It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end. On a cold and windy Sunday afternoon, Bill and I settled into our seats in UCLA’s Royce Hall to listen to Ursula Le Guin in conversation with Meryl Friedman from UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance. It felt something like participatory eavesdropping (where one does not have to pretend in any way not to be eavesdropping). It was also a 90-minute dose of inspiration. I want to share with you a few notes I jotted down. And I will share this with you: I have carried around Ursula Le…
-
-
Happy People, Countries & Jobs
UCLA Anderson Professor Rakesh Sarin, who has extensively studied the science of happiness, has come to the conclusion that “happiness is a choice.” Moreover, he’s found that describing happiness mathematically can help people understand how the daily choices they make can play an important role in levels of happiness. Professor Sarin has devised a mathematical unit that measures mood levels called a “happydon,” which allows individuals to rate their moods on a 24-hour “happiness seismograph.” Being able to rate moods allows some people to take active steps to improve their “sum total” well-being. Here’s one example of how the happiness seismograph works: If you have a headache, you might give…
