Happy Acts 365 Days

 

SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2015

Happy Acts 365 days

I pushed myself today, but I've never felt more gratified. 365 days ago, when I learned about the International Day of Happiness--I was incredibly touched in a spiritually humble way. I made a choice that day; I was going to do 365 days of Happy Acts and see if it would change my life in any way at all. I began by writing everything I did in a private calendar. Then I got a planner and made it an intentional goal for my personal growth. I had to be intentional with my thoughts but not with my act of kindness. I let those come naturally but looked for ways to help another person.

After 6 weeks of doing it daily, I was put into the hospital for 3 weeks. Still, I could follow through with those acts; they were on my mind constantly. I became obsessed with overcoming obstacles and achieving this goal. After 2 Weeks at Mayo Clinic, I devised ways to help nurses or doctors- sometimes just by thanking them for using their name and sincerely getting to know them. Smiles, special notes, and gratitude were my best friends. I handed out Live Happy Magazines to everyone I could. Then I went to Cleveland Clinic for 7 weeks. This time I went prepared, not knowing what the circumstances would be--, I could still give thanks and share Happiness. In the past year, I was blessed with 8 surgeries to help save my life. What better way to say thank you? These people loved, cared, and helped me through some tough times...Diana Lents, I will forever be grateful that Angel and John gave me #HappyActs. Evgenya and Alex Kreymerman visiting me and showing #HappyActs was a huge surprise but so much needed when I had no family with me.

March 20, 2014--- From this day forward, I will give at least one act of kindness daily, and I promise to do this for 365 days.

Today March 20, 2015---✔ I did it...
I can't even explain the overwhelming feeling of such an achievement and what it did to change me from the inside out. I am a different person now than I was a year ago. I'm not talking about facial paralysis; I made this goal before that happened. My motivation behind this goal was to see how many people I could touch. The Lord had a different reason in mind when he led me down this path. He wanted me to see how achieving this goal would change and help me.

THESE  people give unselfishly every day as they
work at Mayo Hospital--5 and a half years with them
I'm grateful BOSA DONUTS FOR EVERYONE

You know, if you read my blog, I like to visit the chemo lab
and always take Holiday Treats for them to enjoy during
March and April before Easter...lots of tears today

Today as I drove the long freeway to Mayo Clinic, I pulled over to the side of the road, cried some tears of joy, and said a prayer of thanks for helping me achieve this incredible goal. I actually start plans and give up, but not this time. It was certainly not for glory or to boast in any way. I wish I could post every act of kindness I did; however, for a couple reasons, I will not:
1. HIPAA laws and the privacy of some acts that are too sacred to share.
2. Heavenly Father and I may be the only ones who will ever know the change these people made in my life.

Ultimately, trying to change one life at a time will help others to feel what I've felt this year. These people have made an indent in my heart that will never be removed. Most of these people will never know the difference they've made in my life--some of them are my hero's as I watched them struggle with different trials. I was placed in some places at the right time for a reason--I am so eternally grateful for those times-- This year, I found out how strong I am, who I am, what I can achieve, and most importantly, that because I intentionally found these people, I was then able to find myself,  I like what I saw--for the 1st time in my life nothing can hold me back from being BRAVE--I've let it define me. Today I realized while I was having that tender moment on the side of the road, I'm OK with myself. I'm no longer afraid to open the door to a me I've never seen before, and I know on those days when the walls seem too high to climb, Heaven is on my side. I'm ready to let nothing hold me back from what I feel inside of me-- I will be forever grateful to Jeff Olson for going before the United Nations and officially making March 20 the International Day of Happiness. I had the opportunity to meet Kym Yancey,  CEO of Live Happy Magazine. He is a wonderful man with a love for his family and spreading Happiness--I will never forget my interview with him. Good people attract good people--don't we all want good people in our lives?
Happiness is part of who I am now; I look forward to inviting more blessings into my life and giving others--365 days of Happiness.

I bought a couple extra Happy Tees to give out to random
people.

Two of my grandsons bought them Oreos and Kool-Aid
something their mom doesn't believe them. good thing for
grandmas to bring a treat every once in a while
instead of apples and bananas #HappyActs

One of the Happiness Walls from today--love when parents
participate and encourage their children. What a great
Dad--no hesitation at all.

I decided to go to a gas station in an area
where I knew people struggled financially. I sat and waited
I felt it with my heart; she was the one....sure enough,
zero gas and only $10 to her name. I filled her tank...
she was so happy, and the gas attendants didn't
understand...LOL 

How cute are these sisters? They will fill the
buckets of others who need it with their love.

Another mom showing her children the value of
Happiness and sharing in their lives

These are elementary school kids; no one helped them
come up with these ways to share Happiness.
Another tearful moment

Some of the cute notes from one of the boards the
children wrote on

I love these happy people for coming graciously into
my life a year ago. I love them

For the anniversary of this day, I intentionally made plans. The two walls of Happiness were more fulfilling than I thought. With the help of Carrie and Lindsay, we set up 2 walls at elementary schools. What a complete gratification to see every student want to participate, to watch parents get out of their car instead of dropping their children off and walking them to our wall. I was so impressed by these sweet children and parents--if our next generation could share love every day in some small way, we would be raising a new age of grateful children.

ONE DIFFICULT YEAR--TODAY MADE IT ALL WORTH IT...This was such a rewarding,  fantastic day. Thank you, Danny Jones, Elizabeth Decker, and Shelli Richardson, for never giving up on me.