What makes you happy?
The past few weeks have been by far tough. I couldn’t bring myself to sleep without agonizing over so many things and pondering over self-inflicted disappointment.
So, to get myself out of spiraling vicious circle, I decided to light up my blog a bit and start to write about things that make me happy.
You know, when you were a kid, everyday was an adventure. You ran amok the neighborhood, rang every door and ran ’till your stomach turned.
When I grew older, it became more difficult than before, penciling down which exactly made me feel alive. I got caught up in study, after-school classes – numbing all the pretests and 2AM match quizzes (sorry teachers, still can’t get over it). Then work and social life. I started to forget, what really makes me happy.
Without giving much thoughts, I sat down and wrote this list:
WHAT MAKES GIANG SUPER HAPPY?
- First day of pay day (add one extra dose of happiness if payday is on Friday)
I do love the morning when I wake up, check my bank account to find my balance increases. Money is never the ultimate happiness, but what it brings is the freedom. The freedom of choice – to eat what you can afford, invest in the hobbies which in turn engender joy and satisfaction (and yes, I’m gonna buy you, that pretty pencil dress over there).
I lived through the day where I sat quietly on the staircase outside of the office, gnawing cheap hot dog for dinner 4 nights in a row. I remembered several trips to the bookstore, glaring at the shiny, plastic-covered books while suppressing the urge of grabbing those all to cashier. Simple reason – I couldn’t afford them. I know – I am in no position to compare my lacking to any others, but leaving with a constant need never being met is pretty tough.
2. Experiment something new
I recalled vividly my first time getting a hold of CorelDraw – a design software alternative of Illustrator. I didn’t know how to work around it, but it was a part of the responsibility I had to take in Germany. My first self-assigned task was to design a Pikachu.
I spent hours after hours reading articles and watching tutorial videos. How to use brush tool, manipulate shapes, erase background. And I love it.
I love everything about exploration. Trying a new dress, roaming on a road of a foreign country or finding new way to work on a task. You never know what to expect, your eyes amaze at everything that passes your eyesight – a rusty corner food stall where the crowd hangs, the Pikachu slowly comes to shape – the tail, 2 red-dot cheeks painted in his iconic yellow after you explored 10 different tools/features in 4 hours. That thrill of discovery is like drinking hot chocolate. Once you swallow it, not only its taste lingers in your tongue, but also its warmth starts to reach to every corner of your body and fill it with contentment and comfort. For me, the defining moment of exploration is not seeing the result – it is the whole experience of exploring.
3. A nice book on Sunday morning with a cup of sweetened (milk) tea
When I was in Vietnam, one of my favorite places was Phuc Long teashop near Ben Thanh market. I got there every Sun morning with a book in my left hand, pencil and sticky note stack in the other. I sat at the exact same spot for 1.5 years – a window counter seat facing the bustling intersection of the city – street vendors sat quietly, observing passerby while attending to customers with a bowl of soup from their large, heating pots.
Free promotion for Phuc Long – you’re welcome!
I read, jotted down quickly new words/phrases I didn’t know. Every time I encounter an interesting word, excitement in me is stirred up so strongly that I can feel its thumping sounds roaring inside my stomach. “I learnt something new today”, I smiled to myself while cautiously aware of my neighbor – hope I didn’t come across as a crazy one.
4. Sing in the bathroom
Anyone who hangs out with me long enough would know how often I sing (and annoying it gets), regardless of the locations. On the street, in the car, back a bike, but my one-and-only place for singing by myself is the bathroom. I usually turn my full diva-mode on and switch from Adele’s heartbreaking songs to uplifting girl-power melodies by Beyonce. I fancies myself on the stage, singing to a microphone, and to the attentive audience. I dream of a day when I’m confident & trained enough to go on stage and be a singer who can touch people’s heart with my voice.
I don’t necessarily reach all the notes, and at some points my pitches just go horribly wrong. But I feel so alive.
And you? What makes you happy?
Photo by danny howe on Unsplash
An Authentic Blog 