I hit the half way point in my 100 Happy Days challenge, this week. On one hand, I'm surprised at how quickly time has gone by, but on the other, I'm also amazed at how much this challenge has forced me to slow down and appreciate the blessings in my life -- the little things every day that remind me of how precious life is. These past 12 days consisted of a whirlwind of moments -- big and small ones -- that added to my happiness. From lazy weekend lunches with friends (Day 41) to bike rides in the park (Day 43) to packing for a quick getaway to Manhattan, NY (Day 47), to getting caught in a rainstorm (and realizing that there are actually worse things that can happen to me -- Day 45) to reflecting on my year spent abroad (Day 46)... These past few days have left me with such a powerful sense of gratitude for my life and for the experiences I get to have every day. But I also want to admit, today, that it isn't always easy to actively seek happy moments. Take Day 52, for instance. It was my first day back at work after my long weekend getaway. Those of you who know me are aware of how much I love to travel. Being on the move, seeing new places, meeting new people and just putting myself in a new environment is the best form of therapy, and I try to do it as often as my bank account (and vacation days) will let me . So coming back to my desk, logging in to find 100+ emails and the quick succession of day-to-day activities was a rough blow. On regular days, it's fine, but coming back to it after a sweet escape -- that was tough. In times like these I need reminders; verbal or visual cues that remind me I'm human and that it's okay to have not-so-happy emotions. I follow a bunch of bloggers and websites that give me a daily dose of hope and optimism to get me through harder days. GPS for the Soul being one, and The Optimism Revolution being the other. I have to say, the Internet is an awesome playground of happy and it's perfect when you need a quick fix of joy. Thanks to my coworkers, these links have been sources of entertainment this week: - Nala Cat - Learn about America based on their number 1 search term by state. (You'll definitely want to check this link out!) - Watch three strangers come together for a spontaneous jam session on the street. The result? Find out at the 1:00 and 1:45 min marks. I think the biggest lesson I learned this week is that it's okay to let others make you happy. It's something I've struggled with a lot throughout my life. I sometimes feel like I'm a one-woman army, and am the only one responsible for my own happiness, joy, successes, etc. It's definitely not the case. I've learned that while we shouldn't rely solely on others to fill our lives with joy, it's not a bad thing if it happens from time to time. We're not failing and we're certainly not showing weakness. So here's wishing you happiness for the rest of the day. And as a treat, I'd like to leave you with a video that made me smile just a few minutes ago. Cheers! [HTML1]