Basically, what you do is take a moment every day for 100 days and record via picture something that made you happy. Upload it to facebook, Instagram or whatever your social media poison is. I'm on Day 22 today and it's been a really fun and interesting journey so far.
It's part of the change I've been trying to make in myself in trying to not be so negative (http://snarkymommablog.blogspot.com/2014/02/negative-nancy.html), and it's something I'd totally recommend to everyone.
It forces you to take a step back and realize that there are small, everyday, normal moments in your life that make you happy. And it makes you appreciate them and notice when they happen. This project has made me more in tune with the positive things in my life, and how little things really can have a big impact.
Wow that was a totally cliche paragraph, but damn, it's true!
It's easy to get caught up in the negative and swept up into drama, but thinking about and hell, just noticing what makes you happy can make a big difference.
I spent far too much of my life letting my happiness depend on others and I was miserable for it. I'm now in charge of my own happiness and turns out I'm in a much better place than I've been in years. I feel like I've really got my shit together and I think I can credit it to my change in attitude from being a Negative Nancy to someone who tries to see the bright side of things.
Now, I'm still generally a ruthless bitch who hates humanity but I'm a more cheerful ruthless bitch who hates humanity. Focusing on what makes you happy and what's good about your life doesn't change who you are - it just changes your perspective on things.
Example - Yesterday was my birthday. On paper, it was a shitacular day. My Big Guy was really sick, I had to take My Little Guy for his 2 year old checkup, it fucking snowed (It is April! Stop it!), and my husband had to work late. Sounds pretty crappy right? Yeah, it was, but instead of getting all down in the dumps and bitching and moaning about my shitty birthday I realized that we had had one of the best weekends we've had in a looooooong time (It was 80 and sunny on Saturday - fuck you bipolar Chicago spring) just being together as a family and enjoying the weather and having fun. I decided that the weekend was my birthday celebration because it was pretty much a perfect weekend and yesterday was a stupidass Monday of crapulence. I didn't complain (much) about the shittiness of the day, instead I said, "Meh, bad days happen but let me tell you about my awesome weekend!" That wouldn't have been the case before.
In the midst of all the snot and coughing and miserableness of the day, I had my Happy Moment. We got the kids in bed and my husband and I snuggled up on the couch and watched a movie. And it made me happy. And that's what I remember the most about yesterday - not the crap parts.
I feel like sometimes it's a competition on social media to see who has it worse. That's dumb. Life is hard for everyone. Everyone has their burdens, everyone has their moments of suckiness, and I'm 100% sure that there's someone who has it harder than you out there. Why are we constantly trying to one-up each other on who has it worse? Who the hell actually wants to win that competition (I think it might be one of the only ones I personally don't want to win)? Good job, you had a shittier day than I did, go bask in your misery. Congratulations.
How about instead of trying to see who's had a worse day we take note of the good moments in a shitty day? That's what the 100 Happy Days project is all about, and I'm glad I'm participating and starting to realize and appreciate the good moments in my life.
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