Day 10, #100happydays

Just noticed that I have been chronicling my experiences for ten days now. It might not be much, but that's an achievement for me even though I don't do it regularly. Anyway, I won't be talking about anything in particular today. My happiest moment today was being able to experience a free and open mind again. I've forgotten how good it felt to not feel too much pressure in your mind; how to be relaxed but angst at the same time. It felt really good. Because of that, I was able to accomplish several tasks today.

I know, I know. I'm talking about school work again. I can't help it. Sometimes I think making great achievements there will be the only thing that can bring me absolute happiness these days. Perhaps that is true. But I'll have to change something if I'm going to get there. You see, I've been trying to reach my full potential in that respect, but can't seem to manage to do so. I think I know why.

But anyway, that experience made me happy today because it made me feel that I had a chance, and that I was actually capable of greater and better things than I've been recently lead to believe.

Side note: I also had fun during our first moot court mock trial today in our environmental litigation class. Who knew it would be so much fun to observe and criticize your peers? :P Hope we do well in ours. haha.



Dani
March 4, 2014- 11:50pm
"To every yin. There is a yang.
Take everything in moderation.
Balance is the key."
           -compilation of quotes

Day 9, #100happydays

A simple and quite shallow joy today: Toby Regbo.

I have a new-found fondness for the series Reign, starring Toby Regbo as dauphin Francis. Although he is ill-fated, I enjoy seeing his face on the screen. In addition, we just so happened to have the same birthdate. Haha. There is just something about his eyes, aside form the clear color, that draws you in.

Shameless as it may seem, I will show you his photograph. And also, I will plug their show here because I discovered a new period drama set in the same timeline as the near-end of the Tudor monarchy.

Reign is airing in the US on its first season. The series follows the life of Mary, Queen of Scots. If you have not heard of her either, she is the cousin of Queen Elizabeth I, and is the character on which a nursery rhyme was based on. The rhyme goes something like this: "Mary, Mary, quite contrary. How does your garden grow?"

If you're a history buff, you probably know the fate of all the characters in this series. But tune in anyway because, as we know in these historical dramas, there is always a twist with the stretch of the truth.

                                   

                                                   Toby Regbo on the set of Reign.

                                                     Photograph is not mine.

Just don't mind the facial hair or the scruffy hair; they're part of his character. He still looks good regardless.

Anyway, so that's my simple joy for today. And in the same way, I hope you found a simple joy too!

Dani

March 3, 2014- 11:31pm

Don't ever fret 

Just do your best

And God will do the rest

           -unknown source

Day 7, #100happydays

My day began very frustrating because aside from the fact that we got stuck in traffic, my professor never showed up. We ended up waiting in the room for two hours, for nothing. After that, I sped off to try and make this the most productive day ever. I ended up ticking off just two items on my five-point to-do list. Incredible, I know. 

After attempting to finish my studies at a coffee shop, I slept happily in our car on the way home. Please note that the use of the word happily here does not indicate that this was my happiness today. That being said, I came home, and lounged around doing nothing because I couldn't force myself to. I can't really say that anything today was very happy for me other than the time we spent talking about random things in the classroom while waiting. 

The conversations we had went round and round from subjects to strippers. Don't ask me how it got there. I will only say that right now, I think I'm getting an idea from those topics for my thesis. I hope I'm on the right track, and I hope that I am at least on a track right now. Hmmm..

Happy first day of March

P.S.

Because of that, I want to watch the movie Ides of March :)

Dani

March 1, 2014- 10:11pm

"Believing in yourself. That's growing up."

             -The Muppets

Day 5, #100happydays

It is nearing the end of the day and I still haven't found anything very significant for it to be my "happiness" today. However, I remembered what I wrote when I started this challenge. It does not need to be a grand matter for that thing to make you happy.

Nothing too big happened to me today. I actually slept in and even almost neglected some of my tasks. Yes, it was a lazy day. Then again, I needed the rest. So for today I guess my happiness is that I was able to refresh and re-energize myself. The best part is that after I felt rested, I was able to pick up on my tasks and actually accomplish them. Where is the happiness in that? It is in me finally being able to get control over myself and maintaining the momentum regarding my studies, which I started a few days ago.

It might seem odd, but today, my happiness is in this new discipline. :)

Dani

February 27, 2014- 11:23pm

Just do it

          -Nike

Day 4, #100happydays

Day four of the challenge brought about my happiness early on in the day. My simple happiness today is my food. :)

While waiting for my parents during breakfast, before leaving for school, I made my lunch. After letting it cool on the ride to school, I ate it with a dose of my favorite CBTL drink. The drink was a bit of indulgence I gave myself for motivation to get through the day. I have to say, despite the pasta being "instant", it was a delight to the senses. A bit of comfort food.

Why was this my happiness today? Simply because I made a meal for myself to bring to school. A small effort that can yield bigger results given my consistency.

Here's to hoping more happiness comes to all:)

Dani

February 26, 2014- 3:27pm

Smile at the world and the world will smile back at you.

Happiness

So you've probably heard of the #100happydays phenomenon in cyberspace. I actually researched what it meant because since the beginning of the year, people have been placing that hashtag in their posts. Only today did I finally get around to satisfying my curiosity. So if you are annoyed by seeing those posts, forgive me because I will now be joining the bandwagon.

The #100happydays was actually a challenge begun by an Indian columnist addressed to the whole world. The challenge is to find what your happiness was for the day despite the endeavors and difficulties that day has thrown on you. I found it intriguing though that this challenge had to come about for people to even consider finding happiness each day. But, as the saying goes, don't drop it til you've tried it. Considering the stressful environment we are all forced to live in today, it doesn't hurt to have this as a constant reminder that we should always be happy.

There have been other such reminders over the years scattered in movies, old quotes, books, and even songs telling us to value our days and to never let ourselves be put down by even the biggest of challenges we are facing. Two such quotes are "Smile for just five minutes a day. After a while you'll see it comes naturally" (Love Happens), and "Always look for the silver lining" (unknown). I guess such reminders are worth repeating generation after generation because we do change, and we do need reminders that keep up with the pace of our lifestyle. So today, it makes sense that this reminder would  come through as a challenge in cyberspace.

I am joining this challenge because I too seem to lack incentive to find what makes me happy everyday. Also, I think that having such a reminder will later on help me see more things I need to and can be thankful for. 

I decided to join today because of two coincidental reasons: 1) I happen to want to search for the meaning of the hashtag, and it so happens that 2) I needed to see happiness in what transpired for me today. The day began for me as a slow day. After a sportsfest gone wrong on my part, I went home using public transportation from a place I have never been to before. The happiness for me today, as shallow as you think it may seem, was that moment I learned to commute from this unfamiliar place, back to my home because I actually learned something for myself and on my own. Oddly enough, I was wearing a shirt with the statement "happiness" on it on the ride home.

So there you go, day 1 of my #100happydays is this simple achievement I have for myself. You can try it too if you want. Your happiness doesn't have to come from anything flamboyant or extraordinary. You just have to learn to see for yourself where it is, and that I think is where the challenge lies.

Dani

February 23, 2014- 8:43pm

"Listen with the ear of your heart"

          -St. Benedict