A Perfect Day!

I am a huge fan of self-help books. In most of the books that I read, I come across one common advice - journal your thoughts. I experimented with journaling some time ago but for some reasons, I could not continue with the same. When so many experts are swearing by this practice, I feel that I should put in some more efforts into this.

I searched for some prompts for journaling. Prompts do make it easier! So the first prompt I came across is this:  How would you spend your perfect day off? What makes that perfect for you?

Do I have ideas about the perfect day! The first thing that comes to my mind is - spending a day in the library. Preferably, a library that also has a cafe. I would lose myself taking stock of the enormous collection of books there, mentally wishing that there existed a vacancy in the library and I could work there (even better, live there!). Then I would pick a book from the adventure-fantasy genre (something like LOTR), sit beside a window with the book in one hand and the other hand holding a plate filled with hot and yummy croissants and blue-berry muffins. Of course, the coffee would follow soon. To make this day better, it would be raining outside. A book, coffee, croissants, muffins and a window overlooking a garden on a rainy afternoon - this is the ultimate bliss for me.

A day spent by the beach would be wonderful too. Walking in the sands of the beach, listening to the gentle sounds of the waves frolicking in the sea, feeling the salty breeze and having some chaat to snack upon, preferably Bhel-puri - this reminds me of perfect moments amidst chaotic days spent in Mumbai.

I had the opportunity of working in Colaba for many years. It is a pleasure to walk in the streets of Mumbai. I feel that a perfect day would be the one spent in Mumbai, spending some time at the subway beside the station, having a burger at McDonalds at Fort or delicious pav-bhaji at Canon Pav Bhaji near the subway, or walking beside the office of ToI near the station. The number of times I have walked by the office, simply to get a glimpse through the glass doors! That was another place where I wished to work, apart from the library. Just spending a whole day in Mumbai CSTM and feeling its heritage aura would be blissful. Planet M, which used to have many stores all over the city but which has sadly shut down now, was one of my favourite places to drop in after office. I loved animation movies. What gave even more thrill than buying a CD was browsing through the collection of CDs and wondering which one to buy. Brother Bear, Hanuman, Mulan (Parts 1 and 2) and the unforgettable Lion King are some of the CDs that made up my precious collection. Watching animation movies never failed to make me happy! Visiting Planet M and browsing through the collection of CDs made up for one of the perfect moments in a tiring day spent at the office, handling irate customers over the phone. Hanging around at the Gateway at the end of the day and watching the Arabian Sea simmer in the glow of the sunset would have been a perfect ending to a perfect day spent in Mumbai.

I am gradually realizing the purpose of this prompt. As the mind conjures happy situations and travels to happy and familiar places, I feel my mood uplifting. There is still the gloom that evenings bring, but it is slightly muted and numb. The numerous prospects for the perfect day have nullified the effect of the gloomy evening. 

I hope to keep up this practice of journaling regularly. It is the little daily irritations that we try to curb and control that manifest in a major breakdown one day. It is better to find some ways to deal with the daily stress of life. While yoga and meditation help a great deal to combat stress, journaling provides an outlet to your thoughts and help to clear your mind. 

I hope the reflections that I shared here help you too and bring recollections and dreams of happier times for you. I would love to hear your thoughts on what would be the perfect day for you. Happy reading and happy journaling!