Happiness Charlie Brown Style
What is happiness Charlie Brown style?
Created by cartoonist Charles Schultz, Charlie Brown is the wishy-washy child hero of the newspaper comic strip “Peanuts”. Charlie is a lovable loser, who explores everything from the mundane to the meaning of life, with his group of equally lovable friends.
Funny, cute, moving but often deep, Shultz injected a heavy dose of realism into his cartoon creation Charlie Brown. Charlie Brown “wins your heart with his losing ways”, often verbalizing what we actually feel or how we really react to life.
We thought it was worth including some happiness, Charlie Brown style. Quotes to enjoy and think about, because out of the mouths of babes…
Happiness Charlie Brown Style: Uncovering What We Really Think?
Happiness Charlie Brown style or not, it just wouldn’t be Charlie Brown if we didn’t start with the negatives! What stops us being happy? Here are some quotes that perhaps reveal what we sometimes really think.
- “I’ve developed a new philosophy . . . I only dread one day at a time.”
- “That’s the secret to life . . . replace one worry with another.”
- “Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, “Where have I gone wrong?” Then a voice says to me, “This is going to take more than one night.”
- “This is my depressed stance. When you’re depressed, it makes a lot of difference how you stand. The worst thing you can do is straighten up and hold your head high because then you’ll start to feel better. If you’re going to get any joy out of being depressed, you’ve got to stand like this.”
Perhaps Robert Anthony best expresses a common human tendency:
“Most people would rather be certain they’re miserable, than risk being happy.”
Happiness Charlie Brown Style: Managing Problems
Linus: If you have some problem in your life, do you believe you should try to solve it right away or think about it for a hile?
Charlie Brown: Oh, think about it, by all means! I believe you should think about it for awhile.
Linus: To give yourself time to do the right thing about the problem?
Charlie Brown: No, to give it time to go away!
In certain situations this may be just the case, some problems do go away. However this is perhaps not the approach to adopt as a default! Yet often, if you’re feeling stressed, it is easy to make problems seem worse than they are.
As Richard Carlson suggests: “Often we allow ourselves to get worked up about things that, upon closer examination, aren’t really that big a deal.” Maybe Charlie and Linus read his book: Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff….and It’s All Small Stuff.”
Being honest and facing up to our problems is a good idea – but trying to understand them is just as important…
Lucy: Look at those stupid bugs! They don’t have the slightest idea as to what is going on in this world.
Charlie Brown: What is going on in this world?
Lucy: I don’t have the slightest idea!
If this is you, try asking the right questions to find out what the problems really are. Then, make sure you don’t shy away from the reality. Just “not turning up” is almost certainly not the right answer….
Lucy: Hey manager! As team spokesman I’ve been requested to ask you for more time off.
Charlie Brown: What sort of time off would you like?
Lucy: We prefer not to show up for games.
Happiness Charlie Brown Style: Just Making Others Happy?
Linus: What would you say you want most out of life, Charlie Brown? To be happy?
Charlie Brown: Oh, no. I don’t expect that. I really don’t. I just don’t want to be unhappy!
Lucy: Why do you think we’re put here on earth Charlie Brown?
Charlie Brown: To make others happy.
Lucy: I don’t think I’m making anyone very happy. Of course nobody’s making me very happy either. SOMEBODY’S NOT DOING HIS JOB!
Like we said, out of the mouths of babes! Of course, we did also say it pays to have an enquiring mind…
Lucy: I’m intrigued by this view you have on the purpose of life.
Charlie Brown: You say we’re put on this earth to make others happy? … What are the others put here for?
Finally, it seems Snoopy hasn’t read much of what we’ve been saying about authentic happiness. Well, we do like to encourage a counter-intuitive approach to managing. Perhaps this is what’s meant by a dog’s life…
Snoopy: My life has no purpose. My life has no direction, no aim, no meaning. And yet I’m happy. I can’t figure it out! What am I doing right?
Is happiness Charlie Brown style, just making others happy? He seems to think so…
“Happiness is anyone and anything that’s loved by you.”
Workplace well-being resources
For more resources on this topic, take a look at our great-value guides. These include some excellent tools to help your personal development plan. The best-value approach is to buy our Workplace Well-being bundle, available from the store.
We’ve bundled together these five e-guides at half the normal price! Read the guides in this order, and use the tools in each, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving your personal development plan. (6 pdf guides, 138 pages, 24 tools, for half price!)
Have a Good Workday (16 pages, 4 tools)
How to be a Happy Manager (15 tips with action checklists)
Workstyle, Lifestyle (31 pages, 5 tools)
Managers Make the Difference (27 pages, 5 tools)
Managing from Strength to Strength (22 pages, 5 tools)
Making Change Personal (22 pages, 5 tools)
