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Psychology
Professor Laurie Santos offers the course “The Science of Well-being” to learn the psychology and neuroscience behind happiness
Now that we are at home longer due to coronavirus crisis and it is essential to take care of our body and mind, we are constantly looking for activities and courses to cope with it as easily as possible. Among all the activities that social networks offer us these days – exercise routines, online concerts, group readings – it may be time to look inside ourselves.
To do this, at times like these when it is often difficult to see the situation in perspective and in a positive way, an ideal option may be to enroll in a course. And we will not find any more useful than the free course offered by Yale University to understand and achieve happiness.
The course, “The science of wellness”, was created two years ago by psychology professor Laurie Santos, who recently explained on CNN that it is now more timely than ever, since “we are in an extraordinary moment in which we are not only facing a health crisis But to a thousand consequences for our mental health.
The Yale professor, who maintains that science is currently focused on cultivating practices to improve our well-being and happiness, recommends the course, since this “tragic event that we are experiencing” may be an opportunity to rethink ourselves over the next few weeks. our life, our routines and being able to give our brain a happier life.
Finding happiness by understanding it
By observing her students, the teacher realized that young people dealt with various mental health problems and “the national trend showed that the cases were getting worse.” That is why he decided to create the course, in which he offers to take a look inside the psychology and neuroscience behind the happiness.
“Our minds are constantly lying to us: we believe that we fear that we have to make big changes in our lives to be happier,” Santos explained to CNN, adding that, on the other hand, it is true that there are que small acts in our life, “How to focus on living in the present or having gratitude towards others”, which can be a big change.
“Many people believe that happiness will come if they find a better job, a more attractive partner or if they buy a bigger house, but the scientific literature does not support that idea,” he commented. “Happiness is found in the simplest tasks”, it affirmed.
Catie Henderson, a 29-year-old student, explained her experience in the course to CNN. The girl, who studied philosophy at university, came to the course seeking to learn and develop her knowledge, and explained that it helped her to “deconstruct the conceptions she had created about happiness, as well as change the way she saw the achievement of this . «Having the job of your dreams does not bring happiness, this must be built through habits“Explained the student, who added:” Connecting with other people is very important, but connecting with yourself is just as relevant. ”
Henderson said that when he finished the course he really “felt happier”, but that the greatest lesson was to realize that happiness is under our control and is not a matter of chance.