Accidental Expert

It is six o’clock in the morning on a Wednesday and I have to be in the office at 9:00. Even still, I am running warm up laps on the track when I tell my cousin that I’m a casual runner.

I mean it sincerely until he reminds me that two months ago I flew to a different continent to run a marathon.

I’ve been thinking about the exchange ever since and specifically how I am ultimately grateful for my comfort level with casual. There are so many things that interest me, so many paths I’ve tiptoed down, so many hobbies I’ve dabbled in. I approach most things with mediocrity. I can knit, but only a scarf. I know basic woodworking, but am quietly afraid of big power tools. I have no real business dancing but I did spend one misguided pandemic week learning the entire choreo to “The Git Up” by Blanco Brown.

“Jack of all trades, master of none,” I joked to someone. “But just imagine what would happen if I could ever stay focused long enough to get really good at something.”

And then I sat down to post my 5400th or so consecutive day of “Happiness.”

I was 17-years-old when I recorded my first Happiness. It was unplanned. An unexpected moment of joy. A decision to immortalize it on social media. An empty notebook to write it in. And then a second day and a third. Then a week, a month, a year. Then a decade. Then more.

Next month, we will kick off year 16 of daily Happiness is. Next month will close the chapter on 15 full years of joy. It seems I did focus on something long enough to get really good at it.

And what a thing to get really good at. And how accidental it was. Five minutes a day. One thing. Repeated and repeated and repeated and…

I became an expert in gratitude. Beyond that, I got serious about it. I got serious about looking for joy and finding joy and creating joy. Got serious about pushing through my own struggles and finding light. Got serious about seeking good on the bad days and creating good on the even worse. Got serious about healing and wellbeing and mindfulness. Got serious about taking care of myself and my community. Got serious about this idea that a simple action repeated consistently could be life-changing. Could be life-saving.

Next month, on November 9, we celebrate Joy Day. We celebrate everything we’ve learned and built together as a community grounded in Happiness. I hope you’ll join us.