Happy Money

Why Do Only The Rich People Say Money Can’t Buy Happiness

If you think money can't buy happiness, you're not spending it right. — Michael Norton

One of the things that I learned from my mom was her generosity with money. And in the family, if there is money to be shared, it is shared without question.

Money can buy happiness

I have often told myself that if only I had a little more money, life would be easy, and I would be a happy person.

But looking back at the times when I was sad, would having money make any difference?

When we experience the loss of a loved one, will money bring them back?

When we experience a failed marriage or relationship, will money make us happy as we cry ourselves out of our pain?

When we experience rejection in our jobs or our ideas fail, will money take away our fears and insecurities?

How to buy happiness

If you think money can’t buy happiness, you’re not spending it right. — Michael Norton

In this TED video, Michael Norton, a professor from Harvard Business School and co-author of the book, Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending, said that money could buy you happiness if you spend it right.

Further in the video, he said —Spending on other people has a bigger return for you.

Happy Experience

What can make us happy when we have money is spending it to buy experiences rather than buy stuff.

So in another experiment by Michael Norton, he gave people money on one condition: they must use the money to buy themselves or others a happy experience.

I can only look back at my life that not everything was bad, because it wasn’t.

I was lucky to have traveled around the world as a photographer on board a cruise ship.

I found love many times over, and yes, I have been brokenhearted as many times as I have loved.

I was sad as a caregiver to my Mom.

But in her last days, I was there by her side until she breathe her last, and I knew that she carried with her all the past and all that she left me was her love.

My question to myself is:

If for every good or bad experience gets me a dollar how rich am I today?

I can't' tell you an amount, but I can say to you and myself that I'm' not poor at all.

And I hope you can say the same with yourself, that you are not poor.

Happy Money

I have written stories about Happy Money or the Arigato Money Technique. I learned it from Ken Honda.

He also wrote this article wherein he said — Rejoice when you receive money, and while I would practice gratitude with money, I know there is still fear in my heart that I need to conquer.

Every day I say thank you for the day.

Although, it hasn't been that way as I would be the first to admit that there were days when I wished it would be my last day.

When I first started writing here, I was happy with or without the money. It all started when I suddenly received $1.41, and at that time, my world was falling apart.

We are in the middle of the pandemic, and I was lost. But when I received the $1.41, I rejoiced.

It started my writing journey.

But soon, I started going after the money, and if there is a lesson you can learn from reading this story is not to make the same mistake as I did.

The more I chased the money, the more money became more elusive.

It could be because I stopped rejoicing, or there was no appreciation nor gratitude on my part.

Instead of fear, I choose happiness. Instead of worry, I choose gratitude. — Napoleon

I forgot to practice what I said.

Instead of happiness, I chose fear, and instead of gratitude, I decided to worry.

Happy money flow

The secret to wealth, or simple way to great wealth or choosing for money or love, is to put yourself in the happy money flow. — Ken Honda

The only way to wealth is to attract money and practice the happy money flow.

When we spend money, we should not fear because if we come from a mindset of abundance, there is more where the money came from.

April 2022 has only begun, and last month I tried my best to come up with stories that hopefully will get readers, which will increase the money I would earn being a writer.

And I did it.

I want to share with you that my heart is full of gratitude as I made $266.35 in March, my biggest paycheck since July 2021.

Thank you to all my readers.

It manifested.

I believed it was possible, and it became a reality.

It is why we should never give up, but we should also change our relationship with money.

Can Money Buy Happiness?

Three psychological principles to consider before you make your next purchase. — By Sarah Gervai

Being rich isn’t necessarily the path to happiness.

Doing makes us happier than having.

Consider spending money on others.

While money will not make us happy, it can allow us to experience the things in life that can make us happy. So let us stop believing money is the root of all evil when it is not.

Experience over things.

While you can spend money on things, like buying yourself a new iPhone, a car, or a house, there is more happiness derived from doing, from the experiences.

A short visit to a long-lost friend, a cup of coffee, a vacation, and dining in your favorite restaurant.

These experiences have a long shelf life in making you happy. One of the reasons is that every experience has a story to tell.

Spend money on others.

If you have extra money, give it to charities.

And I know this to be true. I find joy when I give and buy things for the people I care for and love.

When things weren't smooth between my mom and me, I would get her something, a blouse, or her favorite food, which would always mend our relationship.

How Rich Are You Today?

Let me end by answering the question myself.

I'm' rich in experiences, the good, the bad, and the ugly. From them, I learned to love and forgive myself.

I have traveled the world, not all of us can say that, and it happened because of my work as a photographer.

When I started caregiving for my mom, I couldn't travel that much.

I was out of work, without money, yet I was never hungry. There was still a roof over my head.

Now that mom is gone, I still have the support of my family, and I must admit there was fear, there was sadness.

And yes, I still want money not because it will buy me happiness, but because it can help me buy experiences and spend it for others.

It is ok not to be happy every day, but one should rejoice in the pockets of happy moments that are always happening, if only we recognize them.

As like the air you breathe, if you believe in a friendly Universe and provide you with all your needs, all you have to start doing now is to Arigato, money.

Further readings.

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