How much money will make you happy. The answer might surprise you
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By MWS
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For millions of years, since the beginning of human history they have been at the pursuit of happiness. What truly makes humans happy is an age old question and many have traveled far and wide in search of the answer.
A documentary film even records this journey of people starting from the slums of Calcutta to the poshest areas of New York City, and they interviewed several people about what actually makes them happy and how they can live a fulfilling life.
This movie was actually inspired from an article that was published by the New York Times about how people can measure happiness. So began their search for the answers.
And the conclusion…? Here is what this fascinating documentary tells us about being truly happy. And the answers will definitely surprise you!
Happiness revelation #1:
Happiness IS NOT about where people live or what jobs they have!
Isn’t that really interesting?
The above pie chart shows, what actually makes people happy, however in broad terms. This was the outcome of a study conducted by Sonja Lyubomirsky a renowned psychologist.
It is amusing to see, that 50 percent of our happiness depends on our genetics! Or to say in simpler terms, we are all born with a certain level of happiness built into us!
The rest of the factors like ‘Circumstances’ of where we live and what jobs we have along with how much money we make etc. only account for a puny 10 percent of our overall happiness!
So, this correlates that 40 percent of our happiness comes from our intentional activities, i.e. what we choose to do with our time!
The next time you find yourself whining about pressure at your work or that you own a grimy apartment, which is making you unhappy, then think again! Chances are they are not what’s making you sad, you are!
Happiness revelation #2:
THE SOUND OF KA-CHING IS NOT THE BEAT OF HAPPINESS! MONEY CANNOT MAKE US HAPPY! (AND SO CAN’T ACADEMIC ASSIGNMENT WRITING)
Here is a photograph of the poorest family in the slums of Calcutta, there are seven people in the family all of whom share the same room! But this does not mean that they are happier than a multimillion dollars worth New York City, penthouse owner investment banker!
This may seem strange, but in actuality, money has very little in actuality to do with people’s happiness.
Strangely richer people are no happier than people who are poor. But that being said, if money can buy you out of homelessness and the worry of where will your next meal come from then it’s definitely true that money can buy happiness. But then again once all your basic needs have been met, more wealth will not make you equally richer.
Happiness revelation #3:
ALL WORK AND NO PLAY, MAKES JOHNNY A DEAD MAN! OVER-WORK CAN KILL! (So, leave your marketing plan assignment for MBAto the experts and relax for some time!)
Ever heard of the term karoushi? This is a relatively new trend in Japan which roughly translates to – death by over-work!
The work culture of Japan is so intensely stressful and laborious that karoushi has now actually been listed as a legal cause of death for the people of Japan.
Several thousands of young people have actually met their tragic end from stress due to work after working for more than 4,000 hours in a single year! For most people an ordinary work week of 40 hours worth of work equals to 2,000 hours in total.
The condition is so serious that the widows of men who have died from karoushi are given financial compensation as per a new law passed by the government of Japan!
Buy research papers online not just to pass, but to live!
Happiness revelation #4:
Be sporty to live longer! (Hire essay writers UK, so that you go play!)
Dopamine is the messenger that carries happiness signals to your brain. And as we grow older, our body starts producing less dopamine, naturally. If these dopamine levels happen to degenerate too much too fast then people develop Parkinson’s disease.
That is why, scientists prescribe that people should seek out experiences that trigger dopamine production in our brains, to keep all these receptors functioning. And what produces dopamine? Apparently the best way to produce dopamine is through physical activity.
So, go out and run, surf, glide, climb, swim, hike, and get moving! You will only be helping yourself to stay happier and healthier.
Happiness revelation #5:
All you need is love good friends and good food!
Turns out the Beatles were almost about right, just missed the truth by a sliver.
There is an island in Okinawa, Japan, which has the highest population of people that aged above 100 years than anywhere else in the world.
How come these people have lived such happy and healthy lives for so long? The truth lies in their healthy diet and friendly community spirit.
They eat foods that are low in calories but high in vegetables, and they retain a very deep feeling of community spirit. The elders meet every week to practice their hobbies and hang out together. And the best part about this place is, even those above the age of 100 are still made to feel like active participants of the community. They have very low levels of stress and practice a mindful exercise of Tai Chi on a regular basis!
