Day 30: When were the happiest days of your life?
You know what, since you asked, I'd tell you when:
I'd been the happiest {in the longest time} these past few weeks. If it hasn't been obvious, I've been out of my I'm-too-busy-I-deserve-a-break funk for many weeks now. I used to go home driving and singing Nirvana's Lithium in full blast. I am no longer aimless at night when all a day's work is done and I don't know what to with myself.
There wasn't anything big or seemingly big that's happened {like a certain colleague's theory that I've taken a boyfriend, not true}. I guess in the life of an adult, we can't help but fall into pitfalls of being caught up with daily responsibilities that we forgot how to live in the moment and just be happy.
I am so glad to be out of that now.
Jollibee said it best: Bee Happy! Photo via Delivering Happiness
If there is an important lesson that keeps popping in of my everyday life is this: Be Happy. Just be. I am not too sure if I've just been reading too much feel-good blogs but then maybe those are actually working because I am no longer a default bitch-face ---
I am now caught smiling on candid camera!
I had no idea this photo was being taken and so is the photo's owner, no idea I'm using this photo on this blog, teehee.
Being happy for no apparent {or milestone-esque} reason was pretty much a feat. For many months, although I don't write about it here, I'd been fighting and struggling to swim upwards the river of happiness. It felt like everyday, I was grasping for straws and scratching for a surface --- to find something to be happy about and nothing came. I saw the negative side of things and dwelt on them.
And then it happened, as quietly as it could, happiness. Just like the best things in life, it came in an underwhelming manner that it was a few days after that I realized that I was no longer sad. And then it was up to me to maintain it, in which I share with you some of the things that keeps me smiling <3
1. Saying thank you upon waking up. I've always believed in the power of gratitude but somehow, taking it to the next level, which is saying thanks the moment I wake up, saying it again everytime someone would do me a nice gesture and randomly, saying thanks for just breathing, have had a tremendous effect on me. A colleague based in India who helped me with a technical issue while fixing this website, once thanked me for saying 'thank you' a lot. "You've thanked me so much, I've lost track." It made me happy that he seems to appreciate it --- plus thanking people who do things for you affirms our humanity. We are not robots after all.
2. Happy {Joy Joy} Songs, or Music Marketing, as I'd like to call it. I have a 'happy playlist in my iPod and true enough, they never fail. Most often than not, I use the playlist for archiving playlist because I like it when I put the iPod on shuffle and the random song plays and I burst into a dance number --- yes, I do.
Some of my happy songs:
U2 | Beautiful Day
Everytime I hear this, it's like a door is opening in front of me and sunshine is pouring over me. Never fails.
Pumped Up Kicks | Foster the People
Never mind the real meaning of the song and blame it on the hot vocalist and how this song was used in Gossip Girl. This song makes me giggle everytime I hear it -- which is frequent, these days.
There She Goes Again | The Getaway People
I think of all the days I've swayed to this song with a beer {responsible drinking, y'all!} in hand and good times, man. Good times.
Rubber Lover | Marmaduke Duke
Never mind the meaning, I love this song and it never fails to make giggly. Also, European accents are just *insert googly eyes here*
And speaking of Marmaduke Duke, this version of The Cure's Friday I'm in Love is awesomesauce <3
Everybody | Ingrid Michaelson
Love, love and love <3
Don't Worry Baby | The Beach Boys
Makes me think of lazy days in bed and Sunday roadtrips in a car with open windows with my hair flying wildly.
3. Random acts of kindness. I used to think this tip was kind of BS, but when I am happy, I noticed that I did indeed, very random acts of kindness that left me even happier. Whether it's bringing a carton of fries for a friend or giving someone a new book, the happiness that stems from it is crazy high.
4. Sports and Spirituality. Engaging in sports and getting in touch with your religion, whatever it may be, works infinite wonders.
Wasn't doing sports nor anything spiritual but I think I look very happy here <3
5. The little things. Nix the "I will be happy when ..." thought. I used to think that I am only happy when I'm traveling or when so and so happens. Like love, happiness appears to be unconditional, an inimitable human right we cannot deny ourselves. I started to assert my happiness and I was happy even when I was staring into space. I took the little things that were happening in my life, such as breathing, being in the company of great friends, talking about creative pursuits in the middle of the night, surprise little gifts, sipping Hoegaarden, random hugs from great friends, news about better and brighter days --- I took them all to heart and my heart had been bursting with happiness ever since.
After a day of feeling my ugliest, I came home from a lovely dinner with Sophie and to this. Flowers and scents never fail to cheer a girl with low spirits. This does deserve a separate post, though.
So yeah, if like me about a month ago, you had to think long to answer the question "When was the last time you were happy?" then it's time to let go, surrender and do yourself a favor of being happy right now. I just did myself that. And in the spirit of this challenge, to vow that everyday should be my happiest day.
I hope the same goes for you.
xx
More tips on happiness here. Also, this ends my 30 Day Blog Challenge! Woot! That was hard!