So, money does not buy happiness or does it? In every society, at any given point in time, there’s that general misconception that richer people are happier. There’s this notion that “what limited wealth fails to do, greater wealth will do” hence the constant striving for more. What this notion does not tell us however is about the actual relationship between money and happiness.
Money in itself does not satisfy and make one happier; it’s what you do with it that makes the difference. Money has no intrinsic value but is just an entity that stores value, and is an exchange agent. The whole point of using money is that it frees us from having to deal with some physical value scale that has nothing to do with the exchange you are really interested in. Understanding the value that it holds for you is what makes money meaningful. Take for instance, if you were given all the money in the world and taken somewhere in the middle is the Sahara desert of what purpose will the money serve?
Because people often structure their lives around money, it often defines the choices we make, and can ultimately shape the inner Person that we become. Research shows that people who put money high in their priority list are at more risk of depression, are more likely to suffer from anxiety, stress and low self-esteem according to researchers Tim Kasser and Richard Ryan. Fall in love with Life, Children, older People, Theater, Music, Books, Cities Hills, the Sea, in fact everything in the World except Money. Materialistic is toxic as research has already found out. The antidote! Keep away from obsession of money and material wealth and you’ll live a happier life. This is not in any way to say that we lose our zeal and become less aggressive in our business and career pursuits, or develop a phobia for riches….far from it. The point is, when money becomes the overriding goal in life, the more we seek satisfaction in it and material goods the less we are likely to find satisfaction there! Such a sick mental outlook may contribute to poor health, In turn poor health adds to the anxiety of the miser since it limits him from amassing greater wealth hence adds to more misery.
One wise man observed mankind and said that “we spend the better part of our lives chasing for money and material Wealth at the expense of our Health and spend the rest of our lives chasing for Health at the expense of our Wealth” How ironic! Practicing continual kindness Is a way to happiness as oppossed to being stingy and mean. Truly, research shows that happy, successful people are usually very kind, caring, honest, charitable and compassionate. Habitually Happy people are amazingly altruistic. They rarely pass up a chance to be kind when it costs them little or risks them little. They are also very proficient at protecting themselves, pursuing and achieving their goals. They are not “people-pleasers,” they do good because it makes them feel good.
Those who spent their money on others reported much greater happiness than those who spend on themselves. Many people associate giving with religion but this universal law of giving and receiving works even if you are not religious. Remember the old adage “it is better to give than to receive” something which we also find in the scriptures.
Perhaps we can take a lesson from one of the wisest man who ever lived, King Solomon. In understanding what satisfaction money can bring, he wrote;- when good things increase, those eating them certainly become many . 'He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. When good things increase, they increase who eat them; so what profit have the owners except to see them with their eyes?' (Eccl 5:10)
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. My personal take is that success in material wealth is not always the best measure of happiness but rather happiness is the premier measurement of success. Someone once said “Success is measured by the number of smiles per day everyday” ….I agree with them. There are many people out there who a re bursting in affluence but deep in their hearts is misery emptiness and a sense of desperation. Health and wealth are two very important keys in our live but striking right mix of both is what is challenging. No wonder King David prayed and said “Lord, Give me neither poverty nor riches, but just enough, not too little, lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God, nor too much that I may become proud and dishonor You.” (Proverbs 30:8)...Sounds good but how much is enough? You answer that one!
Money in itself does not satisfy and make one happier; it’s what you do with it that makes the difference. Money has no intrinsic value but is just an entity that stores value, and is an exchange agent. The whole point of using money is that it frees us from having to deal with some physical value scale that has nothing to do with the exchange you are really interested in. Understanding the value that it holds for you is what makes money meaningful. Take for instance, if you were given all the money in the world and taken somewhere in the middle is the Sahara desert of what purpose will the money serve?
Because people often structure their lives around money, it often defines the choices we make, and can ultimately shape the inner Person that we become. Research shows that people who put money high in their priority list are at more risk of depression, are more likely to suffer from anxiety, stress and low self-esteem according to researchers Tim Kasser and Richard Ryan. Fall in love with Life, Children, older People, Theater, Music, Books, Cities Hills, the Sea, in fact everything in the World except Money. Materialistic is toxic as research has already found out. The antidote! Keep away from obsession of money and material wealth and you’ll live a happier life. This is not in any way to say that we lose our zeal and become less aggressive in our business and career pursuits, or develop a phobia for riches….far from it. The point is, when money becomes the overriding goal in life, the more we seek satisfaction in it and material goods the less we are likely to find satisfaction there! Such a sick mental outlook may contribute to poor health, In turn poor health adds to the anxiety of the miser since it limits him from amassing greater wealth hence adds to more misery.
One wise man observed mankind and said that “we spend the better part of our lives chasing for money and material Wealth at the expense of our Health and spend the rest of our lives chasing for Health at the expense of our Wealth” How ironic! Practicing continual kindness Is a way to happiness as oppossed to being stingy and mean. Truly, research shows that happy, successful people are usually very kind, caring, honest, charitable and compassionate. Habitually Happy people are amazingly altruistic. They rarely pass up a chance to be kind when it costs them little or risks them little. They are also very proficient at protecting themselves, pursuing and achieving their goals. They are not “people-pleasers,” they do good because it makes them feel good.
Those who spent their money on others reported much greater happiness than those who spend on themselves. Many people associate giving with religion but this universal law of giving and receiving works even if you are not religious. Remember the old adage “it is better to give than to receive” something which we also find in the scriptures.
Perhaps we can take a lesson from one of the wisest man who ever lived, King Solomon. In understanding what satisfaction money can bring, he wrote;- when good things increase, those eating them certainly become many . 'He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. When good things increase, they increase who eat them; so what profit have the owners except to see them with their eyes?' (Eccl 5:10)
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. My personal take is that success in material wealth is not always the best measure of happiness but rather happiness is the premier measurement of success. Someone once said “Success is measured by the number of smiles per day everyday” ….I agree with them. There are many people out there who a re bursting in affluence but deep in their hearts is misery emptiness and a sense of desperation. Health and wealth are two very important keys in our live but striking right mix of both is what is challenging. No wonder King David prayed and said “Lord, Give me neither poverty nor riches, but just enough, not too little, lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God, nor too much that I may become proud and dishonor You.” (Proverbs 30:8)...Sounds good but how much is enough? You answer that one!
No comments:
Post a Comment