I was delighted to spend time sharing and working with the committed staff at the beautiful Wahroonga Public School. A feature of the implementation is their organization and planning. After completing training in Choice Theory, the leadership group successfully applied this model with Judy Hatswell and her team. After a full day whole staff workshop, we spent a productive morning creating a mind map to support all staff and the community as we begin delivering the program from the start of the next school year. It provides a great model for implementing any new curriculum program — a special shout-out to Alison and the leadership team at Wahroonga Public School.

In a recent 4-day workshop with the leadership group at Crest Secondary School in Singapore, we explored the mindsets and mottos that we use to create a happy life.

Let me share some of these affirmations with you.

Each one is inspiring and provides a mindset which creates a happy and effective school community.

Reflect on each one for one minute, and you will be inspired too! Then, create your own life motto and put it on your phone or computer screen to remind yourself.

• I celebrate what’s right with the world
• I enjoy every moment
• I feel good, think good, do good
• I see the good in every situation
• I experience the richness of life and do my best
• Everything in life is temporary: keep breathing!
• Do or do not: there is no try
• Be content: spend and enjoy within your means
• I fulfil my responsibilities while having fun
• Growing happily together
• I am in charge of how I feel, and I choose to be positive
• I enjoy my family and I support others along the way
• Make the world a better place through kindness, competence, purpose and love
• Think positively and act responsibly
• Take things slow, prioritize and enjoy the process
• All things shall pass. Learn from them and hang on
• I am making a difference to those who pass by
• You are not what you say: you are what you do
• We have enough, I’m good enough, and that’s OK

The founder of Choice Theory/Reality Therapy, Dr Glasser, reminds us that when we learn that we have choices, choosing misery also becomes a choice. That is why we teach our children the empowering Get Happier psychology of choice, and the mindsets to create a happy, resilient and responsible life.

10 powerful affirmation and problem solving posters that provide a reference for students to use effective mindsets to reflect and problem solve with a little support from their teachers. Each behaviour incident becomes an opportunity to problem solve and be creative within the boundaries of the Open Roads.

The dragsters introduce these posters as an extension of the Get Happier School curriculum, where the affirmations and wellbeing is taught through games, activities and stories.

All behaviours include Actions and Thoughts, which create our Emotional state. The posters show some key thinking patterns that inspire positive and constructive emotions and actions. They are categorised under the seven Open Road habits for happiness.

The Open Road Thoughts contain the growth mindsets and affirmations that increase happiness, resilience and wellbeing, and improve relationships.

As children learn and practice these new mindsets, they begin to think their way to a better life, using empowering and positive thoughts that give them the confidence to tackle challenges and enjoy life.

At the request of a number of schools, I am preparing a new eBook to support schools to use the Get Happier materials and resources to transition to a more internal control, self-management behavior program.

If you have any ideas you want to share, about any aspect of your school, don’t hesitate to contact me. I know many schools are adapting and extending the ideas in exciting ways to meet the needs of their community.

Get Happier schools in Australia will be excited to attend the National Conference of Glasser Australia in September. Staff from 2 Get Happier schools will be sharing in workshops to demonstrate how they are implementing the program in their schools. You will discover how valuable this sharing of information can be if you register for the conference at the Gold Coast. 
glasseraustralia.com.au/events/conferences/glasser-australia-conference-2022/

I am also presenting a keynote address about the Get Happier School project, so this is a great opportunity to meet, hear and share some of the amazing and creative ideas that are being added to the program. Do come along if you can, and enjoy a few days on the beautiful Gold Coast at an inspiring conference with like minded people.