5 Habits of Happy Families

For my Human Growth and Development class, we had to read a short article on the 5 Habits of Happy Families, then in our own words, tell what each habit means to us. Here are mine. I thought it was worth sharing ☺

While it's still fall, let me say this!

Instructions from my teacher:

Read the attached article. Then 1) in your own words, summarize each habit in a few sentences. Explain the principle or the research that supports the idea. 2) Give examples from your own family, both good and bad, that relate to the habit. 3) Journal your Thanksgiving with regard to these habits.

Give Thanks -- No Matter What:

We should always be thankful for what we have. There are many who aren’t fortunate enough to even have a family to call their own. So in the midst of all the ciaos of everyday life, be grateful for what you have. I know we can get pretty mad out my house when dishes don’t get done, laundry isn’t washed, and grass isn’t cut, but in the end, as long as everyone comes home from work and school safe and sound, we know we’re still blessed to have each other.

Seek Out Satisfaction in Your Choices:

We should be happy with whatever choice we make. Life is too short to regret our decisions. Plus, regretting the small stuff that really doesn’t matter just adds unneeded, and unwanted, stress. The choices we make should bring us happiness. My mother likes to say, “Don’t do anything you won’t be proud of later.” Our choices shouldn’t be something we might be ashamed of later, because that just zaps happiness. We should be able to live with all our choices.

Lose Yourself in the Moment:

In our society, we spend too much time analyzing the moment, or trying to create the perfect moment, instead of just living in the minute and realizing that it’s great just the way it is. We’d rather pull out our camera and capture pictures then sit back and just watch what unfolds around us. Great memories will always be with us, so we should learn to be as in the moment as possible. I have had many moments that are worth remembering, and I’m glad I didn’t close myself off to those moments or become too distracted with meaningless things. How are we supposed to focus on the moment at hand when we can be too busy staring at our phones and checking our emails?

Spread Out the Joy:

You never fully appreciate the things you didn’t work for. When you are just given everything you want, the gifts become meaningless. These material goods will bring you no joy if you didn’t work to achieve them. If you always got what you wanted, there would be no purpose for striving toward anything. There is a saying about how to achieve happiness that I believe holds true: Work like you don’t need the money, love like you’ve never been hurt, dancing like no one is watching, and live like it’s heaven on earth. When we find joy in all areas of our lives, we reap the rewards that are sure to be found. Nothing has to be handed to us.

Focus On Your Circle:

Family and friends are meant to be the center of our lives. Humans are social creatures, and without that vital socialization, like flowers without sunlight, we would wither away. You shouldn’t worry about the lives of people who don’t really affect you. We spend so much time trying to make our lives look as interesting as Jill’s, who continuously puts up awesome Facebook pictures of her fabulous weekends. Why do we care? Our lives are just as interesting, just in a different way. I have a friend who told me, “I always thought you had to be doing something to have fun. But now I know that’s not true. I can sit at home playing with my baby boy all day, and have the best day ever!”

During Thanksgiving, I had the opportunity to spend the day with family that I rarely see. We had the best time, eating made-from-scratch cake and swapping stories. Though my family is far from perfect, seen in my fussy niece (good thing she’ll never see this) begging for more milk and teddy bears, my cousin and brothers roughhousing in the next room, and my grandmother sharing the latest gossip, I love them and we are all thankful for the time we get to spend together. I know that I was able to lose myself in those moments and focus on the people that mean the most to me. As imperfect as my family is, and as much as we can all argue, I do believe we are happy just as we are.