Pursuing happiness is very important in life. This is because happier people have better relationships, are healthier, make more money, and are even more creative. There is an article on this website that details the benefits of seeking happiness. You can read more on it here.
The only challenge is, due to the way our brains are wired, what we expect [E] will give us happiness does not. Many a times, our expectations are frustrated and we are unable to attain the happiness we desire. Other times, even when we may attain that which we desire, we do not achieve the happiness we had anticipated. We have written about “Miswanting” here.
But let us focus on material possessions. Some people may say: “if only I had enough money, I would buy ….xyz… and I would then become so happy.” This line of thinking shows that one’s happiness is conditioned on their ability to have money to purchase material goods like a (big) car, Television etc.
Yet, while material possessions may provide a temporary sense of satisfaction, an increasing body of research suggests that investing in experiences yields far-reaching and lasting benefits[1]. Investing in experiences such as family traditions, travel, cultural events, or educational workshops is time and resources well spent. Experiences have the following benefits over material purchases:
- Unlike material possessions that lose their novelty over time, the memories created through experiences tend to appreciate, becoming a source of joy and nostalgia. We have written elsewhere on this website how anticipation and reflection associated with experiential happiness events can contribute significantly to overall life satisfaction, creating a sustained sense of happiness. Read more on how Savouring contributes to experience of happiness here.
- While material possessions, may provide a sense of ownership, they often lack the transformative qualities inherent in experiences. The lessons acquired through experiential investments contribute to a more well-rounded and resilient individual.
- Experiences have a remarkable ability to strengthen social bonds and foster meaningful relationships. Studies in psychology consistently demonstrate that people derive greater satisfaction from spending resources (time, money etc) on experiences with others than on solitary material purchases. The social nature of experiential pursuits contributes not only to personal happiness but also to the overall well-being of communities and families – Spend time planning for a memorable family experience for the upcoming holidays and you will be happy for a lifetime.
- Material possessions contribute to the production of goods, leading to resource depletion, pollution, and waste. Experiences on the other hand, especially when they involve giving services to other members of the society or family, are rewarding both to the giver and the receiver.
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[1] https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Daniel-Serrani/publication/264420220_Improvement_of_Child_and_Adolescent’s_Mood_Instability_Impulsivity_Aggression_and_Suicidal_Attempts_Results_of_an_Open_Trial_of_Add-On_Lamotrigine/links/5bdc59be299bf1124fb53816/Improvement-of-Child-and-Adolescents-Mood-Instability-Impulsivity-Aggression-and-Suicidal-Attempts-Results-of-an-Open-Trial-of-Add-On-Lamotrigine.pdf#page=71