Happiness is just a simple pleasure away!

"one the greatest returns on investment is that which is invested in genuine friendship"

Where you spend your money has a direct effect on your happiness. It's not surprising to me that researchers have found that spending our money on material things like flat screen TV's and fancy cars doesn't make us happy long term. Eventually we get bored with things. That new car that we loved so much becomes just another possession with the passage of time. So then where can you spend your money and get long term happiness in return?

"happiness is found in satisfying our higher psychological needs"

Researchers at San Francisco State University found that we get greater happiness by spending our money on simple pleasures. Simple pleasures such as holidays, dining out with friends or family, going to movies or theatre or giving to charities give us more more lasting happiness than purchasing things (no matter how expensive).

Once again less is more!

We never get bored with happy memories but we do with material things. Good memories give us a greater sense of vitality and the feeling of being alive. This in turn satisfies our higher physcological needs. So spending your money in the right places can in deed make you happier. And the real bonus is that many of the simple pleasures don't cost much and sometimes they are even free.

"societies and cultures that wish to deny pleasure are always the most aggressive and consist of the unhappiest citizens"

In John Gray's book 'Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus' he said that a gift to a woman counts for one point, no matter how expensive. So a gift of a fancy dinner out was equal to a gift of a new car. Now of course the new car will create more short term happiness but in the long run they will equal out. So he suggested many little unexpected gifts were better than one big one. I'm thinking the best gifts then would be the one's that bring little pleasures and better memories.

"it's not the things that we crave, it's the feelings we get from possessing things and most of the feelings we crave are to support our ego"

This also reminds me of a card an old girlfriend once sent to me, it read.....Edward you appreciate the simple things in life, and us simple things appreciate it! As usual the answer is once again fun, easy and simple.

So remember to look for opportunities to create some simple pleasures for yourself and others. In case you are drawing a blank at this moment, I have a suggestion. If you happen to be in my postal code, I suggest you take me out for lunch. It is a simple pleasure that should bring you happiness (and me to). I'm here for you...

Smile, it's time to plan that next holiday!

Eduardo

BONUS; "the know-it-all is always happy to tell you everything about which he knows nothing" (Eduardo)