The Jar of Smiles - 2013
I was first introduced to the concept of the Smile Jar by my instafriend @atssini and loved it straight away.
The idea is to remember the moments that bring us joy and makes us happy, smile or laugh by collecting them - and its as simple as writing them down as they happen and keeping them in a jar. At the end of the year, or whenever you need a dose of happiness, gratitude or reminder that life isn’t as bad as you’re thinking in a moment, crack open the jar and relive as many joys, big and small, as you need.
I created first Smile Jar for 2013 and although I’ve been a little slow in cracking it open, i’ve been smiling my way through forgotten moments while writing this piece.
Reading through the smiles and laughter of 2013 sparked a realisation so simple it’s almost invisible struck me. Our lives are full of so many different things and we’re not designed to remember every moment of every day. We tend to focus on and remember the bigger moments in life - important milestones, events that make even the anticipation feel exciting, achievements, personal wins, celebrations and the things that take us out of the every day and break up the daily routine – and my Smile Jar was filled many of lot of unforgettable memories that stand out like the garden filled with plastic Pink Flamingos on Fire Island.
Easily forgettable moments can be filled with the type of joy and laughter that should make them unforgettable
Mixed in with the moments of joy that filled my jar was an unexpected surprise. Most of the smiles, laughs and moments of happiness filling the jar were small, simple, everyday moments that were easily forgettable, and I had forgotten about them. There were moments like the 10 minutes in May dancing around in my room to Party in the USA in a gay pop euphoria; when the natural beauty of an orchid made me smile in August; a July mid week catch up with a bestie over a pub steak; and the uncontrollable giggling fits I break into every time I read DamnYouAutocorrect .
They’re micro moments that make us feel good, but seem so small or insignificant that most of them are forgotten by the next day or week - but just remembering them made me smile again, so maybe these forgettable moments that fill our lives are more significant and meaningful than we think, and deserve more credit attention that we give.
When I started my Smile Jar I expected to enjoy and laugh my way through the memories when I cracked it open, but it gave me something even better. It reminded me of a valuable lesson that many of us too easily forget, and by the time we finally learn it, the cost to us is more than we know.
It's the little things that count the most
Looking back on 2013, the joys captured in the Smile Jar, the ups, downs, depression dips, every day, work day, New York holiday, nights in and out and all things I don’t even remember - the remarkable highlight of 2013 was my New York holiday, mostly though it feels about the same as any other year. New York memories of course made my smile jar, but it was mostly filled with other, smaller moments so remarkable that just the memory of them made me smile and laugh again, and that tells a very different story of that same year.
Perspective and more awareness of the things that are good for our soul is the magic that makes the Smile Jar so remarkable.
Will you start your own Smile Jar? Here are a few reasons why it's worth considering.