Its funny how …people exchange money for happiness. That is they give up money for happiness. Yet, I also know others who believe they can buy happiness with money. Either way it seems as though money and happiness are connected. If money and happiness are connected, as in one causes the other, then being happy should attract money. Unless money equals unhappiness. Then being happy will repel money.
I find it peculiar that happiness is so tied up with money. Is happiness the things money can buy that you love, or the connections you create with people you love? Both!? Still, let’s be present with those we love and have connections with. This win-win way of life allows for the free practice of acting in love, and thinking with love and feeling in love. With practice comes excellence, then more love is generated, and then more love is shared and shines.
Happiness is also a choice. You choose whether you are happy or not in a relative sense. Does that mean that you can choose to have money too, or not. Also in a relative sense — with money, which means that money has no parameters and limits.
Contemplating this concept that money has no limits, reveals its connection with the infinite. Any idea or concept that is connected with the infinite raises its status in existence up to the next big rung. Numbers too are members of the infinite existence. Since humans can create concepts that are infinite, is that another demonstration of our infinite natures? I suppose so.
I digress, my point is that we have connected our entire livelihoods with the use and making of money. Since happiness can feel connected with how we live, in a relative sense, then that means money and happiness are connected.
The next question: is this connection a two way street, or is it moving in a unidirectional pattern from money to happiness only. To answer this question in a practical way, it would be necessarily for us to create an experiment and see the results. This is how it would look, briefly.
You create two groups of relatively homogeneous, individual, unique people, say of 300 members or more for each group. The smaller the numbers the less confidence generated for applying the results of this test across all people.
One group of people think about their happiness, and to feel thankful for everything. Over a one or more years time span, ask this group to always, as best as they can, be happy, think happy thoughts and have happy feelings.
Then the comparison group is asked to only think about making money. For the same duration of time, not accounting for the influences of the planets, Moon and Sun, this group will think, feel and act in the pursuit of money.
After each month in the years taken to do this experiment, a measure of the amount of money earned, gained, spent and lost in each person’s life will be taken. As well all people will be measured for happiness. Compare results and apply appropriate statistical analysis.
Then we would know whether this connection was a two way street or not. We may find a third result that we did not anticipate. Maybe the happiness group will have more money then the other group.
Both groups need to have similar starting points in how much money individuals and groups had. Keeping close detailed record of your two groups’ nature will allow more information to be gained through the experiment, so ask a lot of questions of each member in the experiment in the beginning. Ask questions after the experiment too, so much could be learned in doing an experiment like this.
Someone else said that when they have less money they tend towards feeling unhappy, yet even if money is good in their life, that does not necessitate the feelings of being happy. I suggested that we choose to be happy, with our thoughts. The person who is okay with money or better, but still is having a hard time being happy, needs to check their own thoughts and perceptions, or their actual situation.
Thus, I am thinking that money does not guarantee happiness. According to my predictions, or hypotheses, based upon the experiment I presented here, happiness produces money, if money makes you happy. Having happiness will in fact produce in life whatever makes you happy. Feel, think and act happy and the things you love, which bring you happiness, will come to you as if by magic!
There is one other realization gained from this thought stream. If you are one of those people, like myself, who does not gain any happiness in money, then you may find yourself struggling with not being a very happy person. Since everything in this world is now connected to money, we each need to give a great deal of our attention to the making of money. Even if we are good at this, making money, because we find no happiness in money, we may not feel happy. To counter this potential unhappy life, we need to know what does make us happy, and be sure to pursue this also.
Then learn thankfulness for all the good things you have, which money bought, and the people you have in your life. Be thankful for work, family, friend, and things. Thankfulness leads to happiness, while entitlement fosters unhappiness.
Like what you read? Sign up for Chris’s monthly newsletter, the Wellness Cafe that explores the latest insights in psychology, spirituality, relationships and the journey of building an intentional community. Chris R. is a trans-personal psychology pioneer in mental health practices and alternative relationship coach. He lives and works in BC at the Wellness Cafe, a non-profit organization bringing high quality alternative mental health services to the public at affordable costs. Continue to conversation and find Chris on Telegram or Liberti.com
