The Science of Happiness

 I’m taking my Girl Scouts on a 20 mile hike at the end of June. I thought it might be nice to give each girl a disposable camera and a notebook so she can take some pictures and journal or sketch along the trail. Then I wondered if she could earn a badge for this.  I checked out the requirements for several badges and discovered the Science of Happiness Badge would fit perfectly.  Here are some of the activities they will be doing:

 

    1.  Gratitude Log—the girls will write down things they are grateful for or the things that made them “stop to smell the roses” each day.   The badge pamphlet says that people who acknowledge their blessings are a happier than those who do not.

   2.Thinking Differently about happiness-- Sometimes you can’t change what happens in your day, but you can change how you react to it. The girls will try to find the good side to each situation that day. Scientists say that people who stay positive, or are “optimistic,” are happier, even if more bad things happen to them.

   3. Getting Happy through Others—I’ll encourage the girls to try to help each other along the way. The pamphlet says that a good way for you to be happy on the inside is to care about others and focus on relationships with people on the outside.  

 

It seems to me that this Girl Scout badge teaches gratitude, hope and service.  These are the same things the Church has been teaching us since the beginning!

 

    1.  Gratitude-- Pg 192 of the Family Home Evening Manual states “An increased spirit of gratitude will bring increased joy into our lives.”  

    2.  Hope-- Alma 34:41, “But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions.” 

    3. Service-- President George Albert Smith said of ministering to others: “Our eternal happiness will be in proportion to the way that we devote ourselves to helping others."

 

It’s kind of fun to see how science and religion match up!  I challenge you to try one of the activities from the Girl Scout Pamphlet and see if you can increase your happiness!  

 

Thanks,
Elise Simbeck

Arlington State Primary Presidency

First Counselor