Thursday, December 17, 2009

The largest course at Harvard: Positive Psychology (Harvard的幸福課)

About Tal Ben-Shahar


Tal Ben-Shahar
is an author and lecturer at Harvard University. He currently teaches the largest course at Harvard on "Positive Psychology" and the third largest on "The Psychology of Leadership"--with a total of over 1,400 students.

Tal consults and lectures around the world to executives in multi-national corporation, the general public, and at-risk populations. Topics include happiness, self-esteem, resilience, goal setting, mindfulness, and leadership.

An avid sportsman, Tal won the U.S. Intercollegiate and Israeli National squash championships. He obtained his PhD in Organizational Behavior and BA in Philosophy and Psychology from Harvard.

http://talbenshahar.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=64


Six Tips for Happiness

Advice from Tal Ben-Shahar

1. Give yourself permission to be human. When we accept emotions — such as fear, sadness, or anxiety — as natural, we are more likely to overcome them. Rejecting our emotions, positive or negative, leads to frustration and unhappiness.

2. Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning. Whether at work or at home, the goal is to engage in activities that are both personally significant and enjoyable. When this is not feasible, make sure you have happiness boosters, moments throughout the week that provide you with both pleasure and meaning.

3. Keep in mind that happiness is mostly dependent on our state of mind, not on our status or the state of our bank account. Barring extreme circumstances, our level of well being is determined by what we choose to focus on (the full or the empty part of the glass) and by our interpretation of external events. For example, do we view failure as catastrophic, or do we see it as a learning opportunity?

4. Simplify! We are, generally, too busy, trying to squeeze in more and more activities into less and less time. Quantity influences quality, and we compromise on our happiness by trying to do too much.

5. Remember the mind-body connection. What we do — or don't do — with our bodies influences our mind. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy eating habits lead to both physical and mental health.

6. Express gratitude, whenever possible. We too often take our lives for granted. Learn to appreciate and savor the wonderful things in life, from people to food, from nature to a smile.

猜猜看,哈佛大學最受歡迎的是哪一堂課?答對了嗎?

最夯的選修課是「幸福課」,聽課人數超過了王牌課《經濟學導論》。 而教這門課的是一位名不見經傳的年輕講師,名叫塔爾•賓-夏哈爾(TalBen-Shahar,Ph.D.

塔爾.班夏哈

哈佛大學哲學與心理學博士。

Can You Learn to Be Happy?


YES . . . according to the teacher of Harvard University’s most popular and life-changing course. One out of every five Harvard students has lined up to hear Tal Ben-Shahar’s insightful and inspiring lectures on that ever-elusive state: HAPPINESS.

HOW?
Grounded in the revolutionary “positive psychology” movement, Ben-Shahar ingeniously combines scientific studies, scholarly research, self-help advice, and spiritual enlightenment. He weaves them together into a set of principles that you can apply to your daily life. Once you open your heart and mind to Happier ’s thoughts, you will feel more fulfilled, more connected . . . and, yes,
HAPPIER.

他在哈佛開設的「組織心理學」與「領導心理學」的課程,分別獲選「最受歡迎課程」的第一與第三名,每學期選修人數高達1,400人,超過學生總數的20%。許多學生向學校反應,這兩門課「改變了他們的一生」

班夏哈的教學及思想,引起美國主流媒體的爭相報導,包括《波士頓全球報》、《紐約時報》,以及CNNCBS、美國國家公共廣播電台。

塔爾•賓-夏哈爾,自稱是一個害羞、內向的人。

「在哈佛,我第一次教授積極心理學課時,只有8個學生報名,其中,還有2人中途退課。第二次,我有近400名學生。到了第三次,當學生數目達到850人時,上課更多的是讓我感到緊張和不安。特別是當學生的家長、爺爺奶奶和那些媒體的朋友們,開始出現在我課堂上的時侯。」

我們來到這個世上,到底追求什麼才是最重要的?

他堅定地認為:「幸福感」是衡量人生的唯一標準,是所有目標的最終目標。

「人們衡量商業成就時,標準是錢。用錢去評估資產和債務、利潤和虧損,所有與錢無關的,都不會被考慮進去,金錢是最高的財富。但是我認為,人生與商業一樣,也有盈利和虧損。」

「具體地說,在看待自己的生命時,可以把負面情緒當作支出,把正面情緒當作收入。當正面情緒多於負面情緒時,我們在幸福這一『至高財富』上就盈利了。」

「所以,幸福應該是快樂與意義的結合!一個幸福的人,必須有一個明確的、可以帶來快樂和意義的目標,然後努力地去追求。真正快樂的人,會在自己覺得有意義的生活方式裡,享受它的點點滴滴。」

塔爾•賓-夏哈爾,希望他的學生學會接受自己,不要忽略自己所擁有的獨特性;要擺脫「完美主義」,要「學會失敗」。

塔爾•賓-夏哈爾,還為學生簡化出10條小貼紙:

1:遵從你內心的熱情。

選擇對你有意義並且能讓你快樂的課,不要只是為了輕鬆地拿一個A而選課,或選你朋友上的課,或是別人認為你應該上的課。

2:多和朋友們在一起。

不要被日常工作纏身,親密的人際關係,是你幸福感的信號,最有可能為你帶來幸福。

3:學會失敗。

成功沒有捷徑,歷史上有成就的人,總是敢於行動,也會經常失敗。不要讓對失敗的恐懼,絆住你嘗試新事物的腳步。

4:接受自己全然為人。

失望、煩亂、悲傷,是人性的一部分。接納這些,並把它們當成自然之事,

允許自己偶爾的失落和傷感。然後問問自己,能做些什麼來讓自己感覺好過一點。

5:簡化生活。

更多並不總代表更好,好事多了,不一定有利。你選了太多的課嗎?

參加了太多的活動嗎?應求精而不在多。

6:有規律地鍛煉。

體育運動是你生活中最重要的事情之一。

每週只要3次,每次只要30分鐘,就能大大改善你的身心健康。

7:睡眠。

雖然有時「熬通宵」是不可避免的,但每天79小時的睡眠,是一筆非常棒的投資。這樣,在醒著的時候,你會更有效率、更有創造力,也會更開心。

8.慷慨。

現在,你的錢包裡可能沒有太多錢,你也沒有太多時間。但這並不意味著你無法助人。

「給予」和「接受」是一件事的兩個面。當我們幫助別人時,我們也在幫助自己;當我們幫助自己時,也是在間接地幫助他人。

9:勇敢。

勇氣並不是不恐懼,而是心懷恐懼,仍依然向前。

10:表達感激。

生活中,不要把你的家人、朋友、健康、教育等這一切當成理所當然的。

它們都是你回味無窮的禮物。記錄他人的點滴恩惠,始終保持感恩之心。

每天或至少每週一次,請你把它們記下來。

尤其對這句話有感覺:

「所以,幸福應該是快樂與意義的結合!一個幸福的人,必須有一個明確的、可以帶來快樂和意義的目標,然後努力地去追求。真正快樂的人,會在自己覺得有意義的生活方式裡,享受它的點點滴滴。」

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