Preston facilitators to run online happiness habits course featuring world-renowned experts

Some of the experts who will feature in Happiness Habits: Preston course Pic: Action for Happiness — Some of the experts who will feature in the Happiness Habits: Preston course Pic: Action for Happiness

An online course on happiness habits led by Preston facilitators starts next week.

The six-week course run by Nina and Rebecca will cover the science-based foundations for happier living, with inspiring content from world-renowned experts.

Those experts include Dr Kristin Neff, Professor of Educational Psychology and an expert in self-compassion, who in week two will share ways to be kinder to yourself.

In week three, Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Dr Robert Waldinger – who conducted the longest-ever study of adult life and found that relationships are the most important predictor of lifelong happiness – will teach simple techniques to build ‘social fitness’ into your life.

And in week four, Dr Tal Ben-Shahar, a positive psychology expert who taught the most popular course at Harvard University, will share skills to be resilient in tough times and ways to become ‘anti-fragile’ by accepting emotions instead of pushing them away.

The course has been designed by experts at charity Action for Happiness. It’s based on thousands of peer-reviewed studies and over 10 years of practical experience in bringing people together to take action and create meaningful change.

Each two-hour session will include a mix of expert videos, practical exercises, discussions and the chance to develop helpful habits.

The sessions focus on a different aspect of building and maintaining a happier life:

Week 1: Gratitude with Vanessa King and Shawn Achor
Week 2: Self-Care with Kristen Neff, Rupy Aujla and Darryl Edwards
Week 3: Relationships with Robert Waldinger and Roxy Manning
Week 4: Resilience with Tal Ben-Shahar and Maria Sirois
Week 5: Kindness with Matthieu Ricard, Chude Jideonwo and Nipun Mehta
Week 6: Meaning with Gretchen Rubin, Jon Kabat-Zinn and Richard Layard

A peer-reviewed study found that Action for Happiness courses lead to life-changing benefits for people’s wellbeing.

A spokesperson for Action for Happiness said: “The course is available on a suggested donation basis. Everyone is welcome and no one is ever turned away for lack of funds.

“To help make the course as meaningful as possible and to support the quality of discussions there are a limited number of places available. Places are offered on a first-come-first-served basis – so grab your spot whilst you can.”

Happiness Habits: Preston starts on Thursday 9 January at 6pm and will run online at the same day and time each week for two hours.

You can sign up on the Action for Happiness website.

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