HAPPINESS WEEK: Everything You Know About Happiness Is Wrong
Saturday, March 162:00—3:00 PMMeeting RoomTewksbury Public Library300 Chandler Street, Tewksbury, MA, 01876
You may be familiar with findings from Positive Psychology that underscore common sense beliefs about the sources of happiness. For example: practice gratitude; savor the moment; cultivate positive emotions. But you may not be aware that research from the “far side” of positive psychology has shown that many of our assumptions about the sources of happiness and success aren't necessarily true. Such research has exposed the unintended negative consequences of well-meaning strategies to promote self-esteem and productivity.
Come learn the answers to questions such as these: Is luck something we stumble into, or a skill we can develop to alter our destiny? Is tenaciously sticking to a goal no matter what the key to success or a prelude to failure? Do our efforts to bolster self-esteem create confident and positive self-regard, or subtly subvert it? Which do we regret more: things we tried and failed at, or things we never tried because we were afraid of failing? Does success make people happy? Or does happiness lead people to succeed? Do we choose things we want because we like them? Or do we often want things we don’t really like?
Led by Mary Jacobsen, author, educator, and licensed social worker.
A Q&A will follow for those interested. Sponsored by the Friends of the Tewksbury Public Library.
Registration for this event has now closed.