Happiness and the Hardest Class at Yale

It's called "Psychology and the Good Life," and enrollment soared to almost 1/4 of Yale's undergraduates just days after registration opened. Deemed the "hardest class at Yale" according to Dr. Laurie Santos, the course focuses on accountability and positive psychology. Students were expected to conduct unorthodox weekly assignments, such as performing and reporting on a random act of kindness. The takeaway? It was to be taken on a pass/fail basis. In doing so, the idea was that students would discover new pathways to fulfillment other than by simply achieving a high grade, often at an equally high personal cost. In today's hyper-competitive society, it is difficult to disconnect from our hunger to be the 'best' in comparison to others, as opposed to being the best version of ourselves. The question becomes, can getting a coveted internship truly equal happiness, or is it more the gratitude we have for loved ones, whose support and pride we cherish?

Learn more about the university's creative approach to self-help, and how "rewirement" can be a powerful skill when it comes to reclaiming joy.

Yale's Most Popular Class Ever: Happiness

Happiness Posts is published by Darin M. Klemchuk founder of Klemchuk PLLC, an intellectual property law firm located in Dallas, Texas and co-founder of Engage Workspace for Lawyers, a coworking space for lawyers. He also publishes the Ideate (law) and Elevate (law firm culture) blogs. You can find more information about his law practice at his firm bio and also at his BioSite.