Evidence shows that having too many possessions isn’t going to boost your happiness. But how can it be, since on television, by peer pressure and more, you are sold the dream of always wanting the best things… and lots of it? Having many possessions seems to go along with happiness, success, high social status and over all a dream life but in reality after having basic needs met it doesn’t go with increasing your contentment.

 1. After a Vital Level, Money Doesn’t Go Along With Happiness

That’s right, happiness studies show that being very happy correlates with having a decent basic income, starting from $15 000 around the world but evaluated at about $75 000 in the U.S.This amount of income seems to serve well our essential needs, such as eating enough, being secure, having a great self-esteem and being able to realize ourselves. Past that level, happiness doesn’t correlate with money as much – the name for it is Esterlin Paradox. You’re more likely to be happier than raising your income for example if you have positives practices or if you resolve your problems (Happiness Economics, Wikipedia).

2. Experiences Are Better For Your Happiness Than Your Possessions

 Also, experiences are more important than acquiring lots of possessions and are a better way to happiness! A recent study, The relative relativity of material and experiential purchases (Carter, Travis J.; Gilovich, Thomas, 2010), reveals that people tend to evaluate less their material purchases in comparison with their experiential purchases. Coming back from a trip is perceived more valuable and bringing more happiness than having bought the latest gadget. “From many angles, the pursuit of experiences over possessions seems to be the firmer path to happiness (note: my emphasis).” Even more, your happiness with your possessions is likely to decline, contrarily to your experiences : “[…] satisfaction with material purchases tends to decrease over time, whereas satisfaction with experiential purchases tends to increase.”

3. Possessions Overload Scraps Happiness

 Freedom is also important with happiness, and if having your basic needs met permits you to have more mobility and possibly more time and leisure, another important aspect of being happy, you can become a slave to your possessions. Provided you can afford it because having barely enough money to buy it would get you stressed and unsatisfied, you have to maintain it, be it your big house, car, or having people take care of it. Having more and more possessions would clutter your life, your time and your leisure as well as tie you – so put a stop to your real happiness.

  Dr. Richard Swenson says : 

 “Many of my patients are suffering from a disease I call ‘Possession Overload’… the problem of dealing with too much stuff.

This is the kind of problem where you have so many things you find your life being taken up maintaining and caring for the things instead of people.

He says there is an addictive quality in consumerism.

The tragedy of wanting something badly, getting it and finding it empty!”

4. You Are Not Your Possessions, Happiness Isn’t About All You Have

 You are not your job, your income, your roles and your social status relative to your possessions. These are only labels. They don’t say who you really are as philosophy, sociology and psychology, to name some, agree on.

 You are more than that. If you lost these labels, you would still be of primary importance, equally to everything in the world. The real you is vast and isn’t limited to your possessions.

5. Happiness is… Here. Enjoy It, Simply!

 Henry David Thoreau was a renowned thinker that chose the contrary path of having always more possessions for his happiness. He decided to go live in the woods a simple life but a life where he could be free, live passionately (he wanted to do what he loved – writing) and learn from it all. He is quoted for saying :

Happiness is within reach

“I am a happy camper so I guess I’m doing something right. Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.”

 ”Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.”

He meant that we are told to chase happiness on a hedomic treadmill but what we’re looking for, happiness – which is the reason why we’re tempted to buy so much, is at our reach. We have to enjoy it and do what really matters.

In Conclusion on  Happiness and Possessions…

 I do suggest as well as many experts and life coaches that you can learn to be happier starting from now plus do what you love in your life. Maybe there are plenty of reasons why you aren’t doing it already. You could have never learned how to be able to do it, feel you’re stuck in your current life or don’t think it’s possible for you.

 You, and only you, can change that, but I can guide you because I developed methods and tips to do it faster and smoothly. It’s easy, once you start, you’ll be energized and encouraged to stay on this path!  

Yours for your happiness and success,

 Marie-Eve

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