Free Online Classes via Coursera

[Bram]

I probably have the least to do of anyone on this board (no spouse, no kids, barely working). In an attempt to be productive I signed up for a free class on Coursera.

I dropped the extra 49$ to get a certificate to add to my resume, but that's purely optional.

Here's the class I'm taking:

https://www.coursera.org/learn/positive-psychiatry

I've been interested in the field of positive psych for the past 5+ years, and drew heavily from modern findings in designing the meditation course I've taught.

But there are plenty of classes for free, my cousin signed up for an exercise science one on the site through the University of Colorado, Boulder.

[Bram]

An update after finishing the class:

I loved it!

Not only was it a great course, but having something to do (my work has been cut from 30 hours a week to 10) gave me an increased sense of purpose.

I also forgot how much I enjoyed both studying subjects I'm intrigued by, as well as writing essays. I tried to knock each of our three projects out of the park.

Debating a few different options for the next class (this one ended today).

[Turdacious]

If you haven’t already, you might be interested on some of the stuff that Amy Edmondson teaches. It’s mostly on effective teamwork and psychological safety. I thought I wasn’t gonna like it at all, but I really enjoyed it and got a lot out of it. I think she has some stuff on edX.

[Bram]

She seems great, never heard of her before. Thanks for bringing her up!

Here's one of her videos:

[Luke]

Good onya, Bram.

If there has been one positive thing, it's being able to pick up stuff like this without the chaos of normal life. I studied part-time with a full-time job a couple of years ago and it was so hard to be fully present doing either. I've found since work's been less for me too, I can absorb new info a lot more easily.

[Bram]

Good onya, Bram.

If there has been one positive thing, it's being able to pick up stuff like this without the chaos of normal life. I studied part-time with a full-time job a couple of years ago and it was so hard to be fully present doing either. I've found since work's been less for me too, I can absorb new info a lot more easily.

Thanks Luke :) What have you been learning?

A friend's daughter who has a Master from Penn in "Positive Psychiatry" (and makes a ton of money consulting) endorsed a 5-course certificate that coursera offers in it - though it's estimated at 400$. The head of the program is Martin Seligman, who's considered the founder of the field.

She recommended it, but she also strongly recommended this free course on "Resilience" - also from Penn's program.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/resilience-uncertainty

[Turdacious]

Good onya, Bram.

If there has been one positive thing, it's being able to pick up stuff like this without the chaos of normal life. I studied part-time with a full-time job a couple of years ago and it was so hard to be fully present doing either. I've found since work's been less for me too, I can absorb new info a lot more easily.

Thanks Luke :) What have you been learning?

A friend's daughter who has a Master from Penn in "Positive Psychiatry" (and makes a ton of money consulting) endorsed a 5-course certificate that coursera offers in it - though it's estimated at 400$. The head of the program is Martin Seligman, who's considered the founder of the field.

She recommended it, but she also strongly recommended this free course on "Resilience" - also from Penn's program.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/resilience-uncertainty

Karen Reivich is solid. I’ve taken a similar course she teaches. There was a lot of meh stuff but also enough really solid practical stuff that it will be worth your time.

[Bram]

Thanks for the endorsement!

Signed up for it

[Luke]

Thanks Luke :) What have you been learning?

Just coding languages related to my job. I don't have the depth of knowledge to do it specialise, but hope the awareness will help get me my next gig.

[Bram]

Thanks Luke :) What have you been learning?

Just coding languages related to my job. I don't have the depth of knowledge to do it specialise, but hope the awareness will help get me my next gig.

That's great! How are the courses going?

[Bram]

After finishing my second class (free on coursera.org "Resilience Skills in a Time of Uncertainty), I recently enrolled in my third class:

The Path to Happiness: What Chinese Philosophy Teaches Us about the Good Life

https://online-learning.harvard.edu/cou ... -good-life

We look forward to exploring ideas from Confucianism to Daoism, philosophies developed over two thousand years ago, with you in a modern context. The philosophical concepts discussed provide tools to change your life and increase personal happiness by focusing on your actions, the power of ritual, and the importance of sensing the world around you.

----

The following is from my e-mail fitness thing I put out, thought it was the best take-home lesson from the Resilience course:

Communication Tip

Just last night I completed my second course in Positive Psychology, this one titled "Resilience." In yesterday's material, they talked about how vitally important it is to the health of our relationships to be able to share other's good news.

When someone comes to us and says something like: "I just got promoted!," or "I made a delicious recipe over the weekend!," or "I just read the best book!", we have four general ways of responding. One way makes both people happier, the other three make the person sharing the news unhappy.

Communication Killer - you hear the good news, and you kill it with disinterest. You might continue looking at your phone, then say something like "oh yeah?" When they continue trying to share about it, you continue showing disinterest. Not good!

Communication Hijacker - you hear the good news, then immediately change the subject. They might say they just watched a great movie, and you start talking about the movie you saw instead. Not good!

Joy Thief - you hear the good news, then start listing all the problems with it. They may have gotten accepted to a masters program they've been working towards, but you tell them "well, you're going to be away from the kids, and I don't think we can really afford this, and do you really think this will help your career?" Not good!

Joy Multiplier - you hear the good news, and you share the experience with them. You might put down your phone, turn towards them, make eye contact, give them a high-five or a hug, and ask some questions or offer praise. If they got into a college program, you might say: "No way! When do you start?" Great! Do this!

To quote the teacher from the class, Karen Reivich:

"If somebody wants to share their good news with me, that speaks to how much I matter to that person. That person wants me to join them in their little pup tent of joy for a minute. And I should be grateful for that."

[Luke]

Dad was a communication hijacker, for sure.

I was a Joy Thief to a friend the other night who told me about starting Olympic lifting and learning the lifts with attention to form. I think I hijacked it with a beef I have with a trainer at my gym then kinda remarked how people fap to form and never really get stronger. I immediately felt bad about it.

Kinda off topic, but a former SEAL (and evidently Gov. of Missouri) called Eric Greitens wrote a great book called Resilience several years ago. Recommended.

Courses are going well, thanks!

[Bram]

Luke,

Thanks for the book suggestion and glad the classes are going well!

Once you pay a little attention to those four things, they pop up all the time. I've got people in my life that represent every one of those categories.

And I'm guilty of the three bad ones.

[Turdacious]

That part of the course was one of the parts I got a lot out of. The broader concept those four were a part of when I took the class, active constructive responding and active listening, was the part that seemed to have the biggest impact. There were quite a few skeptical guys in the class who said they tried it that night and had the best conversations with their wives and/or kids that they'd had in a long time. Sometimes at the 'holy shit I actually had a decent conversation with my kid' level.

I got a lot out of the thinking traps idea too-- hopefully she went over that in your course.