Courses

Joy is not merely a fleeting sensation; it’s our capacity to feel uplifted by what is fundamentally good. Physiologically, joy provides energy and helps us recover from stress. Mentally, it broadens our perspective and renews optimism. Socially, it bonds us and strengthens relationships. Yet many of us find it difficult to fully feel, show, or seek joy, particularly when life is hard. What if joy isn't something we wait for, but something we choose? Grounded in psychology and neuroscience, this course combines lectures and guided exercises with discussions and real-world experiments, exploring how joy works in the brain and body and why we sometimes resist it. You'll learn practical strategies for overcoming common obstacles to joy—and for expanding your own capacity to feel it, show it, and share it with others. Ultimately, we'll discover how choosing joy can become a source of meaning, connection, and hope: both a resource for life’s challenges and a way to increase what is good in the world.