I was extremely happy yesterday. It wasn’t like a lifelong dream had come true or anything like that. But several small happy events and decisions contributed to my high. I realized that is what makes me happy. Not the Big Thing, but many small happy things. I thought I’d list the Top 5 things that make some days better than others!

1- Appreciation/Recognition: Yes, I am an approval seeker. Am facing it squarely, with no regrets or apologies. Nothing motivates me more than someone I respect saying I did a good job. This is more relevant in the case of work, but applies generally as well.

2- A piece of writing completed: A blog post, an article, a section of a research paper. Fiction, non-fiction. Short, long. Emotional, descriptive. It doesn’t matter what, but doing a solid bit of writing everyday gives me a huge sense of achievement.

3- The prospect of travel: Huge mood lifter! I literally want to travel the world, but I’m equally happy with more mundane travel. Booked tickets for a short trip to Mumbai with my kids to spend time with friends yesterday and that put a smile on my face for the rest of the day!

4- Family time: Fun, crazy, pointless activity time with the children, Rahul, the mums, extended family and friends-turned-as-close-as-family has become a vital part of my day. And I need a shot of this every day to feel normal and sleep well. Usually, it’s watching Aadyaa play with her friends in the park in the evening, while we mums and dads chat and catch up on gossip! Other times, it’s catching late night movies or cooking as a family!

5- An arty aside: If I can find time to practice dance or music, it adds that extra zing to my day. On days like yesterday, when I pushed myself to do both, I feel satiated. This is the ultimate soul food!

Yesterday was perfect because all these 5 above came true…. I am still smiling!