What ever happened to Bobby McFerrin?

Guess What?!  The other day I had the pleasure of receiving the Happy 101 award/game from the lovely Kate! Thank you so much, Lady!  It was such a sweet way to brighten my day and a good reminder that when the world and your surroundings get you down, we have to remember the things that makes us happy and smile from the inside out.

According to Kate, the only thing I have to do is list 10 things that make me happy and then pick 10 people to do the same.  Sounds pretty easy!  Drum roll please…

1) Finding a great bargain – I love to shop.  I love clothes.  I love shoes.  I love handbags.  I love jewelry.  I love food.  And I love it even more when I can get all of those things on SALE!  I don’t what it is, but I get this high like no other when I can find an amazing deal.  And you know what’s even better?  When someone sees me in/with my new bargain purchase and then compliments me on it.  I honestly have to bite my tongue so I don’t yell, “Guess how much I paid for it?!  You won’t believe it!”

2) Yoga - I probably don’t even need to explain this one, but yoga is definitely something that makes me happy.  I love how I feel when I’m on my mat; I feel energized, strong, calm and capable of anything and everything.  Feeling my breath slowly filling every inch of my body and then feeling every ounce of it exit out of my body relaxes my mind, spirit and soul and when I’m finished with my practice, I emerge as a new person.  I feel whole again.

3) Afternoon naps – I’m not sure if I liked taking naps as a small child, but as an adult, I love them.  Being able to curl up on my couch on a snowy and cold day with my favorite blanket (and person) and catching a few zzz’s mid-day is heavenly.  It’s definitely a luxury and one I won’t have forever once I have my own children to prepare for nap time

4) Spending time with Patrick - We really know how to crack each other up.  There are moments when we’re just being silly and goofy and all we can do is laugh at each other.  And, there are times when we’ll have our heart-to-heart talks or when I’ll need a shoulder to cry on and Patrick is always there to make me feel better.  I’m so lucky and blessed to have him in my life and I cherish all the time we spend together.

5) Trader Joe’s - I know I’ve said it before, but I will say it again.  I <3 TJ’s!  I could spend hours there just staring at all their wonderful (and wonderfully priced) products.  And, the people who work there are always so cordial and helpful.  Trader Joe’s makes me happy because I always leave there feeling like I got some good food, some great service and an amazing feeling in my heart.  You can’t beat that!

6) Compliments on the jewelry I’ve created – Making jewelry is something I started close to ten years ago and I still love it to this day.  Being able to have an idea in my head and then making that idea come to life is truly magical to me.  But when someone compliments me on my work and is then interested in that same piece for themselves, it’s music to my ears!  I take pride in my work and being recognized for it makes me a happy camper.

7) Hugs - There’s nothing better than a hug.  I don’t think people give enough of them and even more so, I don’t think people allow themselves to receive them enough.  When my goddaughter or nieces give me a hug, it brightens up my day and totally melts my heart.  I can’t help but grin from ear-to-ear after that.

8 ) Coffee with my sister – After Michelle and I go to yoga class on Saturday morning, we have our morning coffee together.  It’s our time to bask in our post-yoga glow, catch-up on ‘what’s the haps’ and enjoy a fresh brew.  Sometimes, we’ll just sit and chat for hours and before we know it, it’s almost time for lunch.  It makes me happy knowing I have a great relationship with my twin sister and that I’m fortunate enough to see her as often as I do.

9) The arrival of spring -You know that day that comes at the very, very end of winter (or sometimes it’s technically already spring) when all of the sudden you realize the day is longer, the sun is warm and shining and you don’t need to wear a down coat anymore?  Well, that day makes me want to jump up and down and scream for joy!  There’s that somethin’-somethin’ in the air and you just know that the cold is gone and warmer days are here to stay.  I equate the feeling I have on this day to the feeling I used to get on the last day of school before summer vacation…almost.

10) When someone tells me how much they enjoy reading my blog – Whenever I receive a comment in my inbox or on my blog and they tell me how much they enjoy reading Healthy Chow and how inspired they feel, my spirits are immediately lifted.  I started my blog because I wanted to live a more healthy and balanced life.  I did it for me.  But knowing that I’ve been able to bring a little joy in someone else’s life and that I’ve been able to give them some encouragement, makes Healthy Chow a Happy Chow!

And here are the 10 bloggers I wanted to pass Happy 101 along to…(FYI, I wanted to pass this along to everyone!)

Astrid – Two Feet Ten Toes
Angela – Angela Loves Food
Morgan – Life after Bagels
Lauren – Giant Scoops of Joy
Shannon – Lessons to Learn
Sophia – Burp and Slurp
Casey – Spicy & Sweet
Alyson – Nourished Fitness
Morgan – Live, Love, Eat and Play
Ashley – Daily Goods

Thank you again, Kate! This was a fun exercise and definitely brought a smile to my face.  Maybe I should make this a regular practice of mine?  It really does bring things into perspective and reminds me of how fortunate I am.

What are some of the things that make you happy?

Namasté,
Nicole

Yes, I’m giving it away.  If you couldn’t already tell from my blog post title, I’m giving it away now.  But just what am I giving away, you ask?  Well, it’s not that.  After all, I am married! Hehehe!  I know, I have quite the somewhat of a twisted mind.  Anyhooooo, let’s get back to biznis, shall we? I’m not sure if many of you know, but in addition to being ‘Healthy Chow’, I’m also the ‘nik’ in ‘nikandmoy.com‘.  nik + moy is the handmade jewelry design business my sister and I started a few years ago.  I love designing and making jewelry, and more importantly, I love seeing my designs on people and making them happy.  That said, I’ve decided to hold a little giveaway on my blog and give away a piece of nik + moy jewelry.  Sound good?

These little stunners are made of a light brown smokey topaz stone that’s hand-wrapped in gold-plated wire, which softly suspends from a gold-filled earring hook.  The multi-tiered gold-plated chain that hang from the stone are lightweight and seem to almost dance in the wind.  They’re perfect for this holiday season, as they can be worn with your favorite party dress (or with your ‘party cardi’, as Old Navy calls them) and can jazz up any ordinary outfit.  Or, pair these babies with a trendy over-sized blazer, leggings and ankle booties and you’re ready for date night.  Either way, you’re looking fabulous!

So wanna know how you can win? Here’s what to do:

• Leave a comment on this blog post saying what your ‘go-to’ holiday outfit is or will be this season.  You’ll then be entered to win the earrings! Pretty easy, huh?

Looking for more ways to win?  If you’re looking for ways to have multiple entries into this contest, well, look no further…

• For another entry into this contest, follow me on Twitter (@NicoleChow) and tweet the following:
  • Need some new fabulous jewelry? Check out the earrings @NicoleChow is giving away here: http://tinyurl.com/y9d9xzq
  • Then, come back to this blog post and leave me another comment informing me of your tweet.
• For another entry into this contest, update your status on Facebook, letting your network know how they can win a pair of free earrings.  Then, come back to this blog post and leave another comment letting me know.
• And the last way to get another entry into this contest, link back to this giveaway on your blog, and then leave me another comment on this blog post to let me know.

There you have it! This gives you FOUR chances to win these beautiful earrings! And if these earrings aren’t for you, then I’m sure they’d make a great gift for a friend or family member (you can start your shopping early-ish!).  The contest ends at 6pm ET on Friday, November 27th (the day after Thanksgiving).  I’ll be picking a winner via Random Integer Generator and the winner will be announced on Monday, November 30th.

Good luck to everybody!  And if this contest goes well and you all seem to be interested in nik + moy jewelry, then I’ll be sure to hold more giveaways.  After all, I am pretty tight with both of the designers .

If you don’t want to win these earrings, I’d still love to have your comments (just let me know you want to be excluded from the contest).  Here are the questions of the day:

Do you have a hobby?  Are you a crafty person?  If there was one thing you could do (craft-wise), what would it be?

Namasté,
Nicole