How does wealth relate to happiness? Well a very common misconception is that money and material things can help buy you happiness.
Although money is necessary to function in the society that we have created it certainly does not bring you happiness. Material possessions are only tools to be used and enjoyed but if you are fundamentally unhappy then all the money in the world will not help. There are plenty of miserable millionaires!
I believe it was Spike Milligan, the British comedian, who said "Money can't buy happiness. But it does give you a better class of misery". Although funny there is some truth in what he said.
Without money and material possessions life can be difficult and a lack of funds can cause miseries of its own. You cannot be happy if you are constantly struggling to keep a roof over your head.
However, money worries are the only thing that financial security can solve. If you have other things in your life that make you feel unhappy then money will not solve your problems.
In fact having an over-access of money often brings many problems of its own!
Although money and material abundance cannot bring you happiness wealth can!
I am of course talking about true wealth not material wealth. Wealth is a very misunderstood word in today’s society. When we speak of wealth most often we are talking about financial independence. This is not the true meaning of the word!
Wealth is about having an abundance of resources and not all resources are material in nature. When you are truly wealthy then all areas of your life are abundant.
To be wealthy you must have an abundance of everything and have abundant joy also.
The problem with wealth is that most people crave after material goods and money. This is not true wealth and the vast majority of people who achieve financial success are left with a feeling of “so this is it, now what?”
A better goal would be the pursuit of wealth rather than the striving to make more money. Yes money is important and true wealth means that you must have an abundance of that resource also.
However, money is just a tool and is only a small fraction of the true abundance that you should decide to experience.
There are wealthier men and women in the world than those who drive Ferraris and own tropical islands!
So, of course you should never be satisfied with less than enough money and are entitled to experience the finer material things in life but just keep in mind that true wealth involves an abundance of all resources.
Seek to better your friendships, your relationship with your spouce and work colleagues. Work on your physical fitness and feed your mind. Seek true abundance in your life and you will find that happiness is never far behind!
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