Money Really Can Buy You Happiness

“Thank you beta(son), I pray this Diwali brings you all the happiness in life and all your wishes come true”, she said to me that day. An old quavering voice full of hopes and happiness, deep enough to remind me that money really can buy you happiness too.

I remember, that day I was returning home very frustrated in exasperation due to a heavy unfinished workload. I was really upset with myself. On a way back I stopped at a red light where I met this old lady.

She came up to me, carrying a heavy bag on her shoulder wearing tattered clothing and a skanky veil on her head. But like everybody else, I completely ignored her.

Even so, her appealing calm voice compelled me to look at least once at what she was trying to sell. And I was really amazed by what I saw.

She was selling hand-made decorative items for the Diwali celebration as the festive season is going on in India. She was also holding some diyas (oil lamp usually made from clay, with a cotton wick dipped in ghee) on her head and shivering left hand.

I was wondering that she spends her entire day in a hope that someone would buy her hand-made items. She didn’t choose to beg, instead, she chose to work hard. That really got me.

And I’m glad that I purchased some of those items. As I wore a helmet, so she put her hand on my shoulder and blessed me like her own son.

When I returned home there was a smile on my face. I realized that I didn’t buy these items, I buy happiness for myself. I felt so much positivity around me that all my frustration just evaporated in front of my eyes.

I know we are often told that money can’t buy happiness which remains a fact but whatever happened to me that day always makes me think from a different perspective too. It clearly says that money really can buy you happiness if it is spent well.

After spending money to buy those items, the happiness I saw on her pale-faced was something out of this world that we can never imagine. Only people who are deprived of basic human needs and lack these things can understand.

Money and Happiness are Exclusive?

You often see or hear that people with lots of money can be depressed because they can’t buy happiness from the money they hold.

But it is also true that lower/middle-class people can also be depressed because of a lack of money. A study in 2012 revealed that people in poverty had more health problems & depression.

Many of us go through life with the pursuit of money on our minds. Having money means you can buy that joyous moment of life that you really loved.

So how far this saying “Money can’t buy you happiness” truly makes sense? What do you think? Is there any correlation between money and happiness? and if so, what we can learn from it?

In both situations mentioned above, the love factor is missing in both of these situations. The love for yourself and the love for others.

The study shows the actual problem lies in the way that we spend money. There is research that shows that spending money increases your happiness if it’s spent in a way that works for you and your personality.

But, there is one more piece of research that shows that spending on other people will make you even happier than spending just on yourself. Spending something on others is one of the important aspects to gain more cheerfulness.

I can relate to it when I spent some to buying those items from that old woman. Now, every time I think about it, a line from the movie- “Pursuit Of Happiness” comes to my mind:-

This part of my life, this little part is called happiness.

Chris Gardner

Just Another Saying-

There is so much reality that exists to ruminate all day. But always try to think about it from a different perspective too. It may change the way you think and bring out the best in you.

Likewise, we are often told that:- “Empty-handed you came, empty-handed you’ll go”.

But what truth is there in the saying? I mean, everybody knows it. It’s a universal fact and nature’s law. Therefore, It doesn’t matter how much we’ll take with ourselves, but it matters how much we left behind.

Because we earn for our family too. Don’t we?

Money Paradox

Over the past quarter-century, economists and psychologists banded together to sort out the money paradox problem. The new scholars start with a simple insight that the whole money thing is a paradox.

The more you have it, the more you want and the less effective it is at bringing you joy. But the lack of having it, the more effective your problem is. There is a long debate about whether money can really buy you happiness or not?

If you don’t believe that money can buy happiness then ask those who lost their loved ones to a disease that they could not afford the expenses,

Ask the father whose daughter has been tortured for dowry,

ask the person who sleeps on the street,

ask the lower/middle-class boy or girl who loves to travel but has to give up,

ask the ragpicker guy,

ask the person who faces the harsh reality of poverty.

It’s true money isn’t everything but money can buy those things for you that bring happiness, even if for a moment only. Nothing lasts forever but the smallest happiness, that is what life is.

So, those who say “money is just a scum of hand”, Perhaps are either rich or haven’t faced the harsh reality of the world yet.

Here’s How Money Really Can Buy You Happiness

If you want to know how to use money to become happier, you need to understand just what it is that brings you happiness in the first place.

1. Doing than Having– Doing things can bring us more joy than having things. Because it’s a tendency to grow bored with the things you acquire.

2. Go for Life experiences rather than materialistic boost. You need more in your life than passive pleasures. The satisfaction you get in the end is greater than what you can get out of more passive pursuits.

Gilovich says that people define what is and isn’t an experience differently. The happiest people are best at wringing experiences out of everything they spend money on.

3. Try counting your blessings. Those who know how to cultivate the feeling of gratitude are happier, healthier, energetic, and more optimistic.

4. Joyous moment. You can’t go to the store and buy a bottle of happiness for $50, instead, you can spend money in such a way that brings a smile to your face. Happiness is the result of things that we do and having money allows us to do that.

5. Spending something on others is also an important aspect to gain more happiness. Instead of walking to a 5-star restaurant alone, try spending some amount in a small restaurant with loved ones.

You can find a lot of reasons on the internet- why money can’t buy happiness. I also have reasons to believe that and so you do. But once you find that good experience, then you’ll start rethinking it again.

How much money a person needs to be happy varies depending on how much is required to cover your own basic needs. Money can increase the potential for life satisfaction depending on how you spend it.

Now, what do you think? Is there anything that makes you think that money you hold can buy you happiness? Or, the whole money thing is just a paradox because we’re never satisfied. Comment below.

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