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 ☺
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| 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.
