Best Things In Life Are Free: 4 Reasons Material Items Will Never Add Up

It’s Saturday morning and you pick up a dozen doughnuts. Not because they will nourish your body, but for the sole reason you think they will make your brain light up with good feelings.

You still date that lame guy who is a complete assh*le because on his good days, you think he still makes you happy.

You push through the pain of an excruciatingly hot yoga class because you think having a nice butt will make you feel better.

You make decisions based on how happy you think certain choices will make you.

It sounds kind of like, “I think if I drop 10 pounds, I will be happier.” This seems like sensible logic because you have come to the conclusion the problem is obviously your pant size, and definitely not the negative feelings you have toward your body.

We are all addicts, constantly chasing the ultimate high happiness makes us feel.

Plot twist: What if happiness comes from being content with what you have, instead of what you need?

Ever since I can remember, my mother has been drilling her favorite saying, “The best things in life aren't things,” into my head. This message tends to get lost in our materialistic society, where our complex hierarchies are ranked by what brand you’re wearing.

At the end of the day, feeling happy and beautiful comes from how you feel about yourself. Do long eyelashes or great relationships with the ones you love make you an all-around better person?

These are intangible aspects of your life that should always make your worst day a little brighter:

1. Your health

Having a heartbeat and four healthy limbs is a privilege that just about every person takes for granted.

You never know what you have until it’s gone. Cherish your life by getting active and living it to the fullest.

2. Great company

There are some really wonderful people in this world.

If you are lucky enough to be surrounded by a small percentage of them, you should consider yourself a proud member of the upper echelon.

3. Loving your body

Instead of looking in the mirror and picking away at what you don’t have, try looking at what you do have. You have your health, limbs and freedom to walk out the door to do whatever you please.

The fact you are alive and healthy is beautiful, and should never be taken for granted.

You will feel the same about your body at a size 2 as you did at a size 8. If you got it, flaunt it.

4. Experiences

If you think about it, life is made up of a bunch of moments and experiences.

The good and bad times you’ve been through make you exactly the person you are today.

Be grateful for the memories you made at your semester abroad in Europe, or that one reckless and unforgettable night out with your best friends.

Although it’s not easy, feel thankful for the not-so-great experiences you escaped from. These moments might enable you to help someone else one day.

Bad days happen, and usually, we end up dramatically claiming the world is ending. In reality, time never stops. You get to go to sleep, wake up and try not to make the same mistakes again.

Life gives you a second chance every single day. Take advantage of it because it will pass by before you know it.