Achieving Happiness With Your Family Life
If you would like to redefine your family as being one that is close-knit, intimate and happy with each other, then you may need to take action now before it is too late.
So many families drift apart until the members are virtual strangers to one another, and that is a real shame because you lose the opportunity to build a loving support system for one another.
Whether you live under the same roof, or are trying to unify family members who are far-flung, the principles for creating happiness with your family life are basically the same.
Start with understanding that it's going to take a shake-up to jolt everyone out of their rut.
Right now, people may be used to coming and going at their own schedule without consulting anyone else.
Each person has their own phone, friends and activities.
Perhaps you have attempted a family get-together in the past that fell flat because you couldn't get everyone to agree on a time and location.
Remember that you can't expect people to give up the freedoms they now enjoy to spend time with the rest of the family unless there is going to be a payoff for them.
Although you may resent the fact that you seem to be the only one who cares about family unity, realize that the situation is what it is and you need to work with the tools at hand.
If most members of the family enjoy sports and physical activities, don't think you can entice them into family harmony with an evening by the fire and a sing-a-long.
Take a look at the personalities involved and respect the individuals who are branches of this family tree.
Open a discussion about what everyone would like to see happen.
If you avoid the natural desire to take charge and make sure it is a democratic discussion, then you'll invite everyone, no matter what their age, to participate in defining what the family could and should become.
Ask open-ended questions to get the conversation going.
You may find it helpful, if appropriate, to send out a group email to all concerned and ask everyone to define "happy family" and make suggestions for activities the whole family can get involved with.
If you want to achieve family happiness, understand that you will not be able to wave a magic wand and have instant results.
However, with loving persistence, you should soon be able to see the results of your efforts and enjoy a new sense of family harmony.
So many families drift apart until the members are virtual strangers to one another, and that is a real shame because you lose the opportunity to build a loving support system for one another.
Whether you live under the same roof, or are trying to unify family members who are far-flung, the principles for creating happiness with your family life are basically the same.
Start with understanding that it's going to take a shake-up to jolt everyone out of their rut.
Right now, people may be used to coming and going at their own schedule without consulting anyone else.
Each person has their own phone, friends and activities.
Perhaps you have attempted a family get-together in the past that fell flat because you couldn't get everyone to agree on a time and location.
Remember that you can't expect people to give up the freedoms they now enjoy to spend time with the rest of the family unless there is going to be a payoff for them.
Although you may resent the fact that you seem to be the only one who cares about family unity, realize that the situation is what it is and you need to work with the tools at hand.
If most members of the family enjoy sports and physical activities, don't think you can entice them into family harmony with an evening by the fire and a sing-a-long.
Take a look at the personalities involved and respect the individuals who are branches of this family tree.
Open a discussion about what everyone would like to see happen.
If you avoid the natural desire to take charge and make sure it is a democratic discussion, then you'll invite everyone, no matter what their age, to participate in defining what the family could and should become.
Ask open-ended questions to get the conversation going.
You may find it helpful, if appropriate, to send out a group email to all concerned and ask everyone to define "happy family" and make suggestions for activities the whole family can get involved with.
If you want to achieve family happiness, understand that you will not be able to wave a magic wand and have instant results.
However, with loving persistence, you should soon be able to see the results of your efforts and enjoy a new sense of family harmony.
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