Page 72 - Tree of Happiness

Worksheet
Was the “Tree of Happiness” really magical? In a sense it really was. How many of us are willing to do all the things we need to do to be happy and successful? In her efforts to complete the Elf’s “Tasks” to get into the “Tree,” our Queen rid herself of all her Wizard Beliefs and learned many skills. Through this process, she achieved “happiness.”
Most of us, even children, have our personal “Elves.” They are Good Thinking self- messages such as “You know you need to study,” “Mom is not being mean, you know that is your job,” “Don’t eat that piece of cake before supper” and on and on. But too often, we ignore our good Elf messages because we don’t have the ability to see the long term benefit (the Tree of Happiness). If we could just see the future we all would (study harder, be nicer, loose weight) but that is not how it happens in reality.
Part of the value of this story and this page in the worksheets is the ability to help your children recognize that everyone can have their own “Tree of Happiness .” It is not a magical place but rather a “frame of mind” that uses Good Thinking to “see” into the future and to recognize what you have to do to acquire the success and happiness that is the Tree of Happiness.
It is a goal or goals that you reevaluate and change as life progresses. It can include making a team, better grades and getting along with siblings. Later it can include getting into college, the type of job you want, being physically fit and so on. It is not a static plan but one that changes and evolves as you grow. Something of immense importance today may become so common to you that it becomes secondary. Something unimportant today may be of utmost importance to you in the future.
The point of the final question is to get your children thinking about what they have to do to get their own Tree of Happiness. It is not about luck or what others may or may not do for you. We need to be thinking about what needs to be happening and then planning around those things that you can control. It is really about taking the personal responsibility to achieve your own Tree of Happiness.
1. What did the Queen say to the Elf when he asked her if she was still unhappy? She said that she was now very happy.
2. What had changed in the life of the Queen to allow her to be happy?
She had gotten rid of all the things that were worrying her when she first met the Elf.
3. How had the Queen’s thinking changed?
She now thought that she was smart and that she could make friends and face dragons and be happy.
4. Is it possible for everybody to have their own “Tree of Happiness?” Yes, if we change our Stinky Thinking to Good Thinking.
5. How would you go about getting your own “Tree of Happiness?”
(Use your Good Thinking to come up with what you want to have or accomplish. Then come up with how you can get there and do it.)
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