Lessons from Children: 5 Things All Happy Women Do

I was reading a great featured blog post this morning by Francesca at SITSGirls about the 5 Things All Happy Women Do.  Her list was her following (summarized):

1. Connect with others

2. Take Time for yourself

3. Exercise Regularly

4. Sleep Regularly

5. Follow your Passion

And, it got me thinking...

We all start our lives as children doing these five simple things.  Why don't we continue doing them as we grow up?  When do we stop?  Who says we have to stop?  Why have other women already figured this out and appear happier than I regularly?  Are they really happier than I?

Photo license:  Some rights reserved

Take children for example.  They always seem so happy and content, except when being told No, but that's another post for another day.  They spend their days doing every single one of those on the list with gusto.  They don't know what real responsibilities are yet, but they don't care either.  They haven't let keeping up with the Jone's wear on their every split-end trestle.  Instead they make the best of the day and of the situation.  We could learn a lot from them and follow their example.

I remember seeing a show once where the kids wanted to switch places with the adults.  And as they got older, they got more kid like and less adult like.  The kids thought it was great at first to drive and have all the money, but then came the bills and parenting their parents.  That wasn't so much fun after all.  Sure the movie helped the children respect their parents more when their world returned to normal, but the greater lesson here.  The grass isn't always greener and we should follow their lead by living in the moment and seizing the day.

In Lysa TerKeurst's book, Unglued, she mentions that we can't change the past. We can only move on and make the best of right now.  One of her thoughts, 

"While feeling unglued is all I've really known, today my life can be different." 

I have resembled that unglued life daily for many years, but today I'm going to take a lesson from my kids, Francesca and Lysa.  Today, I'm going to connect with others. Today I'm going to take time for myself, those piggies aren't going to pain themselves. Today I'm going to exercise, okay maybe just a lite walk.  Today I'm going to sleep. And today I'm going to follow my passion.

Photo license:  Some rights reserved

What are you going to do today?  Will you play like a kid?  Will you lick the spoon after you mix the cake batter?  Will you take a peaceful bubble bath?

You can read a sample chapter of Lysa's book here.