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We all know money can buy quite a lot and if you’ve never heard the phrase “I’d rather cry in a mansion than under a bridge”, in response to whether money buys happiness, then you have now. Yet can money actually buy ‘real’ happiness? Meaning long-term, sustainable happiness and not the quick rush of temporary happiness we scientifically feel after purchasing something new?

Yes and no.

This is because, although money can technically buy us a particular form of temporary happiness, this feeling quickly fades as we adjust to new experiences. Thus we reach for higher and higher states of happiness just to feel the same rush of ‘feel-good’ vibes we experienced in the beginning. Kind of how anyone with an addiction to something builds a tolerance, thus seeking higher quantities of the substance just to feel ‘happy’ again, much like they did the first time.

So in actuality, when does the cycle end? When is your current state or level of happiness enough?

As human beings we tend to naturally want what we can’t or don’t have. For instance, say someone wants to move away from home thinking they will be happier elsewhere, and perhaps this is true. So they move and are happy with their choice for a long while but then eventually dream of living somewhere else yet again, thinking it too will make them happier than ever before.

When we get a raise in income we’re temporarily boosted with happiness at our success and new levels of expenditure, yet it’s amazing how quickly we adjust and attune to this new level of income. We eventually feel as though the amount of money we have isn’t enough and again seek even more.

For this reason, money does buy happiness but it’s only temporary. True happiness is only to be found within oneself. Not by other humans, levels of income, or any other outside factors. These may all serve to make you incredibly happy in the moment, yet consider them the ‘cherry on top’ of an already happy person. Meaning happiness should be found from within, without the help of anyone or anything else.

Yet as the video above from AsapSCIENCE explains, money can buy more extended versions of happiness. Donating money to those in need, traveling somewhere new, and/or investing in new experiences is a proven way to enhance long-term happiness, rather than temporary. Depending on ‘how’ you spend your money, rather than on ‘what’ plays a significant role in levels of happiness, and how long the ‘feel-good’ vibes hang around. ♥

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Image: http://static1.squarespace.com/static/541d0c09e4b07b5243b3289b/t/54ea238fe4b09706d4a88563/1424630672630/

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