Thriving 101: Designing a Fulfilling Life & Career from Coursera

Are you ready to enhance your life?  Are you craving more fulfillment and less stress?  Is it possibly time to make a career change? Before aimlessly and impulsively diving into changes in your life, it’s a smart move to take the time to learn what the science and other experts have revealed truly leads to fulfilling lives and careers.   

This course will help you design a life well-aligned with who you are, and it will empower you to confidently make meaningful changes moving forward.  You’ll learn about what science has demonstrated enhances one’s happiness level in life.  You’ll also discover effective strategies to utilize when making a career choice.  In a world that is often unpredictable and chaotic, obtaining the knowledge presented in this course can help you feel much more confident designing a fulfilling life and career. 

Course logo by Gian Luca Pilia on Unsplash

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction

In this module, we'll provide an overview of the course. We'll define what is means to be thriving and why your ability to thrive impacts many aspects of your own life and that of others. Finally, we'll have you take an assessment to gauge your current state of overall well-being.

The Happiness Set-Point

Welcome to a week focused on understanding and raising your "Happiness Set-Point." You'll explore the concept, delve into the factors that influence it, and apply insights from different models of wellbeing to enhance happiness. You'll discover how the hedonic treadmill influences your quest for happiness and learn to build new habits that contribute to a happier life. Throughout the week, you'll have many opportunities for reflection and discussion with your peers.

The Power of Your Thoughts

Now that you've reflected on your happiness set-point, you'll turn our attention to the power of thoughts and mental habits. This week, you'll explore the profound impact of gratitude, forgiveness, presence, and optimism on your life, and how neurological functions, such as the reticular activating system, can effect how positively or negatively you experience reality. Throughout the week, you'll been provided exercises to practice and reflect on your mental patterns regarding the past, present, and future.

Intentional Use of Your Time

This week we'll uncover what research reveals about how thriving individuals wisely invest their time and energy. You'll explore and practice employing the PERMA model to enhance your life and discover the five bucket areas for thriving. Throughout the week, you'll been provided exercises to practice and reflect on intentional time management.

The Power of Career Alignment

This week is dedicated to career satisfaction and its relationship to your interests, skills, and values. You'll explore what research tells us about discovering a job that really fits you and why it is important to make sure your interests, skills, and values match with your career choices. The lectures and readings will help you understand what we mean by "career alignment" and guide you in figuring out how to use your strengths and values to make smart career decisions. Towards the end of the week, you'll have the opportunity to complete values and strengths assessments to learn more about yourself and how to choose a career that truly suits you.

Designing Your Career

This week you'll be introduced to design thinking and explore how it can be applied to help you discover a well-aligned career fit. You'll learn about the attitudes or mindsets that help you think creatively and understand other people's feelings and needs. Then, practice the steps of the design thinking process.

Telling Your Story

This week you'll dive into the significance of sharing your personal story and explore tactics for making it engaging and concise. You'll discover how storytelling can have a positive impact on your mental health, helping you process emotions and connect with others. You'll also be introduced the "Triangle Approach" to storytelling, which will guide you in crafting a compelling narrative. By the end of the week, you'll have the opportunity to practice telling your story using the "TMAG" method, honing your storytelling skills for effective communication.

Summary and Moving Forward

In this final module, we'll review and summarize what we've learned throughout the course and discuss strategic first steps to take to get you moving forward.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Course title points to the course's relevance to career exploration and life improvement

Explores concepts related to well-being and career satisfaction

Teaches strategies for enhancing happiness and optimizing time management

Focuses on career alignment and provides guidance for making career choices

Leverages design thinking to assist learners in discovering career fits

Covers storytelling and personal narrative techniques for sharing career experiences

Career center

Learners who complete Thriving 101: Designing a Fulfilling Life & Career will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Career Coach

A Career Coach helps people find jobs, advance their careers, and make satisfying professional changes. This course may be useful to a Career Coach because it provides tools for understanding how to make fulfilling career choices. This course also covers how to set goals, overcome obstacles, and build strong relationships with colleagues and clients.

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Human Resources Manager

A Human Resources Manager plans, directs, and coordinates the administrative functions of an organization. This course may be useful to a Human Resources Manager because it provides tools for understanding how to create a fulfilling and productive work environment. This course also covers how to manage employee relations, develop training programs, and implement policies and procedures.

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Organizational Development Specialist

An Organizational Development Specialist helps organizations improve their performance by developing and implementing strategies for change. This course may be useful to an Organizational Development Specialist because it provides tools for understanding how to create a thriving and innovative work environment. This course also covers how to diagnose organizational problems, design and implement interventions, and evaluate the effectiveness of change initiatives.

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Life Coach

A Life Coach helps people achieve their personal and professional goals. This course may be useful to a Life Coach because it provides tools for understanding how to live a fulfilling and meaningful life. This course also covers how to set goals, overcome obstacles, and build strong relationships with clients.

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Career Counselor

A Career Counselor helps people find jobs, advance their careers, and make satisfying professional changes. This course may be useful to a Career Counselor because it provides tools for understanding how to help clients make fulfilling career choices. This course also covers how to develop career plans, conduct job searches, and negotiate salaries and benefits.

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Teacher

A Teacher helps students learn and grow. This course may be useful to a Teacher because it provides tools for understanding how to create a thriving and engaging learning environment. This course also covers how to develop lesson plans, manage classrooms, and assess student learning.

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Social Worker

A Social Worker helps people overcome challenges and achieve their goals. This course may be useful to a Social Worker because it provides tools for understanding how to create a fulfilling and meaningful life. This course also covers how to assess needs, develop plans, and provide support to clients.

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Psychologist

A Psychologist helps people understand and overcome mental health challenges. This course may be useful to a Psychologist because it provides tools for understanding how to create a fulfilling and meaningful life. This course also covers how to diagnose and treat mental health disorders, and provide support to clients.

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Consultant

A Consultant helps organizations solve problems and improve their performance. This course may be useful to a Consultant because it provides tools for understanding how to create a thriving and innovative work environment. This course also covers how to diagnose organizational problems, design and implement interventions, and evaluate the effectiveness of change initiatives.

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Entrepreneur

An Entrepreneur starts and runs their own business. This course may be useful to an Entrepreneur because it provides tools for understanding how to create a fulfilling and meaningful work environment. This course also covers how to develop business plans, raise capital, and market products and services.

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Nonprofit Manager

A Nonprofit Manager plans, directs, and coordinates the activities of a nonprofit organization. This course may be useful to a Nonprofit Manager because it provides tools for understanding how to create a thriving and innovative work environment. This course also covers how to develop strategic plans, raise funds, and manage staff.

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Writer

A Writer creates written content for a variety of purposes. This course may be useful to a Writer because it provides tools for understanding how to create a fulfilling and meaningful life. This course also covers how to develop writing skills, market your work, and build a career as a writer.

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Artist

An Artist creates visual art for a variety of purposes. This course may be useful to an Artist because it provides tools for understanding how to create a fulfilling and meaningful life. This course also covers how to develop artistic skills, market your work, and build a career as an artist.

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Musician

A Musician creates music for a variety of purposes. This course may be useful to a Musician because it provides tools for understanding how to create a fulfilling and meaningful life. This course also covers how to develop musical skills, market your work, and build a career as a musician.

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Actor

An Actor creates performances for a variety of purposes. This course may be useful to an Actor because it provides tools for understanding how to create a fulfilling and meaningful life. This course also covers how to develop acting skills, market your work, and build a career as an actor.

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