Happiness is a noble pursuit. Who doesn’t want to be happy? Yet it is this very same goal that can cause us to work against our own happiness. This is most often exhibited when we purchase things.
We often find ourselves clinging to old standbys like “If it lasts/works longer than I can use it more” which we generally think will make us happy. When in reality that same thing being used every day loses its value to us rather quickly.
The biggest questions asked are “how should I spend my money?” This is a very important question, seeing as money (for the average person) is not an unlimited resource.
It is true that money can make you happier, but after all of your needs are met, have you really ever actually been much happier than before?
The Enemy of Happiness Adaptation
Physical objects are the go-to route when spending to achieve happiness, but this path is completely wrong. Studies have shown that by buying physical objects we are actually setting ourselves up to be disappointed. Some objects are however, not at all waste of money and should actually be purchased in order to maintain happiness, such as a good mattress. Good mattresses are essential for back health, and uninterrupted sleep, such as the best mattress for side sleepers would be.
Objects are not always the best route Thi because we adapt. The thing gets used and over time we lose the sense of value that was once attributed to it.
So instead of going out and buying the newest phone model or cutting edge kitchenware, instead contemplate spending that money on trips to special places that interest you. Or even on a small vacation for yourself. It has been proven that those small events are worth more in regards to happiness than buying objects.
Try sitting down and thinking over things you’ve always wanted to do but instead just put off so that you could buy something later. Would you have been much happier for longer if you had instead went and had that experience?
New experiences never get old, unlike objects.
Money Can Buy Happiness Using Money the Right Way
It is entirely possible to use money to achieve happiness. But the question is not in the object, it is in the experience. People who buy something almost always report that their happiness levels associated with that object drop dramatically after a while.
While on the opposite end of the spectrum people who spend their money on experiences almost always report that their happiness with that experience has increased. In a way this shows that we value memories more than money. So we while we are reluctant to spend money on an experience, when we could instead buy something we will use, we almost always end up wishing we had just gone and had our little adventures.
It truly does work against us. The fact that buying an object you can put to use give us less happiness than something you may only experience one time in your life.
The object either becomes disused or starts to become part of the background to our lives, while the memory becomes a part of us. We bring it up in conversation; it ingrains itself in our identity.
●Experience is a part of you
●Material good are separate from your own being
Experience forges Connection Sharing Your Life with Others
One other reason that experiences are the better thing to spend money on would be that they can be shared with others. Even things we once thought of as scary that negatively impacted our past can become lessons in character or a funny story that we share among friends.
In addition you are more likely to forge stronger relationships through shared experience rather than shared possessions. For example, you will have a strong bond with someone who you took a vacation with to go camping, where you will not have a bond like that just because someone you know owns a HGTV and you do too.
●Sharing experiences creates bonds
●Even indirectly shared experiences bring people together
●Forging stronger bond increases your own happiness
●You are less likely to feel negative about others experiences than possessions
Put a Stop to the Comparisons Envy Kills Happiness
Perhaps the worst thing those possessions can do for us, it to give us something to compare to what other people have. Sure when you’re on vacation you might feel jealous of someone flying first class, but it’s nothing when you compare it to someone who has the newer, hotter model of your car.
Ency is a sure-fire way to slowly kill your happiness that is why it can be important to spend less on possessions and more on experiences. You might know someone with an amazing new car, or boat, or TV, but can that same person say that they’ve hiked the Appalachian Trail? Start spending more on memories and you sure as heck could. Don’t waste your money on possessions you don’t really need, instead try getting out there in the world and making memories that truly will taste forever.