(Radio Iowa) – A new course is being offered at Iowa State University this semester which aims to teach students how to incorporate small habits into their lives that will bring them joy. Amie Zarling, an I-S-U professor of human development and family studies, is teaching the course she created called “The Science and Practice of Happiness.” “It’s so important because not only is there science and research to back all this up, that allows us to learn and know about the data that’s coming out about how to be happy,” Zarling says, “but then also it’s important to learn how to apply that to ourselves, because that can be one of the best ways to actually learn about the topic.”

Zarling says there are 85 students participating in the course’s inaugural semester from a variety of different majors across campus. “We started off by learning about and practicing gratitude, and learning about how to express gratitude in a way that works for each person individually,” Zarling says. “The students have really loved incorporating gratitude into their life and have reported that it’s working to increase their happiness.”

They’re also studying the importance of social connections and how much social interaction is needed every day. Zarling says she’s encouraging students to seek out wonder and awe, as well as self-compassion — treating ourselves with kindness. “We have also talked about being present and mindful in our daily lives, and we’ve practiced that in a few different ways,” Zarling says, “one of which is savoring positive experiences, really relishing those experiences, and squeezing them to their last drop and appreciating those positive emotions that we experience in our lives.”

Zarling says the course offers students a vital respite in an existence that’s often filled with negativity, politics, war and hatred. “We could all use a little positivity and happiness in our days, and so much of the world isn’t focused on that right now,” Zarling says. “I tell the students, that doesn’t mean that we completely stick our heads in the sand and ignore all the negativity. We can’t necessarily do that. However, we can add some positivity and happiness to our life with these small habits.”

Zarling says a lot of jobs and careers are stressful, so learning how to manage that stress and be resilient can truly help people. She plans to offer the course again in the fall.