One-week Challenge: Simple Joys

 

I always looked at my glass half-full, believing with all my heart that there are so many things to be joyful of. It would be easy to wallow in despair with all the horrible and sad news permeating the news headlines. But as I learned over the years, that defeatist attitude will be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Dan Rather, American journalist, and former national evening news anchor tweeted two weeks ago, “There's a lot of pain and sadness in the world. And Twitter can be an endless doomscroll. So here's a challenge. Share a picture of something that brings you joy – a place, a person, a pet, a hobby, a favorite book. The more diversity the better.”

Doomscrolling is “the practice of obsessively checking online news for updates, especially on social media feeds, with the expectation that the news will be bad, such that the feeling of dread from this negative expectation fuels a compulsion to continue looking for updates in a self-perpetuating cycle.”

Thankfully, many people still find joy in simple things and Mr. Rather received hundreds of positive tweets in response. So, here’s my one-week challenge to myself. I collected pictures of my simple joys. I refuse to be a doomscroller.

 

INC Holy Supper

Last week was a holy week for the Church of Christ. The holiest day in our church is the Holy Supper where we celebrate the Lord Jesus Christ’s supreme sacrifice and our Almighty God’s benevolence and forgiveness. Food for the soul.

Cherry Blossoms

Roosevelt Island, New York, is where I started my nursing career in the United States. The cherry blossoms framing the skyline of Manhattan are so beautiful to behold.

 

Zoom meeting

A call with some of our college classmates to discuss our May 2023 reunion.

Amazon book ranking

My book ranked #15 last week and was a featured ad on my Facebook feed.

Jo Koy comedy show

Comedian Jo Koy brought his “Funny Is Funny” World Tour to a sold-out show at UBS Arena. His repertoire is filled with raunchy jokes and profanities, but it cannot be denied that Jo Koy is a proud Filipino American. The diverse audience learned about chicken adobo, tabo, and our love for karaoke.

BTS comeback

A new album coming. June 10, 2022. I. Cannot. Wait.

Shopping

I’m at home with Home Goods.

 

Anticipating my Vacation

Counting down the months until I can hug my Nanay again.