Let’s talk about being happy. Are you truly happy? Would you like to be happy every day of your life?
You’ve heard it said, that money doesn’t buy happiness. It’s true. More money doesn’t mean more happiness. It often has the opposite effect.
People with money just tend to buy stuff. They think that the stuff is going to make them happy, or justify how hard they work. In reality, it’s just stuff.
Here is a rule to live by…
Never love something that cannot love you back.
It is that simple.
You might feel excited about a new possession for a while. That excitement, the bling, the newness, it quickly fades away.
My advice… is to rent your life experiences. Anything that you want to have.
If you want to drive an expensive car, you can rent one for a week. Want to live in a house by the ocean? Go do it for six months.
You can rent these and most other life experiences, for a tiny fraction of the cost. You do not have to buy them.
You don’t need a mortgage. It will drag you down like an emotional anchor. It’s far better to have liquid assets and have a life rich in experiences.
The second road to happiness, is not caring what other people think. Don’t care what they think about your haircut, the clothes you wear, or the car you drive.
The less you care about what other people think, the happier you will be. Don’t let what anyone says or does, affect your inner peace.
Just hesitate for a moment before you react. Don’t let that bozo ruin your day. Blow it off, smile and laugh in five seconds or less.
The third way to be more happy, is to spend less time in isolation. The more time you spend isolated, the less happy you will to be.
Get out and around other people. Even if it is just down to the gym, or a fitness class. Getting outside for a walk, or a couple of hours in the shopping mall.
That bit of exercise and being near other people, will do wonders for your mental health. You’ll clear all sorts of hormones and gunk out of your body.
A fourth way to be more happy, is something that I learned from Dr. Dan Ariely’s “Predictably Irrational” audio book.
Happiness depends on what you compare yourself to.
For example, after the Olympics, the gold medal winners were the happiest, of course. And who were the second happiest? The bronze medalists.
The silver compare themselves to the gold. They think, “If I tried a little harder, I could have won that gold.”
The bronze medalists were much happier that silver medalists. They were happy to get any kind of medal at all.
So happiness truly depends on how you look out the window. What’s in your frame? What are you comparing yourself to?
I hope these few tips on happiness will help you be more happy. Come to realize that it is not a destination, it is not about possessions or things.
If you want to be happy…
1) Rent experiences, don’t buy them
2) Stop caring about what others think
3) Spend less time in isolation
4) Stop comparing yourself to others
5) Exercise, eat right & get enough sleep.
Happiness is about enjoying your life. Sharing it with friends and family. Loving others and letting them love you. That is what life and happiness is all about.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
It`s true money can`t buy you happiness. but it can buy you a lot of things that make you happy. Lol. Jokes aside, this is awesome post.
I know you’re just joking, but others might read your comment and not understand. The whole point of the video is, “Never love something that cannot love you back.”
Possessions and things do not make you happy. The desire is often better than the thing itself.
The newness fades in a few days. You’ll come to realize that the purchase may bring some enjoyment, but it didn’t bring true happiness. Only loving others and letting them love you, can bring true happiness which lasts a lifetime.
Thanks Michael. It took me 30 years to stop focusing on what other people think, but once I did it made everything different, so it’s great to get reminders from people like yourself who I listen to or read regularly.
You got it Graeme! Once you stop caring about what others think, you can finally relax and just be yourself.
I let all the other people chase fashions, buy big houses and drive fancy cars. They’ll either work themselves to death, or become broke in the process.
I’d much rather have a relaxed modest lifestyle, lots of love and friendship around me. And a BIG wad of cash in the bank.
Fabulous post Michael! Number 2 (caring what others think) is true — like the saying: “What other people think of you if none of your business” – hard to live by sometimes, but so freeing!
Loving things that don’t love you back – so true! (luckily our little dogs shower us with love & affection – and plenty of PDA!)
~ Lee
This is so true:
2) Stop caring what others think.
Reminds me of a funny quote:
“Did you ever see an unhappy horse? Did you ever see a bird that has the blues? One reason why birds and horses are not unhappy is because they are not trying to impress other birds and horses.” — Dale Carnegie
Thanks for the great article.
Mark