The Happy Stick: A Fun Mindfulness Activity to Help Refocus Negativity Parenting Motherhood

What started out as an ordinary paper towel roll turned into a focus on happy thoughts and better days in my home. Since the days my sons were born I've made it my mission to always help them see the brighter side of things. I want them to always focus on the positive things and don't fuel the negatives.

My boys are young men now, but when they were little there were times in our home when I couldn't control negative energy. It fueled itself and I couldn't stop it. What I could do was refocus our energy. 

I would put a regular roll of paper towels in the room. It was our focal point. The boys and I would understand that this ridiculous roll of paper towels represented funny thoughts, silly songs and happier times. It was just between us. Just seeing the roll of paper towels changed our mindset. It was as if the negative energy didn't exist. We paid it no attention. All we would focus on was the roll of paper towels. It made us smile and even giggle at the silly notion of what it represented. It was our appropriately named Happy Stick.

I had shared our story with a friend of mine. She loved it and decided to create something visually inspiring, too. The ordinary paper towel roll became a beautiful sparkly burst of colorful tissue paper and pipe cleaners. It was so creative and inspired happiness.

After a few years we no longer needed to see the Happy Stick to find our inner joy and peace. We trained our minds.

The Happy Stick remains in my bedroom closet. It's a reminder that there is always good out there when you look for it.

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