#happiness #TeachingHappiness #schools
Most of us think of happiness as a feeling.
Either we are happy, or we are not.
In Delhi, India, children have a class on happiness in school.
It appears the public schools in Delhi are experimenting with such a class, since schools in India are so obsessed with test scores that the obsession may be stressing the students.
Vidhi Doshi wrote about this in an article in The Washington Post. It was also published July 29, 2018, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
And, the article says, the classes have paid off. Delhi’s public schools have outperformed the private schools on standardized test in recent years.
“We should work happily,” the article quotes Aayush Jha, 11, who took his first happiness class. “When you work sadly, your work will not be good,” he said.
But, after nearly three decades of rapid industrialization in India, some states in the country made exams easier and graded them leniently to bring up the scores. Some students got through high school without being able to read or write, the article says.
So now, experts in India are asking whether the focus on employability has stifled creativity and stymied social progress, the article says.
So, how do the classes work? Some 10,000 Delhi students spend the first half-hour of each day without opening a book, learning instead through inspirational stories and activities, as well as meditation exercises, the article says.
It’s kind of like recess, indoors, to start the day.
During this period, the students are encouraged to think about what makes them happy.
So, if your job, or school, stresses you out, start the day by thinking about what makes you happy.
Not just, say, ice cream, or cake. Instead, think about what you want out of your life that you don’t currently have. It may inspire you to do something different or, at the very least, allow you to go to work inspired to do something great. Then, you may be able to have what you want, eventually.
In realistic terms, however, many jobs will not provide people with what they want out of life. The jobs either don’t pay enough, or occupy too much of our time – or both.
If you have a really big dream, and your situation isn’t getting you closer to achieving that dream, it may be time to look at something else.
Fortunately, there are a number of vehicles out there that, starting with a small, part-time effort, could give you what you need to fulfill that dream. To check out one of the best such vehicles, message me.
As we’ve learned in the U.S., focusing an education system on test scores may not be the best way to educate children. We certainly want our children to achieve as much as they can academically, but kids need time to be kids.
They also need to learn the value of skills that are not easily measured – happiness, friendliness, working as part of a team, getting along well with others etc. They can be just as important to one’s career as math, science, social studies and language.
Perhaps U.S. children don’t need to take a class in these “soft” skills, but they should learn them as part of their overall education.
Chronic unhappiness not only leads to other mental and physical problems, it can reduce productivity.
We’ve been taught to work smarter, rather than harder. We should all learn to work happy, live happy. We may have to work harder to create that happiness.
Peter
Tag Archives: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ACADEMIC FRAUD?
#education #AcademicFraud #college #CollegeDebt
Only 37 percent of 12th-graders tested proficient or better in reading. Only 25 percent did so in math.
Yet, the high school graduation rate is better than 80 percent.
Columnist Walter E. Williams, who writes for Creators Syndicate, quoted these figures from the National Assessment of Educational Progress’ 2017 report, also known as The Nation’s Report Card. His column on the subject was also published April 25, 2018, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
He also writes that not only do 80 percent of high school seniors graduate, 70 percent of white high school grads were admitted to college in 2016, as well as 58 percent of black high school grads. Here, he quotes the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Colleges, then, have to provide remedial courses, dumb down their courses so ill-prepared students can get passing grades and/or set up majors with “little analytical demands so as to accommodate students with analytical deficits,” Williams writes.
Williams’ conclusion: there is academic fraud being committed at all educational levels.
“How necessary is college anyway?” Williams asks. “One estimate is that 1 in 3 college graduates have a job historically performed by those with a high school diploma,” he writes.
We’ve all heard the stories, particularly in recent times, of students coming out of college and hitting the job market with degree in hand, college debt on his or her back and slim prospects not only to earn an income appropriate for his or her education level, but even to find a job at all – at least one in a field to match his or her education.
There is a teacher shortage, however not every college graduate is fit or prepared to teach. Besides, many of them might think that teaching doesn’t pay well enough for them to cover payments on their college debt, let alone any other life expenses. (Some loan programs allow college debt to be written off if the student goes into teaching for a certain number of years).
The pressure is on most children from grade school to go to college and get that degree, so they can get that good job. The pressure is so intense that families – ultimately, the students – go into debt to pay for that education.
They then spend some of their most productive work years paying that debt off, and probably delaying things like buying a house or saving for retirement. In the extreme, these graduates move back home with mom and dad and stay for several years, thus delaying their parents’ progression toward retirement.
As Williams points out, the cycle is that many students get through high school ill prepared for college academically, yet go to college anyway. They really can’t afford college, yet they view it as an investment into a great career. Again, as Williams asks, “How necessary is college anyway?”
First, if a student isn’t prepared to cut it academically in college, it’s perfectly OK not to send him or her, especially if you are going to saddle that student with a massive debt upon graduation – presuming he or she can get TO graduation.
Then, if they wind up waiting tables or doing some menial job that doesn’t require a college degree, what was the point of the education, or the debt?
Fortunately, for a student like that, he can take his menial job, work as many hours as he needs to and, in some of his off hours, pursue one of the many ways to earn money without taking a second W-2 job. Many such vehicles can eventually provide an income that could surpass any income from not just the menial job, but also from a job that would be appropriate for one with a college degree.
But, to pursue this, the student has to be willing to check out such a vehicle. If you’d like to examine one of the best, message me.
Otherwise, one could struggle to get through high school, get into college and take a lot of “gut” courses or major in something that will not have much value on the open market – and pay dearly to do it.
No education is really wasted, but one must have eyes wide open about the economic potential — and cost — of what one wants to study. Try to enjoy school at all levels, if you can, then look for ways to support yourself, and perhaps help others do the same.
Peter
ROBOT TAKING YOUR JOB? DON’T TRY TO STOP IT; ADAPT
#robots #RobotsTakingJobs #automation #jobs
Experts everywhere are trying to figure out what to do when robots take over the lion’s share of jobs.
Though it is already happening, many speculate it will be more widespread in years to come.
The Houston Chronicle took on this topic in an article that was also published in the June 16, 2018, edition of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Some would have the federal government give everyone what they needed to live on, while the robots did all the work, the article says.
In a Roosevelt Institute paper, titled “Don’t Fear the Robots,” economist Mark Paul writes that a series of not-so-radical policies would go a long way to ensure the technological advancement would be widely enjoyed, the article says.
Paul argues for overhauling intellectual property law so that the companies that develop valuable patents and trademarks don’t have such a long monopoly on their innovations, the article says. Paul also sees more people working part-time, sharing jobs, as a way to keep unemployment low, the article says.
He also argues that that the rapid shift in needed skills and technologies would strengthen the case for more publicly funded higher education and training, the article says.
Whatever solutions are developed, our attitude should be to embrace technological innovation, rather than stymie it. After embracing the new technology, even if it personally affects us, we can then figure out what our own next steps should be to not just make a living, but to potentially prosper.
Fortunately, there are many vehicles out there that we can check out to potentially solve our problem. The good news: no robot could take those options away. We just have to be open enough to check them out, even if it means doing something you never thought you would ever do.
If you see yourself losing a job to a robot, or someone else, or if the job you are doing now is not helping you fulfill your dreams, message me if you want to check out one of the best alternative vehicles.
Our knee-jerk reaction to change is to try to stop it or stand in its way. Remember, those who stand in the way are more likely to be run over.
Technology, efficiency and innovation are all coming. We can’t stop them, so why not embrace them?
Factories will continue to hum along, just, perhaps, with many fewer people.
More work will be untouched by human hands.
Progress cannot be stopped.
We just have to figure out how we will fit into the new world.
Much like the weather, progress will be what it will be. It will take us wherever it will take us.
Standing in its way will get you body-slammed.
Don’t just stand there. Adapt.
Peter
LABOR UNIONS GETTING MORE CLOUT
#LaborUnions #MoreUnionClout #workers #jobs
Labor unions, and their power to create a lifestyle for their members, have been declining for years.
And, government has been assisting in that decline by passing laws reducing the unions’ bargaining power. Recently, the Supreme Court ruled that government workers who declined to join unions that represent them in collective bargaining cannot be forced to contribute to those unions.
That ruling would certainly have an impact on a union’s ability to raise money to cushion labor disputes etc.
But, according to an article by Nicholas Riccardi for the Associated Press, there’s a little more enthusiasm now for labor unions. His article was published June 29, 2018, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“There’s kind of a spark going on now with unions,” the article quotes Mike Hinton, 39, a UPS delivery driver and Teamster from Campbellsville, Ky.
Whether its Las Vegas workers striking at Strip casinos, and winning concessions, or teachers striking in states that have chopped education budgets for years, unions are trying to make a comeback, the article says.
In fact, the article says labor unions picked up 262,000 new recruits last year.
It’s not clear why unions are making a comeback. “I don’t know if locals have been unusually organized rather than things have just gotten very, very bad,” the article quotes Moshe Marvit, a Pittsburgh-based labor attorney and fellow at the Century Foundation.
Some historical perspective is in order. As the Industrial Revolution took hold, factories – often called sweat shops – emerged. People moved off the farms to get jobs in these factories and, at the beginning, those jobs paid very little for the hard work people had to do.
So, organizers got the idea of trying to negotiate better wages and benefits for the workers. If they didn’t get what they want, they would convince most, if not all, the workers to strike until demands were met.
Over time, those demands created inefficiencies in the workplace, and companies could not change things without union approval. Of course, the unions’ mission was to preserve as many jobs as possible, with the best pay and most benefits.
Technological progress sped up, and companies found ways to produce their goods more efficiently with machines, rather than human power.
As fewer people worked in factories, unions gradually lost their clout, with the exception of the public sector unions.
Some recent improvements in working conditions have taken hold because of a tightening job market. Still, in general, job security is almost non-existent. Raises are few and far between. Employee benefits, pensions etc., have gradually gone away. The income gap between rich and middle class grows wider. The middle class is declining.
Perhaps, with a strong economy and companies unable to find enough workers, labor feels emboldened.
The lesson here might be that, for as long as it took for unions to gain power in previous decades, workers may not want to wait for that to happen again.
If you have a job that doesn’t pay you enough, or give you enough benefits, you might want to find some part-time, off-work hours in your schedule to check out the many ways to earn money that doesn’t involve a W-2 job. To check out one of the best, message me.
Organizing labor is risky, as the article points out. The way things are, or the way things are headed, may make workers believe it’s worth the risk to organize.
Remember, whatever choice you make, think it through and make sure it’s the right thing for you to do. There are ways to bolster your financial future with much less risk.
Peter
DECISIONS FOR A SECURE RETIREMENT
#retirement #SocialSecurity #PensionFunds #pensions
Recent reports and studies have Medicare funding drying up by 2026, with Social Security only secure for a few years after that.
Geoff Mulvihill reports that many pension funds for public workers already owe far more in benefits than they have in the bank. His article for the Associated Press was published May 26,2018, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Just two days later, the Atlanta paper published an article by Susan Tomor for the Detroit Free Press discussing how to become a 401(k) millionaire. In summary: start saving at a young age, consistently, from every paycheck you receive. Also, if you get raises, put those in the bank, too, and don’t touch the money, except to reinvest or improve your investment portfolio.
We’ve all heard the stories about people at or near retirement age who have very small nest eggs stashed away.
Obviously, they did not make that a priority as they’d gone through various life stages – marriage, children etc. Some of them might argue that there is no way they could have saved money and dealt with whatever life threw at them.
For the young person, making retirement saving a priority is essential if, of course, you don’t want to be broke in your elder years, when you might have the time to do things that you never had time to do as a youth.
It really doesn’t matter what you earn. It matters only that you take what you earn and use it wisely.
Spontaneous – some might call it frivolous – spending ought not be a big part of your life. Knowing where every cent you have is going is essential. Of course, a life of complete amusement deprivation is not good either. But choose your fun wisely, as cheaply as you can.
Check you daily expenses. Are you buying your lunch at work every day? If so, bag your own. Are you making daily coffee shop runs? Buy a Thermos, brew your own and take it with you.
Are you ending your workweek with “happy hour?” Why not have you, and your friends, pick someone’s house, each buy a favorite beverage or snacks, and gather there instead of at your favorite watering hole.
Of course, not everyone has to cheap out. But for those who insist they cannot afford to save money, it has to become a conscious decision.
Even bigger life decisions, such as how many children to have, and when, should be considered as part of creating a financial future.
Young folks, too, have to decide when, or whether to buy a home. It may be considered part of The American Dream, but there is no shame in renting, if that works better for you. On the other hand, a house can be an investment you could use later as part of your overall net worth.
If you are older, and think you are out of luck now, or even if you are younger and are looking to secure your future, there are many ways out there to earn a decent, potentially lucrative, income by spending a few part-time hours a week. The bonus: if you are diligent and consistent, it’s money no one can take away from you. To check out one of the best such vehicles, message me.
The lesson to learn with these various reports on retirement is that a secure financial future is in no one’s hands but yours. Take charge. Use what you have, to the best of your ability. Perhaps even be open to looking for things that may help boost your future.
As the adage goes, if it is to be, it’s up to me.
Peter
WHERE WOULD YOU LIVE IN RETIREMENT?
#retirement #RetirementHomes #RetirementDestinations #WhereToLive
If you had a million bucks socked away for retirement, where would you live?
Presuming you stay in the U.S., the places where $1 million would last longest in retirement are: McAllen, Texas, 42.3 years; Harlingen, Texas, 39.5 years; Richmond, Ind., 39.3 years; Kalamazoo, Mich., 38.1 years; Cleveland, Ohio, 37.4 years; Martinsville, Va., 37.1 years; Knoxville, Tenn., 36.7 years; Ashland, Ohio, 36.6 years; Jonesboro, Ark., 36.6 years; and Norman, Okla., 36.5 years.
On the other hand, the places where $1 million would be spent the fastest in retirement are: New York, N.Y., 12.5 years; Honolulu, Hawaii, 14.8 years; San Francisco, Calif, 15.9 years; Seattle, Wash., 18.7 years; Boston, Mass., 18.7 years; Orange, Calif, 18.8 years; Hilo, Hawaii, 18.9 years; Stamford, Conn., 19.3 years; Washington, Va., 19.4 years; and Kodiak, Alaska, 19.7 years.
These figures were compiled by SmartAsset.com and were part of an article by Ron Hutibise of the Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. It was also published May 14, 2018, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
A couple of things are obvious. First, $1 million isn’t what one would call a lot of money today. It may have been a fortune a few decades ago, but no longer.
Second, the most expensive places might be the more desirable places to live than the least expensive places.
As the article pointed out, Fort Lauderdale came in last among Florida cities – even worse than Miami. Your cool million would be gone in 25.2 years in Fort Lauderdale, the article says.
Something else is at play here. Many people at or near retirement don’t have anywhere close to $1 million saved. It’s hard to imagine how they will survive – never mind enjoy – retirement without a decent financial cushion.
So what might the lesson be? If you are young, start saving, even if you have to give up something, or things, you enjoy. Though it may be hard to imagine what life will be like in coming decades, or whether you’ll even live that long, you still should plan for all eventualities as best you can.
If you are middle aged, or nearing retirement, and you don’t have what you think you will need to enjoy your golden years, your choices are limited. You can keep working, presuming your employer is in no rush to get rid of you. The worker shortage many employers are experiencing now, thanks to an economy that has pretty much recovered from the recession, may be a saving grace for you. That’s presuming your health is good, your job is bearable etc.
Still, that could change. You have to work under the presumption that you could be let go any day. You almost never get a warning of when that day will come. You have to keep your eyes and ears on what is happening around you, so you can spot things that might forecast your departure.
Finally, no matter what your age, there are a number of vehicles out there that will allow you to pick up extra money – potentially a lot of extra money – by dedicating a few part-time hours a week. To learn about one of the best such vehicles, message me.
If you plan well, you can retire at the appropriate time. If you plan really well, you can retire whenever you want, wherever you want.
It all depends on your diligence, how much of a priority you devote to a good retirement and the sacrifices you are willing to make. It does you no good to have enjoyed life while you are young, only to barely survive in your elder years.
Whatever you do, don’t presume the promises made throughout your life will be kept. Your retirement security is entirely in your hands.
Peter
BUYING A HOUSE REQUIRES MUCH THOUGHT
#HomeBuyingMistakes #homebuyers #BuyingAHouse #DreamHouses
Buying a home is a big decision, no matter where you are in life.
“When you’re in your 20s, your life isn’t the same as when you’re retired, and yet you’re both going to make some timing mistakes (when buying a home),” Natalie Campisi quotes Ilyse Glink, author of “100 Questions Every First-Time Home Buyer Should Ask.”
Campisi wrote her article for Bankrate.com. It was also published June 11, 2018, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Campisi discusses the various mistakes buyers in different age groups make. Young buyers, in their 20s, often get the wrong type of mortgage because they may not have had the ability to save as much for a down payment. The lesson here is to avoid adjustable rate mortgages, tempting as they might be for young buyers who see a great introductory rate.
Buyers in their 30s, meanwhile, may not be considering a future family when standing in the middle of a downtown condo with great views, Campisi writes.
Middle-age buyers in their 40s and 50s tend to overestimate their budget and buy houses they can’t afford. One can avoid this by figuring out his or her lifestyle comfort level, Campisi quotes Glink. When figuring out a budget, these buyers should leave enough room for things that are important to them, such as private school tuition for the kids, Campisi writes.
Retirees, in their 60s and older, tend to fall in love with a vacation home, Campisi writes. They get attached to a vacation home before making the decision where they might want to retire – either where they live now, a warmer climate location or even another country, Campisi writes.
In short, buying a home requires careful thought and wrong decisions, no matter how old you are, can be costly.
Younger folks may opt for a smaller, more affordable house as a starter, with plans to trade up as they get more financially settled and decide when, whether and how big their family will be.
Older folks may go from bigger house to smaller house, as children leave and the desire for less upkeep strengthens.
But it boils down to money. What if you could buy whatever you wanted, wherever you wanted? For most, that’s a dream. Yet, it could be a reality if you consider ways other than a traditional job to make money.
There are many such vehicles out there for those willing to consider escaping – even for a few hours a week – his or her comfort zone. If you are that type of person, and have the desire to live where you want and in whatever house you want, message me to check out one of the best such vehicles.
The Bankrate.com article talks a lot about the practical considerations to home buying, and less about emotional considerations.
For example, you may have sentimental attachments to a house – perhaps it’s where you raised your family or, as the article pointed out, it’s where you liked to go on vacation.
Remember that adding emotion into such a big decision can complicate matters. So, if you buy a house, think of it strictly as a house – a financial asset that provides you shelter, and comfort, of course. Your home is wherever you are.
A dream house can be created with building materials. It can also be purchased already built. A dream home is wherever you decide to settle. You can create a dream home by making the most of life wherever you are.
Peter
SOFT SKILLS? RATHER, CREATIVITY
#SoftSkills #education #creativity #boldness
“What I find missing (when college grads don’t land jobs) is any sense of creativity. If you are going to get something, you have to think about what is an interesting and bold way to get it.”
So says Ted Dintersmaith, a former venture capitalist turned education advocate. He was quoted throughout The Atlanta Journal-Constitution education columnist Maureen Downey’s June 11, 2018, column.
Downey writes that Dintersmith recalled how impressed he was with a young entrepreneur seeking to meet him. The student pleaded with Dintersmith’s assistant to allow him to sit in the office so he could grab a moment with Dintersmith as he walked to his car.
Dintersmith’s two decades as a venture capitalist brought him much success. He came to believe that success demanded both innovation and entrepreneurship.
In other words, if you go through channels to find an opportunity, you probably will not hear anything back. If you do something outside the box to get someone’s attention, that person might be impressed enough to hire you.
This type of thinking may differ greatly with what you’ve been taught since childhood. Remember your parents or other advisers telling you, “don’t make waves,” “do everything properly,” or, even, “do what you are told to do?”
Today’s society put value on wave-makers. Even if you are getting a W-2 job, with a set job description, you have to show some entrepreneurship in that role to get noticed, or get ahead.
Conduct yourself with the attitude of, it’s better to beg forgiveness than ask permission.
America must re-imagine education, Downey quotes Dintersmith, so millions of people aren’t stranded by an economy that prizes creativity, innovation and invention.
Of course, as a practical matter, we still need people toiling at tasks that require a set job description. It’s tough to think outside the box if you wait tables, wash dishes or do some other minimum-wage work. In that case, though, you’re creativity and innovation must come to the fore as you imagine yourself in the near future doing something other than what you are doing.
For students, the best path may be to give more meaning to a high school diploma by requiring students to work in real-life challenges, for an organization or community, Downey quotes Dintersmith. He has seen teachers doing this in places like North Dakota and Hawaii, she writes.
Schools will change, “one classroom at time by teacher-driven, well-thought-out small steps leading to big change,” Downey quotes Dintersmith.
Maybe you, today, are following your parents’ advice and cherishing the security of following a set of rules. But, perhaps, you long for something more.
If you are bold enough to look for something better, something that rewards your boldness, something that requires you to look at something completely different from what you thought you would do in life, there are many such vehicles out there. To check out one of the best, message me.
Otherwise, if you are doing something that bores you, that doesn’t reward you the way you think it should, or that eats away at too much of your life, look for a change. Perhaps not today, or tomorrow, but put a goal in front of you that says something like: I’m only going to do this for X years at most. Then, start looking for a change that will better suit you.
Remember, as Dintersmith advises, just sending a resume, or filling out an application, and waiting to hear something probably won’t cut it, no matter how impressive your qualifications are.
If the opportunity is worth pursuing, don’t hesitate to visit the employer and ask to see a person of influence. You may have to do some research to see who that is, but, in the process, you may actually meet someone who can formally introduce you.
Be bold. Be creative. Go after it!
Peter
HOUSING PRICES GOING UP, BUT …
#HousingPrices #AffordableHousing #HousingCosts
About a decade ago, we were hearing about people being forced out of their homes through foreclosure.
Today, we’re hearing about housing shortages, sky-high prices and high rents.
Rick Hampson tackled this issue in Los Angeles in an article for USA Today. It was also published May 20, 2018, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Hampson’s article calls this time the second Gilded Age. The first was in the late 1800s, when industrialization of the U.S. brought many immigrants, mostly from Europe, attracted by higher wages here than in their home countries.
“In this Gilded Age, like the one at the end of the 19th century, the gap between rich and poor is widening: monopolies have more power over business; business has more power over politics; and politics are close-fought and hyper-partisan,” Hampson writes.
In Los Angeles, where the cost of housing is out of sight, you have the mega-rich and the homeless huddled together.
Hampson writes about affluent areas like Bel Air, where a wildfire revealed a homeless encampment among pricey homes.
We all would like to live where we want. We all can’t afford, perhaps, to live where we might want, so we settle for living where we are.
We all can’t afford homes worth, say, $500 million, like the hilltop mansion in Bel Air that Hampson says is bigger than the White House.
Some of those homeless folks might be mentally ill. Some might just be urban outdoorsmen, to coin a phrase from retired radio talk show host Neal Boortz.
Some might have been victims of the recession 10 years ago. They’ve lost their homes to foreclosure, and can no longer afford another one – or even an apartment in California – at current prices.
One may not aspire to live in a $500 million hilltop home, but there are many ways people of modest means can better their lives, with a few hours a week part time. To check out one of the best such methods, message me.
The gap between rich and poor may be widening. Builders are not concentrating their efforts on building “affordable” housing. They are concentrating on building large homes for those who can, or want to, afford them.
Hampson goes on to say what Realtors in L.A. are doing to entice buyers. One even includes furniture, decorations and champagne with a home she is listing, he says.
Certainly, one could read this and think that it’s over the top. Perhaps you live in a small town in the middle of the country and cannot envision this happening where you are.
But the point is that housing prices are going up just about everywhere – especially in and around big cities.
Amazon is scouting places for its second headquarters that promises to bring 50,000 jobs. But amid all this prosperity are those who have very little.
We have to hope that as some prosper, others will be able to use what they leave behind to build a life of their own. The answer to homelessness is building more housing. It won’t get every homeless person off the street, but it may help the ones who’ve gotten there because of bad luck, and who want to work to create a better life.
Peter
PLAY MORE, WORRY LESS
#PlayMore #WorryLess #fun
Laurie Santos greeted her Yale University students with slips of paper that said, “No class today.”
Though she was canceling class in the middle of the semester with exams and papers looming, she instructed her students NOT to use the 75 minutes studying. She told them that they had to enjoy their time.
“She was asking them to stop worrying about grades, even if only for an hour,” writes Susan Svrluga, in an article for The Washington Post. It was also published May 20, 2018, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
As you might guess, Santos psychology class, titled “Psychology and the Good Life,” is the largest class, by far, in Yale’s 317-year history, Svrluga writes.
Before you start laughing, students, particularly those who go to top-notch universities, have pretty rugged schedules. They take courses. Some juggle those courses – homework, tests, papers etc. – around part-time jobs.
There are times when kids need to just kick back and do something fun or, at least, restful.
Perhaps some folks are, let’s just say, not sympathetic. Life isn’t like that. One has to have rigor to make life good, right?
Yet, that is an oxymoron.
The bigger lesson here might be creating balance in your life. If you work all the time, even make lots of money, but never take time to enjoy it, what good is it?
Certainly, for the students, their rigor is temporary. But what Santos is trying to teach them is, to quote the old adage, “all work and no play makes Johnny (or Janey) a dull boy (or girl).”
All too often, the “good life,” as we see it, involves trappings such as kids’ ball games, cooking dinner, mowing the lawn and, oh yes, having a job that might eat you alive.
We schedule ourselves, or over-schedule ourselves, if you prefer, down to every last minute. If you are going from the time you get up to the time you go to bed – perhaps incapable of finding down time – that, by and large, is not good.
The Santos class is teaching young kids who are, just from the school they are attending, likely to be high achievers to, using another cliché, “stop and smell the roses.”
We’ve previously talked about creating happiness. This class is showing kids that they MUST find time in their busy schedules to do that, however they wish.
If you find the idea for this class instructive, but are overly worried whether you are doing enough to keep your head above water, know that there are many vehicles out there to help you if you are either time-broke, or not financially where you’d like to be. To learn about one of the best, message me.
Meanwhile, don’t laugh at Santos’ class or the many students who are taking it. Life lessons are as important, or more so, than academic ones.
Sometimes, you have to say to yourself, “I need a break.” But, your life has become such that you have no clue how to take one.
Perhaps you should study what’s taught in Santos’ class. It might even change your life for the better.
Peter