Why invest in experiences and not in things
Thomas Gilovich, psychologist and researcher at Cornwell University (United States), as well as author of several works related to happiness , it is clear: The best thing we can do with our savings is to invest them in experiences and not in things. That because? For starters, he and his team discovered that the mere thought of paying for experiences (tickets to a concert or passes to a ski resort, for example) already offered the consumer higher levels of enjoyment than doing so in acquiring things.
And not only that: it turns out that commenting on what we have done also brings us much greater well-being than talking about material goods , and that is why our conversations usually revolve around the first point.
"Recalling an experience facilitates its relief, encourages its beautification **(the more we talk about that time we climbed Mount Rainier, the more we become a "climber") ** and encourages social connection, all of which increase the enjoy the original event," said Amit Kumar, Gilovich's research assistant. "That does not happen with the material," he concludes.
There are not many sensations comparable to diving and being in full contact with nature
In the opinion of Jaime Burque, a psychologist at Hodgson & Burque , the fact that an experience gives us more happiness (and lasts longer) than a good happens because generates with greater intensity and solidity many of the following points:
1. It makes us pay attention to the present moment
"When we live an experience to the fullest, we practice 100% mindfulness, that is, we live fully in the present, and that is a great ingredient of happiness."
two. helps us learn
"Experiences (whether going on the Interrail or riding a bike) make us learn, make us more autonomous and increase our sense of control over things, which in turn improves our self-esteem."
3. opens our minds
"In addition, it improves our tolerance and flexibility towards life, and can help break down irrational ideas, all key elements to increase happiness."
Four. Increases our positive emotions
"And also constantly, either before any experience (getting excited about a trip), as during (the relaxation of hiking) or after (the joy of remembering that day with your friends on the beach, or the same Interrail) .An experience provides much more powerful, intense and pleasant memories in our brain."
You will never forget the anecdotes that you and your friends experienced during your Interrail
5. pushes us to share
"Experiences can be shared with other people in more powerful ways, either in the moment, or remembered over time."
6. It makes us develop psychological strengths
"When we live an experience, psychological strengths such as curiosity, appreciation of beauty, passion for learning or vitality appear, which in turn increase happiness."
7. It gives us the possibility of living a Peak Experience
"We can live what is called in psychology a Peak Experience, a term used in this science to refer to those situations in which a person experiences a sensation of amazement, of personal elevation, in which the sensation of time tends to fade and the feeling of awe makes it seem like all needs are met.
That moment when nothing is more important than EXIST
Ángel Alegre, author of the blog Vivir al Máximo, has always been so clear about these points that a few years ago he left his job and the opportunity to accumulate material goods to stuff himself with experiences.
"I studied Computer Engineering at the University of Extremadura, and as soon as I finished my degree, I started working as a programmer at Microsoft headquarters in the United States," he begins.
"Even though in everyone's eyes I had the perfect life, I was not happy . I didn't want a fixed schedule or someone else telling me what to do, but to have time and freedom to enjoy all the incredible experiences, people and places that exist in the world. After much research and several failed attempts, I found a way to make my vision a reality, and after four years on American soil, I left my secure job to travel the world with a backpack ", he explains.
Ángel knows the theory by heart, and agrees with Burque that experiences make us happier: "When we buy a material object that we like, such as a car or shoes, we feel better, but that "high" only lasts a few days. After a short time, we got used to our new acquisition and ceases to be a source of pleasure. This phenomenon is known as hedonic adaptation , and it's to blame for us always wanting more and more," he argues.
And he, full advocate of living before piling up junk, comments: " experiences change . Every time you go out with your friends you do something slightly different. You go to different bars, you order different tapas, you meet different people... That makes it harder to get tired of drinking beers than your BMW convertible. , which is always the same
Sharing fills us much more than owning
This way of thinking has influenced his life so much that it has completely changed it, turning him into something of an "oddball" whose advice is followed by around 20,000 on Facebook alone.
"Unlike friends who have taken out a loan to buy a house or a car, I have never wanted to tie myself to my possessions. This has allowed me to have the resources and the freedom to travel to more than 30 countries , live in various cities around the world and never miss a dinner or an event with the people I love. All my things fit in a couple of suitcases, and thanks to having so little, I have been able to focus on what is truly important in life ", ditch.
"It is true that today there is a tendency to accumulate," agrees Burque, "but not only material things, but also experiences," he says.
A guitar can lead to unforgettable experiences
" Many people do not enjoy the moment (be it eating spaghetti carbonara in Rome or watching the sunset in Ibiza) but, for them, the important thing is collect those moments , either to later say that they have done it, to write it down in their To do list or to put it on Instagram , something that undoubtedly breaks with everything said above". (Probably, the rise of social media could have had something to do with this fact that we are more aware of the photo than the trip itself...)
However, we also have the opportunity to reverse this reverse mindfulness process... with an object!: " Many times, the material can meet all these premises that we have talked about but, curiously, when it becomes an experience.
For example, new shoes would not reflect almost any of the previous points. But a guitar, if we turn it into an experience, can give us a lot of happiness (either during the process of learning to play it or when we finally give a concert)", concludes Burque, giving us one more key in our constant search for well-being.
The emotion of the trip begins when we start planning it
Go out and fill your life with experiences!
*** Report originally published on April 25, 2016 and updated on July 2, 2018**