The Science of Happiness about Money and Relationships

The Science of Happiness about Spending Money

Money may not “buy” you happiness. But, according to Michael Norton of Harvard Business School, “happy money”—which is spending the money on a concert, a ball game, or a dinner in a restaurant—can create more happiness than buying a material possession, such as a dress, because the pleasure from an “experience” is much more lasting and memorable than that of a material possession.

According to Norton, “the anticipation of an experience can be as valuable as a source of happiness as the actual experience itself”, such as planning for a vacation; his recommendation is: buy now, and consume later.

Remember:

Money cannot buy happiness, but it may buy a memorable life experience.

The Science of Happiness about Relationships

Human actions, especially negative ones, are always based on the knowledge of self and others, which is often incomplete, inadequate, and inaccurate. Human perceptions are based on attitudes, beliefs, and habits, which may be  biased and distorted because they originate from an individual’s unique past experiences, and perceptions of those experiences.

To overcome the above obstacles in good human relationships, you need to harness the power of gratitude. 

According to a scientific study, for every 10 years of life, gratitude may increase by only 5 percent. Therefore, you need to consciously increase gratitude in order to change your life to have better relationships with others, given that human relationships play a pivotal role in the happiness or unhappiness of an individual.

Gratitude may change your character, more specifically, your perceptions of people and happenings around you; it is all about your mindfulness of the presence of gratitude.

According to Robert Emmons of University of California, in life, you should always express your gratitude for people and experiences, rather than just things. Professor Emmons also says, “Being personal and specific about gratitude is more important than expressing lots of it.” You can always express your gratitude for your families and friends, your freedom of living and worship in America, and your health. In other words, always count your blessings, and express your gratitude to others in the form of love and compassion—the key to having stronger and healthier relationships for greater happiness.

Having good human relationships with others may not only afford you joy and happiness, but also heal you mentally, physically, and spiritually through your own connections with others. On the other hand, having bad human relationships may only make you feel sad, lonely, hopeless, and unhappy.

Remember:

People can make you happy only if they consciously choose to. Gratitude is an in- dispensable element in any good human relationship, which is the foundation of human happiness.

Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau