Have you ever wondered if money really can buy happiness? Emma Taylor for M2Women writes that happiness can be bought so long as your money is spent on this one thing – experience. Some of the main points of her article, Science Says Money Can Buy Happiness if it is Spent on This One Thing, are shared below.

Taylor shares the research of Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor at Cornell University who recently published a study in the Journal of Consumer Psychology titled, “A Wonderful Life: Experiential Consumption and the Pursuit of Happiness.“

Dr. Gilovich says that “as important as possessions might be to a person’s identity and sense of self, they are not as important as a person’s experiences…We are the total of our experiences. We are not the sum total of our possessions, however important they might be to us. If called upon to write our memoirs, it is our experiences we would write about, not our possessions.”

Spending money on new experiences is a great way to experience joy. Some examples include travel, taking a class, going skydiving, dance lessons, learning to play an instrument, etc. The experience creates happy memories and sometimes skills that can last a lifetime. New accomplishments help create a sense of satisfaction and give a new perspective.

If you’d like to read the article in full you can find it here.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree with Taylor? What are some of your best experiences? Please leave your comments below.

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this post and any associated articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect opinions or policies of eTherapyPro. These posts and articles are shared for your enjoyment and consideration. Read them or not at your sole discretion and liability. They are not intended to replace counseling services rendered by licensed professionals. Consult with your counselor before implementing any content from these articles into your life.

Ruth Whippman, the author of “America the Anxious: How Our Pursuit of Happiness is Creating a Nation of Nervous Wrecks,” recently published an article on Quartz titled “America the Anxious.” Some of the main points are shared below.

Whippman is a Brit living in the United States and she observes that people in America spend more time, emotional energy, and money in the pursuit of happiness than any other nation with little to show for it. In fact, she points out that in a recent survey Americans are only slightly happier than citizens of Rwanda. She writes that according to the World Health Organization, Americans are the most anxious people on the planet.

You might rightly question how this is possible. Everywhere you look in the United States right now there are products and services available to help achieve happiness. Yoga studios and gyms are more busy than ever. Parks are plentiful. We have every modern convenience and technology at our disposal so we are we not happy? Why are we so full of anxiety? Oddly enough, a serious of studies at UC Berkley showed that paradoxically the more intensely people pursue happiness the more likely they are to feel let down and feel anxiety, loneliness, and depression.

Whippman argues that we as Americans are going about pursuing happiness in the wrong way. We are taking individualistic approaches that attempt to find happiness alone. She says that nearly all research on the subject of happiness concludes that our happiness depends on other people. The stronger our relationships are with others the happier we are. In other words, we need each other.

If you’d like to read the article in full you can find it here.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree with Whippman? Please leave your comments below.

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this post and any associated articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect opinions or policies of eTherapyPro. These posts and articles are shared for your enjoyment and consideration. Read them or not at your sole discretion and liability. They are not intended to replace counseling services rendered by licensed professionals. Consult with your counselor before implementing any content from these articles into your life.

Walking may turn out to be one of the best cures for depression.
In a recent post on “Healthy Fit Advice” the correlation between walking and decreased depression was discussed. A summary of the main points are below:

Walking is good for your mental health. It clears your head, reduces anxiety, and improves your mood. It also increases blood flow strengthening your heart and muscles.

How do you get started? Try not to over think it. A walk starts with a single step so set a small and reasonable goal. It’s best to plan it out on paper or on your calendar.

A walking app can really help you stay committed. There are several free apps out there and they will remind you to go and keep track of your progress.

Research shows that the better your physical health the better your mental health will be. Walking helps to improve both.

Other important points:

Try to vary your path. New scenery and surroundings will help improve your mood and keep the exercise interesting.

Pay attention to your sleep patterns and see if they don’t improve.

Wear comfortable shoes.

Invite others to join you.

If you’d like to read the article in full you can find it here.

What are your thoughts on walking? Do you feel like the addition of walking might help curb depression? Please leave your comments below.

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this post and any associated articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect opinions or policies of eTherapyPro. These posts and articles are shared for your enjoyment and consideration. Read them or not at your sole discretion and liability. They are not intended to replace counseling services rendered by licensed professionals. Consult with your counselor before implementing any content from these articles into your life.

Happiness can be elusive but perhaps many of us are looking in the wrong directions. In a recent article in Inc. magazine, Chris Dessi, the CEO of Silverback Social, shared some of his thoughts on happiness. In particular he shared some ways in which we might be seeking for happiness in the wrong direction. The main points of his article are summarized below:

1. Stop seeking a life of leisure – True happiness comes from doing. Creating. Living. Contributing.

2. Stop seeking status – Titles mean nothing. Ignore status and you will be happy.

3. Stop seeking possessions – Focus on outward things like bringing value to others.

4. Stop seeking financial security – Focus on how you can make others’ lives better.

5. Stop seeking worldly power – View all relationships as an opportunity to give to the world.

If you’d like to read the article in full you can find it here.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree with Dessi? Please leave your comments below.

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this post and any associated articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect opinions or policies of eTherapyPro. These posts and articles are shared for your enjoyment and consideration. Read them or not at your sole discretion and liability. They are not intended to replace counseling services rendered by licensed professionals. Consult with your counselor before implementing any content from these articles into your life.