At the risk of being judged harshly from just the title of my post today, I wanted to share this notion that I came across while reading Gretchen Rubin's book, The Happiness Project. Gretchen does not mean that holding a stack of crisp $100 bills will instantly bring you long term joy. Rather, she writes (excuse me while I paraphrase), if something like horseback riding makes you happy and you need to spend money in order to take part in this activity, then it is absolutely fair to say that spending your hard-earned dollars on leather saddles, riding shoes, and stable boarding has bought you happiness.
For some people, giving to their favorite charity warms their heart and yet for others, throwing a big dinner party for friends with fancy wine and extravagant food brings them joy. Everyone also has things that they view as a complete waste of money - maybe it is spending a day at a casino and going home with possibly more, but possibly less money. For others, shopping for the newest, most fashionable clothes can be seen as just throwing away money for something that won't even be "in" for much longer. It all comes down to what we each value in our lives.
For me, I take away much happiness from spending money on travel. The anticipation of a vacation, the actual traveling, and then the memories that allow me to relive adventures time and time again are all things that make me smile. Yes, money is a factor for this, but I don't need to go on an lengthy getaway to some remote tropical island. Even driving up to Vermont for the weekend with Mr. C by my side, just a few short hours away, is something that brightens my life.
How does money buy you happiness?
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