small but certain happiness

소확행 sohwakhaeng. My friend, Yanna, shared this phrase after she teaching me the Korean alphabet (hangul).

It’s her favorite Korean phrase. It’s an abbreviation or a short version of 소소하지만 확실한 행복, which means “small but certain happiness.”

Do you have a sohwakhaeng?

It can be the warmth of the morning sun as it touches your skin.

Or the quiet rustling of leaves from your neighbor’s tree.

It could be your favorite song playing while your playlist on shuffle.

The sound of Netflix’s intro that invites you to relax and enjoy a new movie or series.

The smell of your comfort food as it's about to be served.

A notification for a shop order.

Something that gives you joy how little or trivial it may seem. Something that brightens you up, even just by thinking about it.

I think this concept or alias is a good reminder to not miss the good we have in each day.

Being preoccupied with busyness, life’s usual stressors, negative news, and whatnot fill our minds with dark clouds that eventually exhausts us… but sohwakhaeng can be the cracks in those clouds. Little things that remind us of the beauty of life, pulling us back into having childlike wonder—the silver lining.

This short blog post is an encouragement for you to find your sohwakhaeng. List them down then draw a heart on your journal every time you experience them.

I am certain that happiness and joy will abound as we let the light of sohwakhaeng’s shine through our mundane days.