Pace University’s Associate Professor, Jane Collins, believes that learning how to design the life you want is the key to happiness.

Collins, who has her PhD in English, works in the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences and teaches English and modern language studies. Currently, she is teaching a course called “Creating a Good Life” and it focuses on the book Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans.

“The book introduces a dashboard with four categories- love, work, play, and health- which are the basis for learning how to create the life you want. It is important to recognize how full each level is because it can help you determine what needs to be worked on,” Collins said.

Understanding where you are with these areas of life and knowing how to satisfy them will help guide you in the right direction, according to Collins.

“Love is a really important one because you need to have a support system around you, but it has to be flowing to and from you. It can be seen anywhere too; from family, friends, and significant others,” Collins said.

When it comes to work, it can mean a career or school. The questions people should ask themselves have to do with satisfaction, happiness, and if you’re in a state of flow.

“Experiencing flow is actually really important and it involves high engagement and positive energy. I like to think of it as doing an activity and losing track of time, or being in the zone. For me, this happens when I surf,” Collins said.

Surfing is what Collins does to fulfill her “play”, along with free-writing. Play is what allows a person to destress and it usually doesn’t involve work. Finding a way to cope with stress also contributes to your health.

“Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health are vital to designing your life. That’s why I surf and write. It helps me stay mentally healthy. But spiritual health doesn’t necessarily have to be religion. It can mean knowing that you’re a part of something greater than yourself,” Collins said.

According to Collins, the dashboard is what allows you to realize your problems so that you can re-frame them and go about them a different way. By doing so, you’re promoting your own happiness.

“I am teaching my students to thrive on change because in order to resolve problems and create a good life, you need to be accepting of and willing to change,” Collins said.

TED Talks are one way of learning how to thrive on change. Collins watches these videos to become inspired and look for ways to keep growing.

Collins focuses on love, work, play, and health because she feels that they are what start the road to happiness. With inspiration and open-mindedness, she believes that anyone can learn how to design the type of life that they want.