A special song close to my heart.

During a recent networking meeting at work, I was introduced to the book The Happiness Project due to the fact in one of her chapters the author kindly names one of our brands’ products as one of her favorites. Each team member is taking a turn reading the book and while I await my turn I have been browsing the website, happiness-project.com. The author, Gretchen Rubin, seems to be bright and down-to-earth, someone you can relate to. She encourages everyone to start his/her own happiness project, finding ways to be happier in everyday life, a great “bettering yourself” moment. Let’s face it. No one is perfect.

One tool she emphasizes is to create your own set of twelve commandments to follow in your daily life. I decided I would take a stab at creating my own personal list on a whim:

1. Let it be.
2. Be grateful daily.
3. Smile like I mean it.
4. Do something that scares me every day.
5. Do what makes me happy, not what I think I should be doing.
6. Laugh, laugh, and laugh.
7. Take moments to observe the little things.
8. Take more time to write personal letters to good friends and family.
9. Carry the utmost respect for myself.
10. Never be afraid to love.
11. It’s ok that I wear my heart on my sleeve.
12. Be 100% happy with the person I am.

Last night (or this morning I should say) I finally fell asleep at 5:00am, yes, you heard it correctly, 5:00am. It so happens I am a huge fan of the Showtime series Dexter and have been following via Nexflix. Prior to this past weekend I had watched all three seasons and anxiously awaited the arrival of season four which will not be available until at least August 2010 on DVD. Concluding that the first two seasons were brilliant (writing and acting wise), I was a bit disappointed in season three and thought the writing was beginning to fizzle. I was ok with the fact that I would have to wait a few more months before I could view this past season – that was until this past weekend. I was visiting my cousin and family and a group of us began discussing the show. I was told season four was amazing and the end is a complete shocker. That is all I need to hear, ever. Nothing pleases me more than a mind-blowing TV finale or movie-ending such as The Usual Suspects or Seven to name a few. Of course, after a few moments I begged and pleaded the story out of my cousin and researched plot lines on the internet. I was not exercising patience to say the least. Before long I began watching the season premiere on their cable. One episode led to three and me being up until 3:00am. The next day we managed to fit in a few more episodes. Eventually I had to peel myself away from the television and head home to my cable-free apartment. I had gotten halfway through the season. Not knowing when I would catch the remaining episodes I talked myself into watching the final scene on YouTube. It. Was. Fantastically. Disturbing. I’m still not over it. It certainly outshined any other season finale I can recall. The writers got their mojo back.

Later as I lay in bed ready to turn in for the evening, I found myself reverting back to the child in me. I kept the lights on. I couldn’t close my eyes or turn my back on my loft entrance. I went from lying in bed to sitting on the couch downstairs with 30 Rock playing on my computer to inject happy thoughts into my subconscious. How could I let something affect me so? I have no explanation for my fascination and inability to let my thoughts rest.

Tonight I shall catch my beauty sleep.

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, your body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, “Woo hoo! What a ride!“

Recently, I completed a write-up on a location our Lifestyle Director mentioned as one of the top destinations on her wish list of places to visit one day. I enjoyed my exploration as this spot is indeed a rare find, Uttaranchal India – Shakti – 360° Leti -http://www.shaktihimalaya.com/himalaya-tourism/360-leti/.

Through good ol’ internet research, I found key details on the ultimate ‘away from it all’ location. The inbound trip in itself is an adventure. First you fly into Delhi. Next is an overnight train ride, a drive through steep mountains and finally a ninety minute hike into the Indian Himalayas.

Upon reaching the destination, an instant feeling of complete isolated bliss arrives, so I have now heard. 360° Leti comprises a main central cabin surrounded by four smaller guest cabins. The quaint wood housing structures which were previously tents are welcoming with the comfort of cozy pashmina throws and wood burners. It is the wraparound view from the glass paneled cottage of the snow-snagged Nanda Devi Mountains that gives this special location a WOW factor.

I yearn to go on an out of this world adventure. This could be a contender.