哈佛公开课幸福课4-FocusStillwatersrundeep.流静水深流静水深,人静心深人静心深Wherethereislife,thereishope。有生命必有希望。有生命必有希望“It appears that the way people perceive the world is “It appears that the way people perceive the world is much more important to happiness than objective much more important to happiness than objective circumstances.”circumstances.”Ed DienerlEmotions determined by external and internallChoice of focus“To the different minds, the same world is a hell, and a “To the different minds, the same world is a hell, and a heaven.”heaven.”Ralph Waldo EmersonRalph Waldo Emerson “Nothing is good or bad but thinking makes it so.”“Nothing is good or bad but thinking makes it so.”William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare Two ArchetypeslThe Fault-Finder“The fault-finder will find faults even in paradise”Henry David ThoreauCould lead to resignationlThe Benefit-Finder (Bower, 2007)Could lead to detachmentThe need to respect reality“The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous “The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.”in the common.”Ralph Waldo EmersonRalph Waldo Emerson We Co-Create Our Reality“Now however fixed these elements of reality may be, we still have a certain freedom in our dealings with them. Take our sensations. That they are is undoubtedly beyond our control; but which we attend to, note, and make emphatic in our conclusions depends on our own interests; and, according as we lay the emphasis here or there, quite different formulations of truth result. We read the same facts differently. Waterloo, with the same fixed details, spells a victory for an englishman; for a frenchman it spells a defeat. So, for an optimist philosopher the universe spells victory, for a pessimist, defeat. What we say about reality thus depends on the perspective into which we throw it.”William JamesWe Co-Create Our RealityIsnt it strange how princes and kings,and clowns that caper in sawdust rings,and common people, like you and me,are builders for eternity?Each is given a list of rules;a shapeless mass; a bag of tools.And each must fashion, ere life is flown,A stumbling block, or a Stepping-Stone.R. L. SharpA Matter of Interpretation“Never let a good crisis go to waste.”“Never let a good crisis go to waste.” Anne HarbisonAnne Harbison“Things dont necessarily happen for the best, but some “Things dont necessarily happen for the best, but some people are able to make the best of things that people are able to make the best of things that happen.”happen.”A Matter of Interpretation“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Winston ChurchillA Question of InterpretationlThe world according to the fault-finderlThe (same) world according to the benefit-finderThe Benefits of Being a Benefit FinderlWell-being (Thompson, 1985)lHealthAffleck et al. (1987)Bower (1998)King & Miner (2000)lLongevity“The joyfulness of a man prolongeth his days.”EcclesiastesThe Nun Study (Danner et al., 2001)lOnly positive feelings predicted longevity“God started my life off well by bestowing upon me “God started my life off well by bestowing upon me grace of inestimable value. The past year which I spent grace of inestimable value. The past year which I spent as a candidate studying at Notre Dame has been a very as a candidate studying at Notre Dame has been a very happy one. Now I look forward with eager joy to happy one. Now I look forward with eager joy to receiving the Holy Habit of Our Lady and to a life of receiving the Holy Habit of Our Lady and to a life of union with Love Divine.”union with Love Divine.”Celia OPayneCelia OPayne“I was born on September 26, 1909, the eldest of seven “I was born on September 26, 1909, the eldest of seven children, five girls and two boys. My candidate year children, five girls and two boys. My candidate year was spent in the mother-house, teaching chemistry and was spent in the mother-house, teaching chemistry and second year Latin at Notre Dame Institute. With Gods second year Latin at Notre Dame Institute. With Gods grace, I intend to do my best for our Order, for the grace, I intend to do my best for our Order, for the spread of religion and for my personal sanctification.”spread of religion and for my personal sanctification.” Marguerite DonnellyMarguerite DonnellyThe Nun Study (Danner et al., 2001)lOnly positive feelings predicted longevityAge 85: 90% of most cheerful quartile alive; 34% of least cheerful quartile alive.Age 94: 54% of most cheerful quartile alive; 11% of least cheerful quartile aliveGet Real!lThe world according to the mediaGet Real!lThe world according to the medialMedia biasmagnifying glass rather than looking glassaccentuating the negative (magnifying)under-representing the positive (minimizing)Get Real!lThe world according to the medialMedia biasmagnifying glass rather than looking glassaccentuating the negativeunder-representing the positivelWho is really detached?lFocusing on the 90% full part of the glasslFocus creates realityAppreciating AppreciationlCreating a growth spirallGenuine appreciation!lThere is always something to appreciateAp-preci-ate v., 1. Valuing; the act of recognizing the best in people or the world around us, affirming past and present strengths and potentials; to perceive those things that give life (health, vitality, excellence) to living systems. 2. To increase in value, e.g., the economy has appreciated in value.“What you focus on expands, and when you focus on the goodness in your life, you create more of it. Opportunities, relationships, even money flowed my way when I learned to be grateful no matter what happened in my life.”Oprah WinfreyCorrecting the False Schema: NewsCorrecting the False Schema: ArtJan VermeerCorrecting the False Schema: ArtLudwig van BeethovenCorrecting the False Schema: ArtCorrecting the False Schema: ArtDavid KnowlesSandra J. ShawCorrecting the False Schema: StudiesAdaptationlWe are change detectorslChange detection helpful in case of dangerlAdaptation helps to overcome difficultieslTaking things for grantedlEating the cake and leaving it whole?Must something external and extraordinary happen before we learn to appreciate the ordinary? Learning to be Grateful“You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing, and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.”“Gratitude produced the most purely joyful moments that have been known to man.”G. K. Chesterton“Why not start by surveying a typical day? What is it you tend to tackle with spontaneous mindfulness, so that without an effort your whole heart is in it? Maybe its that first cup of coffee in the morning, the way it warms you and wakes you up, or taking your dog for a walk, or giving a little child a piggyback ride. It is a matter of practice, of doing it over and over again, till it becomes second nature.”“Gratefulness is the measure of our aliveness. Are we not dead to whatever we take for granted? Surely to be numb is to be dead.”Research on GratitudelEmmons and McCullough (2002)Four groups: gratitude, hassles, superior, controlPsychological and health benefitslPhysiological benefits (McCraty & Childre 2004)lBenefits of trait gratefulnesslMaintaining freshnessWeekly? (Lyubomirsky, 2008)VarietyMinfulness (Langer, 1989)Visualize (Kosslyn, 2005)Try It!lBecoming a benefit-finderl21 days or your money backlChipping away negativitylThanks for reminding melCo-creating reality with questionsGratitude to Others (Seligman, 2005)lTake time to reflectlLetter, phone, or in-personlLargest boost in wellbeinglRegularly (weekly, bi-weekly or monthly)lWriting helps even if letter not sentWorst and Happiest Experiences (Lyubomirsky et al. 2006)lWriting, Talking, or ThinkinglMental and physical health measureslAnalyzing versus replaying (study 3)Worst(Study 1)Happiest(Study 2)WritingPositive OutcomeNegative OutcomeTalkingPositive OutcomeNegative OutcomeThinking Negative Outcome Positive Outcome“We live in a given world. What brings fulfillment is gratefulness, the simple response of our heart to this given life in all its fullness.”Brother David Steindl-Rast“To live and die in gratefulness, if in no other virtue.”Galway Kinnel“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others”.CiceroThe Morality of Gratitude“I wondered how it was possible to walk for an hour through the woods and see nothing of note. I who cannot see find hundreds of things: the delicate symmetry of a leaf, the smooth skin of a silver birch, the rough, shaggy bark of a pine. I who am blind can give one hint to those who see: use your eyes as if tomorrow you will have been stricken blind. Hear the music of voices, the songs of a bird, the mighty strains of an orchestra as if you would be stricken deaf tomorrow. Touch each object as if tomorrow your tactile sense would fail. Smell the perfume of flowers, taste with relish each morsel, as if tomorrow you could never taste or smell again. Make the most of every sense. Glory in all the facets and pleasures and beauty which the world reveals to you.”Hellen KellerFinal Projectl 20-30 minute Presentation Any topic within positive psychology Written text (10-15 pages double spaced) Slides (word or powerpoints)l Include: Reference to research Optional: stories, film clips, exercises, etcl DatesMarch 20: Let your TF know your topicApril 7: Send your TF 1 page outline (draft)By May 3: Presentation to 3-4 classmatesMay 10: Final project due http:/www.gratefulness.org http:/www.luckfactor.co.uk/ Danner, D., Snowdon, D., and Friesen, W. (2001). Positive emotions in early life and longevity: Finding from the nun study. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80, 804-813. Emmons R. A. (2007). Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier. Houghton Mifflin. Seligman, M. (2002). Authentic Happiness. Free Press. Brother David Steindl-Rast (1984). Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer. Paulist Press. Wiseman, R (2003). The Luck Factor. Miramax.Bibliography and Recommendations