“It is this unique & special something inside all of us. Ignite happy from within.”
The point of awakening for me was a culmination of events with the breaking point coming when I “Found My Watermelon Guy (WG).” It was the moment where my world lit up. Literally when everything became extremely clear. A “WG” is now the joyful logo of Ignite Happy, representing a one-eyed smile looking at the world through a child’s eyes, filled with wonder. It is my reminder to pause and remind myself that happiness is never far away and unimaginable possibilities are within reach. Read more to see how this story unfolds and why it matters for you to take notice of the “WG’s” in your world.
One key element is that I was ready and open to see differently. The kicker is that it was there the whole time, pushed to the side and unnoticed. When I opened my eyes and allowed myself to be present, time stopped or slowed down to a point where many memories vividly passed through my mind. The moment was euphoric, or what author Frans Johansson may call my “click moment.” I didn’t see it in front of me until I let my guard down and embraced my child-like strengths. The experience I am about to describe awoke my inner self and brightened my eyes like no other moment in my life.
My third-grade daughter enjoyed her sweets and asked for dessert one school night. I was hesitant to say yes. However, I didn’t put up much of a fight as I was lost in my work on my “smartphone.” We “compromised” on a Watermelon Italian ice. I guess it sounded healthier to me. I figured I could limit the amount of her sugar intake and have a little fun too.
I opened the lid and set it aside on the counter. I was just sitting there looking half at my phone and the other half at my daughter as we enjoyed dessert, “together.” Admittedly, doing neither one very well. I scooped some Italian ice for her, then me, then her and so on, until it was all gone.
It was then when I put my phone down, I noticed something about the lid I had placed on the counter. It was different and I had become more accepting of differences in recent months. Not your typical smiley face. It had the most adorable “one-eyed smiling guy,” yet it was upside down. I said to my daughter, as I was turning the lid around, “take a look at this little guy” and my daughter’s eyes opened like it was her first time seeing the Disney Castle with Mickey and Minnie standing there waiting to greet her little hands. Both of our mouths opened wide with big smiles; eyes sparkling and amazed at what was sitting right in front of us. It was then that I realized I was upside down.
In turning the lid around, I brought into focus the pure joy of the moment, and in an instant, I felt myself turn as well. My “click moment” ignited as I let my guard down ( and my phone) and replaced pretending to be present with actually being fully present. I allowed myself to look into the world for a connection. The kid in me came out and shared an AMAZING moment with my daughter.
“It is amazing what is right in front of us when we are open and curious to see what is possible”
At that moment, I recognized that there is so much inside all of us looking to jump out in a big, vibrant way. I realized that happiness is in me and ALL around me when I started to look for the connections. The “WG” or “watermelon guy” was born -). It is then I started to see everything around me change. I became open to unknown possibilities. It was not all sunshine and rainbows as I needed to gain comfort with being vulnerable and uncomfortable at times. As a result, I have had more chills and emotional experiences in the first few months of this transformation than in all my living years combined. It has been an enlightening experience, to say the least. I hope all of us experience sometime in their lifetime.
A “WG” is a one-eyed smile looking at the world through a child’s eyes, filled with wonder. It can take any shape or form for you. I have found hundreds and hundreds of these “WG” sightings since the special moment with my daughter where we found the one sitting on the back of that watermelon Italian ice lid. Hence the name, “Watermelon Guy.” I literally see a “WG” daily and each one brings me joy. They stop me in my tracks and force me to be present and curious at the moment. I have found them in the sky, on animals, on people, on the path I take, at work, in nature, in food, in my name spelled in Arabic and actually everywhere possible where I slow down to take notice. Each discovery amazes me and it warms my heart when others begin seeing them too. It means these folks are beginning to be open to what is possible.
“The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible” – Charles Kingsleigh
The two shapes, a curved line and a dot or circle of some kind, of the one-eyed smile, are often together in the world. I never realized they were always just sitting there in front of me and I was unaware. I cannot imagine that they just started appearing now. Rather than thinking of all the WGs I missed before, I look forward to seeing the uniqueness of the next one waiting to be noticed. They stopped hiding from me when the symbol became my reminder to slow down and enjoy the life right in front of me. It may seem silly to connect to my WG at times. However, it gives me the reminder to immediately pause and to connect to my happiness and the abundance of possibilities all around me.
This is not about being happy all the time. It is knowing that happiness is never far away and wherever you are. I encourage you to use this as your reminder too; that happiness is never out of reach and to find joy along your journey. Find your “WG” and begin to see the things you are missing, that are right in front of you. Seeing life differently through a child’s eyes as signified by the one-eyed smiling face of Ignite Happy. By all means, find a version or symbol of your own that resonates with you and that will be your constant reminder. Intentionally slow down and look around. Take a picture of a “WG” sighting or capture something that gives you a constant reminder to let your joy come out.
Share these on social media with hashtags, #findyourwg or #ignitehappy
Feel free to send them to me directly at [email protected] or tag me @ignitehappy on the various social media outlets. With each post and shared moment, we come closer to a movement. There is a child inside all of us. Let yours out. Live your possible.
