AWIS-SL Professional Development: Podcast Discussion - The Happy Secret to Better Work
Lisa M. Harrison-Bernard, PhD, President; Taylor Fitzpatrick-Schmidt and Sarah Melton, Graduate Student Representatives of the Association for Women in Science-Southern Louisiana Chapter
Twenty faculty, fellow, and student members and supporters of the Association for
Women in Science-Southern Louisiana Chapter met for a discussion of the TEDx podcast
given by Shawn Achor titled “The Happy Secret to Better Work.”
The 12-minute podcast was played at the beginning of the session and then graduate students Taylor Fitzpatrick-Schmidt and Sarah Melton led a discussion. In the podcast, Achor states, “We're finding it's not necessarily the reality that shapes us, but the lens through which your brain views the world that shapes your reality.” Additionally, he states that “Ninety percent of your long-term happiness is predicted not by the external world, but by the way your brain processes the world.”
The group then discussed the following topics:
1. Are you an optimist or a pessimist?
2. “It’s not necessarily the reality that shapes us, but the lens through which our
brains view the world.” Do you agree? Do you think the lens through which we see the
world can change the outcome of events in our lives?
3. Are the work ethic and goals of the American dream the key to happiness? If you
keep reaching and expanding your goals, will you ever be happy?
4. How can we cultivate positivity in academia?
5. What are some practical steps you can take to train your brain to be more positive?
Those in attendance shared their personal stories regarding living with an “attitude of gratitude,” “work is what you do, it is not who you are,” and “happiness is transitional, while joy is internal.” Emphasis was placed on the importance of celebrating and supporting others.
Achor recommended the following activities to train our brains to find happiness: Journaling, exercising, meditation, and engaging in random acts of kindness.