Back in March, I began this challenge to post a picture of something that made me happy every day for 100 days. At the time, I was feeling especially unpleasant and like I was constantly passing my bad moods onto the people around me. It was becoming clear that I was taking for granted the moments that really do make me happy. I wanted to become a more joyful person and pass that on to my husband and kids as well.
Here's what the website says about the challenge:
People successfully completing the challenge claimed to:
- Start noticing what makes them happy every day;
- Be in a better mood every day;
- Start receiving more compliments from other people;
- Realize how lucky they are to have the life they have;
- Become more optimistic;
- Fall in love during the challenge.
What I liked most about this is that I had to start looking for those things that make me happy and deliberately reflect on them throughout the day. I chose one moment to post each day, but I started noticing so many more that I could have posted. Keeping my eye out for them made me notice more of them. It's all about a shift in perspective, I guess, which is what I really needed at the time.
The website says the challenge doesn't "count" if you don't actually do 100 consecutive days, but I call an audible because...watch me. {And, yes, I think I just made a football reference, which felt weird and unnatural}. So, I just posted my 100th photo today when technically I should have finished in mid-July, but, que sera {there, that reference felt better}.
Clearly, it doesn't really matter how long it took me to post 100 happy things on Instagram. What does matter is that it genuinely helped me feel happier. I have felt more content with my job, more focused on my kids, more loving toward my husband, and just grateful for these tiny moments that make each day a little more special. Watching out for the good takes the focus away from the not-so-great.
More than anything, this was fun. It took me almost 6 months to do, but I'm so glad I kept up with it. I also love clicking on the hashtag and seeing all 100 things at once. Some of them are huge {Milo starting to walk, my thoughts on motherhood, welcoming new sisters}, some are trivial {Pinterest, coffee, kitchen floors}, a lot are dance parties, and some are just silly reminders of how awesome my kids are {Gehrig singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"? Every day forever please}.
I'm so thankful I followed through with this challenge. This new perspective is refreshing. And, although I'm all done with my hundred, I hope this more positive outlook sticks around for a while because life's way more fun this way.
Cheers to happiness!
You can see all my 100happydays photos if you follow me here.
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