, and how much has been influenced by your surroundings?

It can be tempting to wish you would have chosen a different path, especially when things aren’t going quite how you want them to. However, there is a reason this path is the one you ended up on. There must have been some reason you chose it in the first place. No matter what you would have chosen, there would have been problems.

It’s easy to play the comparison game, but it’s so futile. Don’t be jealous of others’ lives or paths. It is so amazing to think that there has never been another person exactly like you in the history of the world. Every person is irreplaceable. The exact role you are meant to play in the world has not been and cannot be completed by another person.

Think about the opportunities your life affords you. Especially living in America, we have countless opportunities that most people in the world do not have. We’re spoiled, and yet I think that we complain about the stupidest things. You go to a distinguished college. You have opportunities to look for a job. Many people in the world do not have the opportunity for even a basic education, or to send out their resume to numerous companies. Speaking of which, a “resume” is foreign to many living in poverty across the world. Having a resume is something to be happy about, even though it may not land you your dream job right away.

Instead of focusing on the negatives, count your blessings. No matter what you have been through or are going through, there are beautiful things in your life. Hold onto the moments and people in your life that bring you joy. No life is perfect. Don’t waste life away wishing you were someone else or wishing things were different. Yours is the only life you have. Be happy with it and open your eyes to the beauty.