itty bitty fish

A little pop-Buddhist philosophy for your morning [from this month's Parenting Early Years magazine]:

Give Thanks — No Matter What
Research consistently finds that regularly expressing gratitude is good for our overall well-being: People who do so are healthier, more successful at reaching their goals, more optimistic, and more inclined to help others. But what if your family is struggling, say with a job loss, and no one is feeling like they have much to be thankful for? “There’s nothing wrong with faking it,” says Robert Emmons, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, and author of the book Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier. “It doesn’t have to be spontaneous or natural. Act grateful, and you’ll soon start feeling it.”

Seek Out Satisfaction in Your Choices
This advice goes to the heart of a key finding of happiness research: It’s important to learn to be content with how our decisions turn out. My children’s preschool teacher, Joyce Drolette of Bozeman, MT, sent the girls home repeating what turns out to be a powerful mantra for happiness: “You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit.”

Lose Yourself in the Moment
Okay, not every moment. But research indicates that happy people focus on moments of joy: those in the present, the past, and even the ones possible in the future.

and my personal favorite…

Focus On Your Circle
In an economic time when so many are struggling to get by, it’s easy to fantasize that a little more wealth or success is the key to greater joy. So perhaps there is no better time for this reminder: All the studies on the subject show that the key and consistent element in the lives of very happy people is close personal relationships. Period. “Human beings are meant to be together,” says Gregg Easterbrook, a father of three and author of The Progress Paradox: How Life Gets Better While People Feel Worse. “Having good, supportive relationships is ninety percent of life.“