I’ve always considered myself an optimist. I’m a “glass half full” type of woman. I can definitely thank my mother for that. She may be the most optimistic, encouraging person I know. I, by far, have more happy days than I do sad. I have a wonderful life, a blossoming career, a sweetheart of a husband, a loving family. But let’s face it: everyone has their down days. And over the past 10 years, during medical school, residency training, and now my new life as an emergency physician, there have been some good – and some bad days. There are times when I’ve found myself a bit frustrated at humanity and with life in general at my job in the emergency department. Whether it be the frustration of knowing a patient will just not take and/or not be able to afford the pills I prescribe; seeing the patient with chronic pain who comes in multiple times a week requesting narcotics; trying to convince a consultant to see a patient; or witnessing death and debilitation on an almost daily basis. My job can be exhausting, frustrating, depressing, and exhilarating. And while I do, for the most part, enjoy my job, and feel fulfilled, I also feel like it may be the source of the majority of my unhappy moments.
I have two pretty monumental anniversaries coming up in April that I know will be tough days for me and my family, and I want to start this next month with all things happy. So when I stumbled across 100 happy days, I was intrigued. There is (and there has to be) at least one small moment, every day, which makes us smile. One feeling, one hug, one thing we see, or eat, or do, or smell. Anything. I thought it would be a fun project to document that moment everyday, as a way to remind myself that despite those rough days, there is always one (or more) reasons to feel uplifted, to feel content.
And so it begins. The 100 happy days project. I have decided to capture that moment everyday that makes my heart smile. I am posting these for myself, but I hope that you will enjoy as well. I’ll be posting on Instagram with the hashtags #100happydays and #jphappy. Come, be happy with me. Cheers!
