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Welcome to Module 5!

In this module, you will learn about a component of emotional well-being: life satisfaction.

This module will take approximately 25 minutes to complete.

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

  1. Define life satisfaction and its connection to emotional well-being.
  2. List factors that influence life satisfaction.
  3. Identify everyday practices that promote life satisfaction.

 

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 5 Handout

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Before you begin the content for this module, we invite you to take a brief measure of life satisfaction.

Take the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS).

Take a moment to calculate and review your score.

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Were you surprised by your results?

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

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Next, take a moment to read this module's brief. As you go through this module, we invite you to continue adding to your Emotional Well-Being Toolkit.

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Objective 1

By the end of this section, you will be able to define life satisfaction and its connection to emotional well-being.

In the first section of this module, we'll start by defining life satisfaction and its connection to emotional well-being.

A young woman is enjoying sitting near a lake and drinking a hot drink in nature during sunset.

As you read in the brief, life satisfaction is the feeling of contentment we experience when we reflect on our lives and feel that we have accomplished something meaningful. Life satisfaction is how we feel about our lives overall. It's not just experiencing positive emotions like when we do something enjoyable like spending time with loved ones or eating a satisfying meal. Life satisfaction extends beyond momentary emotions like happiness and has more to do with how we perceive our lives to be.

 

Life satisfaction differs from happiness because feeling successful is not entirely the same thing as feeling happy.

In fact, we often feel great satisfaction and accomplishment when we overcome challenges. This satisfaction is what influences our emotional well-being.

A person stands confidently atop a large rock on the edge of the ocean, arms raised in a victorious gesture. They are dressed in a white tank top and blue shorts, facing the horizon. Waves crash dramatically against the rock, and the sky above is mostly clear with a few scattered clouds, evoking a sense of adventure and triumph.
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Next, take a few minutes to read this article discussing the difference between life satisfaction and momentary happiness.

 

In the article, the author highlights that too much focus on happiness can keep us from life satisfaction.

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Are you surprised to learn this?

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

Objective 2

By the end of this section, you will be able to list factors that influence life satisfaction.

Now that you’ve had a chance to learn more about what life satisfaction is and how it differs from happiness, let’s take some time to explore the factors that influence life satisfaction.

Before you explore how various factors can influence life satisfaction, take a moment to reflect on your own life satisfaction.

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What factors shape your life satisfaction?

Do you think these factors have changed throughout your life?

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

First, review the infographic below to learn more about the factors that influence life satisfaction.

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Then, choose at least two factors to explore in further depth. For example, you could choose to read an article about life satisfaction and personality, and life satisfaction and culture.

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

 

An infographic with a human head split into 5 parts each depicting a factor influencing life satisfaction. 1. Age: On average, people in the United States are most satisfied when they're young, experience a decline in their 40s, and then experience an increase in their 60s. 2. Culture: Cultural context shapes life satisfaction. In cultures that emphasize relationships and group membership, social support, and harmony affect life satisfaction. In cultures that emphasize individualism, personal achievements play a larger role. 3. Income: Individual and societal income impact life satisfaction differently. Generally, as wealthy countries grow richer, they don't grow more satisfied. Individual income positively affects life satisfaction up to middle class and more income doesn't improve life satisfaction. 4. Relationships: Strong, positive relationships play a big role in life satisfaction. People who report higher levels of satisfaction with their relationships also report higher life satisfaction. 5. Personality: People who are less neurotic, more extraverted, and more conscientious tend to be more satisfied with their lives.

Personality

Click here to read more about personality and life satisfaction.

Age

Click here to read more about age and life satisfaction.

As part of this series, we asked people to talk about their life satisfaction. Click on the video to watch people discuss how their life satisfaction has changed throughout their lives.

Culture

Click here to read more about culture and life satisfaction.

Income

Click here to read more about income and life satisfaction.

Relationships

Click here to read more about relationships and life satisfaction.

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Now that you've had a chance to review the factors that influence life satisfaction, let's take a moment to hear from others about what factors play a role in their lives. As part of this series, we asked people to discuss what factors contribute to their life satisfaction. Click on the video below to watch.

Objective 3

By the end of this section, you will be able to identify everyday practices that promote life satisfaction.

Now that you've learned to define life satisfaction and its connection to emotional well-being, and have a better sense of the factors that can influence life satisfaction, let's take some time to review everyday practices that promote life satisfaction.

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First, start by reading this brief article from Time on research-backed strategies for boosting life satisfaction.

 

In the article, the author highlights the work of Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize winner and author of Thinking, Fast and Slow. In his TED Talk, Kahneman distinguishes between the happiness of our experiencing selves and our remembering selves.

This difference affects the way we make decisions, especially when it comes to our happiness and life satisfaction.

If you're interested in watching the TED Talk, you can watch it here.

Next, watch this TED Talk on creating happiness by Katarina Blom, a psychologist and co-founder of a gym for the mind.

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Take a moment to jot down some of the practices that promote life satisfaction.

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

Congratulations!

You have completed Module 5.

By now, you should be able to...

  1. Define life satisfaction and its connection to emotional well-being.
  2. List factors that influence life satisfaction.
  3. Identify everyday practices that promote life satisfaction.