The impact of Dr. Santoss work has been nothing short of astonishing.
Countless reviewers on Coursera say that the class changed their lives for the better.
By 2022, that number had dipped even further to 38%.
Photo: Mike Marsland and Yale University
Were really facing a crisis of mental health these days, Dr. Santos said.
So many people are feeling more depressed and more anxious than ever.
That crisis of mental health was the main motivation behind the work.
It immediately became the most popular course in Yale history the first semester she taught it.
As the courses popularity grows, so does its impact.
Its all incredibly humbling and amazing.
As kids, many of us are raised to prioritize schoolwork and academic achievements.
But, in most cases, that turns out not to be true.
We know that income matters for happiness if youre living below the poverty line.
Thats partly because our jobs are often a source of stress.
Theyre buying something or theyre focusing on things like self-care and bubble baths, the professor explained.
Sometimes theyre trying to get to that newest accolade at work.
My college students are constantly trying to achieve perfect academics and great grades.
Theres just a lot of evidence that thats not the path to happiness.
This might be one of the most jarring yet relieving lessons you learn in the course.
Learning that these things arent actually the key to happiness can alleviate that sense of failure.
According to Dr. Santoss course, its social connections,mindfulness, exercise, rest, and free time.
A lot of those feel pretty intuitive when you hear them.
Thats probably because youve already experienced the improved well-being that comes with them.
Dr. Santos knows first-hand that unlearning the bad and misguided habits youve had for years isnt easy.
I think it makes it easier to commit to those healthy habits, Dr. Santos explained.
It hasnt been easy, but its been worth it.
So I am living proof that if you make the changes, it can really work.
We need to prioritize that as much as we prioritize their academic achievements.
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