The Exercises in Happiness

Part One

Each child will receive their very own booklet which may be the single most important booklet they will ever own.  This booklet is used every day for 30 days, and even beyond.

The first exercise asks children to create three lists in their booklet.

My Thought Shift List 
This is a list of thoughts and memories that when focused on will bring on a feeling of core happiness.  They are  asked to list at least five happy thoughts, but the more the better.  A very important part of this list is accomplishments they have achieved that have made them proud of themselves.  This list is then used to refer back to when kids need to shift their thoughts from bad to good or just to access a happier mood.  

My Vision List
With this list, kids are encouraged to “think big” about what they want to do, be and have in their life.  Because children are very  visual, they are encourage create a vision board.  To create a vision board, kids can cut pictures from magazines of things that correspond to their “Vision List”, paste them on poster board, then they can hang it somewhere they will see it every day.  Children are naturally good at creative visualization, but for some children a little guidance may be needed.  Guided imagery CD’s for children are available upon request.

My Amazing Me List
This is a list of personal strengths and talents, and of all the "things I am good at doing" "ways I am good at being" and "the kind of person I am determined to become". This list can explain why good things happen.  It is also very important for kids to understand what their personal strengths and talents are when setting realistic goals. 

Part Two

The third part of the Exercise in Happiness involves one weekly exercise and one monthly exercise.



WOW, That went well
Each Friday over the 30 days, kids are asked to write a short paragraph about something that went well during the past week, and which of their personal strengths they used to make it go the way they wanted.  Kids are encouraged to keep a separate journal of "good happenings" throughout the week to help them write their paragraph on Friday.


My Thank You Letter
Once, throughout the 30 day exercise, kids are asked to write a "thank you" letter to someone in their life who they feel has never received the heart felt thanks they truly deserve.  They are asked to deliver the letter in person, or read it to the person to whom it was written.  Delivering the letter, or reading it to the recipient is their choice.  Either way, they will get huge benefit just from writing it.

Part Three


The Daily Exercises

My Emotion Meter
Each morning, before the school day begins, each child is asked rate on a scale from minus three to plus three, how they are feeling RIGHT NOW.  This exercise gives a child an opportunity to see, and more importantly, feel how they can be in control of their emotions, and how they have the power to change them instantly.   In the Lessons in Happiness, children learn that everyone has an "internal voice", and sometimes it is quite loud, and many times it says wrong, or untrue things  about things that happen around us.  However, because its in our own head, we believe it.  Many times the "what happened" has a very different explaination that what we have told ourselves, and it is what we have told ourselves that causes the emotion we are feeling, right now.   The wonderful thing about our brain, is that we can question our "internal voice" for un-truths or alternative explainations to ones that make more sense and certainly feel better. 
If possible, sharing their Emotion Meter result with others is a fantastic opportunity display compassion toward others who may not be feeling so great, as well as an opportunity to become accepting of compassion from others. 

+3 = "I feel very happy right now"
+2 = "I feel happy right now"
+1 = "I'm feeling okay"
 0  = "I'm not so happy, but not really sad either
-1  = "I'm feeling a bit frustrated, maybe even a little hurt
-2  = "I'm quite upset right now"
-3  = "I'm feeling very sad/angry/scared right now, I need some help"

Parents and teachers should pay close attention to their childrens emotion meter reading, and guide them through questioning their "internal voice" and reminding them to use their Thought Shift List and their Amazing Me List to help them.



The following, are three statements, that when written with mindfulness, can have a tremendous effect.  They also set the mood for the day, both on an individual and group level.


My Gratitude Statement 

“Today I am so thankful that…”

The easiest way to put your self into a happy state immediately is to be grateful for something.   This gratitude statement can be about anything they are truly grateful for.  The key to this exercise is to FEEL gratitude.  Unauthentic or just saying thanks without meaning will yield no results.  As we truly give thanks for the wonderful and amazing things in our daily experience, we start to notice more and more things for which to be grateful. 

My Goal for Today (for tomorrow, next week or next month)

"My goal for today is to do, be or have …”

Studies have shown that less than 3% of American adults have clear and attainable goals written down, reviewed on a regular basis and have action plans to achieve them.  This part of the program will drastically improve that statistic by having kids develop a habit of writing down their goals and actions to take.  Another study has revealed that a person is 50% more likely to achieve their goals if they are written down, and 200% more likely if the goals are reviewed on a regular basis.

MY Action Affirmation

"I am capable of achieving my goal for today because I am... and I will... in order to make it happen"

An action-based affirmation is a statement declaring you are capable of achieving your goal and the action that we will take to achieve it. For example, “My goal for today is to do very well on my spelling test”. The action based affirmation could be: “I will do very well on my spelling test because I will study every word on my list until I get them all right” Setting and pursuing goals with confidence will lead to many accomplishments to come.  This exercise also gives kids an opportunity to learn that mistakes will happen from time to time, and we don't always achieve our goals with the first attempt, but we can look back and see where we may not have kept our focus on what we needed to do, or a way we needed to be to achieve our goal.  This is a great leaarning opportunity.

These Exercises can and should be done every day to instill a habit of happiness!