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Learner Reviews & Feedback for The Science of Well-Being by Yale University

4.9
stars
37,282 ratings

About the Course

NEW TEEN VERSION AVAILABLE HERE: https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being-for-teens In this course you will engage in a series of challenges designed to increase your own happiness and build more productive habits. As preparation for these tasks, Professor Laurie Santos reveals 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. You will ultimately be prepared to successfully incorporate a specific wellness activity into your life. THE SCIENCE OF WELL BEING WAS PRODUCED IN PART DUE TO THE GENEROUS FUNDING OF THE DAVID F. SWENSEN FUND FOR INNOVATION IN TEACHING....

Top reviews

LG

Apr 21, 2023

Magnificent!

Clear and concise revelations about the human condition, how to understand the tricky nature of our minds and practical advice about how to counteract those deceptions.

Marvellous.!

LH

Aug 21, 2020

Great fun way of learning about personal thought processing, attitudes and well-being.

Very helpful course to get me to assess my life and how to make the changes I needed to improve my well-being.

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376 - 400 of 10,000 Reviews for The Science of Well-Being

By Sharon M

Sep 23, 2020

Excellent, science-based content that resulted in a 50% increase in my happiness level! Which I have sustained. The detail: Laurie is a warm, engaging professor who supported her learnings with facts and analogies relevant to her audience. At times, Laurie spoke to live audiences so the class felt more real, personal, and engaging than other online classes. I loved that she listed additional resources to read so that I could dig a little deeper. I liked that forms and apps were available, although I did not need them. Finally, Laurie measured the outcome of the class through pre and post surveys. For the first time, I could actually see the impact the class had on my own well being. You will not only learn a lot from this class, but you will also feel happier after taking it. I promise, and I have the scores to prove it -- a 50% increase in well-being.

By Luz S

Apr 8, 2021

When I started the course and perhaps during the first sessions I had many doubts about the true usefulness of what those 10 weeks of work would be. In general, I consider myself a very committed person with what I do and when I start something, I usually finish it. But connecting with the challenge is fundamental and that at first I did not see it so clearly, however, as the course progressed, the readings and support videos, the tools seen for rewiring and making a different strategy weekly, they achieved get hooked and find the meaning of the course. This learning time has been a gift to me, and I hope I can make it a habit in my life. Many thanks to Laurie Santos, it is an excellent course and for the students I am sure that it should change the vision of their lives and what should really be important and a priority to achieve happiness.

By Suehaven N

Mar 10, 2021

This course is excellent! I started the course, wanting the certificate...and thought maybe I'd learn something about improving my state of mind... I've struggled with depression my whole life. Everything was great until midway through when a dear friend of mine died...that sent me into a spiral of darkness. I stopped everything and lost my zest for life. Months later, I wanted to just finish the course and get a fresh start so I did. The assignment at the end was invaluable. I took 2 pre-tests before the class and took them again at the end (measuring my well-being)... BOTH scores went UP. Even with me going into a state of deep, dark depression half-way through. It was astounding! I will continue the things I learned in the course for my whole life... This course has been one of the best decisions of my life... I highly recommend it. :)

By Martha N A d A

Nov 10, 2020

Estoy muy agradecida a Laurie y la Universidad de Yale por el Curso tan bien organizado que me ha dado la oportunidad de analizar muchos aspectos de mi vida que me permiten valorar mejor las experiencias vividas y compartirlas con otras personas , asimismo buscar un tiempo libre para invertirlo en una mejor calidad de vida , vitalidad y alegría practicando ejercicios que se han vuelto un hábito y me gustan tanto, meditando, usando el dinero para compartir con otras personas, estableciendo prioridades, y tengo bien presente que ganar más dinero no nos hace más felices. Ahora voy analizando a través de Woop que me parece tan útil para ver resultados. Me siento realmente más optimista y feliz de utilizar lo aprendido en mi trabajo con mis pacientes .

Muchas gracias Laurie , un gran abrazo, es usted Genial impartiendo su experiencia.

By Irma C

Jun 23, 2023

This course helped me realize what's truly important and how to find my happiness again. Through the WOOP process and using strategies to rewire my brain I was able to return to my love of writing through the Gratitude Journal, which I have continued to use after the course. Meditation through the Calm App and Devotions through the Bible and Bible App. Exercising more and making an effort to walk and hopefully start biking soon. Moreover, the appreciation of savoring my peaceful walks in nature, achieving happiness by making memorable memories like attending the TLC concert tonight with my mom, vacationing with my partner and grandfather in the countryside. It reminds us that we must appreciate the simplest things in life which is spending quality time with family & friends and creating experiences that make happy memories.

By Constanze B

Dec 20, 2023

Fantastic course. If you've dug into the matter, like I had previously, you'll come across points you've certainly heard before, but the way the instructor presents them, simply amplifies them. It felt well-researched and trustworthy, compared to all the positive pop-psychology that is floating around the web. The weekly tasks helped to keep your motivation up, and I can report that my happiness score was indeed higher at the end than at the beginning! Also, once again, the instructor makes the course. Thank you so much, Dr. Laurie Santos for your excellent presentation of this subject matter. Your calm, understanding and empathic presence made me feel as if we're in the same boat in this and that you're not 'above' the students - it was simply an enjoyable and knowledgeable course! I've recommended it to many of my friends!

By Maire M

Jun 20, 2020

I am going to miss this course. It was my own little haven for 10 weeks now. My weekend mornings spent in Yale !

I found the course to be well structured. Pacing was really appropriate for part time learners. I was able to do the reading and extra work at my own pace during the week and I had the discipline of setting aside the time to take the online pieces together in one sitting, which I think was important for me.

The scientific researched based knowledge was very well explained. For those who are not in a formal college setting much academic research can be daunting but here is was presented in context with good visuals and excellent relevancy. Thank you Professor Santos for making it so easy to access this important learning. This is learning that is both empowering for how I parent and for how I live life myself.

By Raybeth D M S

Jun 23, 2019

I did this course in order to find real and genuine reasons for happiness, I have recommended it to several people around me, but beyond that I want to thank Yale University, the Coursera platform and all the people who just as I seek answers from life, your comments were good contributions. I feel happy and satisfied to have finished the course and to see that, through the promotion of wellness tools, little by little my perspective of happiness was changing, but the most important thing was to feel it practicing kindness, social connection, time affluence, mind control and health practices. I learned that understanding theory is necessary, but it is in the action that our real desire for change is centered. I will continue working to meditate every day, it is the commitment that I have with myself. Thank you.

By Sally M

May 18, 2018

I enjoyed everything about this course and I felt supported by

the whole framework of the course and the very personal, friendly and

empathetic way it was presented by Professor Santos. I think I subconsciously

responded to the way that she included herself in the exploration too from the

start - in that I didn't feel I was being told what to do (which makes me rebel)

but rather I felt invited to be part of an exciting experiment with a group of

others, so I also felt part of a team. This feeling continues now and I intend to

continue with my new well-being habits and so far, it feels really easy to do that.

I am definitely experiencing the benefits of having done this course and I think it's a course that everyone can benefit from - from teenagers through to elderly people.

Sally M. Australian, 45 years old

By Cheryl W

Sep 15, 2020

I began this course during a difficult time in my life to take up several hours each week to occupy my mind. I got so much more from this course then that. I have learned to take time for myself, to be appreciative for all the things that surround my world. But the importance of savoring and gratitude were really eye opening. Savoring being only when you are present. I realized how much time in my day I was not in the present!! I now make that a challenge. My rewirement is exercise and that is now a routine in my day. The first week I was not dedicated, but the second week I felt I had let myself down. Not a good feeling so I decided to change that. Never want to be a disappointment to myself again!! Thank you for this course, I think about what I learned daily and my life is much better for it.

By Clarence F

Sep 14, 2020

After taking this course, I regret giving other courses a 5-star rating, not because those courses were bad, but because this course exceeded my expectations in every way possible that it feels unfair that it has to have the same rating as those other courses, and that I am unable to give it more than a 5-star rating.

This course is incredibly grounded in science and research, which Prof Santos has painstakingly reviewed and sifted through, and also provided references to, for the sake of the learner. It provides many interesting research outcomes and also introduces many ways in which the learner can actively participate in their own well-being. Even the assignments are well thought out and really test the learner to apply what they have learnt.

This is a long course, but I would say it's definitely worth it.

By Permjit

Jun 27, 2020

Wasn’t to sure about doing this course. My daughter recommended it. It was awesome, my husband tells me I’m so much happier and relaxed. It’s made me really think about everything and I know I’m capable of doing so much more and not to be afraid of trying new things. Doing meditation and getting to sleep has helped. The best part for me was watching the videos and reading the books that they recommended at the end of each week. Some of the books, like Nudge, were very interesting.

They’ve put a course together very well and someone like me, who gets distracted easily, well it kept my attention and I really wanted to learn more about the physiological affects of how certain habits affect us. Thank you and really Dr Laurie Santos was outstanding because she related to us and was so down to earth and real. 🙏🏽

By Phyllis M

Jul 16, 2018

Laurie has a good mix of facts, research and stories. The course is very informative. I have bought several books and learned a lot about myself that will help me be happier. It also found that things I do make me happy even though others may not rate them as high as I do. For example I do not have a significant other but I have many friends both near and around the world. I love the work I do as a professor and corporate trainer. I also have several life long hobbies. I often enjoy them and lose track of time. I love the final outcome of my hobbies.

Thanks Laurie. Great class. I would recommend it to others. I read several of Martin Seligman's books and that path led to you. I also read Shawn Achor's books and loved his YouTube video which I reference in my professional courses on Lean and selling.

By chuck L

Oct 26, 2022

Except for the gratitude letter and social connection, I accepted very well and followed the rewirements and all the other aspects of the course. At the later part of the course, with the exercises, sleep, mediation and doing all the assignments, I did not know when, or if I had a aha moment, but somehow, I felt my days were more blissful and my mood was distinctly better. I would say that, along with some learning during the past two years of Covid Pandemic that I picked up from Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, this course definitely has a synergistic effect and has lifted me up at least 10% of my emotional well-being from a 4, 5, 6 to 5, 6,7 out of my personal mood scale of 10 with frequently now lingering on the higher side of the scale. Thank you, Prof Santos and Yale, from the bottom of my heart.

By sharmane g

Mar 11, 2021

I can't believe that it has already been ten weeks & now I've finished this course (The Science Of Well-Being). At the beginning of the course, I had struggled a lot with finding the meaning of life and can't seem to feel happy at all. But through the course, (much thanks to the professor!) I was able to learn about Positive Psychology and picked up scientific information to aid in building up good habits as well as discovering ways to truly be happy. This brief course was easy to digest and did not take up too much time at all. It has also piqued my interest in this field and I have since started on my second course (Positive Psychology by Dr Martin Seligman). I definitely recommend this course for those who are hope to discover ways to improve your quality of life in terms of happiness and well-being.

By Branka V

Jul 16, 2020

This was my first online, Coursera and non native course I have taken. It was the best course I have ever took and gave me knowledge to become a better person. Being from Slovenia we have different course and exam practice. This was my first experience also with foreign »American style« of studying and I must say I was amazed and also positive surprised how warm, student friendly and practice oriented the course was. Usually the courses are much more theoretical, lacking the time to really use and »rewire« the theory in practice. I was amazed by professor Laurie Santos - she did an amazing job gathering all the studies, interviews, other literature, made all the tips and videos and more. I sincerely thank her to made this course available also to people living on “other side” of the world. Thank you!

By Margaret L S

Oct 26, 2020

I am retired and stuck at home because of the Corona Virus; I was so happy to have an opportunity to take this course for that reason and more. The instructor was engaging and well informed; the course itself was well built--both in terms of its technical aspects but because of the research that went in to the content. I appreciated having the scholarly sources listed so I could do more reading and I also appreciated the way the course was designed to include effective online learning techniques. Although for someone who was essentially auditing this course, I was grateful not to have to do a lost of testing, I did find the quizzes too infrequent. The final project was great, though, since it was well suited to the goals of the course. It was useful and fun. Thank you all for a great course.

By Ma. P J G

Oct 19, 2022

The Science of Well-Being made such a great impact in me, as I navigated the course it taught a lot on how to find my strength, to dig deeper that I may find the courage to make my own happiness within. The Course challenged me to better myself and to hopefully one day impart to others all that the I gained through the process. I took the Course and see through it till the end, despite that I was struggling with my panic attacks. It was the best decision I have ever made because I was able to minimize the attacks. The Happiness Score that I got made me so sad but I know I will improve on it one day, because I am now armed with the learning from the Course. Know that I am very thankfully and lucky to have stumble upon the Course. The WOOP, was a gift. Thank you so much to Professor Laurie Santos.

By Ilaria G M

Jun 10, 2020

A very interesting, science-based course with a lot of practical advice and "homework" to not only learn notions but to actually apply techniques to feel better mentally and physically. I was a bit skeptical about the personal implications at the beginning but I loved how the course offered a lot of multi-disciplinary experiments and data to back up the studied topic. It was great to actually feel the difference in terms of happiness and gratefulness at the end of it. I highly recommend it to anyone, it will surely have a positive impact on your mental health (I did it during the Covid lockdown from late March to early June 2020 and it provided plenty of food for thought). Last but not least, the Professor is a good speaker, provides lots of inputs and shares personal efforts as well. Loved it.

By Casandra A

Jul 2, 2020

I just want to say thank you to Dr. Laurie Santos for developing this course. It has given me so much insight on happiness and well-being. I know that I can enjoy life despite my circumstances. I can find the joy in everyday living. I can reach out and help others and receive so much joy and happiness. I also have learned many theories and fallacies and dispelled myths that I had heard for years. I have told family and friends about this course and have encouraged them to enroll. My son told me about this course and I am so thankful that we were able to share meaningful conversations around it. Connections are so important, even more so in this time of pandemic(s). The things that we thought would make us happy, aren't the things that really make us happy. Love one another. Thank you again!

By Donna F G

Jun 17, 2020

I really enjoyed this course, it was a challenging time to have embarked on this new journey, yet i have learned so much that I will carry forward with me. The content was thought provoking and the delivery was so engaging. Thank you.

*****One specific comment regarding the peer submission assignment- Prompt 5 did not specify that we were to reveal our specific grades but only that our scores changed from the beginning of the course to the final assignment. When it was my turn to grade my peers, the rubric stated that we evaluate the score based on stating this info, in my case I lost points because I did not state my grade because it was not clear that was required. While i am happy that i passed the course, i took the time to answer, review, and tweak in anticipation of a perfect score:/

By Jayashree S

Feb 9, 2021

Simply loved the course ...content is so beautiful. Laura, I am basically a very disciplined person, with lot of gratitude for the beautiful life I am leading and I connect with people very well and make it a point to make my family ..friends and colleagues know how much I value them and their presence in my life . However my weakness was exercise...somehow generally have been fit so never gave it a sec thought how much it contributes to our well being. Thanks to you and the objective of the course to motivate us to put these awesome skills to practice....I am now on the track to making myself a more fitter, healthier and good looking person my incorporating Yoga, pranayama, walks & exercise. Very grateful...shall share my learning with folks and help people make their life beautiful

By Jose

Oct 30, 2021

Definitely needs a lot of improvements when it comes to the approach of well being in regards to why we should focus on it because the goal being happiness isn't a good goal to help those who really need it. Those people being the ones who are regarded as hopeless by everyone else in terms of success. I definitely benefitted from this course but the goal of this course is to help as many people as possible who don't feel happy and that is A LOT of people and I don't see it as being capable of doing that. I gave this 5 STARS because it really was a good course with really good information about happiness. I do recommend this course to everyone is introduced to it because it does help on an individual level like it did for me and my happiness. I just want to be completely honest.

By Sonia S

Jan 13, 2021

This course should be included in the basic school programs. It makes you reflect on the power and impact of social media, the opinion of others, the desire of accumulating objects and products that don't make you any happy in the end. It makes you focus on the things that really matter in life, how you can actually have an impact on yourself and on others happiness by putting in place certain routines and new habits which cost nothing but your personal efforts. It teaches you how gratitude can change your outlook on life, meditation can help relax your stresses mind and body, techniques to master your overthinking process. I am 44 years old and I wish someone had given me this course way before, when I was still a teenager. Thank you Yale for coming up with this course.

By Becky H

Aug 30, 2022

This was my first coursera class. I thought the content and the challenges were very interesting. Dr. Santos did a great job explining the content and relating it to everyday situations. I enjoyed her guest speakers who shared their ideas and findings.

My only complaint is that I thought I had met all of my requirements then spent a lot of time figuring out that I had missed pushing the button saying that I had completed the section. I feel that the computer should not let you advance to the next week if everything hasn't been recorded as complete. I also strugged with how to find my peer's rewirement repsonses so that I could review them. Easier navigation in the computer program could have saved me time and allowed me to complete the course in a more timly fashion.