positive psychology

Tal Ben Shachar gives a course in Harvard on Positive Psychology. His course is the most popular course with over 700 students attending. Tal explained that his course is popular, not because he is so dynamic and outgoing, but rather the subject matter is so relevant to people nowadays. There are many studies and methodologies dealing with helping depression but not so many on how to be happy (the ratio is 31:1). The absence of depression does not mean there will be happiness. Having general unhappiness is something that plagues many people nowadays.

Tal emphasized that someones general state of happiness does not change significantly do to external changes. One study followed professors who were hoping to get tenure. When asked how they felt right after they did get tenure, they were ecstatic. The professors who did not get tenure were completely devastated. Asked again a year later, all of the professors had returned to the same state of being they had been at previously. There was not a long term significant change in their state of mind.

The way to achieve a greater state of happiness must be worked on in a conscious and deliberate manner. External factors like money, family, job or prestige, will not change our state of mind. The field of positive psychology teaches how to achieve a greater state of happiness. It is a growing field and there is more research and studies being done in the field constantly. It is up to each individual to decide if greater happiness is of importance to him/herself, and if so, to act upon it. As written in the book of Kohelet, “if not not, then when”.