How to find happiness in every day, do you teach your children that?
Is happiness important to you?
If you are like the vast majority of parents, you would say “yes”.
And even more, it is likely that when asked
“What is most important to you for your children as they grow up?” you would say “Happiness”
Albert Einstein said:
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”
Do we focus on that when we raise our kids?
Do you?
We often are running around and are so buzy, that truly focusing on teaching our children and teens to be happy, to do what they love, falls short.
Even when we do, it can be while we urge them to “get ready quickly, we’re late” as we drive them to their club or lessons for something they enjoy.
As parents, being tired, running around and feeling like you are being lived, “scheduled to extinction” as an individual isn’t rare.
If you recognize that, you are probably not taking enough time to do what YOU love, for your happiness either.
We are our children’s primary teacher and role model.
Being happy, taking time for balance, for joy combined with a dedicated effort to excel at what you love.
Do you do that?
There are simple ways to create more time, more joy in your day we often forget as we run around.
1. Stop yourself for a second and take a deep breath.
Whatever you will do next, think about it in this way: “I am going to do this, because it is important to me. I will do it with love for myself and my life.”
If you can’t say that, you may want to reconsider doing what you thought you were going to do. Or for the next time you are planning to.
Take your life and yourself seriously.
Live with love and a sense of self driven direction.
When breathing that into anything you do, even out of duty, it will give more happiness and joy. For you as well as for others.
2. When you are running around, simply slow down to a step slower, a bit less rushed. It will not take more time and if it would, probably a minute. Feeling more relaxed, you will enjoy it more and it will decrease moments of potential conflicts with your kids.
I often find that when I run to get somewhere, I am the only one who thought “that one minute” was important and my increased stress became a waste of my own energy. And if it involves getting our daughter somewhere, I am nicer to her too, when I relax a little!
3. When you slow down that little bit, you can have more eye for what is around you. For the smile you would miss, for the question your child asks, the frown you would have overlooked.
That little bit of extra space can create moments of great joy, if you let it.
And then that one minute becomes really important.
Think about it! Didn’t Albert Einstein create a happy productive life?
Love yourself a little and be a happier role model for your children.
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Wouter van der Hall, author of The Parent Program is a Parent and Happiness coach.
The parent special for (phone) coaching (100% satisfaction guaranteed) of one session for $ 75 (value $ 150) will end November 30th.
Sessions are as long as they need to be and focused on giving you the tools to create more joy, freedom and happiness in your parenting and life in general.
Would you like to experience that?
Contact wouter at wouter@theparentprogram.com or visit the coaching page at www.theparentprogram.com/coaching.htm
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Parenting workshop
For parents in BC.
Wouter will hold a workshop in Armstrong on October 15th at Armstrong Elementary School (7-8.30PM) with as topics: an introduction to The Parent Program and tips for active listening and more easy conflict resolution with your kids (and others!).
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Have fun,
wouter