The Compatibility of Money and Happiness
Health and happiness has a lot to do with wealth and stability. Money may not buy all of the happiness, but its absence will certainly deliver you all of the packages of unhappiness. Money brings a sense of financial freedom. Having money in the bank is more security too after all, worries about debt is next to health issues and in fact, one of the most profound reasons of having living factors with tons of negative side effects.
However happiness and wealth are not incompatible…you can be both poor happy/unhappy and rich happy/unhappy. what is true is that poor unhappy people are much more unhappy than rich unhappy ones. Indeed, money doesn’t make you happy but neither does the other side and living comfortably gives you the opportunity to direct your life the way you want. Money brings more choices.. happiness brings peace of mind. Nevertheless, mental and physical health are priceless.
Extremely wealthy people have their own set of concerns: anxiety about their children, uncertainty over their relationships and fears of isolation – Robert Kenny
Studies have shown that you need a specific amount of money to “be basically happy” = aka don’t worry about surviving (enough money for a safe place to sleep/live in and food). The same studies found out that having genuine friends makes you significantly happier – and that this happiness lasts longer – than e.g. a pay rise. or a new gadget.
You have to live your life pursuing what brings you happiness and what you find interesting, challenging and worthwhile. Otherwise, when is it enough and how far will you go to get it? Life is so much more fulfilling if it’s rich in experiences. And you have a higher self worth because you lived your life and challenged yourself in the ways that mattered to you.
Vast majority who hear money does not happiness would nod and say “oh I totally agree”, and then they still go out and make money their goal, thinking it will lead to happiness. The narrative of “money will solve all my problems” is so strong, we can’t even get out of our own way. Getting out of our own way is hard
Differentiating When We Need Money From When We Need Happiness
Now, the definition of basic needs. Secure retirement at 60? Being able to pay the bills at the end of the month? Taking your family on vacation each summer? In order to achieve these ”basic needs” , a lot of people need to think about money for some time in life and it becomes a habit then a routine and then till who knows…
Basic needs are going to be different for different people. Comes back to question, what makes you really really and honestly happy? too many people are doing what others think should make them happy. They never spend the time to go.
Practicing that Falling and Standing Technique We Learnt as Toddlers
The Dalai Lama when asked what surprised him most about humanity, he answered “Man! Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”
As humans, we tend to always want what others have without truly understanding what that even means. Then we carry on following the followers and wanting “things” and neglecting the basics of our own life…
Happiness by itself is totally dependable upon the adopted mindset. Not money. People who have the belief that once they acquire wealth, all their problems will disappear, are setting themselves up to a massive mental disappointment down the line. However, for you to be able to understand, realize and thus initiate the change, you need to go through the -trial- period and experiment things yourself. Listening to experiences may never prove much.
Conversely, If money were to be invested consciously, it would effectively alleviate the personal lust of “owning things” by making you actually seeing what it is like to do so, and thus come to the psychological realization that “owning, having and buying” is not the end-goal by itself. Here is where money comes into play achieving a greater sense of purpose.
Is Money Evil?
I am against the meta of “money is evil or money is shit,” because at any given day, even if you are doing what you love and what you are passionate about, if you do not have a day when you break away from the hustle and bustle of your day-to-day routine, a drift off from your values will take place inevitably. You need a day or a periodic set of time when you break off the routinely lifestyle and try different things as a refreshment to your soul and mindset, and money is the great facilitator that allows you to do so, regardless of this, money is not the end goal. yeah, you need money (at least) to survive (for basic needs).
Here’s a Reason to be Kind even when You Face Personal Challenges
If you live in metropolitan city. Food, clothes, shelter, healthcare, education, etc. is the lowest requirement to be happy. Most of the time the degree of specification toward those aspects that will make the degree of happiness from each people different. You need those stuff but you want it with high-end spec and you have no money (capacity) to afford it = UNHAPPY. You need those stuff and you afford according to your money (capacity) = HAPPY.
The goal should never be how many things you can acquire or how you have beaten the other guy. It should be about a happy and comfortable life. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work hard and accomplish all you can, just don’t view everything as a competition. You hurt too many other people when you put money above all else..