As They Say, Money Isn’t Everything…

Money Isn’t Everything…

• It can buy you a bed—but not sleep
• It can buy you a clock—but not time
• It can buy you a book—but not knowledge
• It can buy you a position—but not respect
• It can buy you medicine—but not health

Though research consistently shows that the more money people have, the more likely they are to report being satisfied with their lives, the data is slanted. Though money buys you things that make life easier and more satisfying, that relationship isn’t entirely linear, since there’s a limit to how much wealth can please you.

The happiness benefit of an increasing income is especially powerful among people who don’t have much money to start with, and diminishes as wealth increases. But studies also reveal that as average income levels have risen over time — in the U.S. and European nations, for example — residents of those countries have not reported being any happier than people were 30 or 40 years ago. It’s a paradox that while income and happiness may be associated within a population at any given moment, overall economic growth does not appear to correspond to a boost in national satisfaction over time.

Studies suggest that money matters, but only up to a point. Become rich enough, and a bigger paycheck no longer leads to more happiness. However, an individual’s rank, or status, appears to be a stronger predictor of happiness than absolute wealth. The higher a person ranked within his age group or neighborhood, the more status he had and the happier he was regardless of how much he made in dollars (or, in the study’s case, pounds).

~ Tom R.

Resources

The New Science of Happiness http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1015902,00.html

Study: Money Isn’t Everything — But Status Is!

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1974718,00.html

Did You Forget to Say: ‘I Love You?’

When did you last say ‘I Love You’ to your husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, partner, mother, father, sister, brother, daughter, son, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, or close friend?  As I pondered this question one day, it occurred to me that my reasons for asking this of myself was a direct result of my own inadequacies and oversights.  Perhaps it was guilt; perhaps not.         

We live in a world that is fraught with endless external stimuli that demands our undivided attention, bombarding us with 24-hour information overload that feeds the insatiable desire to conquer the next milestone.  That big promotion, or winning that elusive prize that we had our eyes on, or gaining the respect of our peers through hard work and determination are but a few of the countless culprits that has the potential to separate us from people and things that have true meaning in our lives.

We are so preoccupied with being at the top of our game and accumulating material possessions and wealth, that those things that are truly of substance and intrinsic value are, over time, gradually diminished to the point of being obscure  or non-existent.     

The natural instinct to survive and to provide, and all that is necessary to ensure that our families have a roof over our heads, enough food on the table, and adqequate clothing on our backs, sometimes causes us to take many things for granted.  How many times, during the course of our daily lives, did we fail to take a moment to tell someone that we love them and that we appreciate them for being a part of our lives? 

I have experienced feelings of regret when I failed to say those three simple, but powerful words to loved ones when I had the opportunity to do so.  And from those experiences, I share my epiphany with you: 

This life, which is but a microcosm in time, is fleeting – it can be snatched away in an instant.  When I leave home each morning to delve into my workaday activities, there is no guarantee that either I, or my wife will return that evening; or that the person I hold dear will be home when I stop by for a visit; or that they will answer the phone when I call to say hello.  It is because of this that I humbly offer the following advice.   

Take those few precious moments to tell someone how you feel; that they are special and that their existence has had a profound effect on your life.

Never forget to say… ‘I Love You.’