I haven’t written since last Thursday. For some reason weekends snow ball into a busy time, and though I did try sitting down to write last evening, I drew simple blanks. So this morning after much thought and deliberation which also included exploring writing prompts, I chose to write yet again on happiness. I recently wrote one guest post on Isheita’s blog, as part of her birthday week celebration. You can read it here – Do I Deserve to Be Happy?

The last two days or so I have been one of those crabby, cranky, irritable moods that tend to switch to being tad overwhelmed. So I assume writing a few lines on happiness might prove to be my “perk me up”. I have no reason to be upset as everything seems to be moving in synch in my life. The eight-year-old just turned 9 this Saturday. So we had a small, cosy and happy family celebration. My folks – Ma and Dad arrived from Lucknow to spend some quality time with us this summer. And yes, we just returned from a very relaxed holiday in the placid, serene, pleasantly cold climes of the mountains. I also had taken a girlie trip with my bestie early last month. So I wonder what’s making me so upset and overwhelmed? Honestly, I have no clue whatsoever. Probably I need to get some grounding in place. Like mindfulness meditation.

Yesterday I kickstarted some of my favourite activities, which had taken a complete backseat or had become sporadic. My fitness routine and Buddhist chants. Possibly the lack of them were making me edgy. I also have chosen to go on a diet of sorts. No that doesn’t mean I’m going to starve myself or deprive myself of the little pleasures of food, but it simply translates to mindful eating. Believe it or not my eighteen year old has been eating mindfully and it’s helped her heaps.  I however, have been eating recklessly and gained oodles of weight, and this has been bothering me no end. So I’ve made a resolve to eat small portions, and stick to frequent meals over the course of the day. We learn so much from our kids, don’t we? I aim to lose 8 kilograms by July 31st, 2017. It’s a resolve I’m making to myself. I have always been inclined towards fitness and healthy eating, but last year after a little debacle of my back injury, exercising became irregular for me. I stopped running completely, and even the much cherished cycling became an irregular sport. Of course it took me till almost February-March this year to get the back, back in action. I started Yoga in mid April and though, I was not regular (just because I struggled to wake up early mornings), but it helped fix the back to a great extent.

A few days back I took up Shailaja’s 30 day Change a Habit Challenge (you can read it here). This included waking up early at 5:30 AM to workout. I am a morning person when summers arrive, but this has been one summer wherein I have struggled to wake up early. Last year I would wake up at 4:40 AM to go for Boot camp or cycling and that too even in winters. But this year stupor and  laziness seemed to have taken over my being. I also added another dimension to my challenge by making Sundays my social media detox day. Yesterday was the first day of the detox. The first half of the day I had the urge to check my Twitter and Facebook account a couple of times, the latter primarily because of all the birthday wishes that had come pouring in for the little one. Then by noon I deleted both the apps from my phone. I was at peace. I did not delete Whatsapp, but I think I shall do so, the coming Sunday. I have downloaded the apps back again today. But will be conscious enough and restrict my engagement with them.

I think this rant has cleared my head a bit. I’m assuming it’s a whole gamut of changes and engagements in my life that are currently making me anxious and leaving me feeling unsettled. I know this too shall pass, as my happiness quotient is far too higher to be bogged down by random stuff and curve balls that life keeps throwing my way. Also the fact that I’m blogging about this is like winning half the battle, as it’s helping me vent and look at my own true feelings squarely and not doubt or judge myself.

So for the month of June, happiness for me will be:

• Sitting in the air-conditioning and “occasionally” digging into a juicy mango (Rujuta Diwarkar says they aren’t fattening and are gold mine for our health)
• Writing every single weekday morning
• Lazing around with my girls, watching a movie or two, painting bottles (been meaning to do that for a while), zentangling
• Exercising regularly and beating the Sh&% out of the heat and my stupor
• Chanting morning and evening
• Spending quality time chatting with my parents, and giving them my undivided attention
• Going on date nights with the DH
• Drinking 12 glasses of water each day
• Lying in bed in the hot summer afternoon and reading up a storm
• Catching up on afternoon siesta
• The mercury might soar but my temperament will be cool as a cucumber or a juicy watermelon
• Working on finalising my book
• Designing the cover of my book
• Cuddling my two furry girls
• Doing my bit for the Strays at Nirvana Pets
• Doling out healthy salads
• Decorating my home and my balconies
• Dancing in the rain, when it comes calling
• Hug more often and spread the love

Phew! That’s a long list but yes they will surely ensure that the scorching summer month of June will translate into a happy, joyous, and a blessed one. Cheers to keeping my happiness quotient intact!

Linking this post to Carol Camelon’s #HighlightsOfHappy blog link 46, Corrine’s #MondayMusings and Mackenzies’s #mg and Deborah’s #AnythingGoes