One thing that I continually have to remind myself of each and everyday is to never lose sight of my childlike happiness. The way we live our lives has naturally turned us into an objective orientated society full of responsibilities, deadlines, goals and tasks. Because of these goal-oriented habits, many of us simply fail or have simply forgotten how to be happy.
It’s very easy to get caught up in the everyday challenges of life that we tend to lose sight of the simple things that seem to bring true and fulfilling happiness. Many, if not all, of the elements that happiness comes from, most of us learn before starting and finishing grade school.
To put this in perspective a little more, one of my favorite books, “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale explains, “children are more expert in happiness than adults.” Dr. Peale goes on to explain that the “adult who can carry the spirit of a child into middle and old age is a genius.”
I thought about this sentence for quite some time and I have come to understand just how much power lies in that one statement. I began to realize the real keys to fulfilling happiness are instinctively already built into us as children and it’s very easy to lose sight of this, as we grow older.
In his book, Dr. Peele asked his nine-year-old daughter one day, “Are you happy, honey?” She replied by saying “Sure I’m happy.” He asked, “Are you always happy?” and she replied by saying “Sure, I’m always happy.” He then asked, “What makes you happy?” and she responds by saying “Why, I don’t know, I’m just happy.” After her response, he then begins to urge her for a reason and she then began to reveal that her friends, classmates, family, Sunday-school teacher all make her happy. She even explains, “I love my mother and father. They take care of me when I’m sick, and they love me and are good to me.”
There is no question that life can be a series of obstacles that ultimately may cause us to forget where our true happiness may come from. It can also become easy to manufacture our own unhappiness because of the circumstances life may bring. However by being aware of this, it is increasingly important to remind ourselves that it’s the simple things in life that will ultimately bring us fulfilled, true happiness.
When life becomes overwhelming, remember to take a look at your life and you may find that it’s the simple things that make you happy, just as Dr. Peele’s daughter did. The same things that kept you happy and smiling as a child may very well be the same things that will continue to make you happy as you grow in age. It may very well be the meaningful relationships that you have in your life— your friends, family and even coworkers whom you love and love you that make you happy.
Although life may not be easy and may often feel like a series of endless tasks and responsibilities, if we can maintain our childlike happiness and are grateful for the simple things that truly matter, we may find true happiness and fulfillment.
Positively Caviar, Inc. focuses on intensifying the message of positivity and optimism in our digitally centric lives in the Mid-Atlantic region. Once a month our Nucleus Team will write a column that focuses on mental and physical health tips, scientific studies, nutrition facts and stories that are positive in nature to support a purposeful and positive lifestyle. To learn more, visit: staybasedandpositive.com