Something by Susie

I am fairly sure I have dropped stupid amounts of money on shoes and handbags, and don’t get me wrong, they make me happy.  A while ago I discovered an online Coursera course with Yale University called, ‘The science of happiness’.  It was actually a life changing course for me. The course broken down is roughly this, yes we all get ridiculously happy when we buy new cars, houses, jewellery, handbags and even shoes, but is very much shorter lived happiness than expected.

When we first get that designer handbag we score ourselves probably a 10 out of 10  as to how happy we think we will be with said new bag, when we get home and take it out of the bag we may even feel that 10/10 joy. The next day that happiness level is probably 9/10. A month later the joy that bag brings to us is probably 5/10, and so the happiness that bag brings us over time depreciates.

Yale University suggested we ‘do things’ with our hard earned cash and not ‘buy stuff’. The memories of the things we ‘do’ will last forever, they will certainly outlast that handbag.  The memory of the moments joy, don’t diminish as the feelings are set in stone of that time moment.  Our memories bring us joy on a daily basis, no matter how far we look back.  Think back to your last holiday, or your happy place, enjoy the memories of it for a while, our happiness levels may have been an 8 or 9/10 at the time of the holiday or place, or 10 if it was spectacular, but as we relive our happy memories they are probably still at 7 or 8/10. They still make us smile fondly or laugh out loud. Having that level of happiness over something all these years later is awesome value for money, and unlike my handbag, they will never end up in a charity shop. They may fade with time and age, but the joy they bring back won’t. Look at the smile on your face now as you remember. Now look around your home and see if there is ‘stuff’ that still matches that smile!

My one difference in opinion on this with Yale, is actually the best purchase I ever made, Harper, my beautiful rescue dog.  She gives me more happy memories on a daily basis  than any holiday, or event or day out ever will.  Her adoption fee was the biggest gift I gave to myself, EVER!