Latest news with #BarbaraFredrickson
Hindustan Times
24-04-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Want to opt for Happiness Courses? Check out these four free courses to get a better life
Have you ever thought about learning what happiness is, what makes us happy, and how to achieve a happy life? This thought seems unreal because happiness is an emotion; theoretically, you cannot read and learn it. Want to work as a Google Intern? Check out the answers to FAQs before applying But to prove you wrong, several renowned universities and institutions offer happiness courses to students. These happiness courses will help you get a detailed idea about happiness and its ways to achieve it. Managing Happiness by Harvard University: This course is about understanding diverse definitions of happiness and its function in everyday life, and applying the mind, body and community science to manage emotions and behaviours for greater happiness. It introduces you to the modern science of human well-being and shows you how to practice it. Unlike other happiness courses, Managing Happiness goes a step further. It demonstrates how you can share ideas with others, thus bringing more happiness and love to the world and supercharging your efforts for well-being. Juggling to achieve Work-Life Balance? Harvard shares 5 steps to achieve it The Science of Well-Being by Yale University: Offered by Yale University, this course will help you engage in a series of challenges designed to increase your happiness and build more productive habits. In preparation for these tasks, Professor Laurie Santos revealed 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. BerkeleyX's The Science of Happiness: The first MOOC to teach you ground-breaking science of positive psychology, which explores the roots of a happy and meaningful life. Students will engage with some of this science's most provocative and practical lessons, discovering how cutting-edge research can be applied to their lives. Want to increase your salary? 7 tips to master the art of salary negotiation Positive Psychology by The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: This course discusses research findings in positive psychology, conducted by Barbara Fredrickson and her colleagues. It also features practical applications of this science that you can use immediately to help you live a whole and meaningful life. There are six modules in this course.
Forbes
24-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Being Joyful Is A Competitive Advantage
Handsome man dancing jumping on city street My previous post, Being Sad Is Expensive: How Your Money-Mindset Matters showed how emotions play a crucial role in shaping financial behavior. One potential explanation for why this is comes from the broaden and build theory of positive emotions (BBT), which argues that positive emotions tend to allow a person to grow in such a way that they develop new skills that lead towards greater financial resources. Understanding this connection between emotions and financial resources can give entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals a competitive advantage in wealth-building and long-term financial well-being. But, why, exactly, are emotions connected to financial resources? What is actually happening when you move from joy to greater income and net worth? Instead of assuming that money brings happiness, what if we assume that happiness creates wealth? The idea that money alone leads to lasting happiness has been debunked—especially considering that we live in the richest society in history, yet remain deeply dissatisfied. People quickly adapt to new financial circumstances, so while receiving money may bring temporary joy, the effect is fleeting. In fact, research shows that beyond escaping poverty, additional wealth has little impact on long-term emotional well-being. So, asking the question again, why should our emotions impact our finances? The BBT framework, developed by psychologist Barbara Fredrickson, argues that positive emotions broaden cognitive awareness and curiosity, leading to an expanded perspective on life and decision-making. Conversely, negative emotions narrow our focus, causing us to prioritize short-term survival over long-term success. In the realm of finance, this means that positive emotions encourage strategic long-term financial planning, while negative emotions push individuals toward short-term, reactionary spending habits. Financial time horizon refers to how far into the future individuals consider when making financial decisions. Some people plan just a few months ahead, focusing on immediate expenses, while others think decades into the future, prioritizing long-term investments, retirement planning, and strategic capital investing. Our recent paper, The Relationship Between Emotions and Financial Time Horizon, provided evidence that emotions strongly influence financial time horizon. In our study, 993 American adults confirmed that individuals who frequently experience positive emotions, such as joy, interest, and contentment, tend to have a longer financial time horizon. These individuals are more likely to set financial goals, create budgets, and actively save money for the future. Why? Because positive emotions expand attention spans, encourage strategic thinking, and build the psychological resilience needed for long-term planning. For entrepreneurs and professionals, this insight is invaluable. A mindset rooted in optimism and enthusiasm leads to a broader financial outlook, making it easier to prioritize retirement contributions, reinvest profits, and build wealth over time. As a business owner, fostering an environment that promotes positivity, whether through workplace culture, networking, or personal mindset, can directly impact financial decision-making and success. On the flip side, negative emotions, such as anxiety, anger, and sadness, were shown in our study to be associated with a shorter financial time horizon. Individuals experiencing persistent negative emotions tend to focus on immediate financial concerns, avoiding long-term planning in favor of quick fixes. This can manifest in poor financial behaviors like excessive credit card debt, minimal savings, or impulsive investment decisions. For instance, entrepreneurs under chronic stress might make rash business investments without considering long-term profitability. Similarly, professionals feeling financial anxiety may delay saving for retirement, focusing only on immediate cash flow needs. Over time, these behaviors compound, leading to financial instability and missed wealth-building opportunities. Understanding that emotions influence financial behavior means that controlling your emotional state can become a strategic advantage. Here's how professionals and entrepreneurs can leverage this knowledge: For entrepreneurs and professionals, financial success isn't just about spreadsheets, budgets, and investments—it's also about emotional intelligence. Recognizing how emotions influence financial planning can help individuals build resilience, expand their financial time horizon, and ultimately achieve greater financial well-being. The next time you make a financial decision, take a step back and assess your emotional state. Are you thinking broadly, setting long-term goals, and investing with a long time horizon? Or are you reacting to short-term stress and launching into a fight or flight behavior that leads towards poor financial health.
