Is it REALLY true that Money Can't Buy You Happiness?
By popular saying, money can't buy you happiness. But can the lack of money buy you happiness? Read my discussion on money and happiness.
It is often said that money can’t buy you happiness.
Then again, not having enough money can’t either.
Some people believe in living poorly, so that they can become less attached to money and presumably that makes them more spiritually enlightened.
However, this thinking is flawed.
You see, because being materially poor does not necessarily make anyone spiritually rich or happy on the inside too.
If you are stressed out with money issues, your mind is likely to be preoccupied on your struggles.
You’d be anxious about how you can afford a certain standard of living, or you can pay your bills from month to month. Excessive worry can’t make you happy. It also brings about a contraction in your energy state.
What is interesting is that according to recent studies on money and happiness, researchers from Wharton and Princeton found a steady association between larger incomes and greater happiness for most people but a rise and plateau for an unhappy minority.
Clearly, these research findings are showing that there is no match with what the popular belief about money and happiness is and reality!
So here are my thoughts: it is true that money does not directly buy happiness but it’s the experiences that having money can bring. For example, with money, it makes it possible for us to go on spiritual retreats, go for a self-care holiday, or give treats to our loved ones. We may even direct money to charitable and worthy causes, so that the less advantaged can have a better quality of life.
In light of the points I have brought up and the research findings, how can we then create and apply an association between money and happiness for ourselves?
Well, one great way is to cultivate a consciousness that is based on abundance.
This suggestion may sound challenging, especially when what you are experiencing in the outer world is scarcity or a situation of “not enough”.
However, let’s remind ourselves that it doesn’t cost a thing to ground ourselves in tenets of abundance: such as gratitude, love, creativity, meaning, and generosity.
In fact, the more we are aligned with these, the richer our inner state will be and the more abundance (including money) will flow into our outer life. And as the recent studies show, a greater chance of happiness.
It’s exactly what my newsletter hopes to do: to serve as a reminder on what it means to live richly on the inside. And sometimes, I’d be covering on how we can work through issues at the root, so that we can be free to thrive. Definitely, stay tuned for more!
Much love and abundance always,
Evelyn Lim