Want Greater Happiness? Invest In Experiences, Not Possessions

“Come on, let’s get tickets to the musical and enjoy ourselves!” I can still remember how my friend shrieked excitedly when we’re about to watch the famous Broadway musical “Chicago”. The tickets were quite pricey, but boy, did we enjoy it! They say that money can’t buy happiness, but did it ever occur to you that what if you spend your money on the right purchases---will it make any difference? Will it give you greater happiness? Well, according to a new study in psychology, purchasing on life’s experiences instead of material belongings brings greater happiness and satisfaction both for the buyer and people surrounding them. Ryan Howell, assistant professor of psychology at San Francisco State University, said that their findings sustain an expansion of the basic need theory, where acquisitions which amplify psychological need satisfaction would produce the supreme joy and prosperity. The study also shows that experiential acquisitions, like theater or concert tickets, dinner night-outs or vacations, result in improved wellness since they fulfill upper order needs, more so in the arena of relationships, social networking and vivacity---the spirit of being energized. The participants’ result signifies that experiences bring greater happiness in spite of the buyer’s income or the amount spent. In addition, experiences not only provide greater happiness, but also direct to long-term fulfillment. And why is that---since experiences bought gives “memory funds”, we don’t seem to be fed up of joyful moments and memories like we do with some material possessions (which we may get tired of after a long run). Hmmm…so that explains the feeling my friend and I had when we enjoyed the musical, despite their not-so affordable price tags. And I agree with my friend saying, you can have all the money in the world, but it’s how you use it that would generate greater happiness. So enjoy the moment while you have it, and money will come, if you work hard for it, but the moments gone are gone forever. So don’t scrimp on life’s experiences to be happy. And since the greater part of our happiness relies on the decisions we make, go ahead---don’t rethink that plan for a vacation anymore—grab it! Your greater happiness depends and awaits you!