Unhappiness always seeks to get. Happiness always seeks to give.
Harvey Mackay, Contributing Writer Nov 23, 2015, 6:15am MST Updated: Nov 23, 2015, 6:41am MST
You actually can buy happiness — when you spend your money or your time on others.
We’ve all heard the old adage that you can’t buy happiness. Well, it turns out that’s not exactly true. You actually can buy happiness — when you spend your money or your time on others.
Does that come as a surprise to anyone? It’s true for individuals and companies alike. Corporations and organizations often choose a pet charity or cause to support. It’s more than just a public relations move. Companies that care make huge impacts on their communities.
Similarly, individuals feel the same effect. A great way to feel happy is to help other people by getting involved in volunteer work that supports your community. The experience of helping others can give you the perspective you need to appreciate what you have.
See Also
- 21 thoughts for a richer, more purposeful life
- Harvey Mackay: Saying thanks on Veterans Day
- Why you should customize your customer service
You don’t have to look far to find an inspirational opportunity, especially around the holidays. During this traditional time for giving, organizations are clamoring for all kinds of help. Sharing precious time may seem burdensome, but the rewards are immeasurable.
Proof in research
I’ve written about one of my favorite days every winter, when my elf-assistant Greg Bailey and I take a shift ringing bells for the Salvation Army. Our kettle is proof that even when people can’t spare time, they are generous with their money. The Salvation Army is always looking for bell-ringers, and they love having full red kettles. Those donations help buy a lot of happiness for people in need.
Researchers at the University of British Columbia and Harvard University found that people who buy gifts for others or make charitable donations are happier than people who spend their money primarily on themselves. These findings, reported in “Bits & Pieces,” described how scientists asked 630 Americans to rate their general happiness, their annual incomes and their gifts to others, including charitable contributions. Researchers found that happiness was not related to how much money participants earned, but rather how they spent their money. The people who donated more money to charity or used it for gifts for others rated themselves much happier than the others.
Researchers also measured the rates of happiness for people who received profit-sharing bonuses of $3,000 to $8,000 from their employers. Again, the researchers found that it was not how much money the participants received that predicted happiness levels, but rather how the recipients spent the money.
As part of the study, researchers gave participants a $20 bill and asked them to spend it that day. Half were instructed to spend the money on themselves, while the other half were to spend it on others.
You guessed it. The people who spent the money on others reported feeling better and happier than those that didn’t. Therefore, if you want to improve your feelings of happiness, try spending even a small amount of money or time on someone else during the day.
Top tips
There are plenty of other ways to be happy and successful without measuring how much money you make. Here’s what works for the happiest people on Earth, according to research cited by The Week website:
- Nurture your relationships. The happiest people have lots of friends and strong family relationships.
- Work hard (but not too hard). Focus on the work you enjoy and tasks that you do well. Stay busy and involved, but not to the point where you feel constantly rushed to finish everything.
- Don’t stay in the wrong job. A job you hate adds stress to your life that no amount of money can erase. If you’re unhappy at work, find a new job that suits your temperament and skills better.
- Plan happy activities. Spontaneity is nice, but people who enjoy life actively plan for fun and recreation. Don’t wait until the last minute: Decide on a few activities you like and put them on the calendar so they don’t get lost in the shuffle.
- Share willingly. When you share your gifts, whether time or money, you are giving the best gift of all. You may never know the impact your giving has on others. What matters is the impact it has on you. You’ll soon find it becomes a habit.
Remember, you are responsible for your own happiness. You can choose to be happy. You can choose to share your joy. You can’t force anyone to be happy, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try!
Mackay’s moral: Unhappiness always seeks to get. Happiness always seeks to give.
Harvey Mackay is the author of New York Times No. 1 bestsellers “Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive” and “Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt.” Both books are among the top 15 inspirational business books of all time, according to The New York Times. In total, Mackay’s books have sold 10 million copies worldwide, been translated into 37 languages, and sold in 80 countries. He has been chairman of MackayMitchell Envelope Co. since 1959.
Walter Unger CCIM – walterunger@ccim.net – 1-520-975-5207 – http://walter-unger.com
Phoenix Commercial Real Estate and Investment Real Estate: investors and Owner / Users need to really know the market today before making a move in Commercial Properties or Commercial Investment Properties in Phoenix / Arizona, as the market has a lot of moving parts today. What is going on socio-economically, what is going on demographically, what is going on with location, with competing businesses, with public policy in general — all of these things affect the quality of selling or purchasing your Commercial Properties, Commercial Investment Properties and Commercial and Residential Land in Phoenix / Arizona. Therefore, you need a broker, a CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) who is a recognized expert in the commercial and investment real estate industry and who understands Commercial Properties and Investment Properties in Phoenix / Arizona, and Commercial Land or Residential Land in Phoenix / Arizona.
No Slowdown in New Construction in Q3 – Apartments
3rd QTR 2015 GREATER PHOENIX APARTMENT OWNER’S NEWSLETTER Kasten Long Commercial Grpup.
WHY PHOENIX ARIZONA : ???
http://walter-unger.com/?p=13391
1
Timeline of Phoenix, Arizona history
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Phoenix,_Arizona_history
2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix,_Arizona
3
Facts of Arizona – year 1848 to 2013
http://walter-unger.com/?p=9507
Feel free to contact Walter regarding any of these stories, the current market, distressed commercial real estate opportunities and needs, your property or your Investment Needs for Comercial Properties in Phoenix.
1-520-975-5207
http://www.loopnet.com/profile/14101172900/Walter-Unger-CCIM/Listings/
Investors and owner/users need to really know the market before making a move in commercial investment properties as the market has a lot of moving parts today. What’s going on socio-economically, what’s going on demographically, what’s going on with location, with competing businesses, with public policy in general — all of these things affect the quality of your commercial properties/investment properties. Therefore, you need a broker who understands commercial properties. Please go to my web-site and get all the newsflashes and updates in Commercial Real Estate.
Check out my professional profile and connect with me on LinkedIn.
https://www.facebook.com/ungerccim
https://twitter.com/Walterunger
https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/114560883588623379451/
Walter Unger CCIM, CCSS, CCLS
I am a successful Commercial / Investment Real Estate Broker in Arizona now for 20 years. I am also a commercial land specialist in Phoenix and a Landspecialist in Arizona. If you have any questions about Commercial / Investment Properties in Phoenix or Commercial / Investment Properties in Arizona, I will gladly sit down with you and share my expertise and my professional opinion with you. I am also in this to make money therefore it will be a win-win situation for all of us.
Please reply by e-mail walterunger@ccim.net or call me on my cell 520-975-5207 or Office:480-948-5554
Walter Unger CCIM
Associate Broker, Kasten Long Commercial Group
2821 E. Camelback Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Cell: 1-520-975-5207
Fax: 1-602-865-7461
walterunger@ccim.net
View my listings and my profile at:
http://www.loopnet.com/Profile/14101172900/Walter-Unger-CCIM/
a little about me and my expertise – video
commercial-investment real estate adviser-land specialist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPs3kpKR4nY
Delivering the New Standard of Excellence in Commercial Real Estate
- Commercial Real Estate Scottsdale
- Commercial Real Estate Phoenix
- Commercial Real Estate Arizona
- Commercial Investment Properties Phoenix
- Commercial Investment Properties Scottsdale
- Commercial Investment Properties Arizona
- Land Specialist Arizona
- Arizona Land Specialist
- Land Specialist Phoenix
- Phoenix Land Specialist
- Land For Sale Phoenix
- Land for sale Arizona
- Commercial Properties For Sale Phoenix
- Commercial Real Estate Sales Phoenix
- Commercial Properties Phoenix
- Commercial Properties Arizona
- Commercial Land Specialist Phoenix
- Commercial Land Phoenix
- Multifamily land Phoenix
- Retail Land Phoenix
- Industrial Land Phoenix
- Land Commercial Phoenix
- Land Retail Phoenix
- Land Industrial Phoenix
- Land Multifamily Phoenix
- Industrial Land for sale Phoenix
- Land Industrial
- P
- Investment Real Estate
Disclaimer of Liability
The information in this blog-newsletter is for general guidance only, and does not constitute the provision of legal advice, tax advice, accounting services, investment advice, or professional consulting of any kind. The information provided herein should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional tax, accounting, legal, or other competent advisers. Before making any decision or taking any action, you should consult a professional adviser who has been provided with all pertinent facts relevant to your particular situation. Tax articles in this e-newsletter are not intended to be used, and cannot be used by any taxpayer, for the purpose of avoiding accuracy-related penalties that may be imposed on the taxpayer. The information is provided “as is,” with no assurance or guarantee of completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of the information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of performance, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose.