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Braunschweig, February 10, 2026 – Forget positive thinking; happiness isn’t something you *find*—it’s a skill you can actively cultivate, and the earlier you start, the better. That’s the surprising conclusion of educational psychologist Tobias Rahm, who believes we can train ourselves, and our children, to be happier.
Can Happiness Really Be Learned?
Rahm, from the Institute for Educational Psychology at the TU Braunschweig, told the “Berliner Morgenpost” that happiness isn’t a matter of luck, but a practice. But how do you teach someone to be happy? It starts with reflection, he says—a deliberate focus on what truly brings joy and a realistic assessment of what doesn’t.
“Happiness means having good feelings and being able to deal well with negative feelings,” Rahm explained. “But happiness also means having a positive assessment of life and living in an environment in which I can develop my potential.”
How to Practice Happiness with Children
Parents wield significant influence over their children’s emotional development, and that influence can be harnessed to foster happiness. Characteristics like resilience and a secure attachment style are largely shaped by parental guidance, meaning we can actively train happiness alongside our kids. Rahm suggests a few simple strategies:
- Consider with your children what happiness means to each of you, both individually and as a family.
- In the evenings, share the positive experiences of your day and ask your children about theirs.
- Create a “treasure chest” filled with mementos—photos, letters, souvenirs—that evoke happy memories.
- Embark on “dream trips,” even if only in imagination, to places that bring joy and comfort.
Happiness as a School Project
Rahm, along with a colleague, recently launched “Happiness Competence,” a school project implemented in primary schools in Braunschweig. Over three months, students participated in eleven hours of happiness-focused lessons. They explored the nature of happiness, identified what makes them feel good, and even learned about neuronal plasticity—the brain’s ability to rewire itself.
“If I focus my attention on the feeling of good feelings and explore this more often, it is easier for our brain to reactivate these pathways and feel this feeling again,” Rahm said. He believes integrating happiness lessons into primary school curricula could have a profoundly positive impact on children’s lives, extending far beyond the classroom.
Ultimately, parents can lay the groundwork for a lifetime of well-being by prioritizing happiness in childhood.
