🌙 The end of the challenge — and the start of something quieter
A hundred days ago I started looking for small joys on purpose, and somewhere between the turning Autumn leaves and the first real cold of Winter, the 100 Happy Days Challenge quietly came to an end. What began as a simple photo challenge turned into something deeper — a gentle reminder to notice joy, even when life gets busy or messy.
This round (26 March to 3 July 2025) was my most intentional yet. I didn’t just snap photos. I sat with each one and let myself actually feel grateful for those small fleeting moments before they slipped past.
📸 A few moments I caught
Some days were bright and easy — Winter sun on a cold morning, a steaming mug of hot chocolate, laughter around the table on family game night. Other days happiness was quieter: a long breath let out after finishing something hard, or an unexpected message from a friend landing at just the right time.
A few that have stayed with me:
- Day 8 – watching the Artemis launch
- Day 27 – making art from junk with fellow creatives
- Day 43 – introducing the foster kittens to the fire for the first time
- Day 85 – Solstice in the Square event. Despite the rain it was a great night.
- Days 91 – making dachshund stickers to use in my planner for August
- Day 100 – the joy of slipping into a bed with freshly laundered sheets
Not one of them was grand. That was the point.
🪞 What the hundred days taught me
Mostly this: happiness doesn’t have to be big — it just has to be noticed. I learned to pause more often, to catch joy without over-thinking it, and to stop waiting for everything to be perfect before I let myself feel content.
Three things stood out:
- Gratitude makes joy last longer.
- A small daily habit makes joy visible. A few minutes set aside each day slowly built awareness.
- Sharing it spreads it. Watching others catch their own small moments made the whole thing feel less solitary — more like a circle than a solo project.
💌 Where I go from here
My hundred days are done, but I’m not ready to stop noticing. The practice has settled into my days now — a small, quiet gratitude I want to carry through every season.
If you’ve ever thought about trying it, I can’t recommend it enough. Start small. Your phone camera, a journal, a sticky note on the wall — it doesn’t matter where. Once you start looking, you tend to find the joy was there all along.
🌻 Want to try it yourself?
You can join or read more over at 100happydays.com.
May you find joy in the small things, stillness in the noticing, and a little magic in the everyday.