Gaining happiness is a personal and lifelong endeavor. There are many ways to find it but how and why? I prefer to know the science behind happiness and why things are done biologically. Thankfully there is a free course available online to discover the what precisely causes the neurological change.
Coursera is offering a happiness course from Yale titled “The Science of Well-Being”
Coursera is an online learning program. It offers lots of certification courses for those with a busy schedule or free courses for general learning. End of high school or college does not mean end of learning. Learning is another lifelong endeavor to grow in.
“In this 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.”
Yale Online
This course has “a series of challenges designed to increase your own happiness and build more productive habits.” (Yale online).
Stats for The Science of Well-Being
- Professor: Laurie Santos
- Delivery: Available on Coursera
- Duration: 10 weeks (19 hours)
- Days classes are held: Self-decided. Whenever you want them!
- Fees: None! It’s free to anyone looking to learn
- Language: English
- Subtitles: Arabic, French, Ukrainian, Portuguese (European), Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Vietnamese, German, Russian, English, Spanish, Persian
- Credentials: Coursera Certificate
- The Science of Well Being was produced in part due to the generous funding of the David F. Swensen fund for innovation in teaching. Thank you David!
Summary of the course
Here’s a dive into the syllabus of the course. I highly recommend following through with the entirety of the course to learn it thoroughly at your own pace.
- Introduction to Happiness: Understanding the concept of happiness, common misconceptions, and how to measure well-being.
- The Psychology of Miswanting: Exploring why people often desire things that may not lead to lasting happiness.
- The Impact of Social Connections: Understanding the significance of social relationships and their influence on well-being.
- The Science of Gratitude: Examining the benefits of practicing gratitude and its impact on overall happiness.
- The Science of Kindness: Understanding the positive effects of being kind and compassionate to others.
- The Role of Mindfulness: Exploring mindfulness and meditation practices and their impact on mental well-being.
- The Art of Savoring: Learning how to appreciate positive experiences and savor life’s moments.
- Strategies for Cultivating Happiness: Identifying evidence-based strategies to enhance happiness and life satisfaction.
- Rewiring Your Mind: Understanding how to make better choices and change behavior for improved well-being.
- Putting Ideas into Practice: Practical exercises and real-life applications to integrate the course concepts into daily life.
Throughout the course, participants engage in various activities and assessments to better understand their own well-being and apply the principles taught in the course to lead happier and more fulfilling lives. The course places a strong emphasis on the science and research behind happiness, drawing from the field of positive psychology.
Thank you for looking to be Happy
I am not associated with Yale, the professor, nor being sponsored to discuss this course. I simply find it incredibly invigorating and thoughtful. It’s learning at your own pace but finishing it is a heartwarming thing to learn about and have pride in finalizing. I’ve discussed that happiness is never one and done before with an interview with Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar. Happiness truly is something to keep growing with.
Keep Learning and Growing,
Rachel McG
