Flourishing Together

Decades of research in social psychology and positive psychology have uncovered two important lessons about happiness and well-being: people can intentionally cultivate these emotions through science-based practices, and social connection is a major pillar for lasting happiness.

Join us for this online workshop to learn how you can enhance your own well-being through these practices. The first session will introduce seven actionable well-being practices for everyday life and present the scientific research behind each practice. From giving a compliment, sending a gratitude note, or taking a short walk in nature, you will learn why activities like these can bring more joy and meaning, foster social and emotional well-being, and contribute to human flourishing.

After a week to practice, you will return in the second session to participate in a group discussion to reflect on your experiences and develop a sustainable plan to help you continue your practices in life. You will also identify ways to bring the benefits of these activities to people who you care about and cultivate a culture of kindness and social support for yourself and others.

This is a highly interactive class. To get the most out of the class experience, please be prepared to actively participate in breakout rooms, group discussions, and home practice activities.

Attendance requirement for incentive points – both sessions. This class will not be recorded.

Request disability accommodations and access info.

Instructors: Xuan Zhao, PhD, is a research scientist at Stanford who develops science-based solutions to help people build positive social connections and inclusive environments. She earned her PhD in psychology at Brown and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Chicago, where she also worked with the Second City to design and deliver improv-inspired behavioral science workshops.

Julie Cachia is a PhD candidate in psychology at Stanford. She is passionate about empowering people to cultivate their own and others’ well-being using evidence-based tools. In her research, she is fascinated by what people ideally want in life, including what emotions they want to feel and the kinds of close relationships they want to have.

Class details are subject to change.