Tuesday, May 3, 2011

My terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day

Yesterday I had one of those days where everything seemed to be going wrong.
I was upset, angry, and all I wanted to do was scream!
It felt like there was nothing I could do to feel better so I thought that if I can't feel good, then I'd like to spend the rest of the day making other people feel good.
So I bought a bouquet of flowers, sat on the sidewalk and cut apart each stem with my keys. Then I wandered around the city handing them out to strangers.
I stopped in a store and gave a flower to all of the ladies working there. They were so excited and a lot of them said that it even made their day!
That's when I realized that there's absolutely no better feeling than making other people happy.
and that's how my terrible day became my wonderfully, delightful, happy, very good day.

112 comments:

  1. I've totally done this before - making others smile aways seems to wash away the blues :+)

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  2. Aww...so sweet. Everyone loves flowers and you're right - there's nothing that makes you happier than making other people happy!

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  3. i love this.
    even when im feeling rubbish; its nice to make others smile :)

    p.s..
    i LOVE this blog x

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  4. you are the American Amelie Poulain :)

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  5. Great Darma(?) :p ahah Very nice of you to do that. nice post

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  6. I wish all the people were like you :)

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  7. Você é muuuuuuuuuuuuuito fofa ><

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  8. Tell me, what do you say when you do this? I love to do these sorts of things, but I never feel like I'm saying the right thing to people!

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  9. That's so cute of you! I thought you were one of those people who was ALWAYS happy. Quite relieved to hear that you can have bad days, too. Also sad that you had a bad day though and glad you are feeling better!

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  10. Nice article, thanks for the information.

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  11. Dear Katie,

    You are a good person.

    Love Jaimie

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  12. That's so nice!!!!
    What a happy day, you end up having :D
    Your blog always make me smile... I'm in Portugal and it's amazing to see your great ideas!!!

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  13. Seriously...you are so inspirational to me. I just love this post (and all of your posts). I love your positive attitude and moving in the opposite of what you are feeling in the moment :-)

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  14. What a wonderful way to turn an horrible day around!! xo

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  15. Love that! Seriously, how can you not be happy when you're doing something nice for someone else? It's my favorite feeling ever:) Soooo glad you shared your wonderful day with us

    pics-o-andrea

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  16. Great and easy idea!! Flowers make everyone smile! :)

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  17. So sweet! :]
    Spreading the love... everyone loves a flower.

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  18. Your such an inspiration! I have a daughter who is 4 and I hope she grows up to be as happy and positive as you!

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  19. This is amazing :)

    I always want to help others make their day better but can never seem to think of anything that deems good enough. But you show that even the simplest things, like handing out flowers, or putting tiny rubber duckies into nasty puddles, can really make people smile!

    xoxox

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  20. Great idea, Katie! I'm going to make that my motto for my next bad day.

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  21. you really are so inspiring. loved this post.

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  22. You are truly amazing!
    I'm having one of those days today but it's almost night now so I don't know what to do about it.....

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  23. That is such a wonderful idea. There needs to me more people like you in the world.

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  24. Lovely!! I love what you do with the people around you ! bring so much smile in their face! ^__^

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  25. I used to stop at the flower stand between the tram and my university's campus to get daffodils to give away to people all day. I loved seeing their smiles!

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  26. That's very sweet.

    When you said you were cutting flowers with your keys, I thought I'd mention, I carry kindergarten scissors in my make-up bag (I carry so little make up, I have to put something in there), the kind that are about 2" long with the rounded ends. I use them frequently and they travel just fine in carry-on luggage.

    Yellow is my favorite color, you picked perfect flowers :)

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  27. Katie! You are an inspiration. I love how even when you're done, you're able to forget about your own feelings and do something that's very selfless. I know for a fact you made many peoples day and I wanted thank you for all the encouragement and inspiration you give to everyone!

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  28. I have the same Doo-key!

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  29. i love this. you inspire me, you know that? :)

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  30. That's adorable! Katie you're just so cute, you always inspire me seriously.
    kisses with ♥

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  31. Is it weird to say I love you? Because seriously, this is the most sunshiney, positive, wonderful thing. Ever.

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  32. Your blog is just so great, I love it!

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  33. Wow! How amazingly adorable is this!

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  34. Aw, I really needed to hear this today! I love this blog.

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  35. I wish I would be walking along, and then one day I see you and you're giving out flowers :)

    Belly B
    http://www.bforbel.com

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  36. ohh how nice! I love it! good I love your blog:)
    a big kiss

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  37. What an amazingly creative way to "turn a frown upside down!" You are so KreAtiVe!!!!

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  38. Nothing is better then yellow daisys. :)
    Great Idea!

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  39. Katie,
    Your blog is like flowers to me everyday. It just cheers me up in the cloudy days of Seattle.
    Thanks!

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  40. What a sweet reminder of this great book: http://www.amazon.com/Alexander-Terrible-Horrible-Good-Very/dp/0689711735

    One of my childhood favorites! I'm guessing it's one of yours too?

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  41. you are soooo sweeeT!


    alittledinasoar.blogspot.com

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  42. You are so sweet! I'd like to do this too, but I am so shy... This post is a precious thing. I'll try. Luna

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  43. When feeling down or crummy, I find focusing on making sure others are happy lifts my mood. I really love the new game I'm playing; on the back of my car window I painted, "Honk If You're Happy!" and it's a pleasant interruption to a bad mood in the car. It's refreshing to know other people are happy, and makes me feel happy too :)

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  44. You amaze me, you are so optimistic and colourful and truly altruistic! I have to say that when I'm in a bad mood the thought of handing out flowers to random strangers would never have occurred to me! Usually I take my dog for a walk or talk to a friend. Thanks for the inspiration! :)

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  45. Making other people happy is the best! You have the cutest ideas! Sorry to hear you're down, cheer up! I was feeling down today, so i bought a fishy! Worked wonders :)

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  46. I love your blog, it's so cheerful! It's wonderful that you'd think to do such a nice thing :) I hope you are feeling less down!

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  47. Lovely :))) can i ask if what camera are you using, i mean the brand and the model. thank you!
    ---


    spellpauline.blogspot.com

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  48. Darling! I like the way you think!

    xo,
    Kate

    www.cinnamonink.blogspot.com

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  49. You are the sweetest person in the whole world :)

    Also did you know that giving regularly adds to your life expectancy by about ten years? Win all round!

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  50. You are fairly amazing!
    You just totally made my day..I'm taking a leaf outta your book hopefully :)

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  51. It looks to me like you stopped into a Sephora! I wish someone like you would visit me at the bookstore that I work at. Most of my customers are rude, difficult or mean and getting a flower from a nice stranger would make my day!

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  52. You are a blessing from God Katie! You inspire me to become a better person!

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  53. I have the poop key covers too! Hooray for poop! :)

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  54. =) your actions spread globally. keep being you. i always know your posts will cheer me up if i'm blue. =)

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  55. You are awesome! And such an inspiration to me!

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  56. Wow, that's so nice of you! And indeed, such an inspiration! Definitly gonna do this!

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  57. You are so inspiring! I feel that way all the time, but this post in particular made me really think about my own attitudes, and how I choose to react to the days when I don't feel so positive about life.

    Thank you for being sunshine in my life. :)

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  58. I LOVE this! Such a simple and good idea for a pick me up... for everyone involved. I am totally going to do this next bad day :]

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  59. This couldn't have come at a better time. I never have bad days but I had one today. Among all the other daily terrors I had a horrid bout of homesickness. Thank you for reminding me why every day is good.

    P.S. You made it into a good day with this blog. <3

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  60. I've been having a bad day and I can't wait to do this soon! :) thanks for the inspiration

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  61. That's so sweet of you! I should try something like this next time I have a bad day. You have inspired me to do so :)


    http://www.inwonderland.org

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  62. this helped me a lot. thank you.

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  63. I love this post so much. I'm so inspired. <3

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  64. When I am feeling dull and crappy all I got to do is visit your blog. It sure brightens me up. I wish I could be as 'colorful' as you are. I adore your creativity. Thanks for making me happy!!!!!!

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  65. May I know what camera are you using? :))

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  66. That is so sweet. It's funny how cheering other people up can really turn around your day! Thanks for sharing!
    xoxo
    Alexa
    www.theshortandthesweetofit.com

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  67. love this, especially today. thanks!

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  68. Awwwwww, you are so awesome!!! :D <3

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  69. very cute blog!! :DD you're so inspiring! I want your positive attitude :) keep blogging.

    spellpauline.blogspot.com

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  70. Wow, lovely idea! And i love Domo too!

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  71. Hello.

    I have in this(http://hotgirl321.blogspot.com/2011/05/manedens-blog.html#comments) post, "stolen" some of your pictures, because i have something on my blog called "Blogger of the month". If you don't wan't me to have this photos on my blog, you just write a comment ond the post, and i will delete the pictures.

    hotgirl321.blogspot.com

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  72. Great idea!!!! Have you tried "DROPING TOYS"???????? That's what THE TOY SOCIETY promotes, really greattttttttttttt!

    More information here (in spanish, my blog)
    http://tendenciosaweb.blogspot.co/2011/01/nunca-fue-tan-lindo-tirar-juguetes.html

    Or here (english)
    http://thetoysociety.blogspot.com/

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  73. Dear Katie

    I just stumbled on your blog and I think you're brilliant. Thanks for all the smiles!

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  74. I've just found your blog. Fantastico !

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  75. Probably you are the only person in the world who makes such lovely things when she is angry! I love you!
    www.efektnimbu.blogspot.com

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  76. Aw. Thank you, I needed to be reminded of this trick. :)

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  77. I get so lost in your blog. I even re-read posts. You are so inspiring! I hope you have a great day, pretty lady!

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  79. Ever since I read this last week, I have wanted to do this so badly. Then yesterday my church handed out roses to all the women and there were dozens and dozens leftover. I remembered this post and a friend of mine and I took a bunch of the leftover roses and handed them out to women in our community. Ahhhh...seriously my favorite thing!!! The looks on their faces were absolutely priceless. It really is such a wonderful and delightful thing to do. Thanks for being so inspirational :-)

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  80. this made my day.. thanks for being so inspiring <3 and full of color.

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  81. Something else to make you smile:

    http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=20621702&CAWELAID=859692955

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  82. You are so inspiring...
    It was so nice to do this!
    I love your blog!!!

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  83. Fabulous! Giving often gives so much back. Love it!

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  84. You remind me of Amelie from the French movie called "Amelie." You're always doing little things that brighten people's day! Thanks for being absolutely lovely.

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  85. I was feeling pretty unhappy myself when I read this article.. your article made me cry. Thank you! I think Ill do the same thing as you :)

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  86. Hey Katie!

    Can I republish this post on www.joycampaign.com's blog? What you did is so delightful and such a great way to create and spread joy.

    Please let me know! :-) Thank you!
    (lsong@hopelab.org)

    Liz

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  87. aww I wish to do something like this with my friends too. It's fun and a nice way to spend an afternoon. And you get to see priceless smiles.

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