A logo for "MODULE 1 INTRODUCTION” featuring a silhouette of a human head in profile on the right, filled with circles of different sizes and colors. The entire design is enclosed within a thick circular border. The text "MODULE 1” is curved along the top inside of the border, and "INTRODUCTION” is curved along the bottom inside of the border.

Welcome to Module 1!

In this module, you will get an overview of this series and learn introductory information on emotional well-being.

This module will take approximately 25 minutes to complete.

By the end of this module, you will be able to...

  1. Explain the purpose of this series.
  2. Define what emotional well-being includes.
  3. Describe the roles of the individual and community in shaping emotional experiences.

 

Meet the Series Designers

Objective 1

By the end of this section, you will be able to explain the purpose of this series.

Welcome to Emotional Well-Being: The Science and Practice of Feeling Well, we're so glad you're here! We hope you are excited to learn more about emotional well-being through seven short modules, each one packed with educational readings and videos, helpful tips, and fun activities. This series is all about helping you feel better, live better, and understand your emotions in a simple, science-backed way.

Each module takes about 25 minutes, and the whole series will take around 3 hours total. However, you can go at your own pace, no rush!

Here are the different topics you'll explore:

    Module 1 Introduction Logo
    Module 2 physical health logo
    Module 3 positive emotions logo
    A logo for "MODULE 4 SENSE OF MEANING” featuring a silhouette of a human head in profile on the right, filled with circles of different sizes and colors. The entire design is enclosed within a thick circular border. The text "MODULE 4” is curved along the top inside of the border, and "THE ROAD AHEAD” is curved along the bottom inside of the border.
    Module 5 logo
    Module 6 logo
    A logo for "MODULE 7 THE ROAD AHEAD” featuring a silhouette of a human head in profile on the right, filled with circles of different sizes and colors. The entire design is enclosed within a thick circular border. The text "MODULE 7” is curved along the top inside of the border, and "THE ROAD AHEAD” is curved along the bottom inside of the border.

    Each module has short videos, engaging articles, and hands-on activities to help you build real-life emotional well-being skills. You’ll also get simple strategies you can put into your routine right away.

    This series was made for you to move at your own pace and explore what's most interesting to you! However, we recommend starting Module 1 as since it sets the stage for everything else in this series.

    If you want to dive deeper, there are always extra opportunities to explore! We've included additional readings, videos, and activities you can look into if you're interested. For example, we might suggest watching part of a video—but if you’re into it, go ahead and watch the whole thing! You can also download or bookmark anything you find helpful so you can come back to it later. We've designed this series for you to engage as much or as little as you want.

    Each module contains a short 1-2 page document summarizing the key points of the module—the Module Brief. You'll find the Module 1 Brief below:

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    Each module will also come with a Module Handout. These are your personal workbooks where you can take notes, reflect, and practice the activities. They’re a great way to make the lessons stick and bring emotional well-being into your daily life. You'll find the Module 1 Handout below:

    Click to download the handout for this module. As you work through the content, there will be opportunities to engage with the material through reflections and activities. You can choose to print the handout or type directly on to it. There will also be a space to jot down notes and helpful resources.

    Module 1 Handout

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    Because this series is a journey that can be navigated in any order, we've created a journey tracker you can use to keep track of your progress. As you complete the content, check off the map pin for each module. If you decide to use the module handouts (which we highly recommend!), this journey tracker can serve as a cover page. At the end of the series, the tracker and module handouts will be your emotional well-being toolkit to use as you navigate the road ahead.

    Your Emotional Well-Being Journey

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    Thank you for joining us on this emotional well-being journey, and for taking the time to engage in this first section of Module 1! We hope you enjoy learning, growing, and discovering new ways to feel your best.

    Objective 2

    By the end of this section, you will be able to define what emotional well-being includes.

    In the next part of Module 1, we're going to define emotional well-being, explore what it really means, and why it matters.

    To start, read the short article below written by emotional well-being researchers at the University of Connecticut. It talks about why defining emotional well-being can be challenging, but why it is very important.

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    Based on this reading, we'll use the following definition of emotional well-being throughout this series:

     

    Emotional well-being has many parts that capture how positive an individual feels generally, and about their life overall. It includes:

    • Experiential features: emotional quality of everyday experiences
    • Reflective features: life satisfaction, sense of meaning, and goal pursuit

    These features occur in the context of culture, life circumstances, resources, and age. 

    This definition will be your anchor as you navigate through the rest of the series.

     

    Like we mentioned above, emotional well-being isn't contained to a bubble. It's always flowing through different parts of our lives. In the section below, we'll explore how emotional well-being is different across cultures and stages of life.

    A close-up of a person's face covered in bright, multicolored paint. The paint is applied in a random, artistic pattern with vivid shades of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The person's blue eye is clearly visible and sharply in focus, standing out against the colorful background.

    In places like the United States, Canada, and parts of northern and western Europe, people often grow up learning to be independent. That means they’re taught to think of themselves as unique individuals. They build their identity by focusing on their own thoughts, feelings, and goals—not what others expect. In these cultures, being true to yourself and making your own choices is seen as very important. People are encouraged to stand out and follow their own path.

    Three people stand with their backs to the camera, facing a scenic mountain landscape under a cloudy sky. The middle person has their arms around the shoulders of the other two, suggesting a close bond.

    In many countries across Asia, Africa, South America, and southern Europe, people grow up learning that who they are is shaped by their relationships with others. Family, friends, and community play a big role in someone's identity. As life changes, a person's identity can change too. For example, like when new relationships begin or old ones end. In these cultures, working together, helping others, and staying connected are key parts of emotional well-being.

    A person with long hair holding a baby, both are smiling.

    For little ones, feeling good is all about what they experience every day. Things like reading stories, singing songs, and playing games help babies and toddlers feel safe, happy, and loved. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to create routines that include these fun and comforting activities. These everyday moments help shape how young children understand emotions and build strong foundations for their future well-being.

    An older adult stands in front of a fruit tree, holding a bunch of fruits. The tree is lush with green leaves and several clusters of fruit.

    As people get older, their emotional well-being often comes from looking back and thinking about their life. They reflect on meaningful experiences, like raising a family, working, or helping others. These reflections help older adults understand the different purposes their life has had. While daily activities like staying active and spending time with loved ones are still important, thinking deeply about life’s journey becomes a big part of feeling well.

    Video icon.

    We asked some members of our community to talk about what emotional well-being means to them. Take a few minutes to watch the video below to see what they said!

    Objective 3

    By the end of this section, you will be able to describe the roles of the individual and community in shaping emotional experiences.

    In the next section of this module you will learn to describe the roles of the individual and community in shaping emotional experiences.
    Navy video icon

    Next, watch a section (09:04–17:34) of this TED talk by Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD in which she explores what emotions are.

    After you watch the video, you may want to engage with the following questions:

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    Can you identify the differences between feelings and emotions?

    Think about Dr. Barrett’s example about your interpretation of the churning stomach and the bakery.

    Can you identify an example in your own life when you interpreted a feeling based on context?

    Note: There is a space in your handout to complete this activity.

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    Next, read this article published by The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkley, on three areas to consider exploring to expand our idea of well-being (4-minute read).

    Video icon.

    As this module comes to a close, take some time to watch this video where people from different stages of life talk about what helps them feel their best selves.

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    Take a few minutes to read the brief below, specifically created for this series, on how we measure emotional well-being and why it's important.

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    Logo for "The Science of Happiness Podcast". Two laboratory flasks, one filled with blue liquid and the other with yellow liquid, are surrounded by yellow and blue bubbles, some with smiley faces. The phrase 'The Science of Happiness' is written in a playful font. Logos for PRX and Greater Good Science Center appear in the bottom right corner.

     

     

    Finally, take a few minutes to browse The Greater Good Science Center's website. It’s full of helpful tools, articles, and ideas you can use to build emotional well-being in your everyday life. You might even find a new practice or strategy to incorporate into your routine! We specifically recommend checking out the Science of Happiness podcast. You can learn more about science-backed ways to increase happiness, connect with others, and handle grief.

    Congratulations!

    You have completed Module 1.

    By now, you should be able to...

    1. Explain the purpose of this series.
    2. Define what emotional well-being includes.
    3. Describe the roles of the individual and community in shaping emotional experiences.