Art of Friendship Social-Coping Tip # 6: Self-Determination: Take Your Road to Happiness
Life boils down to a series of decisions. All day long, people have hundreds of choices to make. Minor decisions might be “Am I in the mood for chocolate or vanilla?” Major decisions might be, “Should I accept the fact that I can’t make my peer adopt my point of view and instead try to constructively negotiate a compromise?” or “Should I take a risk and give up a little free time and ask this teacher for extra help?”
Here are the main points from the ROAD TO HAPPINESS lesson:
You are faced with the choice: Do I take the ROAD TO HAPPINESS or the road to SADNESS, ANGER, OR FAILURE? (intentionally dramatic to make a point).
Which ROAD would you prefer to take? How do you know how to make a good decision for yourself?
“Decision Point” is the fork in the road (see the image), your moment of decision. At the decision point you must “STOP AND THINK.”
When you STOP AND THINK, you should ask yourself “WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I DO ___________?” It is difficult for students to anticipate the future. This predictive question is one that your child must practice, practice, practice, and master.
After you predict the positive outcome – DO IT!
Onward and upward! --Mike