The Art and Science of Happiness - Solved assignment - Week 1

Photo credit - Freepik

Tasks for the week

• Do pre-class questionnaire
• Do ‘Who Am I exercise’
• Discuss why you are taking this course
• Look at different definitions of happiness

Task 1 - Do pre-class questionnaire

(Note - This questionnaire is not available on MITOpenCourseWare website. This is a self created one)

Personal Information

Subject	Details
Name	Prabodh Sirur
eMail	sirurp@gmail.com
Age	70
Occupation	Creator of study material for near and dear ones

Current level of well-being

How would you describe your current overall well-being on a scale of 1 to 10? (1 being low, 10 being high)

Subject	Parameters used for assessment	Well-being score	Average score
Emotional well-being	Self-Awareness	5	28/50 = 5.6
	Emotional Regulation	4
	Self-Compassion	4
	Life Satisfaction	6
	Social Support	9
Physical well-being	Nutrition	5	28/50 = 5.6
	Physical Fitness	6
	Sleep Quality	8
	Digital Device Use (screen time)	3
	Personal Hygiene	6
Occupational well-being	Work-Life Balance	NA since i am retired now	NA
	Alignment with Values	NA since i am retired now
	Empowerment	NA since i am retired now
	Workplace Relationships	NA since i am retired now
	Compensation and Recognition	NA since i am retired now
Social well-being	Quality of Relationships	8	30/50 = 6.0
	Support System	9
	Community Engagement	4
	Loneliness	5
	Conflicts/ interpersonal skills	4
Spiritual well-being	Cultivation of Inner Peace	5	33/50 =6.6
	Mindfulness and Presence	4
	Connection to Something Greater	8
	Values and Beliefs	8
	Sense of Purpose	8
Intellectual well-being	Continuous Learning	8	36/50 = 7.2
	Critical Thinking Skills	5
	Intellectual Curiosity	9
	Creativity and Innovation	8
	Mental and Physical Balance	6
Environmental well-being	Environmental Consciousness	5	23/50 = 4.6
	Connection to Nature	4
	Ecological Footprint	5
	Environmental Stewardship	3
	Quality of surroundings	6
Financial well-being	Financial Stability	8	30/50 = 6.0
	Budgeting/ Financial Planning	4
	Debt Management	9
	Savings and Investments	5
	Financial Literacy	4
Sexual well-being	Communication and Consent	Private	NA
	Physical Health	Private
	Emotional Connection	Private
	Sexual Satisfaction	Private
	Safe Practices and Protection	Private
		Overall	5.9

Course Expectations

What motivated you to enroll in this course?

Subject	Response
Personal growth	X
Stress reduction
Improve relationships
Professional development	X
Other (please specify)	I wish to undergo the course and then create a ready-to-use study material for my near and dear ones

Preferred focus area

What specific aspects of happiness are you most interested in exploring during this course? (source - Positive Psychology)

Subject	Mark X where applicable
Positive emotion (include hope, interest, joy, love, compassion, pride, amusement, and gratitude)
Engagement (Flow, a state when you lose sense of time doing a task)
Relationships (interactions with partners, friends, family members, colleagues, colleagues…. and their community at large)
Meaning (belonging to/ serving something greater than ourselves, having a purpose in life)	X
Accomplishments (A sense of accomplishment as a result of working toward and reaching goals, having self-motivation to finish what you set out to do)	X

Prior Knowledge

How familiar are you with the concepts of positive psychology and the science of happiness?

Subject	Familiarity* (Highlight your familiarity level)
Concepts/ understanding of Positive emotion (hope, interest, joy, love, compassion, pride, amusement, and gratitude)	Novice (Happiness Seeker) Advanced Beginner (Happiness Enthusiast) Competent (Happiness Navigator) Proficient (Happiness Cultivator) Expert Happiness (Sage)
Concepts/ understanding of Engagement (a feeling of Flow, a time when you lose sense of time)	Novice (Happiness Seeker) Advanced Beginner (Happiness Enthusiast) Competent (Happiness Navigator) Proficient (Happiness Cultivator) Expert Happiness (Sage)
Concepts/ understanding of Relationships (interactions with partners, friends, family members, colleagues, colleagues…. and their community at large)	Novice (Happiness Seeker) Advanced Beginner (Happiness Enthusiast) Competent (Happiness Navigator) Proficient (Happiness Cultivator) Expert Happiness (Sage)
Concepts/ understanding of Meaning (belonging to/ serving something greater than ourselves, having a purpose in life)	Novice (Happiness Seeker) Advanced Beginner (Happiness Enthusiast) Competent (Happiness Navigator) Proficient (Happiness Cultivator) Expert Happiness (Sage)
Concepts/ understanding of Accomplishments (A sense of accomplishment as a result of working toward and reaching goals, having self-motivation to finish what you set out to do)	Novice (Happiness Seeker) Advanced Beginner (Happiness Enthusiast) Competent (Happiness Navigator) Proficient (Happiness Cultivator) Expert Happiness (Sage)

* Mapping familiarity level to Dreyfus model of skill acquisition - 

Level 1 - Novice Happiness Seeker

1. Characteristics: Limited understanding of what contributes to personal happiness.
2. Exploration: Experimenting with various activities, relationships, and lifestyle changes to discover sources of joy
3. Challenges: Lack of self-awareness regarding personal needs and preferences for happiness.

Level 2 - Advanced Beginner Happiness Enthusiast

1. Characteristics: Gaining awareness of factors that contribute to happiness; initial positive experiences
2. Development: Beginning to identify and prioritize activities and relationships that bring joy
3. Challenges: Inconsistency in maintaining happiness; still navigating effective strategies.

Level 3 - Competent Happiness Navigator

1. Characteristics: Developing a more consistent understanding of personal happiness; establishing effective practices
2. Proficiency: Implementing regular habits and routines that contribute to sustained happiness
3. Challenges: Balancing happiness practices with life challenges; occasional setbacks.

Level 4 - Proficient Happiness Cultivator

1. Characteristics: A well-established understanding of personal happiness; adept at maintaining positive well-being
2. Mastery: Demonstrating a high level of skill in incorporating happiness practices into daily life
3. Challenges: Navigating external factors that may impact happiness; continuous refinement.

Level 5 - Expert Happiness Sage

1. Characteristics: Mastery of happiness; profound self-awareness and ability to adapt to life's challenges
2. Wisdom: Serving as a source of inspiration for others; offering guidance on sustained well-being
3. Challenges: Navigating complex life situations while maintaining a high level of happiness and fulfillment.

Task 2 - ‘Who Am I’ exercise

(Note - This questionnaire is not available on MITOpenCourseWare website. This is a self created one)

Part 1: Identity Reflection

Subject	Particulars
Roles (List three roles that are important to you e.g., parent, student, friend)	Friend, Parent, Global citizen
Cultural Background (Describe key aspects of your cultural background that have influenced your identity)	Brought up in a typical Indian family. Good value system.
Passions and Interests (List three activities or interests that bring you joy and fulfillment)	Impressionist paintings, Reading mainly non-fiction, cooking
Strengths (Identify and write down three personal strengths that you believe you possess)	Strengths as per Strengthsfinder - Ideation, Woo, Individualisation, Connectedness, Input

Part 2: Values and Beliefs

Subject	Particulars
Core Values (Reflect on your core values. List three values that guide your decisions and actions)	Creativity, the world is a family, corporate citizenship
Beliefs About Success (What does success mean to you? Write down your beliefs about what constitutes a successful life)	Money, power and popularity are my success parameters. Since I have none of these, I have defined my own goalposts of success. My belief about success is, every single step that I take towards a goal
Philosophy of Life (In a sentence or two, articulate your personal philosophy of life) (Philosophy means a set of beliefs that tries to explain the meaning of life or give rules about how to behave)	My philosophy is to be successful and happy using lot of creativity

Part 3: Life Experiences

Subject	Particulars
Defining Moments (Recall two or three significant moments or experiences in your life that have shaped who you are today)	In my career, most of my bosses appreciated my work (mainly because I always loved my organisation and gave priority to my organisation’s well-being ahead of my personal life). I never planned my career because I left it to my bosses. This shaped my career. I somehow have had a deep appreciation of the talents of my colleagues. This helped me have friends who made my work life exciting. This shaped my life. A customer shared with me an article about Edward De Bono (somehow my customers always had a special love for me). I was so excited about this gift that I followed it up with devotion and ultimately studied lateral thinking from Peter De Bono in Oxford. This pursuit helped me shape my life
Challenges Overcome (Describe a challenge or obstacle you have overcome and how it has impacted your personal growth)	Personal growth and self-discovery have been a big challenge for me for years. I thought that self help books will help me. But I didn't have the discipline to follow the actions these books suggested. Ultimately I overcame this challenge by writing my own self help book to suit my constitution

Part 4: Looking Forward

Subject	Particulars
Two short term personal or professional goals	Personal goal -  Start my day at 5 AM Have a complete calendar for the day and live by it Professional goal - Speak like a Jay Shetty Popularise my ideas
Two long term personal or professional goals	Personal -  Inspire others by living my life as defined in my book about success and happiness Professional -   Become an inspiration to people who seek to be successful and happy
Aspirations (What do you aspire to achieve or become in the future?)	Same as above

Task 3: Discuss why you are taking this course

Use the ‘Six thinking hats’ method for this discussion

Hat	Views/ impressions/ thoughts
White Hat (Facts and Information) Importance of the course, reputation of the course, benefits of studying the course …	The course is created by a world class institution viz. MIT This course will help me create a strategy for living a happy life
Red Hat (Emotions and Intuition) Personal feelings, excitement, or concerns related to the course	It is so nice to know that there is a study course about happiness Excited to join this course It is surprising why the whole world is not happy when such material is made available free
Black Hat (Critical Thinking) Potential drawbacks or challenges associated with studying happiness e,g, skepticism, potential time commitments, or concerns about the practical applicability of the course	Will just studying for this course bring me happiness? There are a million such courses. The course may inhibit my creativity because I will have to do the study as per the syllabus I may not agree with some thoughts/ principles included in the syllabus I will not have a group studying this course because I am doing it alone. This will rob me of opportunity of meeting amazing people
Yellow Hat (Positive Thinking) Positive aspects and benefits of studying this course, exploring how the course could enhance well-being, personal growth, and contribute positively to various aspects of life	This course will help me understand happiness in a structured manner I will get to study some serious research work done by world renowned researchers
Green Hat (Creativity and Innovation) New possibilities and opportunities, creative ways to integrate the course content into daily life, creative action plan, ideas for effective implementation of the plan	This course will open up new possibilities for me in my professional world such as creating study material about this course based on personal experience The material can be used by so many of my friends who run training as a profession Who knows, people may actually approach me to help them in implementing Happiness in their lives or in the lives of their people In short, this course could create new business/ career opportunities for me

Task 4 - Definitions of Happiness

What are different definitions of happiness?

Category	Sub-category	Definition of happiness
Religions	Christianity	Spiritual well-being and the pursuit of a relationship with God
	Islam	Living a righteous life, practicing gratitude, and fulfilling religious obligations
	Judaism	Pursuit of knowledge, meaningful relationships, and a sense of purpose
	Hinduism	Pursuit of spiritual knowledge, self-realization, and devotion
	Buddhism	Ethical conduct, mindfulness, and mental discipline
	Confucianism	Social harmony, ethical conduct, and fulfilling one's duties in relationships
Cultures	Western Individualism	Personal achievement, autonomy, and self-expression
	African and Native American Traditions	Community connections, shared traditions, harmony with nature, and a sense of belonging. Music, dance, and communal celebrations as expressions of joy and happiness
	Latin American Cultures	Strong social connections, vibrant celebrations, and family ties. Expressing emotions, such as joy and warmth
Philosophers	Aristotle	Aristotle, in his work "Nicomachean Ethics," viewed happiness (eudaimonia) as the ultimate human goal.  He defined it as the highest good and the fulfillment of one's potential, a state of living virtuously and in accordance with reason
	Epicurus and John Stuart Mill	Happiness is ataraxia (peace of mind) and aponia (absence of bodily pain)
	Immanuel Kant	Living in accordance with moral law. True moral worth is not contingent on the pursuit of happiness but on acting from a sense of duty
Psychologists	Carol Ryff	Autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance
	Martin Seligman	Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment
	Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi	A mental state of  optimal experience and engagement  (Flow)

I asked a few of my friends and relatives their definition of happiness. This is their response. Beautiful ensemble of thoughts -

1. Tough question !! I would say it's being globally satisfied with who you are, what you have and what you do. I read this in a book on psychology by Alfred Adler - happiness is a feeling of contribution, that “I am of use to someone”, The greatest unhappiness is not being able to like oneself
2. Happiness is a choice, not a result. Nothing will make you happy until you choose to be happy. No person will make you happy unless you decide to be happy. Your happiness will not come to you. It can only come from you. - Ralph Marston
3. Happiness is a state of the mind. Any achievement makes the person happy. A child might feel happy to have a good toy. A cricketer might feel happy to win the match. This happiness differs from person to person and from one situation to another. A philosopher or a theologist may define happiness differently. A rationalist may say it is a mirage. Real happiness is a permanent blissful state which comes to a person when he/ she has a matured mind after having a good experience of the material world
4. Happiness works like blood thinner, makes life smoother. Doesn't allow growth of clots (problems). Helps provide oxygen to the brain and helps us solve problems. So daily have a dose of a pill of happiness.😃 Pill of happiness : Think of happy moments in life, things that give you happiness
5. Happiness is being out in the open and walking in nature, on both sunny days, and during the hour to sunset. This last hour is the most calming time of the day. The ever changing light and colours of the sky and play of colors on clouds and silence broken only by bird sounds, is most calming and pleasurable. Happiness (and bliss!) is being surrounded by people who are happy and content with life and themselves
6. Happiness is everywhere, in everything if you just open your eyes, ears and heart. Happiness is the sun on my face, it is hearing bird song on the tree outside my window, it is seeing the happiness the birds feel when they are splashing in the bath! Happiness is having the grandchildren calling you! Happiness is when my school children come running to hug me or want to share their food with me. Happiness is when my tailor stitches my dress well!!!  You know, happiness is just all around, but a lot of people prefer spending time crying over past/ present/ even imagined negativity. If this is not happiness, then what is?
7. Relationships matter more than pots of money. I am content with a peaceful environment in our home, music and good food- rest all follows. Money does matter in a way, but need not be a lot of it- we can live simple, be self sufficient and be surrounded by a close knit family