“I asked a group of 6-year-olds, ‘How can adults become happy?’
Take some notes.
Rory – ‘Don’t think about clowns.’ This is more preemptive advice. You won’t become happy by doing this but you might not be so scared. Perhaps the secret to a more happy life is just not thinking about scary stuff. They do say ignorance is bliss. For Rory, it seems to work.
JJ – ‘Buried treasure.’ In a metaphorical sense, your buried treasure could be anything. Those desires you’ve buried and thought were unreachable. Though I’m sure JJ is talking about finding a map, getting a crew of scallywags, and genuinely sailing to find gold in a big chest.
Jack – ‘Don’t cry when you don’t need to cry.’ Under the surface, this is great advice. Understanding what actually matters and worrying about things uncontrollable seems ridiculous. Obviously, we are not as amazing as Jack. Keep your head up and be kind to yourself. It will pass.
Ravi – ‘Find something you love.’ The kid is my happiness. He brings me joy and wisdom in otherwise troubling times. He believes the key to happiness is a passion but he’s not naive to think life will always be happy. It’s about ebb and flow. Ying and Yang. Ant and Dec. Wise boy.
Lola – ‘Smile at ducks.’ As far as I’m aware, there has been no scientific evidence that proves smiling at ducks doesn’t create dopamine in the brain. It would be wise to follow Lola’s instructions. Who knows perhaps they smile back. Lola enjoys ducks and life. Take her advice.
Toby – ‘Dancing lessons.’ Being in tune with your mind is becoming an increasingly important topic and rightly so. Let’s not forget your body. Learning how best to move your bag of meat might be the key to finding some happiness in this life. Toby’s style of choice is breakdance.
Emma – ‘Painting makes me happy.’ I’m not sure if this will help you. However, it’s always worth trying new things and exploring. Never lose the spirit of curiosity. Emma finds her happy with a paintbrush in her hand. Being at one with the canvas is where she feels at home.
Belle – ‘My dad goes fishing.’ Belle’s dad finds his happiness while sitting by a tranquil lake with nothing but the rippling water and the bubbling of a cold beer. It’s a nice contrast to going home and Belle singing The Greatest Showman at full volume. He probably needs alone time.
Mickey – ‘Pasty.’ I did want him to give more information, but he was reluctant to give any. Perhaps this is more of a riddle. I’m sure the West Country folk agree. A fluffy, potato-y, warm delight might not bring you complete happiness, but it stops the world for just a second.
Zahra – ‘Hug things with floppy ears.’ This stretches everything from rabbits, dogs, sheep, cows, and donkeys. Please don’t go hugging urban foxes. It’s not safe! Zahra is a firm believer that the floppier the ear the more happiness you will get. Try it and let me know the results.
Susanna – ‘Eat apples.’ Crunchy, sweet, and fruity. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, and I’m sure your doctor would be happy with less stress. So perhaps this is more about making your doctor happy. So if you care about the NHS. Eat apples! Also, it’s a healthy snack which is cool.
*Bonus* – Callum (age 15) – ‘Remember that everyone will die anyway so it’s calm. Not that serious.’ Children are filled with such innocent wonder and merriment. To quote My Chemical Romance, ‘Teenagers scare the living sh*t out of me.’ It’s bleak, but he’s not wrong, I guess.
Quote of the week comes from Willow aged 6 – ‘I like to learn, but I also like to keep my brain empty.'”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by George Pointon. You can follow his journey on Twitter. Submit your own story here, and be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories and YouTube for our best videos.
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