As I approach the halfway mark, I can reflect more clearly on the question everyone asks - "Does the #100HappyDays challenge work?"
My answer? Yes. It does.
Chronicling the happy moments every day, you tend to get comments about how lucky you are and how it's 'all happy happy' for you. The truth is, it isn't.
There are so many sad moments in between - illnesses, snide remarks, lingering sad memories and lost moments... but that's the point of the challenge, isn't it? To focus on the happy moments even during tough days. That's what I've been doing and I can honestly say I can feel the difference. Even in bad days, I'm still smiling because I've chosen to focus on what brings a smile to my face... what makes me serene.
Day 27 (Jan 30) - A new day. A new book in stores with my story in it.
There are so many sad moments in between - illnesses, snide remarks, lingering sad memories and lost moments... but that's the point of the challenge, isn't it? To focus on the happy moments even during tough days. That's what I've been doing and I can honestly say I can feel the difference. Even in bad days, I'm still smiling because I've chosen to focus on what brings a smile to my face... what makes me serene.
Day 27 (Jan 30) - A new day. A new book in stores with my story in it.
Day 28 (Jan 31) - is a belated birthday wish from a senior staff member who didn't have Facebook to remind her. Good to know you're remembered even without assistance.
Day 29 (Feb 1) - It should come as no surprise that there will be a lot of food pics in a 'Happy Day' challenge where I'm involved! If last Saturday was about Cheesy Chicken Sizzlers, today it's back to the more traditional recipes for which I would still gladly travel over a dozen kilometers.
Puttu and fish curry FTW! Mallu power!
Day 30 (Feb 2) - If you look carefully, there really is a silver lining to be found amidst the clouds. When a family member is ill and you cant be there for them, its heartening to know that there are some people who will forsake sleep and solace even on a Sunday just to selflessly be there for others. Grateful and happy to have such people in my life. Thank you...
Day 31 (Feb 3) - Making it to the Top 5 among all Indian Blogs in the Category I was nominated for at the Blogadda awards. Thank you to everyone who voted for me... I mean that sincerely. (As for those who deliberately didn't vote for me... 'May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits'. I mean that sincerely too!)
Day 32 (Feb 4) - After a looooong day at work handling one complication after the other, the only person whose philosophy I care to follow is Garfield.. bless you, you crazy cat! Dinner and sleep, here I come!
Day 33 (Feb 5) - Happiness is when your dog hears your voice on the mobile (loudspeaker mode) and starts licking the phone out of happiness.
Day 34 (Feb 6) - Happiness is being one of the few (only? I'm not really sure) authors in India with 2 books releasing on Valentine's day. After Rupa Publications 'An Atlas of Love', Red Romances 'Stories For Your Valentine' too releases soon for those hearts in love.
Day 35 (Feb 7) - That happy moment when you come to where you parked your car and a dinosaur is walking by... boy!! I've heard of old but this is prehistoric! (Or maybe it's just an effect available in my mobile camera... I can't really be sure.)
Day 36 (Feb 8) - Street food Mumbai style! My first proper trip to India.
Day 37 (Feb 9) - Being declared the Best in India by a jury that includes Padma Shri Shekhar Kapur, Vasundhara Das, Ashwin Sanghi and Shobha De.
Day 38 (Feb 10) - Doesn't matter how old (or fat/ugly/bald!) you are... when your mother says she's proud of you and that your victory was the best birthday present for her, you feel that pride swell up within your heart.
Day 39 (Feb 11) - Seeing prawns, chicken and fish on the same table.
Day 40 (Feb 12) - "I also love 'Blossoms' which is light and innocent and casts so much sunshiny happiness on what could have otherwise been a pretty sombre collection." - Author Anuja Chauhan (who edited the book). After all that I've seen in my life, if I can still manage to be the one who brings 'sunshiny happiness' for others, that is heartening. It shows that I may fall in the face of lies and power... but I get up and most importantly, I don't give up the essence of what makes me ME.
*****
For those who missed it, earlier episodes of the Godyears #100happydays challenge featured:
Days 1- 5: included a dog with a lot of head weight, some fun trivia for 'Castle' fans and me winning the lottery ticket.
Days 6- 12: included a mug that needs an exorcism, inaugurating a pen given to me two years ago for a special reason and me being shortlisted for a very special Indian blog award.
Days 13- 19: included sweets from a millionaire, the best calender for movie lovers in 2014 and the anticipation of a long awaited holiday.
Days 6- 12: included a mug that needs an exorcism, inaugurating a pen given to me two years ago for a special reason and me being shortlisted for a very special Indian blog award.
Days 13- 19: included sweets from a millionaire, the best calender for movie lovers in 2014 and the anticipation of a long awaited holiday.
Days 20 - 26: included an awesome prawn sizzler, a birthday cake and two dogs playing catching cook with each other.
Happy to see you happy by focusing on the happy moments amidst the not-so-happy ones. Keep smiling! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Rekha... usually I do the opposite so this has been a welcome change in mindset and even lifestyle
DeleteNice:) ..Esp liked the line 'I don't give up the essence of what makes me ME.'..
ReplyDeleteThanks Sumana... that really does define me in the end...
DeleteIt just goes to show you can find a reason to be glad even in the darkest of days. On those kind of days I find I have to find things like that to simply survive them and remain optimistic enough to go on.
ReplyDeleteKathy, thats true.. i definitely know what you're talking about.. have had my share of those kind of days. Too many of them.
DeleteSometimes we have to 'seek out' the happiness and this challenge seems to do just that!! 2014 looks like a year of milestones for you - great work!! And my favorite puttu combo is puttu + chemeen curry - I can go on eating it endlessly!!!!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely true... some days, you really need to dig deep and search for that one moment... Yes, 2014 has already done more for me than the last two years ... and I do plan to keep that momentum going.
DeletePuttu and kadala/banana/prawn curry... so many awesome options come to mind.
That seems like a wonderful exercise. Should try it soon
ReplyDeleteNo time like the present. Just start... make 100 happy moments in 100 days.
DeleteWow this is such an awesome challenge :) I esp like the day where your dog licks the mobile hearing your voice.. seriously an Awww moment
ReplyDeleteI know... that was a truly bright n happy moment :) A very smart fellow, he is :)
DeleteIt is not just to focus only on happy things, pushing the negative ones aside. Actually we will have n number of happy things, its just our approach which makes us concentrate n elaborate on the -ve ones and cry. This is what your challenge has taught me :) Thanks again Roshan.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Karanth. There will be so much to be thankful for but we tend to stick to thinking of some negative thing which we probably cant even undo.
DeleteThis challenge is truly insightful for me as well... and I'm just past the halfway stage.
That was fun. Sure it works.. for me too. Actually when everyone starts saying wow.. that's great, you're lucky, you do start feeling like that.. that I AM lucky and happy.. and it turns into a happy cycle. Glad I joined it. PS: Glad I don't have those fleas.. yuck !!!
ReplyDeletefor me, i felt the opposite. Because I started looking out for happy moments, more and more became evident to me and like the book "The Secret" says, more happy things started finding their way to me. Wishful thinking perhaps but then I'm a dreamer by nature :D
DeletePUTTTUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd congratulations once again on your publications! Not a small feat
Thanks RedHanded... yes Puttu FTW! :)
DeleteAnd there will be a few more show-offy posts in the near future regarding publications... kindly adjust :D
Lots of reasons to smile and be happy about! Congratulations for all your achievements, Roshan. LOL @ the state of poor guys who didnt vote for you! :D
ReplyDeleteAww... your dog is sooooo sweet!! :)
Thanks Shilpa :)
DeleteYes... those who did not vote will get their just desserts soon ... the curse of the Sultan of Blogpuri is upon them :D
Enjoyed reading about your happy days and how you managed to find the good during your not so good days. A loved one, a pet and friends can make any day happier and nicer. Right now it is pouring in Delhi, the thunder is driving my pet dalmatian, Sparky, crazy...I am talking loudly to her as I type.
ReplyDeletehaha... dogs can really being out the crazy side even in us, can't they? Though I guess it isnt really the crazy side as it is the 'actual' side of us !
DeleteI agree with yoou that the #100happydays works...it works with me too. I see more of the sunshine than before, I lookout for pockets of happiness everyday and that's something, it automatically sheers me up :) Nice post here...wishing you much happiness :)
ReplyDeleteExactly... I find more opportunities to laugh and take pleasure in simply silly stuff rather than sit around brooding about what someone thinks of me or some bad moment during the day!
Delete