Shall I skip the preamble about trying times and all that?

Yeah, I think we’re on the same page there.

Yesterday, we offered you five tips on happiness from Finland, the world’s happiest country for three years running.

That’s according to the UN’s World Happiness Report, with each adjusted to the current unique world situation.

For those looking for more positive news, Yale University, one of the world’s foremost learning institutes, is now offering the most popular course in its history for free.

Designed in 2018 by Dr. Laurie Santos, a professor of psychology, the ‘Psychology and the Good Life’ course covers “practical, science-backed information about how to be happy”.

More from Today:

“It’s sort of interesting that a quarter of Yale students want to take a class on happiness rather than economics, machine learning or computer science,” Santos told TMRW over the phone.

“The press attention we got for the class back in 2018 made me realize that it’s not just Yale students who need this. This would be great content to share with everyone who wants to be happier and flourish a little more.”

…Over the past two years, virtual enrollment has averaged around 10,000 to 20,000 people per month. But since the coronavirus crisis escalated, the class has seen a spike in popularity. Within the last two weeks, an astonishing 300,000 people have enrolled in the course.

Santos adapted the ‘Psychology and the Good Life’ course for the online space, putting together a shorter version of the full course titled ‘The Science of Well-Being’.

It can be completed via the online learning platform Coursera for free, although if you want a certification of completion, there is a fee.

The course is described on Coursera as follows:

In this course you will engage in a series of challenges designed to increase your own happiness and build more productive habits. As preparation for these tasks, Professor Laurie Santos reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind that lead us to think the way we do, and the research that can help us change. You will ultimately be prepared to successfully incorporate a specific wellness activity into your life.

It’s a 10-week course, and given what lies ahead, you may have plenty of time to complete it.

Santos also has a podcast called The Happiness Lab, with helpful tips on how to deal with isolation and other unique coronavirus challenges.

Popping the earphones in and giving that a listen could make for welcome relief.

[sources:today&coursera]