50 things that make me happy
By Pat Law • Mar 29th, 2010 • Category: Lead Story, The B ListI’m probably not the most appropriate human being to talk about happiness at this point. I’m not from Bhutan, where there is such a thing as the Gross National Happiness. Neither am I scientifically certified the ‘Happiest Man In The World’, unlike Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard.
Yes, there is such a thing as the Gross National Happiness. And yes, you can apparently conduct MRI scans to verify your level of happiness. And yes, the happy Buddhist monk is an Ang Moh.
My life presently, is a recipe for depression. Throw in a lump of tumour, sprinkle the responsibility of being the eldest child, and drain out the health insurance and voila! You have yourself a six-star cuisine of gloominess. Like crème brûlée, the first couple mouthfuls were delicious, self-indulgent and sinful, but by third mouthful, I was ready to vomit all over my G-Star jeans. I find self-pity shameful, and whining a waste of oxygen. I’m allergic to misery masturbation. On that note, I’d like to just say I’m also allergic to emo teenagers. They scare me sometimes with their ability to whine every 60 seconds (What the fuck happened? Were you breast-fed by your maid?).
In the midst of everything that is happening right now in my life, I figured the only way for me to stay strong and hopefully, happy, is to focus on the positives in my life. Valium can only do so much, no? Besides, jabbing up is a little too expensive for my self-employed soul right now.
I’ve been keeping myself happy, by focusing on just that – the things that make me happy. By realizing the tangibles and intangibles that have make me happy, I know I will pull through this storm of negativity, no matter what. Here’s the 50 things that make me happy. What’s yours?
1. Being the one she calls when in need.
2. Knowing she’s the one I’d call when I’m in need.
3. Discovering a long-forgotten fifty-dollar note in an old bag.
4. Getting a call from the receptionist saying “Pat, you’ve got a package from Nike.”
5. A cup of black coffee brewed to perfection when I wake up in the morning.
6. Someone holding the elevator for me.
7. Bumping into a cheater of an ex-girlfriend who has gotten really fat.
8. Playing my bit in shaping young minds.
9. Art. In so many ways I’d need a separate blog post for it.
10. A nicely pressed bespoke white shirt.
11. Badass Nikes that match my bags.
12. Having mum defend the redundancy of boyfriends with pesky relatives during Chinese New Year.
13. Hair that defies gravity.
14. The iPhone.
15. Bon Jovi. In the 80s.
16. Developing ideas.
17. Getting my ideas bought and implemented.
18. Winning awards as a result of my ideas.
19. Chicken rice.
20. Saving someone’s ass even though I didn’t have to.
21. Helping a friend without a motive or any expectations.
22. Knowing that my friend who has helped me didn’t have a motive or any expectations too.
23. Knowing that I am loved.
24. Knowing that I can love.
25. Growing with my fellow bloggers in the community together.
26. Whisky. Best invention after the light bulb.
27. Driving the MINI. Too much fun, that boy.
28. Taking walks with Rebel in the park and having him tuck himself into bed with me each night. I’m nothing without him.
29. The smell of a freshly printed book.
30. The smell of old books.
31. Gorgeous book covers.
32. Chocolates in the fridge.
33. The first drag of my cigarette after a painful 4-hour-long meeting.
34. Multiple orgasms.
34. Knowing that I’ve done the right thing.
35. Putting someone before myself, especially when deep down I don’t wish to.
36. Watching her sleep in my arms.
37. Clearing my credit card bills on time.
38. Playing Civilisation IV.
39. Having readers of blankanvas come up to me to tell me they love my blog. It keeps me going.
40. Summer sale in London. Or to be precise, when Paul Smith gets generous.
41. Making someone laugh.
42. Waking up in a jolt thinking I’m late for work only to realize it’s a Saturday.
43. Learning something new.
44. Breaking the rules and getting away with it with proven results.
45. Making mum proud.
46. Being buried in good book on a lazy Sunday.
47. Watching a movie with a good script.
48. Supporting local talents and building their profiles.
49. A fresh Moleskine, awaiting my doodles.
50. Having Faith, and knowing that He will lead the way.
Front page image courtesy of Sonny Radio.
Thanks for the reminder to be thankful for the little things in life, shitty as it may get.
love this pat. i so understand how it feels like to remember to pay bills on time ok?
but best is still the one abt creating ideas, being paid to execute them (which of cos means tt the client has been convinced to buy them), and being actually awarded for them. yay!
wth i really nv curse ur mother
Great post to remind people to look for the good in their lives, and stop excessive, unnecessary whining.
On a related note, I once did a list of 50 things I like about myself and it felt really self-affirming. I now keep a blog about things that made my day, and reading back, it’s amazing how happy I really am, as opposed to being a whiny sack (which I admittedly am sometimes!).
Think many of us don’t realise that we really are happier than we think we are, and these little reminders do help!
These days when I felt low, I realised that I was focusing on what I don’t have (yet) and what I have lost; conveniently forgetting the fact that I have so many things that make me happy and blessed today. Incidentally, I was writing my draft reflection last night and stumbled upon your latest blog entry today. I simply love this sharing and I could relate to that. Happy things like 34. Multiple orgasms is on my list too. And just when I thought I’m the only one who feel happy smelling… books. Aha.
While it is easy to be suck into the abyss of depression and all those whiny FML episodes, it takes real strength and character to stay positive, happy and brave through these tests of life.
Know that no matter what happen to you, you can get through it.
Godspeed.
P.S. // 7. Bumping into a cheater of an ex-girlfriend who has gotten really fat. — that just puts an approving smile on my face. Heh.
I wholeheartedly loved this post. Sure, I’ve seen many people write posts of similar nature but usually they put up ten things or something. Found it amazing you could go all out and think of 50 (must be the perfectionist in you ;P) when your situation is definitely pretty effed up, to put it mildly.
By the way I’m sure you hear this all the time but I love your blog! I think I read it almost every day.
Okay I’m going to be really cheesy here: Keep fighting!
Hi Yi Wei,
I bet I can find a hundred things to be happy about… but I was a little tired by the end of the post. LOL. Thanks for reading my blog almost daily. And thanks very much too, for your encouragement.
Ditto, missyeley, no matter what happens to you, you can get through it.
Only 50, ssumin? Shows how humble you are. Hell, I’d probably have 5,000 things I like about myself! Haha. It is true that many of us don’t realise that we really are happier than we think we are… I wonder sometimes if its the way our system works.
My pleasure, Vix.
Yah, I’m terrible with my bills, so to finally be able to sort it out sensibly.. I’m proud of that. Glad you like this post, anywool.
What a great way to let me take a break from the crazy world out there and reflect on the things that make me happy!
#5, #29, #32 & #34 are always great. But reading Blankanvas daily and getting my daily fix of goodness always makes life a bit better! Please keep going no matter what happens
Thanks for always giving me my daily fix of goodness!
I like No. 50
Should do my own list soon.
Really, I think I don’t count my blessings enough and neither does my partner, though I wished that she sometimes would. But yeah, I’d kill for your no. 12 and I’m not kidding, it’s insane, the backlash.
#39. Gosh Pat, love your blog. Keep it growing. Keep well, you’re an icon!
just visited your blog, please would you want to visit my blog again, I hope my blog will give you a new information, thank you
Here’s one to make you happy. I love reading your blog too! Have been a silent reader for a while. Thanks for the reminder that I do have something to be happy about, and #45 struck a chord in me.
Keep writing.
Thinking about what makes me happy, makes me happy
Hey rae, thanks for breaking the silence. Made my day.
thangdynasty, the average Joe might go “HUH?” but I thank god I get it.
Randomly, I wonder if anyone noticed it’s actually 51 things!
Hahahahaa. Well spotted, Sarah. I won’t pretend the typo was deliberate. By the way, got your book today. Will read it thru. Thanks very much.
hey pat, nice post there! didnt realise u are a blogger, hehe u look really fun to work with, hopefully we have a chance to work together soon =)
one thing that will definitely make me happie:
opening up my eyes in the morning & knowing that I have another crazy happie day to enjoy myself! LoL=p
Hey Yeow Lin!
T’was great meeting you. Yeah, I do hope we get a chance to work together soon. *cross fingers*
a very totful post,indeed,the right time when i need the most.a totful mind.i love the no 1 n no 2,the most.
You forgot one: curry puff.
such a blunt way to say it, but so true! loved it
& thanks for the reminders!!!
oh…i just started reading ur blog…sofar i dig until here…. please write more for me to dig (39 yah?) lol
Keep going!