PART I: The value of honest feedback “I’ve been in Brighton schools my entire life, and I’ve learned amazing things; but I’ve never been taught how to be happy.” ~ David Lurye BHS ‘14

Logan LaPlante TED Talk: Why don't they teach happiness in school? When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down, “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. ~ John Lennon Logan LaPlante TED Talk: Why don't they teach happiness in school?

A Revolutionary Idea about Happiness Molly Spero ~ BHS ‘14 12 minutes

The Happy Secret to Better Work http://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work#t-8402

Amy the Unicorn Question: Did Shawn lie to and manipulate his little sister? Answer: Yes! But . . . The lesson here is not that you should lie and manipulate. It’s about planting ideas that formulate new habits of mind. He offered “an option not open to her before.” That can be life changing!

Escaping the Cult of the Average Fake data = sense of humor! “one weirdo in the room” The questions usually is: “How do we eliminate the weirdoes / outliers?” This is ok if we are looking for the AVERAGE, and if we seek to make below average people “normal.” (PATHOLOGY) BUT, normal is merely average.

If we are interested in POTENTIAL & HAPPINESS, we need other questions!

Questions like . . . Why are some people so high above the curve? How can the rest of us get there?

Medical School Syndrome It’s not the reality that shapes us, it’s the lens though which your brain views the world that shapes your reality.

“If we can change the lens, we can change your happiness and every single business and organizational outcome at the same time.”

The Harvard Privilege & Hedonic Adaptation Our external world is not (very) predictive of our happiness levels. About 90% of your happiness is about how your brain processes the world. 75% of job happiness is about your optimism and ability to see stress as a challenge rather than a threat.

Monday = adolescent depression Tuesday = school violence and bullying Wednesday = eating disorders Thursday = illicit drug use Friday = risky sex vs. happiness What would a REAL Wellness Week schedule look like if you organized it?

“The absence of disease is not health “The absence of disease is not health. We need to reverse the formula for happiness & success.”

NOT . . . “If I work harder, then I’ll be happy.” INSTEAD . . . Let’s make our brains more happy, then we will: Be more intelligent Be more creative Feel higher energy levels

Five things you can do in only 21 days to rewire your brain for lasting positive change: Write down 3 things each day for which you are grateful. Journal about one positive experience each day to help your brain relive it. Exercise daily to teach your brain that your behavior matters, not just what you think or say. Meditate to allow yourself to focus on the task at hand. Do conscious acts of kindness every day to create a habit of looking for positive ways to engage.

Positive Psychology Tomorrow: Homework: Please complete the “Emotional Styles Test” (10 pts.)