Parenting Ideas

Wise Words for Families

"How to be Happy" by Andrew Fuller

The art of making yourself happy is something we can all learn and practice. No one is happy 100% of the time. Life has its ups and downs. Even so there are some sure fire ways to increase your happiness.

1. Don’t wait to see if you are having a good time. Instead of going to places and seeing if it is fun, decide in advance to have fun regardless of the circumstances. Enjoy the day regardless of the weather. Make the most of the occasion, regardless of the company.

2. Go outside and play. You were told to do this as a kid and I’m telling you to do it again, play more. Go for walks, throw a dog a stick, skip, sing loudly or imagine yourself to be a spy passing through enemy territory. Whatever does it for you. Make a promise to play more.

3. Develop deep friendships. Your friends are your true wealth. Value them and see them regularly. Let them know how important they are to you. Most people only have two close friends, so don’t fool yourself into believing you are less popular than most people.

4. Increase the closeness of extended family. Keeping in close contact with your family gives you a support base for difficult times and also strengthens your sense of where you come from. Feeling you belong in a family is a powerful way of being happy.

5. Play to your strengths. Have a good long hard look at yourself. What are you good at? Make a commitment to develop your skills, talents and abilities as much as you can. If you don’t develop your own unique talents, the world misses out.

6. Seek out groups that most strongly value what you have to offer.  Finding the niche where your abilities are valued is the basis of success.

7. Avoid social groups where your unique attributes are not valued. Not everyone is going to like you or think you could amount to much. Get used to it. Accept that it is so, and then get out of their way.

8. Live in the dreamtime. Find and follow your passions. Dream big dreams and make a promise to yourself to live a wonderful life.

9. Laugh a lot more. Find people, shows, books, films and situations that make you laugh and surround yourself with them.

10. Have something bigger than yourself to believe in. Think about the contribution you can make while you are on this planet and do it.

11. Love as much as you can - and then love some more.