How I live My Life by Danielle

How I live My Life by Danielle - February 2014 Scholarship Essay

The quote that continuously inspires me is, "I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition." It was said by our first, first lady, Martha Washington. This quote proves to inspire me because it is a guideline for how to live my life. I truly believe that negativity only breeds more negativity and that acting in such a way does nothing for a person, only makes them more anxious and restless. In no way am I saying that being negative is the cause for all of people’s problems, but by them being negative, they are not helping their cause. By embracing the joy in life, I believe that it is easier to overcome certain problems. That joy gives people hope that things will get better and that is what makes it so strong. I think if I did not have that optimism that incorporates itself into all aspects of my life, my personality and where I am in my life would be drastically different than where I am now.

If someone asked my friends how they would describe me, it overwhelming would be some comment about my laugh. Over the years, I have become more outgoing and open because of my optimistic outlook on life and that has definitely carried over into my laugh. To me, it is obnoxious and loud, but to my friends, it is how they always know where I am and it is what defines me. I have this habit of laughing at everything, not because it is always funny, but because I can see the good in any situation. Laughing may not be the best medicine (I’ll leave actual medicine for that) but it can definitely force a change into people that helps them believe in themselves, myself included. Not always have I been this person who lives on optimism. I was so insecure about my life, how I looked or acted, that it was affecting my everyday life and how I interacted with my friends and family. When I look back on that time of my life, it is almost laughable, which is an easy thing for me, at how I acted and thought. Since I am confident in myself now, I can only think of how petty I was, to care about such superficial aspects of life, but honestly, I think that that is a part of any person’s life. We always have that moment of insecurity and I am blessed that I was able to overcome mine and laugh about it now. I realize that I am so much stronger than I was then and that thought as propelled me to live my life the best way possible, laughing all the way.