I’ve been offered a free ticket to the Mind, Body, Spirit Conference in a couple of weeks. And part of the “free” is to participate in some happiness habits.

Not a bad deal!

And since I’m all about the happy, and all about the math, I’m going to do happiness habits in MATH!

What are Happiness Habits?

Great question. That was my first question, too.

I mean, obviously it has something to do with being happy. Duh. But what else? And how do you create a happiness habit?

Luckily I just listened to the audio book of Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit. So I know a couple of things about habits.

Definition: A habit is a repeatable action performed automatically.

To create a habit from an action, the action must be repeatable and have a trigger (something that reminds you to do it).

For that habit to be a happiness habit, it must also positively impact at least one person, and not negatively impact anyone.

For example today’s Happiness Habit is to use puns and rhymes to make people smile.

I’ve used a picture of a nun in a habit saying “I’m a fun pun nun.”

This pun might not actually make you smile. (It might make you wonder why you’re reading such a corny blog.)

But it won’t anger you or make you sad.

But it does make me smile.

Is it a Happiness Habit?

1. I can repeat it (anyone gotta peanut…).
2. It’s triggered by objects or situations in my surroundings or in my head.
3. It has a positive impact on me (and hopefully others, but not always).
4. It doesn’t have a negative impact on others. (I don’t intend it to. Please tell me if I do something yucky.)

So yes – it’s officially the first of the Math #HappinessHabits!

What’s it got to do with Math?!

Ah… yes. We are on a math blog, aren’t we?

Try creating some happiness habits that are triggered by math homework or involve math. You’ll notice your world get calmer and happier when it’s time for your kids to do math.

Not sure what to use? No problem. I’ve got you covered. Here are three of my favorite puns:

1. Why is 6 afraid of 7? Because 7, 8, 9. (Seven ate nine.)
2. What do you get if you divide the circumference of a pumpkin by its diameter? Pumpkin π
3. To remember that complementary angles add up to 90° (a right angle): He was so right when he complimented my good looks!

And here’s my all time favorite rhyme, a limerick about π:

It’s a favorite habit of mine
A new value of π to assign
I’d fix it at 3
For it’s easier you see
Than 3.14159

Your turn…

How about it? Will you create some #HappinessHabits? Will they be for math homework time?

Share them in the comments, on Twitter or on Facebook. Even if they’re not for math!

You might also like:

• Empowering Parents – A New Community to Promote Happy Homework Time
• 10 Math Words to Use Over the Holidays (And a Few Bad Puns)
• Why Students Cheat – And Why It’s Okay
• Pi Day Videos – Song & Limerick

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