No matter what the time of year, so many individuals report feeling overwhelmed and stressed in their day-to-day lives. Our waking hours are spent moving from one task to the next, always striving to stay caught up with the onslaught of obligations and responsibilities. Our ever-advancing technology ensures that we are never without a link to the outside world. That perpetual connection often carries with it the pressure to immediately respond or react, regardless of what we are actually doing in that moment.
It’s a stressful world, and when people are asked what they do to relieve stress, many respond with a wide-eyed blank stare and a sigh. “Not enough” is a typical response. And so, we struggle on. And what a struggle it is. According to the CDC, one in ten adults in America reports being clinically depressed. Anti-depressant usage has increased over 400 percent since 1994. We accumulate more and more and yet we are becoming less and less happy. Add to that the research showing how stress drives up inflammation and increases risk of chronic diseases ranging from cardiovascular disease to cancer, and you’ve got a recipe for an unhealthy life.
Enter Dr. Laurie Santos and her fantastic class at Yale University entitled The Science of Well-Being. Initially offered in the spring of 2018, this class quickly became the most popular ever offered at Yale, enrolling over 1000 students. Since then, the entire course has been made available online. For free. In addition, Dr. Santos has created a podcast that discusses the major topics outlined in the full class. Both are a fantastic survey of the modern research and science on well-being and include concrete ways to make changes in your life for the better. And guess what? It’s incredibly effective. In our take-a-pill-for-that culture, it’s a breath of fresh air to take a different look at what it means to feel more happiness, more joy, more fulfillment throughout your day.
Are you feeling unhappy in your life?
Do you know someone who is feeling unhappy in their life?
Doctor’s orders
Take the class here – www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being
Listen to the podcast here – www.happinesslab.fm/
It’s a simple prescription. It’s guaranteed side-effect free. And it works. 🙂