WHEN HAPPINESS IS FREE
You heard as a kid and as an adult that money doesn’t buy happiness. A French saying goes on to say “But it helps you in your misfortune!” If you’re like most people, you still wish you had the money you wanted.
When happiness is free, you don’t need a big budget to fill yourself of it!
Even if some studies actually say that more money makes you more happy, like this one READ IT HERE for example, many researchers say money is not the be-all end-all of happiness. Even the researcher of the above study says “Ultimately, income is just one factor that influences an individual’s happiness — not the most important one. “If anything, people probably overemphasize money when they think about how well their life is going”, Social relationships and connection are the most important factors of happiness according to HARVARD HEALTH .
So happiness can be free, or cost so little! Can you imagine if you started to decide to find pockets of joy-filled moments that heighten your “happiness tank”? You’d discover new perspectives and be developing new appreciation of other “happiness factors”.
You can find happiness in three different shapes: people, places and moments. Can you see yourself finding some free happiness…
When you share a good meal with your family and ‘‘framily’’. Humans have been doing this for millennia!
When you walk with your friends, or your dog, or even your cat (I dare you on this one!)
When you have a discussion with people that share the same passion
When you pray and commune with God
When you sit on the beach, catching some rays
When you get up early to watch a beautiful sunrise
When you observe a child’s natural smile and free laughs
When you look at beautifully architected structures, man-made or natural ones
When you release forgiveness to people who offended you
When you connect with an old friend, that one friend you should have had a coffee with weeks, months, years ago
When you help out your community in which you live in or your faith family
Even when happiness is free, it will cost you. You’ll need to let go of (some) bitterness and grudges. You’ll want to angle your perspective differently. Your focus will change. You’ll let go of some old habits that got you where you are now but won’t get you where you want to be next.
But happiness can be free. Free to give, free to receive. No bills or quotes sent. Just free, gracious offerings to people worth your appreciation. When happiness is free, joy-filled life is available. Purposeful living is within your reach.
