The Science of Happiness with Fred Luskin

Fred Luskin, PhD '99, is director of the Stanford Forgiveness Projects and a senior consultant in wellness and health promotion services at Vaden Health Center.

Dr. Luskin teaches a variety of classes on happiness at Stanford. He's part of a movement that looked at psychology in the mid-1990's and saw science based on what's wrong with people: misery, anger, frustration, and depression. His focus is not on what's gone wrong, but instead on what makes people happy and why. He describes the neurobiology behind mood states and offers strategies for finding the good, becoming more peaceful, improving relationships and appreciating yourself.

This Classes Without Quizzes lecture was filmed on location at Stanford Reunion Homecoming 2012 by the Stanford Alumni Association.

[mikeduffy]

Fred is an incredible human being. He is a genius. He is kind, caring and compassionate. He is a wonderful part of our universe. He also loves the Yankees!

[Silentdogs]

I have seen many happiness talks - this is the best so far. Thank you for posting this. Stay Happy!

[meinungabundance]

Getting things done (to do lists) gives you an great sense of satisfaction! Provided that you dont only put things on a list you detest.

[Stratman]

what a great and fascinating talk, thanks fred!

[evarickert]

Its how I got out of depression. Because it's not hard to be happy... it just takes thought, motive, want, effort. But it takes less of all that than dealing with negative in your life.

[marcozaha]

Thank you, we (us) need more of this.

[maclover]

AWESOME! Thank you for affirming my beliefs. I do public speaking about How We Beat Diabetes. . I can not wait to meet each group who come to classes. I know they will be my friends. I will find something in common, something I can help them with, something that connects us. I greet each one with a handshake. When they leave, I am there to give each one a sincere long hug. I absolutely love what I do. I have a passion for helping people and in the process I am a happier person. :D

[evarickert]

This also reminds me that too many people don't even have the resources many of us have so easily for survival.

[sararivkalevi]

God bless you thank you for making judaism be understood in a simpel way, and the way to become happy is through being gratefull and kind.

[elizabethanderson]

As a person with paranoid schizophrenia I am not just my illness. I have many good relationships including a 30 year marriage and many great friends. Untreated schizophrenia is problematic for relations with others because it precludes trust in others. I have fought to keep my faith in humanity even when in episodes when I am not feeling well. My Dad fought for freedom in the second world war and I make it my business to make the world a better place. I have written two books, was a professional speaker and was part of a project to standardize treatment for people with psychosis which is being adopted world wide(ICHOM standard set for psychosis).
All that to say it is okay to be friends with someone with paranoid schizophrenia. We would welcome the chance to have human connection in a world where we are misunderstood.

[heathercarroll]

Thank you for this insightful and thought-provoking experience.

[prasoon]

The air between us connects us rather than separates us.

[msr]

20:25: Consumerism has turned us into people in a state of perpetual discontent, which has increasingly spilled over in other parts of our lives. George Carlin criticized the increasingly meaningless choices we regularly confront which eat up more and more of our time. But, when it comes to truly important, long term matters we only have the illusion of choice.

[shoalie]

Just Fantastic!  Loved the meditation!  Well Delivered, thought provoking!  Liked the bit on personal relationships.  Some Shop for friends, and relationships like they're going to the mall!  Really interesting that Happiness, as a course of study is gaining in such popularity as to fill classrooms, as if again, happiness is something to "get", when essentially its an internal job.

[cleydecss]

Amazing, thank you! I would like to know more about this project.

[eversunnyguy]

Great presentation from scientific perspective. We ought to get out of the material threadmill and think about this material !

[diegoambrosio]

33:47 - This makes a difference, I believe.

[lindarosa]

This seems to be pop psychology. There is something to be said for the notion that happiness is just a fleeting emotion, i.e. that people, via evolution, are actually not wired for happiness, because to be survivors, we need to be concerned/worried about anticipating and getting through future challenges. Perhaps that is the allure of drugs which artificially conjure up an ersatz state of happiness.

[franmorrison]

his compassion meditation is what prayer is, as modelled by Jesus every day of his life, 'love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind, and love your neighbour as yourself."

[topherming]

He wants people to be more compassionate and more helpful to other people. Maybe we would be happier if we helped ourselves more.