• When I have love and peace inside, happiness just comes.
• When one is content with the self, happiness comes automatically.
• Happiness is a state of peace in which there is no upheaval or violence.

Ask:

• Can we create our own happiness? How?
• When do you feel most content?
• What kinds of things do you think to increase the feeling of happiness?
• What kinds of things can you do alone that make you feel happy?

Activity: Play happy music and ask the students to paint the feeling of being happy.

Activity Option for Older Students: Ask the students to form small groups and discuss a topic of interest that arose during the discussion.


Happiness Lesson
Words and Unicorns

Discuss:

• What do your friends say that make you happy?
• What do you like to hear?

Think about the following Reflection Point: When my words ?give flowers instead of thorns?, I create a happier world. Then ask:

• What kinds of words are like thorns?
• Can words hurt people or cause harm? (Yes.)

There is a child?s poem: Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me. An adult changed this to: Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words hurt forever inside. Ask:

• How do you feel when you hear a person hurt someone else?s feelings?
• What kinds of words would you like to hear around you?
• What do you say that gives happiness to others?

Unicorns

Tell the following story: 
?Today I have a short tale about unicorns. It is a participatory story, because I want you to use your imagination . . . One day, 30 (use the number of students in the classroom at the time) unicorns come to our school. We go outside, and a unicorn comes up to each one of us. You can imagine our surprise to see unicorns, and so many! These unicorns are silvery white and have large wings. They look very strong. Each unicorn holds out one wing so we can each have help climbing onto its back. Once each one of us is safely seated on the unicorn?s back, it starts to fly. Up we go! They fly to the place where they live ? they must know that we?ve been studying these values and there was one on happiness today. The unicorns decided to take us to a Land of Happiness. Well, when they start to land, we can see how beautiful it is . . . And there are all these students there, all your age! They come to welcome you! They are playing great music. And you join them in a picnic . . . Delicious food! . . . And then you play games . . . There are different kinds of games, so each one of you can join the one that you like to play . . . Afterwards you sit on the grass and talk. One of students of this land tells you that in their world they look at everyone like a beautiful flower. They see each one as more beautiful than the next . . . As you sit there, you experience that everyone has love for you and for each and every other person there . . . Then one of the students leans a little closer to you and whispers, ?I?m going to tell you another secret about happiness? . . . And then he or she tells you a secret of happiness . . . Only you hear this particular secret of happiness . . . What was whispered? . . . Then the unicorns tell us that it?s time to go, and they extend their wings again. The students wave goodbye to us as we fly off, and we wave goodbye to them. And, before you know it, we?re back at school again and sitting in these chairs.?

Discussion: Allow a few minutes for students to share their thoughts and images. Tell the students that the child who whispered to you said: The secret to being happy is ?Give happiness and take happiness, don?t give sorrow and take sorrow.? Ask: ?What does that mean??

Activity: Write a story on ?The Secrets of Happiness.? Perhaps draw or paint a picture to accompany the story.


Happiness Lesson
Talking to Myself

Build Concept: ?Talking to Myself? is an acknowledgment of the process that occurs within every individual. We all talk to ourselves with a silent voice. This is called self-talk or inner dialogue. In this unit on Happiness, this is an important aspect to think about, as self-talk can be positive or negative, encouraging or discouraging.

Discuss: ?Today, let?s think about the things we say to ourselves.? Ask:

• What do you say when you make a mistake?
• What tone of voice do you use when you say that?
• What do you say to yourself when you?re afraid that you?ll miss the ball during a ball game or fail a test?
• If you make a mistake, do you feel better if you call yourself ?Stupid,? or if you say, ?It?s okay to make a mistake; all I have to do is correct it?? There?s no need to feel angry or sad; mistakes are simply things through which we learn.
• Does it help if you get angry?
• What happens to your feelings when you say, ?I?ll never be able to do it? or ?I?ll never make it??
• Are the feelings different when you say, ?This is a bit scary, but I?ll do my best??

Say, ?Repeat the mistake rule with me, please: It?s okay to make a mistake; all I have to do is correct it.?

Make two columns on the board. Head one column with a sad face, the other with a happy face. Ask students to tell you what they say to themselves that makes them feel sad or unhappy and what they say or could say to themselves to make them feel glad or happy. Ask:

• What can you say to create a happier feeling when working on an assignment?
• When walking alone?
• What differences do you notice in the tone of voice you use with yourself when you say things to make you happy?
• When working with others cooperatively?
• When trying to understand something disappointing?

8-11 Activity: Write a note to yourself, giving yourself advice about how you should talk to yourself.

12-14 Activity: Think about the Reflection Point: When there is a feeling of hope, there is happiness. Write a note to yourself, giving yourself advice about how you should talk to yourself. Consider situations when it is best to be encouraging and tell yourself to persevere.

When working in a different subject area, the teacher might ask students about their inner dialogue. Continue to discuss this in a natural way, adding adaptive responses to the happy face list on the board.

At Home

• Ask yourself the questions listed in the What Makes Happiness? lesson.
   
• Review the Talking to Myself lesson. Think about your own self-talk. How we talk to ourselves is often how we talk to others. If we get angry at ourselves internally, we usually get angry with others quickly. Most people have a ?critical parent? inside and would benefit by developing a more understanding, supportive ?gentle parent? inside. Think of ?gentle parent? comments with a friend or partner. Note down the things you say to yourself over the next week.
   
• Play a happy game with your children at least every other day. Enjoy being humorous sometimes.
   
• Relax a few minutes before the older kids come home so you can be fresh and feel delighted to see them.
   
• Caregivers could share with children that giving good wishes is a way of giving happiness. When someone is having a hard time or when you hear news of violence, say, ?Let?s send good wishes to ______ together.?
   
• Talk with your children about what makes happiness. Ask them, ?What do you think? What was the secret in the ?Unicorns? story?? For a couple weeks, everyone can think about and share what gives happiness. Focus on inner happiness and happiness in relationships as opposed to materialism. Find a relaxing time each day for the family to share, perhaps during a meal or after dinner. Write down the thoughts. Then, do some of the fun suggestions that result.

Tell your children when you are proud of them.