Week 1 • 30 Day Happiness Challenge #30dayhappy

Updated December 2016

This version of the 30-Day Happiness Challenge is no longer freestanding. It will live again in my new Facebook group.  The #1 topic I am asked to talk about is Inspiration/Motivation … #2 is hair (yeah girl I was shocked too). In response, I started a Facebook Group named 🌱 CELEBRATE NEW GROWTH 🌱 where the entire purpose is supporting an expanded life in all areas. If you want to be part of a positive, supportive group of women intent on living bigger, being better, and taking things higher then join us! — bit.ly/CelebrateNewGrowth. See you there! 🌱💚

Today is day 8 of my 30 Day Happiness Challenge and, as promised, I’m back with an update.

If you need to catch up on what the challenge entails read this post: 30 Day Happiness Challenge.

I started a 30 Day Happiness Challenge Facebook group and, as of right now we have 60 members!  If you are interested in joining the group let me know below and I will send you an invitation via email.

Here’s how I’ve been doing week 1:

“Each day in April I will write down 3 new things that I am grateful for”

I post 3 things I’m grateful for in the 30 Day Happiness Challenge Facebook Group.  I’ve been consistent and haven’t missed one day *yay*.  So many other participants are also posting their 3 gratitudes in the group , so it’s nice to get to go in and read what everyone is grateful on that day. I’m finding myself actively searching for positive things to include in my list, which is the point of this part of the challenge.  I call this a win.

Here are a few things I’ve been grateful for this past week: Starbucks Pike Place VIA, this challenge, getting to pre-screen the RIO 2 movie before it came out in theaters, the sun, being able to do most of my Glamazini brand design changes on my own, my hair etc.

“Each day in April I will journal about one positive experience I’ve had over the past 24 hours”

This is another thing I’ve been doing in the Facebook Group without missing a day.  Just like documenting the gratitudes, I find recalling something positive in the previous day is  great way to force my mind to look at things more … well more positively. There have been times when I thought I had nothing to write about, but I changed how I looked at a situation and found the good in it.  Also a win.

Here’s my favorite journal entry this week:

“Earlier today a friend shared a video of the cast of The Lion King breaking out into spontaneous song on a flight after a successful show. They were signing ‘Circle of Life’. I watched the video over and over, singing along and smiling from ear to ear. I even teared up. Why? Well that song is a favorite of mine and I sing it all the time. In the past it was mostly in jest, but recently I sang it during one of the hardest times of my life and it brought me joy.

When I found out I was pregnant with my son, I demanded that my friends sing Circle of Life when he came out LOL! They all laughed because they know me, but I never thought they would really do it. When I found out he would be born with a host of medical problems my pregnancy turned into an episode of Survivor. Fast forward 18 weeks later and I’m in my hospital room and my son is in a different hospital in the NICU. In the distance I hear “Nants ingonyama bagithi baba!” playing very low, then getting louder as it comes toward my door “Sithi uhhmm ingonyama!”. In walks my friend with a styrofoam monkey visor on, her kids were both wearing styrofoam animal visors too and her husband was carrying his *lol*. She has her cellphone in her hand stuck out in front of her and here they come:

Nants ingonyama bagithi baba!
Sithi uhhmm ingonyama!
Nants ingonyama bagithi baba!
Sithi uhhmm ingonyama! Ingonyama!
Siyo Nqoba! Ingonyama!
Ingonyama nengw’ enamabala!

and of course, once I realized what was happening I smiled from ear to ear and sang along! You have to realize, I’d just had a baby and had no clue if he would even live. This small act by a friend was like a beam of light cutting through the darkness, and it gave me joy in the moment and in some ways hope for what was coming. As an aside “Siyo Nqoba” translates to “We’re going to conquer”. Isn’t that nice? So today as I watched the video and listened to the cast of The Lion King sing, it brought me back to that dark moment immediately brightened by the love of a friend who understood me and cared enough to not take herself too seriously … and because of things like that we did conquer.”

“Each day in April I will meditate using the relaxation audios located in the Depression CBT application or intentionally do something that makes me happy“

I started the week off strong meditating each day, but I have to admit I did not finish strong.  I do see good outcomes from doing this part of the challenge so I will definitely do better next week.  Here’s a positive experience I shared in the group:

Last night I did my 1st meditation from the Depression CBT app.

It was ok.

When I do them I always think they are corny BUT I do need to share this. I did the meditation on kindness which makes you picture different people and repeat kind statements toward them. Super corny I thought, but I finished it and went to bed. This AM I woke up and thoughts began to come into my head. One was about a specific person who, in the past irked me something awful. The FIRST thing my mind did when I thought of the person was IMMEDIATELY start repeating the kind words from the meditation dealy and I felt my entire body relax. I was like “wow! what was that?” and then I realized, oh the mediation thing helped my mind associate them with more calming words. Wow huh? Doesn’t mean they still don’t irk me (keeping it r.e.a.l.) but that is a step in the right direction.

“Each day in April I will drink 64 ounces of water”

Yeah this didn’t happen. #womp I drank 32 ounces consistently but just couldn’t get past that amount on any day. Either way it’s better than no water (look at my positivity shining through huh?), so next week I will do better.

“Each day in April I will go to bed before midnight”

Yeah this didn’t happen either LOL!  I aimed for midnight and definitely got into bed earlier than usual most nights so, I’ll call that progress too. I will continue to aim for midnight next week.

“At least twice a week in the month of April I will send 1 positive message to someone in my social support network praising or thanking them”

I did accomplish this one pretty early in the week then found myself sorta still doing it during the week anyway.  It feel great telling people they are awesome and why without wanting anything in return. I don’t think we hear these kinds of things enough in 2014. Most people are so focused on themselves. This made me feel great and I’m hoping it made those I contacted feel loved and appreciated.  I may send 3 next week just because.

“At least twice a week in the month of April I will exercise”

At first I was like “Oh no, I don’t have an intentional plan for exercise”, but then I realized I had to dance at church this week so my practice time and then the actual at-home practice and dance time count so yay! I did it!  Next week will be a bit tricky because I only have 1 dance practice but hopefully I’ll think of something.

So far so good on this challenge. I’m very happy (pun intended) I decided to do this, and am even more ecstatic that I opened the challenge up for others to participate along with me.  I must be honest, this has not been easy. The word “challenge” is apropo.  The end of week 1 was accompanied with serious hormonal dips that made me feel not so happy out the gate, but I intentionally did the challenge steps any way and always felt my mood improve. Overall I would say I am happier at the end of the end of week 1 so that’s absolutely progress.  I’m excited to see how I feel in the upcoming weeks.

Well that’s it for week 1. Stay tuned for week 2 and with me well.

If you are interested in participating let me know in the comments below and I will send you an invitation via email to the 30 Day Happiness Challenge Facebook group.

This version of the 30-Day Happiness Challenge is no longer freestanding. It will live again in my new Facebook group.  The #1 topic I am asked to talk about is Inspiration/Motivation … #2 is hair (yeah girl I was shocked too). In response, I started a Facebook Group named 🌱 CELEBRATE NEW GROWTH 🌱 where the entire purpose is supporting an expanded life in all areas. If you want to be part of a positive, supportive group of women intent on living bigger, being better, and taking things higher then join us! — bit.ly/CelebrateNewGrowth. See you there! 🌱💚

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