Beyond Success: Finding Happiness through Gratitude

Beyond Success: Finding Happiness through Gratitude

Last week I told you that there were three pillars to happiness. Gratitude, Courage and connection. This week we’ll focus on the first pillar of Gratitude. Especially appropriate because we have just finished our Thanksgiving holiday in the United States of which the heart of the holiday is to be grateful for family and what has been bestowed upon us from God above. Let us look this week at how we build a mindset of gratitude in ourselves and our children.

Teaching Children to Find True Happiness Through Gratitude

At Beyond Education we believe that Gratitude is the first pillar and most important aspect of discovering happiness in your life. There is always going to be someone better, richer, smarter or nicer than you - envy is one of the most destructive thoughts one can have and leads to a life of competition and endless unhappiness. However, gratitude and living your best life with intent, purpose and thankfulness for what you have and what you have done will lead to a life of happiness and prosperity. 

So how do you teach this to your children?  Start by being grateful to yourself. Don’t compare and show envy of others or what they have done but make sure to be happy and delighted with what you or your child has done. If there is a complaint, it should always be about not doing your best but also about doing your best good enough and be content with the outcomes. Secondly, talk to your children about gratitude and being content. Look for the good in everything - if you look you really can find good in everything around you. This is a mindset that will lead to happiness and the ability to overcome any obstacles.

Building a Character Trait of Gratitude:

Building a character in your child of gratitude takes time but the benefits will not only help them in their academic quest but pay dividends well into their future career and lives. Just this morning I was counseling a student that has been treated poorly and caught up in the injustices of institutional politics. Should they give up? Is their life over?  Not at all but the bitterness and anger could destroy them. I.E their own emotions. However, showing them that they are worthy and set apart from the things that they can not control can still give them a sense of purpose, destiny and hope. I was able to show them that even though this awful thing had occurred in their life that they actually can become stronger, understand it and help others in the future. It is building this character trait in our children that will make them happy and successful.

Happiness in College and Beyond

Happiness in college is also fundamentally a function of gratitude. Being grateful for where you are at will help you take advantage of opportunities at the college you attend. Gratefulness will strengthen your resolve, help in relationships and help you see the good in something when others can’t. Most importantly it helps you become torrent and patient with all sorts of people and ideas which allows you to learn and think more clearly leading to better critical thinking and leadership qualities which again lead to success. How do colleges see or find students in the application process that show gratitude?  Recommendations, essays and the way you word your activities section of your application can give admissions officers a glimpse into your heart and the one thing they love is a student that will be thankful, grateful and happy to be a part of their community.

Conclusion: What’s Next?

Next week we will look at the second pillar of happiness which is courage. How do we teach and help our children be courageous and willing to face the challenges that will inevitably come their way? Courage to face challenges and be grateful and learn from them is how we can live a life of happiness and joy in the face of adversity.