www.nytimes.com/2010/09/15/business/15leonhardt.html
- I found an interesting article about how African Americans seem more happier than whites.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Work and Happiness
Many people go through their lives loathing their jobs and struggle with their unhappiness in work. At work, I want to be able to expand my communication skills and be able to help others. I don’t want to dread every morning going to work or go home thinking how unhappy I am. Finding the perfect job that suits me is important because I’ll feel purpose in my life. I’d feel like I accomplished what I wanted most out of life. My major is nursing and it’s a perfect job for me because it challenges my weaknesses and it will give me pleasure in seeing I helped someone in need.
Using the “MPS Process” (meaning, pleasure, strengths) presented by Tal- Ben Shahar, I learned that a good job for me has to do with helping people and working at a fast pace. I enjoy learning new facts about the human body and how it works. I also take pleasure in writing and being able to translate to Spanish-speaking people. I think that becoming a nurse will make me happier in my life because I’m studying a career I find interesting and will have different experiences every day. My goal is to be able to give back to my community and show myself that I can handle the hard work.
I don’t want a job where I have to depend on the incoming checks. I want a job I love going to every day and learn from people. Being happy at work will take away a lot of stress and will make you satisfied in life. Nursing will help me gain experiences and it will make me want to go to work every morning. It will challenge me a little bit day by day and it won’t be the same routine all the time. I love the idea of going to work because I want to not because I have to.
Works Cited
Ben-Shahar, Tal. Happier. New York: McGraw- Hill Companies, 2007.
Using the “MPS Process” (meaning, pleasure, strengths) presented by Tal- Ben Shahar, I learned that a good job for me has to do with helping people and working at a fast pace. I enjoy learning new facts about the human body and how it works. I also take pleasure in writing and being able to translate to Spanish-speaking people. I think that becoming a nurse will make me happier in my life because I’m studying a career I find interesting and will have different experiences every day. My goal is to be able to give back to my community and show myself that I can handle the hard work.
I don’t want a job where I have to depend on the incoming checks. I want a job I love going to every day and learn from people. Being happy at work will take away a lot of stress and will make you satisfied in life. Nursing will help me gain experiences and it will make me want to go to work every morning. It will challenge me a little bit day by day and it won’t be the same routine all the time. I love the idea of going to work because I want to not because I have to.
Works Cited
Ben-Shahar, Tal. Happier. New York: McGraw- Hill Companies, 2007.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Happiness In My Education
Education has always been valued in society but has always been something students learned to dislike. I have always thought of school as work, like many students do. As students, the distinction between work and play are engraved in our minds since such a young age. I have always had trouble focusing in school by procrastinating, hating the subjects that were being taught to me. I also always felt anxious and stressed about school which took away much of my happiness. I have some challenges that I need to defeat in order to become happier. My goal is to overcome these challenges and by doing so, it will help me become a happier student.
One of the most difficult challenges that has been standing in front of my happiness in school is procrastination. I had always left my school work until the very last minute, rushing to get it done. I even do so now, as a college student with the long readings I have to do. In my math class, I had a chapter to read and had some problems to do. I had always hated math and right away I knew it was something I was going to hate reading about. When I got home that day, I watched television, got online and did so many other things before doing my math homework. If I stop procrastinating in my school work, I will be happier in school.
One of the many ways I can stop procrastinating is by taking classes I like. Most of the courses I am taking now are interesting to me and I don’t procrastinate too much because I like the work. My math class though, is a requirement and as much as I hate math I need to learn how to like it. Every week before my math class starts I get with my two “study buddies”. We all help each other with problems we were having about the math work. I like explaining to them how I got my answer and it makes me feel good about my math skills and comprehension. By having study buddies, I stop procrastinating because I want to see if I can get it first than have them explaining it to me. I like getting my work done on time and reducing procrastination, this will help me gain happiness in my education.
Another challenge that seems to get in my way is being anxious and stressed about the schoolwork. As a student, I have always felt that I had to go to school and that I had to do well. Ever since I was a kid until now, I have had a fear of failing. In Tal Ben-Shahar’s “Happier” he explains about a model that a lot of students fall into. Shahar writes, “The drowning model shows two things: the desire to free ourselves of pain can be a strong motivator and that, once freed, we can easily mistake our relief for happiness” (83). In my psychology class, I feel like I have so much work to do and feel like I can never get it done. My motivation of fear keeps me going and I know that when this load of work passes, I will feel relieved and feel good about having it done. If I reduced my stress and anxiety then I will be much happier in school.
A way I can decrease my levels of stress and anxiety is take some time to relax. When I am very stressed, I stop what I’m doing and start reading poems and short stories. After I do so, I feel relaxed and happy and continue to finish the remaining school work. This is an activity I’m engaged to and it makes me happy because it takes some stress off my shoulders. Another way I can decrease stress is by joining clubs that engage my interest. If I interact with people about the things I like to do, then I won’t feel stressed about school. In Ken Robinson’s speech, “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” he mentioned a girl who loved to dance but teachers had thought she had a learning disorder. When that girl was put in a theatre arts school it was filled with people just like her, that loved to dance and she was thrilled. She loved being around people who were just like her and she learned a lot in that school. The point Robinson was trying to make is that students should find what they love, what they’re passionate about and strive to do well at it because it decreases some of the intensity school brings. I think by joining some clubs it will decrease my stress and will help me be more content in school.
Like the many challenges I face, I have strengths as a student as well. I love to write because I can express my thoughts in any way I want to. I get my work done on time and being prompt is a strength I carry. Another strength I have is having “emotion”, like Tony Robbins explained in his video. Tony Robbins explained that if we set our minds on our target and drop our excuses we can strive for the better. I have left that habit back in high school, telling myself excuses so I can justify why I didn’t do this or that. After I had entered college, I have been feeling the “emotion”. I dropped the excuses and did everything I was supposed to do because I knew this would get me far and would help me get what I want. I have been successful in studying, and getting things done on time.
Happiness in education can be difficult to obtain due to all the work and stress it puts on us. I have found ways where I can increase my happiness in education by reducing procrastination and anxiety levels. If I follow through I will reach my goal in becoming happier as a student and will excel in my studies. Other students can follow through as well by learning about themselves and what they like to do and finding their own ways to increase their happiness. The students would be happier in school and will do extremely well in their classes if they set their priorities straight.
Works Cited
Ben-Shahar, Tal. Happier. New York: McGraw- Hill Companies, 2007.
Robbins, Tony. Tony Robbins asks why we do what we do. TED 2006, filmed Feb. 2006; Posted June 2006, video recording, TED, 2006, http://www.tedafrica.org/talks/tony_robbins_asks_why_we_do_what_we_do.html
Robinson, Ken. Ken Robinson Says Do Schools Kill Creativity?. TED 2006, filmed Feb. 2006; Posted June 2006, Video recording, TED, 2006, http://www.tedafrica.org/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
One of the most difficult challenges that has been standing in front of my happiness in school is procrastination. I had always left my school work until the very last minute, rushing to get it done. I even do so now, as a college student with the long readings I have to do. In my math class, I had a chapter to read and had some problems to do. I had always hated math and right away I knew it was something I was going to hate reading about. When I got home that day, I watched television, got online and did so many other things before doing my math homework. If I stop procrastinating in my school work, I will be happier in school.
One of the many ways I can stop procrastinating is by taking classes I like. Most of the courses I am taking now are interesting to me and I don’t procrastinate too much because I like the work. My math class though, is a requirement and as much as I hate math I need to learn how to like it. Every week before my math class starts I get with my two “study buddies”. We all help each other with problems we were having about the math work. I like explaining to them how I got my answer and it makes me feel good about my math skills and comprehension. By having study buddies, I stop procrastinating because I want to see if I can get it first than have them explaining it to me. I like getting my work done on time and reducing procrastination, this will help me gain happiness in my education.
Another challenge that seems to get in my way is being anxious and stressed about the schoolwork. As a student, I have always felt that I had to go to school and that I had to do well. Ever since I was a kid until now, I have had a fear of failing. In Tal Ben-Shahar’s “Happier” he explains about a model that a lot of students fall into. Shahar writes, “The drowning model shows two things: the desire to free ourselves of pain can be a strong motivator and that, once freed, we can easily mistake our relief for happiness” (83). In my psychology class, I feel like I have so much work to do and feel like I can never get it done. My motivation of fear keeps me going and I know that when this load of work passes, I will feel relieved and feel good about having it done. If I reduced my stress and anxiety then I will be much happier in school.
A way I can decrease my levels of stress and anxiety is take some time to relax. When I am very stressed, I stop what I’m doing and start reading poems and short stories. After I do so, I feel relaxed and happy and continue to finish the remaining school work. This is an activity I’m engaged to and it makes me happy because it takes some stress off my shoulders. Another way I can decrease stress is by joining clubs that engage my interest. If I interact with people about the things I like to do, then I won’t feel stressed about school. In Ken Robinson’s speech, “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” he mentioned a girl who loved to dance but teachers had thought she had a learning disorder. When that girl was put in a theatre arts school it was filled with people just like her, that loved to dance and she was thrilled. She loved being around people who were just like her and she learned a lot in that school. The point Robinson was trying to make is that students should find what they love, what they’re passionate about and strive to do well at it because it decreases some of the intensity school brings. I think by joining some clubs it will decrease my stress and will help me be more content in school.
Like the many challenges I face, I have strengths as a student as well. I love to write because I can express my thoughts in any way I want to. I get my work done on time and being prompt is a strength I carry. Another strength I have is having “emotion”, like Tony Robbins explained in his video. Tony Robbins explained that if we set our minds on our target and drop our excuses we can strive for the better. I have left that habit back in high school, telling myself excuses so I can justify why I didn’t do this or that. After I had entered college, I have been feeling the “emotion”. I dropped the excuses and did everything I was supposed to do because I knew this would get me far and would help me get what I want. I have been successful in studying, and getting things done on time.
Happiness in education can be difficult to obtain due to all the work and stress it puts on us. I have found ways where I can increase my happiness in education by reducing procrastination and anxiety levels. If I follow through I will reach my goal in becoming happier as a student and will excel in my studies. Other students can follow through as well by learning about themselves and what they like to do and finding their own ways to increase their happiness. The students would be happier in school and will do extremely well in their classes if they set their priorities straight.
Works Cited
Ben-Shahar, Tal. Happier. New York: McGraw- Hill Companies, 2007.
Robbins, Tony. Tony Robbins asks why we do what we do. TED 2006, filmed Feb. 2006; Posted June 2006, video recording, TED, 2006, http://www.tedafrica.org/talks/tony_robbins_asks_why_we_do_what_we_do.html
Robinson, Ken. Ken Robinson Says Do Schools Kill Creativity?. TED 2006, filmed Feb. 2006; Posted June 2006, Video recording, TED, 2006, http://www.tedafrica.org/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
Monday, October 4, 2010
Happiness In School?
Education has always been valued in society but has always been something students learned to dislike. Throughout the years, students have developed a distinction between work and play. Students automatically think school is not fun and feel like it drains them out. Happiness in education can be improved through various ways. Teachers have to be able to engage students with what they’re teaching and involve some activities for students to learn. To bring happiness in education, students need to learn what he/she likes and engage in that activity.
As a student, I have always felt that I had to go to school and that I had to do well. Ever since I was a kid until now, I have had a fear of failing. In Tal Ben-Shahar’s “Happier” he explains about a model that alot of students fall into. Shahar writes, “The drowning model shows two things: the desire to free ourselves of pain can be a strong motivator and that, once freed, we can easily mistake our relief for happiness” (83). In my psychology class, I feel like I have so much work to do and feel like I can never get it done. My motivation of fear keeps me going and I know that when this load of work passes, I will feel relieved and feel good about having it done. To decrease this stress and anxiety of the load of work I have to do, I can go to a website my professor recommended and try out the quizzes and games. This will most likely keep me engaged in what I need to know and will challenge enough to keep my interest.
It is known that when a student is interested in what he or she is doing, they will strive at it. Society has labeled education as being math, science and literature. This however, isn’t necessarily true. Students should find an activity or subject they love the most and do their best at it. In Ken Robinson’s speech, “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” he mentioned a girl who loved to dance but teachers had thought she had a learning disorder. When that girl was put in a theatre arts school it was filled with people like her, that loved to dance and she was thrilled. She loved being around people who were just like her and she learned a lot in that school. The point Robinson was trying to make is that students should find what they love, what they’re passionate about and strive to do well at it because it decreases some of the intensity school brings.
When I am very stressed, I stop what I’m doing and start reading poems and short stories. After I do so, I feel relaxed and happy and continue to finish the remaining school work. This is an activity I’m engaged to and it makes me happy because it relieves me from all the stress of the other school work. To be engaged in school, students need to find out what they like to do so they can focus on it and become a better student.
As a new student in college, I feel happier because I take courses I am interested in and I know I’ll do well. I don’t feel pressured and feel like I’m studying what I like. There are still of course, flaws I think I have as a student. I think that I’m too quiet and I should interact more with students around me so I can feel more comfortable. I think getting to know more people will make me happier in school because I won’t be intimidated by saying my opinions in class.
Happiness in education can be difficult to obtain but once students find what they like they’ll be more engaged. Finding an activity can also help relieve stress for students and they’ll feel refreshed and happier when they continue to finish their school work. Many people struggle with finding happiness in education but they need to learn about themselves. They need to learn what they are interested in and once they do, they’ll find that they are happier in what they’re learning.
As a student, I have always felt that I had to go to school and that I had to do well. Ever since I was a kid until now, I have had a fear of failing. In Tal Ben-Shahar’s “Happier” he explains about a model that alot of students fall into. Shahar writes, “The drowning model shows two things: the desire to free ourselves of pain can be a strong motivator and that, once freed, we can easily mistake our relief for happiness” (83). In my psychology class, I feel like I have so much work to do and feel like I can never get it done. My motivation of fear keeps me going and I know that when this load of work passes, I will feel relieved and feel good about having it done. To decrease this stress and anxiety of the load of work I have to do, I can go to a website my professor recommended and try out the quizzes and games. This will most likely keep me engaged in what I need to know and will challenge enough to keep my interest.
It is known that when a student is interested in what he or she is doing, they will strive at it. Society has labeled education as being math, science and literature. This however, isn’t necessarily true. Students should find an activity or subject they love the most and do their best at it. In Ken Robinson’s speech, “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” he mentioned a girl who loved to dance but teachers had thought she had a learning disorder. When that girl was put in a theatre arts school it was filled with people like her, that loved to dance and she was thrilled. She loved being around people who were just like her and she learned a lot in that school. The point Robinson was trying to make is that students should find what they love, what they’re passionate about and strive to do well at it because it decreases some of the intensity school brings.
When I am very stressed, I stop what I’m doing and start reading poems and short stories. After I do so, I feel relaxed and happy and continue to finish the remaining school work. This is an activity I’m engaged to and it makes me happy because it relieves me from all the stress of the other school work. To be engaged in school, students need to find out what they like to do so they can focus on it and become a better student.
As a new student in college, I feel happier because I take courses I am interested in and I know I’ll do well. I don’t feel pressured and feel like I’m studying what I like. There are still of course, flaws I think I have as a student. I think that I’m too quiet and I should interact more with students around me so I can feel more comfortable. I think getting to know more people will make me happier in school because I won’t be intimidated by saying my opinions in class.
Happiness in education can be difficult to obtain but once students find what they like they’ll be more engaged. Finding an activity can also help relieve stress for students and they’ll feel refreshed and happier when they continue to finish their school work. Many people struggle with finding happiness in education but they need to learn about themselves. They need to learn what they are interested in and once they do, they’ll find that they are happier in what they’re learning.
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