Happiness is…inside, not outside (Part 2)

Happiness is…inside, not outside (Part 2)

by Jim Taylor for Psychology Today

I was having a conversation with a friend recently about happiness. Our conversation began with her asking me if I thought that buying a new house would make her happier (she asked this question only half facetiously). My initial reaction was that a house can’t bring happiness. In fact, a robust finding of the growing body of research on happiness is that money and material things don’t increase happiness once basic needs are met (and her current house exceeds that minimal threshold). Further, contrary to popular perception, some of the best predictors of happiness have nothing to do with “stuff” (as George Carlin riffed so insightfully and humorously in his now-famous rant). The quality of your relationships, a satisfying career, having a passion for something, pursuing meaningful goals, and having a positive attitude bring people the most happiness.

But then I got to thinking about the meaning of a house (and other stuff) beyond its shelter and comforts. I decided that a house could potentially make my friend happier, but only if two criteria are met. One, is the house in which she currently lives (e.g., the physical structure, neighborhood, or location) inconsistent with what she values or the lifestyle that she wants to lead? For example, if you live in a suburban development, but love the city, open space, or 1920’s home architecture, then your house might interfere with your happiness. Two, would a new house be more consistent with what she values and enhance the quality of her life experience? For instance, does its design give you aesthetic pleasure or does its location give you easy access to activities that you enjoy?

In other words, happiness doesn’t come from our stuff, but the values that underlie our stuff and how it impacts the quality of our lives…READ MORE HERE