In 2014,when I started the #100HappyDays challenge, I was at a particularly low point in my life. I did not really expect much when I took it up but I knew I had to bring about some change in my journey. 100 consecutive days featuring at least one moment of happiness was the target in front of me when I began. 71% of those who took it up failed, the site warned me. I honestly expected to be in that 71%.
I did complete my 100 Happy Days last year. And in those 100 Happy Days, my life did change. I won awards at a national level, was published in more books in that small period than in the last 30 odd years of my life, visited more cities in those 100 days than I had in a decade, met movie stars & national award winners and made changes in my life that still reap me rewards today. Long after the challenge ended, the after glow continued with unique opportunities presenting itself and wonderful people entering my life.
I attributed it to the change that the challenge had brought about in my life... the need to find happiness amidst the sorrow and mundane; to spot the candlelight in the darkness. I chose to be happy and actively seek out happiness during every one of those days. And I did.
"It was just a case of sheer luck. The timing of all this happening just as you were going through the challenge was a mere coincidence." That is what many said. And while I could see the logic in their words, I still held on to the belief that seeking out the positive brought the positive into my life.
This year, in 2015, I took up the 100HappyDays Challenge again. I don't know many who take it up twice, given that the odds of completing it once itself is quite rare. But I wanted to hold on to my belief that I could attract goodwill and happiness via this challenge.
I failed.
Midway through the challenge, I hit a personal low that forced me to introspect on some aspects of my life and I did not like what I saw. I tried to find a happy moment on a particular Saturday evening and found that there was none that could drive away the pain I felt within me that day. And so I stopped. I did not wish to lie to myself and pretend that I was happy that day when I was just hurting inside.
I remember thinking that I wanted to quit the social media sector for awhile and just go off the grid. Sad as it sounds, it hurt to see others so happy while I was feeling so low. I almost did too, a fortnight later when the pain persisted. And then at the very last moment, when the time came to click the "Deactivate Account" button, I changed my mind.
I did not want to give up... not this way. I knew the odds the first time I took up the challenge and completed it. I was supposed to be the believer in the "power" of positive thinking. What did it say about me if I allowed one moment of sorrow to let that belief fall apart?
So I did the ridiculous... in the middle of that moment of sorrow, I started from Day 1 once more.
And this time around, I focused on actively bringing happiness into my life. I engaged with friends and stuck to bringing smiles on people's faces. I attended weddings of colleagues and birthday parties of little children.
Food, always a weak spot of mine, was never too far away, be it impromptu trips to dhabas with fellow doctors or nights of philosophical discussions with friends. Snoopy, as always was a part and parcel of bringing happiness into my life, just as he has been ever since he first popped his head out of that little orange basket 2 years ago.
And then, of course, there was the big kahuna of last month, where I ended up inadvertently "rang de basanti-ing" the Indian medical system with a blog post that got me featured on a dozen national media sites, BBC and even the famed British Medical Journal. The support that came from doctors from literally all over the globe in that one fortnight was something that no one could have imagined in their wildest dreams (though the implications about the medical sector of the country remain unsettling even to me).
Even when the final days of my tenure at my workplace drew near - something I had been dreading for months as I am not one who is comfortable with goodbyes - I found myself in a much more relaxed frame of mind than I anticipated. We laughed, ate, sang, ate, reminisced, ate, went on long drives across state and ate (Did I mention that we ate too?) There were so many wonderful memories we had created as doctors and friends and we celebrated them, rather than dwelling on the moment of parting.
I completed the challenge last week, 100 days after I restarted. And just like in 2014, my life has changed entirely from the moment I started Day 1 to the day I typed in Day 100.
I am happy once more after starting from a low point in my life.
In the end, I remain more convinced today than I was last year of Rhonda Bryne's "Secret" - I do believe that we attract that which we focus our energies and thoughts positively upon. And I do believe that the #100HappyDays challenge is a wonderful starting point for everyone to give it a shot.
The simple act of believing that you had a good moment today is a luxury for many. Some are just too lost in their sorrows to see a single moment of happiness and I truly understand. I have been there. Which is why I am able to tell you personally that you can bring about change in your life by just looking for that one moment of joy and accumulating it day after day. Make sure you find the rose in between the weeds around you and just don't stop. Slowly but surely, a cascade effect will begin with happiness finding its way to you rather than you having to go out and seek it.
Here's wishing you a 100 Happy Days that will hopefully change your life that way it has changed mine.
I did complete my 100 Happy Days last year. And in those 100 Happy Days, my life did change. I won awards at a national level, was published in more books in that small period than in the last 30 odd years of my life, visited more cities in those 100 days than I had in a decade, met movie stars & national award winners and made changes in my life that still reap me rewards today. Long after the challenge ended, the after glow continued with unique opportunities presenting itself and wonderful people entering my life.
I attributed it to the change that the challenge had brought about in my life... the need to find happiness amidst the sorrow and mundane; to spot the candlelight in the darkness. I chose to be happy and actively seek out happiness during every one of those days. And I did.
"It was just a case of sheer luck. The timing of all this happening just as you were going through the challenge was a mere coincidence." That is what many said. And while I could see the logic in their words, I still held on to the belief that seeking out the positive brought the positive into my life.
This year, in 2015, I took up the 100HappyDays Challenge again. I don't know many who take it up twice, given that the odds of completing it once itself is quite rare. But I wanted to hold on to my belief that I could attract goodwill and happiness via this challenge.
I failed.
Midway through the challenge, I hit a personal low that forced me to introspect on some aspects of my life and I did not like what I saw. I tried to find a happy moment on a particular Saturday evening and found that there was none that could drive away the pain I felt within me that day. And so I stopped. I did not wish to lie to myself and pretend that I was happy that day when I was just hurting inside.
I remember thinking that I wanted to quit the social media sector for awhile and just go off the grid. Sad as it sounds, it hurt to see others so happy while I was feeling so low. I almost did too, a fortnight later when the pain persisted. And then at the very last moment, when the time came to click the "Deactivate Account" button, I changed my mind.
I did not want to give up... not this way. I knew the odds the first time I took up the challenge and completed it. I was supposed to be the believer in the "power" of positive thinking. What did it say about me if I allowed one moment of sorrow to let that belief fall apart?
So I did the ridiculous... in the middle of that moment of sorrow, I started from Day 1 once more.
Food, always a weak spot of mine, was never too far away, be it impromptu trips to dhabas with fellow doctors or nights of philosophical discussions with friends. Snoopy, as always was a part and parcel of bringing happiness into my life, just as he has been ever since he first popped his head out of that little orange basket 2 years ago.
And guess what? Slowly the wheels of fortune once more fell into place. I started winning contests once more, stories started popping up in books and more unexpected surprises found their way to me.
And then, of course, there was the big kahuna of last month, where I ended up inadvertently "rang de basanti-ing" the Indian medical system with a blog post that got me featured on a dozen national media sites, BBC and even the famed British Medical Journal. The support that came from doctors from literally all over the globe in that one fortnight was something that no one could have imagined in their wildest dreams (though the implications about the medical sector of the country remain unsettling even to me).
Even when the final days of my tenure at my workplace drew near - something I had been dreading for months as I am not one who is comfortable with goodbyes - I found myself in a much more relaxed frame of mind than I anticipated. We laughed, ate, sang, ate, reminisced, ate, went on long drives across state and ate (Did I mention that we ate too?) There were so many wonderful memories we had created as doctors and friends and we celebrated them, rather than dwelling on the moment of parting.
I completed the challenge last week, 100 days after I restarted. And just like in 2014, my life has changed entirely from the moment I started Day 1 to the day I typed in Day 100.
I am happy once more after starting from a low point in my life.
In the end, I remain more convinced today than I was last year of Rhonda Bryne's "Secret" - I do believe that we attract that which we focus our energies and thoughts positively upon. And I do believe that the #100HappyDays challenge is a wonderful starting point for everyone to give it a shot.
The simple act of believing that you had a good moment today is a luxury for many. Some are just too lost in their sorrows to see a single moment of happiness and I truly understand. I have been there. Which is why I am able to tell you personally that you can bring about change in your life by just looking for that one moment of joy and accumulating it day after day. Make sure you find the rose in between the weeds around you and just don't stop. Slowly but surely, a cascade effect will begin with happiness finding its way to you rather than you having to go out and seek it.
Here's wishing you a 100 Happy Days that will hopefully change your life that way it has changed mine.
How about #100HappyDays 2016? :)
ReplyDelete[@womod] from
Pinksocks
need to get around to it at some time honestly... could use a boost
DeleteI am convinced... with your blessings I too shall take up the 100happydays soon :)
ReplyDeleteAll the best :)
DeleteJust saw this link on Facebook, really inspiring, I hadn't heard of this challenge, but now I want to know more
ReplyDelete