I think we can all agree that we're in search of the same things...love, life and happiness. We have life and we know because we're breathing and while love isn't hard to find the harder feat is keeping it. Happiness is the thing that I feel we all struggle with at one point or another, but what exactly is happiness? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary happiness is a noun and means a state of well being or contentment or a pleasurable or satisfying experience. Have you ever asked someone randomly in conversation,"Are you happy?" If they have, you will notice there are very few people who say yes without blinking. Most of the time there's always a slight hesitation to say yes wholeheartedly. So,where do the very small group of people who claim they're happy find the happiness they have?
While I feel like I somewhat have a formula on how I got there and how to keep that I wondered if there was a way to learn how to get happy and stay there. Psychology professor Laurie Santos at Yale has seemly cracked the code with her new class.
At this point in my life whenever I'm asked about my level of happiness I can truly say that I'm happy. I feel happiness is something that can be found within ourselves. It is not totally dependent on external factors, but rather on our own thoughts, feelings, and actions. It requires us to take a step back and appreciate the little moments in life, savor the moments of joy, be kind to ourselves and others, and take time to reflect on our lives and the positive things that we have. It is important to recognize that happiness is not a destination, but rather a journey that we can all embark on.
While I feel like I somewhat have a formula on how I got there and how to keep it all it took was a Time magazine story focusing on beating burnout to catch my attention. The story was titled, "She's a Happiness Professor. Her Lessons Are Helping Beat Burnout". Knowing burnout is a real thing from life's experience, I was interested in seeing what techniques or practices Professor Laurie Santos could offer. I decided to take Yale's The Science of Well Being online. The description states that, "In the course you will engage in a series of challenges designed to increase your own happiness and build more productive habits. As preparation for these tasks, Professor Laurie Santos reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind that lead us to think the way we do, and the research that can help us change. You will ultimately be prepared to successfully incorporate a specific wellness activity into your life." Because I just began the course I can't give you a full review, but what I can tell you is that based on the beginning assessments that I've taken for the course I'm definitely learning a thing or two about my strengths and what my happiness numbers are. The class is a 10 week virtual class.
If you're interested taking this course you can visit Coursera.com to take the course for free.