Money and Happiness

Many debate about whether money brings happiness or happiness is attained without money. Poor people can be happy, anybody can be happy. The true question is are rich people happier. The answer is not a simple yes or no, the answer is maybe. I'm sure you can find some rich people that are very happy. Money can bring a lot of things into your life, it creates opportunities for experiences, it allows more freedom, the key is to be able to use that freedom and those experiences in a way that is rewarding. I am sure there are some poor people that are just as happy as the richest people in the world, and some rich people who are depressed and miserable. I'm sure that you can find some poor people who are miserable as well. I'm just suggesting that there might not be any correlation between money and happiness. I find that being happy is a matter of choice rather than a reaction to a life situation. Sure events can make you feel happy, buying new things can give you a short lived satisfaction, but the actual mindset or perspective or feeling of happiness is not created by purchases or ownership rather a creation of our own emotions. Our own thoughts and feelings cause us to be happy or unhappy. What we focus on in life can determine the level of our happiness. Multiple studies have shown that you can increase you own happiness by doing simple exercises, such as focusing on positive events, remembering good experiences, and by practicing gratitude. Happiness is defined differently and experienced differently by each person. It is a personal thing, just like any other feeling or emotion.
When I started out on my mission to make a million dollars I was determined to get rich and make as much money as quick as possible. I still am focused on my goal of saving a million dollars by the time I'm 50, but I am more enlightened that having money brings peace of mind, but it can not protect you from pain or suffering. I came to a point of realization. It dawned on me that spending my time working on making making is no where near as important as spending timed with the people I love. My family and friends are the most important things in my live and I would not trade that for any amount of money. A lot of times, especially in today's society, in America, you get caught up in your career and you are pushed to chose between work and family. I choose family. Work - life balance is important to have and everyone will have their own ideas. I feel it's more important to spend time with your family than it is to spend your time at work. Others may disagree and I encourage you to make a point, but I believe that time is the most valuable resource we have in life and the way you choose to spend it will determine your priorities, your experiences, and your achievements and failures.

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