As adults we
strengthen our families, communities, and nations by assisting the rising
generation prepare for life. There are
many ways we can assist in this preparation, but the most important way is to
teach our children and youth how to be happy.
I believe that most of us have been guilty at one time or another of
asking a child, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Maybe we are still trying to decide what WE want
to be when we grow up!
In either case, we can learn
much from the answer given by a thirteen-year-old gave in his TED talk. He obviously knew more about life than most
youth his age as well as many adults.
His answer was, “When I grow up, I want to be happy and healthy.” He then proceeded to list eight Therapeutic
Lifestyle Changes (TLF) taught by Dr. Roger Walsh, an expert on how to be happy
and healthy. The young man is already
applying these TLF’s in his own life:
(1) exercise, (2) diet and nutrition, (3) time in nature, (4)
contribution and service, (5) relationships, (6) recreation, (7) relaxation and
stress management, and (8) religious and spiritual. How are you doing in these eight areas? Which area makes you the happiest?
We must encourage the rising
generation to follow their dreams. It
does not matter how much money, power, prestige, etc. that comes from a career
if we do not enjoy what we are doing.
When we are doing something we enjoy doing, time flies; when we are
doing something we do not enjoy, time drags.
There is nothing like time dragging by to make us unhappy! We must help our young people to get to know
themselves. They need to know what
talents and skills they have and how to apply them to a career.
When our rising generation
reaches for their dreams, are they reaching for money or glory or are reaching
for happiness and good health? We can strengthen our families, communities, and
nations by teaching the rising generation how to follow their dreams to
happiness and good health.
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