This is Day 17 of the 21-Day Journaling Challenge held in Nov 2011. The challenge is now over but you can do the tasks in your own time. Visit the overview page for all the challenge tasks.
Hi everyone – Welcome to Day 17 of 21DJC! :)
Yesterday’s question was: “What Makes You Happy?“. (Read the responses.)
Check out some of the things that bring joy to readers at Personal Excellence readers:
“My happiest moments are spending time with my husband and my family, reading, playing the piano, taking pictures and drawing/ painting.” — Kimberly
“My horses, when they’re happily munching away, or they trot up to see me when I come out, or if I’m talking to them and they snort at the right time. Or at work when one of the dogs chases a ball, or a stick, or a leaf, or walks up to me to get petted wiggling so much with excitement that they nearly fall over.” — Laurel
“I am happy when I reach a goal, even when it’s a small one. I am also happy when taking positive action and even before that, when I am making plans and feel pumped about achieving something. And I am so happy and grateful to be alive and have this amazing adventure on the Earth :)))” — Ivona
“What makes me happy? … [It] could be anything. From people to animals, birds, fish, insects, places, memories, art, music, movies, photos, the weather (even if it’s raining), technology, books, magazines, the ocean, the sky, the sun, clouds, aromas, trees, grass, flowers, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, water, puddles, cars, trains, buses, bicycles, planes, and even something as obscure as dog poo on the street, which I will just look at and laugh. The dogs are just doing what needs to be done, so how can that not make anyone happy? :)” — Glenn
“When I feel like I’ve made a difference in someone’s life, then I feel happy.” — Pat Fuller
“Achieving something to me that is not easy.The most vivid and emotional moment for me is when I got my car license, it may be trivial to many people but its the most satisfying experience for me.” — iImprove2
“What I love most about life is that there are so many things to see, explore and learn. We only have so much time and space to expose ourselves to them. Whatever I do, I would like to think that i am learning something from it.” — Viole
“Being independent, supporting myself. Clearing clutter and living simply. Saving money. Random acts of kindness (receiving and performing them). Meditation. Feeling gratitude for all that i have, and dreaming of all the good things to come.”
“What makes me happy? Simple things like: Being with my children, seeing them smile. Feeling loved, feeling that people care about me. Playing with my dogs. Receiving an unexpected gift. Giving someone a gift. Christmas. Reading a book• When I achieve something or reach a your goals, even if it a small thing. Walking barefoot on the beach.” — Ish
“Many things make me happy…. Spending time with my family. Finishing a project. Creating extra ordinary designs. Listening Meaningful Hindi Songs. Reading Motivational Stuff. Achieving success. Logging in to Personal Excellence / Forum :) ” — Kamal
Thank you, Kamal (as well as to the rest of you to mentioned that in your responses). :D I’m really happy to know that being at Personal Excellence makes you happy. :D Guess happiness can be a self-enforcing cycle, aye? ;)
What makes me happy? Almost everything, really. Some things that make me happy include:
- People smiling.
- Connecting with people.
- Seeing people in love.
- Living my purpose. Helping people grow.
- Pursuing and achieving my goals.
- Gratitude.
- Growing.
- Uncovering my blind spots.
- Kindness.
- Running Personal Excellence.
- Working on upcoming projects for Personal Excellence.
- Seeing you happy.
- Knowing I have positively affected someone’s life as a result of what I do.
- Seeing my parents go about their day-to-day activities.
- Living life.
With that said, let’s now move to today’s question!
21DJC Day 17
Today’s question is:
If The World Came To An End Today, How Would You Feel?
Would you be happy? Would you be sad? Would you be nonchalant? Would you wish for more time with your loved ones? Would you wish for more time to fulfill your goals? Would you wish for another chance at life?
Your Task Today:
- Reflect and answer today’s question. There’s no word limit – whether minimum or maximum. Write as few or as many words as you want. It’s all up to what you want to express!
- Share your answer. After you are done writing, copy and paste your answer in the comments area and post it there.
- Check out other participants’ answers. Other participants will be sharing their answers too, so feel free to read and reply to their answers. This is a group course, so let’s support each other in these 21 days.
(Images: Empty book for journaling, Desert)
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I would feel really sad… I don´t want the world to end (and I´m glad is not really ending today!). There are so many things out there that I still haven´t done, so many people to meet, so many experiences to live.
There might be some hard things in life, things that would make us feel relieved if the world ended because then we wouldn´t have to face them any more. But I want to face those things, I want to live my life no matter how hard it is, that´s the beauty of it. For me, those little problems are what make life interesting, they give you something to fight for. Obstacles are there to show you how much you want things, they let you discover the real you.
Would I have done things differently? I don´t know, maybe, maybe not. I lived my life the best I could and I don´t regret anything.
I like this world, I like sunsets, the smell of grass on a rainy day, the blue sky, the feeling of the sun on my skin, the smiles and laughs, the looks… I don´t want those beautiful things to fade away.
I would definitely want more time, I haven’t had enough experiences
I would feel like I didn’t get to a chance to do everything that I was supposed to do. I believe we all have a purpose in life. I would regret not taking life by the horns and getting on with it. It would also make me sad that my children wouldn’t get to play out their dreams and lives. I would also be sad to see that our world would have to end in the state that we are in. Too many people are homeless and hungry. I wish that I could do something about that.
Sad and regretful because I have been waiting for things to happen and I know they will. I would beg for a little more time.
I would probably feel sad and a little frustrated. I would be frustrated because of all the things I have still not experienced, not yet achieved. I would specially feel sad for my children, who have yet to grow up and experience adulthood and achieve their best life.
I would also be grateful for all I’ve had and experienced during my life. I would call people I care about and tell them how much they mean to me. Finally, I would spend the day with my close ones, doing simple things that makes us happy.
If today is the end of the world, I would stop and don’t do anything. It’s already late to act!
I would think about time passed away. I would recall all great moments lived, people important to me and lessons learned during my life. I would feel grateful for happiness felt so far but I will see myself a young embryonic being who didn’t group up to reach the sky. I definitely would be sad about this.
I am afraid to admit that I would be more sad than happy cause it means to me that I am not making the best of my time. But hell yes! I would be sad and would ask for another chance in which I could have the wisdom and lessons learned in this life. I would for sure make a better use of time and have a better life.
I would feel sad of losing a great chance, the chance to be alive and feel the miracle of life given to me. I would feel so immature, short-sighted and not developed being. I would lose lots of life not lived so far!
Some may find this shocking, but I’d be quite indifferent. The human race did not exist in the beginning of time, nor shall it exist forever, and most of its strivings have no meaning outside of the domain of human affairs. And nothing has any meaning save that which we humans give it.
A part of me, though, feels like it would survive the world coming to an end, and would feel sad not to be able to have extra experience. I may miss loved ones, and I may miss the opportunity to be able to experience other things such as what I perceive “success” to be, but then maybe after the world came to an end another one would begin.
I would be saddened at the thoughts of what else could have been. However, that’s normal in life too. Someone passes away, and thoughts are spent on what could have been, what should have been, and you’re left with the ‘what ifs’ in life.
I turned 35 years old yesterday. Looking back over my life, I have had amazing experiences and I have had tragic experiences as well. I would like to think if this world ends, there is another life beyond this one. I would hope I am right about this and maybe after all I have experienced in 35 years will only help me in the next life.
I will be sad of course, but this is a helpful reminder because all our lives will end one day, and life as we know it will disappear.
I will be sad because I feel like I’ve so much more to experience in life… I’ve found my passion, and am pursuing it part-time so $$$ can still come in. I havent launched into it fully yet. I want to get married, have a child or two, strengthen my relationships with my ageing parents, aunts, siblings, family and friends.
I will also be sad because I spend more time doing what is ‘necessary’ more than what i like to do… more than the things that make me happy. That’s the Long term and short-term clashing… stuff i do now i do for the long-term. That’s why I reflect and not immediately rush into things.
But ultimately I know that I’ve led my life with my conscience clear, trying to do it the best way I know how at each stage of my life.
Will start having more compassion and show kindness to everyone, live a life of love as far as possible… staying optimistic and cheerful :) Also be more mindful and aware of how I live each day :)
If the world came to an end today…
I would look back at the life I had,
Appreciate the chances that life gave me
being that I am very young and I have had opportunities
that many people get exposed to quite late in life or if not never.
I would have wanted to establish a better family relationship that
am still working on now,
I would have had longed to see what my own family: child and husband would
have been like and the kind of a mother I would be.
I would then accept the much I have done and for what I have not done
Appreciate the far I have come.
That would depend upon so many things. Where am I left? Am I in Heaven? Am I in Hell? Am I left to console those who have lost everything and everyone? There is no one distinct answer but I can answer each thought….were I in Heaven I would feel joy, united with so many, meeting some that I have never been able to meet before. Were I in Hell I would feel that it is poetic justice of some sort. Left to console those who have lost everything and everyone, I think I would feel a combination of usefulness and uselessness because regardless of what I attempt there is no consoling to be done. I can offer a shoulder but I would have no answers for “what now?”, I would simply exist to rebuild the world with all hopes that cruelty would not be a part of the new world.
Funny…I had a very vivid dream of this last night.
It must sound awful…but I think I would feel relief – if it were to just spontaneously end abruptly. Poof! Gone! The same for all. Powerless to change it. I feel there are many much worse things that could happen.
I know…very negative…but honest.
I don’t believe it is possible for the world to end. The world has survived incredible things and gone on already…I don’t see that changing.
I don’t think that is terrible or negative at all. I think it is very perceptive. This world has so much pain in it that there are times that the end would be a relief to some. I agree with you that I don’t think the world will end, not as long as hope still exists.
Oh I’m so not ready for this. I’ve only just begun! There are so many things I want to experiment, so much love to give, so many people to know, so many mysteries to solve, so many things to learn and share… I’m not ready for an ending. So I pray to God to keep me here long enough so I can make up for all my sins and help everyone I’ve hurt and forgive and be forgiven.
I think living each day as if it were our last one is indeed a stairway to heaven. It keeps us humble and focused of the essential things. It makes us truly appreciate life and never waste this precious gift again. Death can be a helpful reminder. Today’s question is a helpful reminder :) Thanks, Celes!
That would depend on HOW the world comes to an end. If violence were involved, I would be scared. I wouldn’t want my loved ones dying violently… I do not like the thought of pain and suffering.
If it was a peaceful end, I would feel at ease as long as my daughters were near. I would likely be wondering about what was coming next, in the afterworld.
Cheated! I am definitely not ready for the world (or just me) to end!
There are so many things I still want to experience, see and do:
I want to see my children grow up and become adults, I want to figure out my carrier path, I want to live my full potential (and know that I am still holding back), I want to learn and grow more, I want to love more and deeper, I want to become an even better wife, I want to….
Basically I want to live and grow old and experience all the different stages in life.
I can see this easily, feeling cheated because we have so much to accomplish in life. I too am holding back from my full potential. Now if we can just figure out a way to move forward at breakneck speed (well maybe not that fast :) ) and begin to reach our dreams….
I guess I would be a little sad but also relieved.
I try to spend time with my loved ones as much as possible now and try to remember to always tell them how much I love them now in case there is no later so I wouldn’t be wishing for more time. You should make everyday end without regrets or unsaid words in case there is no tomorrow.
I might be a bit disappointed I didn’t get to learn more or experience more but I already know that I cannot learn all I wish to know or travel and see all the amazing things this world has to offer in the length of my lifetime nautrally so I do regret what is undone, I try to treasure and value what I have done and learned instead.
I say I would be a bit relieved because my health is a daily battle to be the victor in my own life and most of my family often suffers from much chronic pain, as do many people in the world. I would never take my own life or wish any of them to be dead rather than alive as they are health wise now, but if it were the end of the world they would finally know a place where there is no pain. Where there is no poverty, no politics, no war or violent unspeakable acts that occur everyday. I still have hope and faith in humanity as a whole but there is so much of our world, our cultures and technologies that could use a wiping out. A clean slate. This is not as much a solution to our current problems but yet a blessed release from them.
I don’t think I would want another chance at life either. Even with all the painful situations, mistakes and poor physical shell of a body I have in this life, I would rather have this life and have it end today with the world than chance having a life where I haven’t learned the life lessons that I have painfully learned. Or risk having another chance at life and not have my love and only mate not be a part of it. I would rather sign off today with what I have than risk any of that be missing in a second chance at tomorrow. :)
Well if that kind of a situation arises then definitely I would be sad. I want to spend more time with my parents. Its a long time since I am finding myself at home again and i want to enjoy life to the fullest with my parents and my friends. Nothing in this world will really bring the happiness that I experience being with my parents.
If world came to an end today, I would regret, but just for a moment. I would regret not doing more, not daring more and not following my own instincts more. I would regret not being more open to the world. But I would feel that regret just for a second, no time to be regretting on the last day!
Then I would do something to feel as alive as I can – I would start running to feel the sweat and my heart beat. I would next send a mass e-email, or SMS or something, thanking people for the magnificent ride – doesn’t matter who sees it and who doesn’t, I just need to express it. Then I would like to have a group gathering with friends and we would reminisce about the best times we had, and I would have some time alone with my best friend to tell her how much I appreciate her…. If I was in love, I would spend some time with my boyfriend, to feel loved and also…to feel physically alive one more time, if you know what I mean.
I would then take some time just to myself. To quickly relive my life, in my head and to just…make some kind of conclusion, have my questions answered and make some kind of a happy ending. To smile at my reflection in the mirror, to hug myself and feel self love, and perfect peace, calmness and happiness.
I would spend the last hours with my family. My mother, father and grandparents, outdoors. They are the people who brought me into this world and people who make me feel safest and who love me the most. I would definitely spend last hours with them. Phones tossed away.
……………………………………………………………………..
This question made me realize truly important things. It was probably, most meaningful in this challenge to me.
And btw, having my answer to yesterdays question mentioned above made me happy! :)
What is the intent of this question? I prefer to journal on topics such as …..
What kind of work is most challenging to me?
What sort of qualities do I look for in a friend?
Why do I find it hard to concentrate at work?
How can I add more happiness to my life?
Sorry… but I can’t get excited by this question.
I struggled with this question also. I read it and actually said out loud, “Really?? Are you kidding me??”
I’m quite certain this type of question is to help people to discover what they should be doing with their lives or paying more attention to. For example, If you answered you would be sad because you would want to tell your family that you love them, then the lesson here is go and tell them that you love them!! Or if you answered you would regret not going to college or not doing more or traveling than the lesson you might learn from that is, GO to college!! Go and travel!!
This is just my interpretation of what the basic objective behind this question would be.
Just to always do now and do today what is most important to you because we are not guaranteed a tomorrow.
I could be wrong in my interpretation but I understand how you might feel this question is not in the same vein as the type of journaling you were desiring or expecting. :)
Raven :heart:
“Heeeey, that’s not fair! Now that I have survived all this crap in my life and have started to LIVE, you’re taking it all away? :(“
it’s funny that i was thinking about this just last night and i said i would be :dance: because i believe that life after death is peaceful, wonderful. :angel: but i don’t know for sure what it’s going to look like. it’s the fear i might miss something important that worries me, the fear of the unknown. i also tend to get happy when very big events happen, i don’t know why, even if they’re good or bad. i may be :( i didn’t have time to accomplish anything yet in this world. maybe i would suddenly feel so desperate to see more stuff, to know this world better. i would be sorry i didn’t know as many people as i would have liked to. i would feel guilty i was so selfish, lazy and introverted and didn’t feel the joy of being part of the world. i would feel melancholic about how everything vanishes and there’s nothing i can do about it, it’s all in the hands of God. i would stay with my family and i would start laughing to defuse the tension. what a big joke life is :lol:
Steve Jobs used to look into the mirror every morning and ask himself, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?”
Most of the time, my answer to that question would be “no, because I’d rather not spend the last day of my life at school”. Even so, I do enjoy my life, and most the things that I do every day. I wouldn’t regret spending my time on the things that I’ve done.
Still, I would feel disappointed if the world came to an end today. I would be bereft of many experiences that I had been looking forward to, such as growing up, moving away from home, and getting married. These are some of the things that I think anybody who has ever lived should have the chance to experience, and I would feel cheated if the world ended while I was still a teenager.
scared and wish i was around my family & loved ones
Of course, I have no idea how I would really feel if I knew this was about to happen, but what I hope I would do is to check in with as many people I know (and don’t know) as humanly possible to let them know how truly loved and appreciated they are. I would gather together with as many of my immediate family members and friends (and my cat) as I could and hug and cuddle and reassure them and we would talk about the next huge adventure that we are all about to embark upon together. We could sing and laugh and love and pray together and give thanks for the lives we have had.
I have just, this minute, found out that the inspirational writer, Gill Edwards, has sadly died. She had such a beneficial effect on so many people and will be greatly missed. Pondering your question today, Celestine, combined with Gill’s death, has reminded me that I want to live my own life in the very best, most loving and present way I can. Thank you both.
If the world came to an end today, I woule feel sad, because I started living just 2 years ago and I feel like I am at the beginning of a great life. Sad because there is so much more to live, to experience and love. Beside this, I would be calm and peaceful because of the great things I already put into my life. My life was wonderful and all the days I spent on earth and all the experienced I made (positive and negative) were worth it. I met wonderful people, made amazing journeys and learned a lot of life and spirituality. The world´s end is not the end of us all. It´s the beginning of something new and I´m looking forwand to sseing these new things :)
If the world came to an end today how would I feel?
Well, if I have foreknowledge of the end and time to feel and contemplate prior to the end – in that time I would have many mixed emotions.
I would feel sad for the young that did not have much time to get to know life on earth and appreciate it,
I would be melancholy in general for a while – sort of pre-mourning the loss of all that is good here.
I may feel some regrets from not spending enough quality time with some of my family.
I would feel love and appreciation.
If I had no foreknowledge, and BOOM, it was over –
well I hope that I would feel wonderfully blissful – in heaven.
This thought, although has crossed my mind before, was never deeply impressed in me enough. Perhaps the emotion I would feel most would be a sense of regret.
First thought that came to me was to ‘just let it pass, there is nothing i could do anyway’. Next came ‘why am i sitting here wasting my time?’.
Now, emotions are rising.
I have the urge to call my parents now.
Then my loved ones.
And work? Who cares?
Passion? I need my 10,000hours.
Sometimes, it’s just settling for the best, for yourself.
I’m calling my parents now
Viole,
I like the honesty and flow of your post. I coudn’t agree more. It does create a sense of apathy and urgency at the same time. And I like that you called your parents. If that is something you would have the urge to do knowing that it is the last day of the world, than you should do it. And maybe do it more often so that if the world did end it wouldn’t feel so urgent because they know how you feel and there are no words unsaid.
Thank you for sharing,
Raven :heart:
Hi Raven
Thanks for your comment. I did call my parents after posting and we had so much to catch up that we continued the today… I should move from being impassive to flowing with life, then I will not live a wasted life.
Have a nice day.
Cheers
I don’t really know how i would feel, there is so much that i still want to do with my life but at the same time i have already done so much. I have had the joy of experiencing pregnancy and child birth, and i have done this all on my own with no support from the father if my child, its been tough but its made me stronger as a person and a mother. I’ve met and fallen in love with the most amazing man who loves me and my daughter endlessly.
i still want to get married and have more babies, have a home and not just a house, have a job i don’t hate and just be happy with life,so i guess i really don’t know how i would feel, but at the same time I’m already blessed to already have what i have of which most people struggle to get…… :rolleyes:
I do understand and believe that we as human beings, have no part to play if God decided to end the world today. However much we could want a different decision. However if the world was to end today
i think i will feel very sad because i think there is still a lot in me to offer to the world as i feel that i have not even scratched a sizable bit from the potential i feel i have, to make the world a better place, and for me to grow into a better human being. But since God knows better than us all, i will trust and honor His judgement as our creator who knows what is best for me. I will miss the enjoyment i get from the daily road of growth or call it life itself as every day displays a different surprise that make me grow and stretch to become the best i was intended to be. On the other hand, there are people who are going through agonizing pain right now and and theirs is a daily struggle to live. For them, i think i would be glad that the end of the world would mean the end of pain to them, but i would be so happy if God was to just ease their pain by a cure.
Well, it would be a mixed feeling for me. I do not wish to see my family end before me.
At the same time, I would be happy to be around with the people I love at the end of the world.
Also, I believe that there is life after death. So, I would not be too sad to give up this life.
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