Investing in memories rather than things will bring you happiness  

Nowadays, we spend a lot on objects meant to make our lives easier. We spend our money on new cell phones, large-screen TVs or fancy new cars that just came out on the market. But how much should we actually care about these things? Can money and objects actually buy our happiness? Or does this go even deeper than that?

Why money can’t buy true happiness

Money does bring us a certain amount of joy – but only for a short time. Let’s say that you just purchased the newest laptop that everyone is talking about. Sure, you will feel happy for the next few days – until you get used to that device. Soon enough, you will lose interest in it, and you’ll start looking for something to replace it.

Traveling, on the other hand, can have the same price (or even lower) than that laptop. But let’s see what this will bring: excitement in the months prior to leaving, a good time when traveling, and memories you can hang on to for years to come. Your nephews will not want to hear how you bought the “new” iPhone 7; they will, however, show interest in how you climbed the Himalayas.

Investing in fleeting moments

When you go on a journey, every moment of that experience will remain unique. Everything you saw, smelled or felt there will become something you will remember your entire life. And you don’t even have to bust your budget to gain richer travel experiences, lots of credit cards offer travel rewards that you can use to travel for free.

On the other hand, that fancy new car will lose its charm if you use it every day. A ride on a boat, on the other hand, will become something you will remember all your life – even though it only lasted a short time.

Instead of investing in a new outfit, go for a cooking or design class. Or instead of replacing your iPhone 6 with an iPhone 7, go skydiving. Physical objects will eventually become obsolete and neglected. Still, the valuable experiences will remain in your memory forever and will bring you joy whenever you think of them.

The editorial unit