Week 5 — What actually makes us happy?

• Meditation is a proven intervention to support wellbeing. Meditation can take many forms. The essence is you are intentionally bringing your attention back to the present moment again and again. When your awareness wanders into thoughts or distraction you bring it back. It is an exercise in awareness of the present moment: practicing to be where your feet are. Research has found an association between meditation and…
  • Increased grey matter
  • Increased positive emotion
  • Better test scores
  • More social connection
• Using your strengths — your unique talents and skills — improves wellbeing. You can use the CliftonStrengths or VIA Strengths to identify.
• The state of flow - interest, absorption, and enjoyment in a task - is associated with wellbeing. Think of passions, hobbies, or works that get you into a flow state.
• A growth mindset which views one’s capabilities as malleable as opposed to fixed is supportive of happiness. In addition, following your intrinsic motivations (eg passion or interest) over your extrinsic motivations (eg money or recognition) is predictive of higher wellbeing.
• Acts of kindness lead to spikes in happiness. Michael Norton did a study where he gave students $5 or $20 to spend on themselves or on someone else. They got much greater returns to happiness by investing in an act of kindness for someone else.
• Choosing time or experiences over money brings more happiness.
• Social connection is a proven source of happiness. This is true even if it is with a stranger and even if it is a very small interaction. You don’t have to go on a date so to speak. Even a little chat on the bus ride to work will go a long way.

Yale University’s The Science of Wellbeing with Laurie Santos - Week 6