传统心理学注重于研究人们心理和精神情绪偏离健康的一面，诸如压抑，恼怒、自闭以及情绪失控等症状。而积极心理学则换了个角度着重于研究健康的心理是如何产生和运作的。Ben-Shahar认为消除负面的病症只是以归零为目的，并不能自动带给人们正面的幸福感，而后者恰恰是我们人生意义的根本所在。
该课程强调将积极心理学的原理运用到学生自己的日常生活中去，怎样使自己更幸福（不幸福的变得幸福，幸福的变得更幸福），新闻媒体将此课程称之为哈佛大学的《幸福课》（”Harvard Happy Class”）。下面是关于介绍该课的一个视频。
全套课程则有二十三集，下面LINK里的网易视频含有中英文的字幕。
http://v.163.com/special/positivepsychology/
没有时间上完全课的则可以参加他如下的一个讲座。
http://forum-network.org/lecture/positive-psychology-science-happiness
关于Tal
Ben-Shahar博士课程的英文简介：
The course, called PSY 1504 – Positive Psychology, was
described as follows:
“The course focuses on the psychological aspects of a fulfilling and flourishing life.Topics include happiness, self-esteem, empathy, friendship, love, achievement, creativity, music, spirituality, and humor.”
“Attaining lasting happiness requires that we enjoy the journey on our way toward a destination we deem valuable. Happiness, therefore, is not about making it to the peak of the mountain, nor is it about climbing aimlessly around the mountain: happiness is the experience of climbing toward the peak” – Tal Ben-Shahar
In 2006, he taught a course at Harvard entitled "Positive Psychology." 855 students enrolled in the class, making it the most popular class of the spring semester.
Tal Ben-Shahar博士发表的几本相关的书：
The Pursuit of Perfect: How to Stop Chasing Perfection and Start
Living a Richer, Happier Life (2009)
Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment (2007)
The Question of Happiness: On Finding Meaning, Pleasure, and the Ultimate Currency (2002)
A Clash of Values: The Struggle for Universal Freedom (2002)
Heaven Can Wait: Conversations With Bonny Hicks (1998)
Ben-Shahar appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on
August 9, 2007.
Tal Ben-Shahar 博士有关幸福的六点建议：
1. Give yourself permission to be human. When we accept
emotions — such as fear, sadness, or anxiety — as natural, we are more likely
to overcome them. Rejecting our emotions, positive or negative, leads to
frustration and unhappiness.
2. Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning. Whether at work or at home, the goal is to engage in activities that are both personally significant and enjoyable. When this is not feasible, make sure you have happiness boosters, moments throughout the week that provide you with both pleasure and meaning.
3. Keep in mind that happiness is mostly dependent on our state of mind, not on our status or the state of our bank account. Barring extreme circumstances, our level of well being is determined by what we choose to focus on (the full or the empty part of the glass) and by our interpretation of external events. For example, do we view failure as catastrophic, or do we see it as a learning opportunity?
4. Simplify! We are, generally, too busy, trying to squeeze in more and more activities into less and less time. Quantity influences quality, and we compromise on our happiness by trying to do too much.
5. Remember the mind-body connection. What we do — or don't do — with our bodies influences our mind. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy eating habits lead to both physical and mental health.
6. Express gratitude, whenever possible. We too often take our lives for granted. Learn to appreciate and savor the wonderful things in life, from people to food, from nature to a smile.
