Happiness, one step at a time.

Alright guys I’m really excited for this post since this is our 2nd collaboration after Strength which, I’m glad to announce was a huge success. Yayy us!! We got wonderful response from you all so thank you so much for that. Stay tuned there will be more to come 😊. 

Okay so the theme is one step at a time and I chose to talk about my journey to Happiness. One step at a time. 

So for the past few months, I felt like I was being a total cynic. Not a single positive thought in my head. I was grumpy, gloomy, sleepy and several more dwarf names if they are relatable. I was headed to the path of loneliness maybe even depression. To get my mind off things I started doing water colors paintings. Anything to keep me distracted. One day a friend of my sister came over, she saw my paintings and asked me if she could have one. She said it reminded her of all the good times she had spent with her family. Knowing it seemed important to her I agreed. I added a short message and a joke on the back. Just to be cheeky. 

My sister told me next week how much she adored the painting, was profoundly thankful for it. I couldn’t help smiling whenever the thought crossed my mind. Making somebody else smile actually made me feel so much better it was almost like we were connected. 

That’s when it hit me that we were connected, all of us no matter how far away, we are all connected by this invisible chain of motion. Whatever you do comes back to you, if not always the way you expect. 

A few more incidents like that and I decided to make postcards for my friends and family. I’m not an expressive or loquacious person. (This post has extracted more words from me than I’ve spoken this entire week.) Anyway so it just seemed like a nice gesture. I painted postcards for the people I care about, and somewhere along the way I figured why stop there? Why not make more for people I don’t know? That’s how it started. I made postcards with encouraging words and reminders at the back and started placing them for people to find. 

The response I got was unbelievable. Even on WordPress many people told me they wanted one too. So, many smiles that I received soon made me forget about the gloomy road I was headed down. Making people happy made me happy. Helping somebody else during a hard day actually ended up saving me.  
Happiness is a journey that you can’t go on alone. In order for you to be happy, the people you care for should be too. You may reach your destination either way, alone or with somebody but there’s absolutely no comparison to the feeling you get when there’s someone to smile with you when you finally climb that mountain and reach the top.  

Helping somebody else turned out to my first step toward helping myself. Its true what they say what goes around comes around. I never expected somebody to make a postcard for me but how amazing would I feel if I found addressed to my name? I’d be overjoyed. And to think that’s what I’m going for other people right now. Isn’t it what we are all struggling for? Sure job, fame, house, car those are necessities in the age but it’s all about Care, knowing that somebody’s got your back. 

In reminding others about it, I ended up reminding myself that I’m not alone no matter how much it feels like it In the dark moments. It’s not true, it’s not going to last. 

A new day will bring something wonderful. Something better is always finding its way towards you, all you have to do is take a step forward and embrace it with open arms. But remember these things don’t come rushing in your life so take it one day at a time. One step at a time and the universe will see you follow through. 

Guys, go check out my fellow bloggers and their takes on the subject (the quotes are from some of their best lines, as summarized by the inestimable Nicolle of Stories of a Highly Sensitive Introvert):
Addison D’Marko (“If you want to achieve complete happiness one of the things you are going to have to do is care less. By this I mean stop putting so much thought into the things that do not matter.”)

Ajibola Sunday @ Inspirational Motivation (“The true definition of success is being happy and living up to your potentials.”)

Camilla Motte @ Moms on the Go (“We want to be help to the helpless. We all need love and support and I pray this community will be that for you.”)

Divyang Shah @ i think my way (“If someone don’t speak much, don’t interpret as a dumb, their mind must be working on something very big or may be he is a writer and observing surrounding on which he would come with some deep write-ups.”)

Jothish Joseph @ TheJothishJosephBlog (“Anybody can write “Extra” before “ordinary” but only people of courage dare to earn it…”)

Ipuna Black (“None of us are perfect or come from perfect backgrounds, but this doesn’t mean we can’t aim for a positive and fulfilling life. The life we all deserve.”)

Jane Love @ Harmonious Joy (“People who have a genuine say and a true voice of their own… not just an echo of some celebrity they think they love.”)

Mylene C. Orillo (“Where I’m at right now is a testament that ‘Dreams really do come true.’”)

Sadaf Siddiqi (“The best thing about memories, is one doesn’t realise they are making memories but once recorded, it just rewinds and takes one back to the beautiful series of life.”)

Sonyo Estavillo @ ‘Lil Pick Me Up (“I am here to champion anyone from the successful and confident folks, to those that are clinically depressed.”)

Tajwar Fatma @ LifeAsWeHaveNeverKnownIt (“When life hits you hard, hit back harder!”)

 Nicolle K @ Stories of a Highly Sensitive Introvert! (“Success, for me, is when I spend my days feeling happy, peaceful, fulfilled and without fear of lack. 😊”)

Love, 

Manal