8 Ways to Live a Happy Life, According to a 6-Year-Old

8 Ways to Live a Happy Life, According to a 6-Year-Old
8 Ways to Live a Happy Life, According to a 6-Year-Old

My 6-year-old is the happiest kid. From the moment he wakes up smiling to the moment he drifts off to sleep in full grin, you can find him singing, dancing, and engaged in general merriment.


The kid can't help it. He was born chased-down-by-rainbows-and-sunbeams happy. Sure, he has moments of sadness, anger, and frustration like everyone else, but those moments are the rare exception to the rule that my son is, in fact, a real life Buddy the Elf.

Spreading smiles and warming hearts is what this kid has always done best. If there was ever a calling placed on his life, it would have to involve the spreading of contagious joy.

If you've ever wished for even an ounce of this kind of soul-consuming cheer, you're not alone.

Take a look at BooBoo's very own 8-step guide to personal happiness because happy just feels good.

1. Have fun
It's fun to have fun and when you have fun, you're happy. Play with your brother and friends - all of them. Play games that you like to play, but make sure you have all the [game] pieces first because if you don't, that's not fun. Go on adventures, like to the rainforest, going in a helicopter, playing with dogs and cats, and riding a skateboard (but only with a helmet).

2. Be with your friends and family
Pretty much visit them all the time. Don't miss school or else you won't get to see your friends. Eat chips and drink Capri Sun with them if it's OK. And go swimming or stay up late.

Related: 10 ways to be a happier person for life

3. Be healthy
Eat an apple a day and make sure your mom buys the good ones that aren't squishy. Drink water. Don't share germs (cough and sneeze into your elbow). Exercise two hours a day and do a lot of push-ups. Sleep 11 hours a day. Brush your teeth for 2-3 minutes. Shower good and put shampoo on your head.

4. Help people
Helping people makes you happy because it feels like you're doing the right thing and God likes that. If there's an old man or lady walking across the street, you're supposed to help them or carry their stuff because they're slow. If one of your friends is walking home from school and their house is far away, you should ask your mom to give them a drive. Remind your friends to write their name on their papers at school and help tie their shoes when you know how and they don't.

5. Be nice
When you're nice to people, they're sometimes nice back, and if they're not, that's OK because you were still nice. Sharing is being nice too. If someone doesn't have the right crayon and you do, you should share it with them but they shouldn't hog it.

6. Give to people
Giving people stuff feels good, especially when it's something they really want, like the cookies in your lunch or a cool pencil. Give people the stuff on their birthday list too so they'll like the present and play with it.

7. Get more friends
Friends are good because they help and make you laugh and have fun. On the first day of school, you should at least try to make a couple new friends. It can be hard to remember all their names, but you should still try. I have a lot of friends because I'm nice. I think I might have the most friends in the entire school.

8. Be really good at something

Pick something you like and be really good at it. I'm really good at drawing dinosaurs, and I'm a little bit famous about it. My friends and teacher always like to see me draw them, and I give away the pictures because people like them. That makes me feel good. You can be good at a lot of stuff, like sports, dancing, my brother is a good eater, my dad is a good bike rider. Just do something good and do it a lot because that will make you happy.

Photo source: Lori Garcia

-By Lori Garcia

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