Will more money make you happier?
Many people believe that having more money will increase their happiness. But is that really true? We’ve all seen a wealthy person who never smiles, and someone with very little who seems genuinely joyful. So the old question remains: will having more “Franklins” actually make us happier?
The answer is: it depends. We are all different, with different personalities, values, and priorities.
First, it’s important to consider that basic needs must be met, things like food, water, shelter, clothing, and sanitation. When these needs are not fulfilled, we are in survival mode. Our fight or flight system takes over, and happiness becomes secondary to survival.
Once those needs are covered, the relationship between money and happiness becomes more complex.
A study once evaluated two things: people’s perception of their lives when they reflect on them, and their day to day moods and feelings. Interestingly, the perception of well being was often higher than the actual emotional experience in daily life, both for positive and negative perceptions. This suggests that sometimes the stories we tell ourselves about our happiness do not fully match reality.
In Buddhist philosophy, this illusion is called Maya, the idea that our perceptions can deceive us. To move beyond this illusion, we must ask ourselves an honest question: What truly makes me happy? Not the superficial self, but the deeper one.
In a consumer driven society, we are constantly told that buying more will make us happier. This message often connects to our ancient survival instincts, our tendency to seek more resources for safety and security. But once we understand that consuming more does not necessarily lead to a better life, we can begin to look deeper.
Maybe happiness comes from seeing a beautiful piece of art, listening to music, spending time in nature, building meaningful relationships, sharing love, or laughing with friends.
When we identify what truly brings us joy, a new question emerges: How can I align my work, my time, and even my money with those things? When money becomes a tool to support what genuinely matters to us, the relationship between money and happiness becomes much stronger.
For me personally, happiness comes from seeing and supporting good causes around the world, causes and people that are making a positive difference and helping create a more beautiful world.
That is the philosophy behind Causevest. Through your consumption using XCV, the native Causevest coin, or through direct donations, verified causes around the world can receive support.
Let’s work together to increase happiness in the world by connecting our individual actions with positive impact in our local communities and across the globe.*
“Be the energy that you want to attract.”*