100 Days of Happy

This week marked my 30 day of Happiness, a project I started to focus on more optimism & appreciation.  And I also get to cross 100 Things that Make Me Happy off my 101.  The project is 100 Happy Days (inspired for me by the fabulous KP) and it's simple:  document 100 days and 100 happy things.  A simple question - can you be happy for 100 days?  

 "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff"' - words of advice said often by my father.

This I know - however

There are times when I feel like something is missing from my life.  It's these times when I wonder if I'm meant to ever be satisfied and just let myself be happy with what life brings.  There are times when I hate social media because it makes me feel inadequate - almost like I didn't know what I was missing out on until someone else threw it in my face.  Maybe this is part of my problem - constantly being surrounded by people, who on the surface seem incredibly happy and satisfied with life, and because I don't have those things, I must be unhappy. I'm sure most of them are happy, but I also know that the online community is an opportunity for you to present yourself to the world in the way you want to be seen (and hey, even I'm guilty of that).  

 Perhaps that is what inspired me to start this project - because one of my goals for 2014 as well as in my manifesto was to stop comparing myself to others.  Instead I seek to let them inspire admiration over envy.  This is never going to be 100% foolproof, but having this idea in mind goes a long way to me focusing on my own dose of happiness.  Because each of us is on a different journey.  And I lay in hope that my own journey sparks some inspiration.  Because I'm doing all right. 

In beginning 100 happy days, I wanted to remind myself of the everyday things that make me truly happy, no matter how mundane or unexciting they may be to others.  When I was at the DoubleTree - they came up with a marketing campaign that I hold dear to my heart - it spoke of the Little Things that make people feel at home when they are traveling.  This message has always stuck with me because it really is the little things that matter and that make a difference.  It is the little things that make all the big things happen and worthwhile.

So for those on Instagram - you can follow my 100 Days of Happy at ktmallen

Playlist for Happy




WALK TO MORDOR UPDATE:  263 miles; only 195 to reach Rivendell