26 Apr Giving leads to happiness
A University of Canberra research team has proposed a new approach to teaching, dubbed the ”medicine of giving”, which may make students happier.
The concept is about encouraging young people to reach out and do something that does not have direct value for themselves. This can include wiping down their desks at the end of the day or expressing gratitude.
Imagination and Education Research Group co-director Thomas Nielsen conducted a classroom experiment, which showed one form of giving could increase well-being.Dr Nielsen asked his students to spend a few minutes each night writing in a ”gratefulness journal”. The 35 students who took part wrote one to three things they were grateful for in their journals over six weeks.
They completed a survey at the beginning and end of the experiment and Dr Nielsen compared the results.
”Their well-being and happiness in life increased in every question asked in six weeks,” he said.
To read more from this article, about teaching happiness using positive psychology coaching strategies – click here