52 Weeks of Happier Homeschooling Week 9: Act the Way You Want to Feel
Act the way you want to feel is the third commandment in Gretchen Rubin’s happiness project, and it’s a surprisingly effective way to make your homeschool life a happier place.
Science suggests that there’s a strong correlation between how we act and what we feel: Act friendly when you’re feeling shy or nervous at a party, and you’re more likely to have a good time. Acting confident and in control at work can make you actually feel confident and in control. So put this handy fact to work in your homeschool: Do you want your homeschool to feel more like an intellectually curious place? Start asking more questions, hit the library to dig a little deeper, and generally act the way an intellectually curious person would act. Or maybe you wish your homeschool felt more relaxed. Act more relaxed yourself—slow down your pace, take breaks when things start to feel hectic, and say no to extra projects and activities. If you want your homeschool to feel like a warm, happy place, smile more and act the way you act when you feel happy.
Of course, these things won’t magically change your homeschool, but you may be surprised by what a big difference it can make when you act the way you want your homeschool to feel. Changing your attitude (even if it starts out with you cheating it a little bit) can change your homeschool for the better, too.
