When Krysta signed up for the UC Berkeley courseThe Science of Happiness, she didnt know what to expect.
There were two points that helped, she recalls.
One about predictors of divorce, and another point about the happiness of couples with kids and without.
Both groups have the same overall happiness, but couples without children had fewer ups and downs.
I used to be able to talk to him about anything that was bothering me.
But this was such a conflict of interest that I could not lean on him for support.
In the beginning we were very surprised, Simon-Thomas says.
Its been very validating for me honestly at a personal level.
Its provided me with a strong sense of meaning in my work.
Im still flabbergasted by it.
To date 600,000 people have signed up, and in April daily sign-ups tripled.
Peoples lives are changing.
Launched free online in 2018, it has since been taken by over two million people.
Laurie Santos says its popularity has felt a little surreal, honestly.
And the focus on scientifically-based evidence was critical.
Im a scientist myself, so I didnt want to give people platitudes.
When we email for this article, she explains that shes trying to practice what she preaches.
But its hard, she adds, and it takes work.
Last summer she left her job in the UK, moved country and married.
But there were a few moments where I was a bit emotional.
Nicola had previously completed yoga teacher training, so she was already familiar with some of the course content.
She has now completed the Yale course, and recently found a new job.
Improve lockdown communications
2020 was the year most of us learned the true meaning of cabin fever.
PATH and its sister,Expedition-APPP, are designed as training programs for astronauts.
They cover conflict resolution, stress management and improving mood.
I was really surprised about how international it became, Prof. Buckey recalls.
I guess a lot of problems are the same everywhere.
In an isolated, confined environment, people say: I couldnt remember it when I needed it.
I always have to say to myself: Wait a minute, I know how to deal with this.
He laughs: I need to step back and do this thing that we built this program about.
Those practices can work, but not by themselves.
They require the support of a group or other people.
I do not see crying to my therapist over Zoom, getting divorced, or watching lectures on Coursera.
But as Krysta explains, looking back on her marriage: There was no way to reconcile our differences.
Sometimes, happiness comes from heart-wrenching choices.
Happiness also comes from unsexy commitments.
