I Took a Yale Course in the Science of Well-Being and it Totally Changed My Outlook

My “happiness score” improved. Here’s how and why it worked.

I recently took the online course, The Science of Well-being, taught by Laurie Santos, PhD, a professor of psychology at Yale University. It’s an evidence-based review of what really makes us happy, instead of what we think makes us happy. My happiness was measured at the outset using standardized scores, the PERMA Profiler (scale of 1–10; I scored 7.31) and the Authentic Happiness Inventory Questionnaire (scale of 1–5; I scored 3.13).

The final assignment was to practice one of eight evidence-based practices that increase happiness: taking time to savor things you enjoy, applying your top character strengths in a new way, gratitude, kindness, social connection, exercise, sleep, or meditation. Happiness was then remeasured after four weeks.

I chose kindness because I have felt like there is so much of the opposite going on in our world right now.

Also, I already exercise, meditate, practice gratitude, and sleep OK. I thought that time to savor and new application of character strengths sounded more challenging. I also thought kindness would lead to more social connection. I hypothesized that practicing kindness would help me…

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