Whatever the reason—the warmer weather, blooming flowers or even the early morning sounds of birds chirping—spring makes you remember how beautiful life can be.

Winter, especially here in Kansas, can be long, cold and horribly depressing. You exercise less, eat worse and find little enjoyment in your day-to-day life unless snow days are involved.

But with Old Man Winter on his way out of town, it’s time to take back the joy of living.

How you find joy in life is completely up to you. Some do it by taking vacations, relaxing by the pool or by simply spending more time out of doors.

Whatever your preferred method of finding happiness is, get out there and do it. Life can be short and brutal, so when you can it’s important to do those things that bring enjoyment to your life.

And part of finding enjoyment is living healthy. Sure, happiness and health don’t have to go hand in hand. You can have one without the other. It’s just easier when you have both at the same time.

Being healthy makes you feel good. I’ve lived both lives and I’ll say living healthier is definitely better.

I’ve done the no exercise, eat fast food every day thing. It’s alright. But at some point in my life, specifically two summers ago, I got tired of living like that.

Now I eat as healthy as I can (although my sweet tooth does get in the way) and exercise almost every day. And my life is better because of it.

My message isn’t that you need to become a health freak or lose a lot of weight. The purpose of this special guide isn’t to show you specifics on how to do that.

The purpose is to help inspire and motivate you to live healthier—and ultimately—happier.

Start small if you want. Eat a little healthier. Go to the park. Hit the pool. Go on a road trip with some friends, whether that is up the road to Hutchinson and the Kansas Cosmosphere or across numerous state lines.

If I’ve learned anything as a journalist, it’s that life doesn’t happen behind closed doors. I’ve learned that life does indeed have any ugly side. Which is why it’s so important to get out and find the beauty in it when you can.

I’d say now is as good a time as any.

Life is what you make of it. You are only as happy and healthy as you allow yourself to be. With spring upon us and the academic year coming to an end, it is time for all of us to stop and remember what we love about life.

Let’s remember the joy of flip-flops, sunshine and no class. Let’s remember that life is a wonderful gift and that it shouldn’t be wasted.

So let’s get out there and live it up.