Does Money Buy Happiness or Pleasure?

I went to listen to a lecture a couple of weeks ago at a friend’s house where a Psychologist was invited from Columbia University to speak about “money and happiness” and the correlation between them. He presented many different graphs and studies and, in conclusion, as the audience grappled with the information set forth, money does not buy us happiness. What a surprise! What a revelation! I am sure that is what you thought the conclusion would already be. The interesting point he made, though, is that money does give us pleasure. Huh? Happiness and Pleasure…I thought they were the same thing? But, as I sat there listening, I asked myself, is there a difference between happiness and pleasure?

I believe happiness is a state of being…an internal feeling that is deep inside of us. Happiness SHOULD be a consistent state of being that we have throughout our everyday lives. Happiness is a feeling of bliss, contentment, no regrets of the past and no fear of the future. It is what is called “living in the now” allowing life to happen and accepting every experience that is set forth for you and from you. Pleasure, on the other hand, seems to come and go….it tends to be more external. We derive pleasure…as a feeling of satisfaction. This type of satisfaction may stem from the comforts we are able to attain, our nice homes, comfortable cars, stylish clothing, fun activities and enjoyable vacations. But these pleasures are fleeting and sometimes too far in between. The question arises: where and how do we find happiness?

Happiness is within the soul…it is a deeper sensation and state of being. We want happiness, but how do we attain it? The answer is not simple….it takes learning, living and loving…mistakes we make and experiences that we have. We can only find happiness through self introspection and transformation …no teacher can teach us in a classroom, no person can tell us about it…only we can make it happen through our own personal discoveries and revelations.

The question arises: What do you currently spend most of your money on… pleasure or happiness? Make a list and you will most likely see, in terms of expenses, we all spend most of it on pleasure. The truth is: if you want to move towards a state of happiness, start spending your money on you. Pursue activities and experiences that make you grow, develop and look inward and reach into your soul. Invest in your inner self….you are definitely worth the expense!