Money and Happiness

Tugas Softskill Bahasa Inggris

Disusun oleh :

Rezi Gusri (15215855)

Kelas : 1EA08

Fakultas Ekonomi Manajemen S-1

Universitas Gunadarma

Depok

Money and Happiness

“Happiness and suffering depend on the mind and how the mind perceives through the five senses.” Dalai Lama

Sometimes we take the things we have that make us happy for granted. Like family, friends, a house to live in with a bed and warm water. It causes us flawed human to crave for more possessions while forgetting to cherish what is in front of our eyes. This is what Dalai Lama meant. Happiness can differ for people but everything depends on how a person’s mindset and how he deals with certain situations. It can be said that happiness completely depends on us.

One of my friends likes to shop and impulsively buy things when she is sad believing that the short term satisfaction from spending will lift her out of misery. Not just her but many assume that spending and acquiring possessions will in turn provide themselves with comfort and security. The unconscious consumption runs rampant in society and the industry does well to manipulate people into feeling dissatisfied with what they already have. But of course this is how the market works to compete as of today. Overall, it is unhealthy and leads to a decrease in happiness among the lot.

A better alternative is to focus on buying things for their long term effects as an investment for your own happiness. Things that do increase sustaining happiness through means of money include leisure activities and investing in equipment that supports hobbies. Leisure activities can include taking vacations; hiking, sightseeing, going to the zoo/safari, concerts, live events or simply a change of environment away from your normal routine. When looking for happiness we want to aim for things that can enhance our experience like buying a new ball to play futsal with friends or a fixie bike to experience the urban life from a different perspective.

Buy experiences, not possessions. Smart companies who are up to date with the latest research give away not only monetary income but paid vacations and trips. It sounds a bit counterintuitive at first. A single short lasting experience can have a much bigger impact on the happiness of your life compared to possessions that can fairly last a long time. It’s all about the memory and the memories you’ve experienced with other people. This is what true happiness really is, living your life to the fullest.