Are you one of those people who always feel miserable about life? Do you know want to know how to be a happier person and enjoy life more? Well, you can ask a Yale University professor or any of her students.
Laurie Santos, a Yale University professor wanted to help students navigate stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues so she started a course this semester called “Psychology and the Good Life” … and got the biggest surprise of her life.
Over 1,200 students enrolled in the course so that they literally overflowed from the classroom. Their solution then was to simulcast the lectures around the campus.
This caused quite a stir with the curious media going after Santos for interviews about her happiness course.
Here are 6 happiness lessons from Santos that you can practice now:
1. Spend time and energy in the right way
2. Take time to express gratitude
3. Do something nice for somebody else and talk with others
4. Find some time to be mindful
5. Get plenty of exercise and sleep
6. Practice these happiness behaviors every day
via Yale’s most popular class teaches happiness: 6 lessons you can practice now
Santos thinks that money does not necessarily result in greater happiness, rather, it only produces more anxiety.
“There are a lot of misconceptions about what makes us happy, Santos told The Current’s Anna Maria Tremonti. The science suggests that the things we chase — higher salaries, good grades — actually increase anxiety and reduce well-being.” via The secret to happiness? Ask this Yale professor (and the 1,200 students taking her class)
Here’s a video with more information about Laura Santos’ class and how her students feel about it:
Is there a price to happiness?
Some people do not necessarily agree with what Santos and her students think happiness is. An article published in Forbes.com suggests that money can, in fact, buy happiness, at least according to a recent study.
A section in the article says: “It’s true that you’d be happier if you just made a little more cash.”
Here’s the whole explanation on why they put a price on happiness:
“The income at which individuals experience peak satisfaction with their lives has been determined, and it’s $95,000. If you want to settle for just emotional well-being, say psychologists from Purdue University and the University of Virginia, you can aim lower: between $65,000 to $75,000.
“What’s interesting is that once individuals surpassed $95,000 in income, their satisfaction actually started to fall back down. Why? The researchers’ guess is that once your “optimal point of need” is met — that is, you make enough to cover your basic needs, pay down debt and afford certain conveniences without breaking the bank — your focus shifts to material gain and social comparisons, which doesn’t do anyone any good.” via This is the New Price of Happiness
Dan Buettner, a New York Times bestselling author of the Blue Zone books and a National Geographic fellow may not necessarily agree with the thought of putting a price on happiness. He believes that the secret to happiness boils down to three things: pleasure, pride, and purpose … and that it’s not only how you live but where you live.
Here’s the whole video of Buettner’s interview with Megyn Kelly on Today:
The truth is, we cannot really say what would make someone happy. Happiness varies from person to person.
Maybe for a lot of people, it might be a combination of money and the things that Buettner and Santos believe to be the secret to happiness. For others, it might be experiencing less stress and anxiety.
What makes a person happy depends on their own individual experiences.
At Delta Discovery Center, all of our offerings are developed to help people deal with stress, anxiety, and trauma. Anyone who has been through these would understand how important it is to have someone who can teach you how to be a happy person and enjoy life more.
Now, do you still feel like you need more tips on how to be a happier person and enjoy life more? We have more great suggestions in this article about increasing happiness.
