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There have been a lot of times in my life where I have been on the receiving end of another’s generosity, and I’m not just talking about holidays and birthdays. My family wasn’t very well off while growing up, and bags of (hand-me down) clothes would often show up on our doorstep, among other gifts of kindness. After getting married, my husband and I faced several financial hardships, from paying for the wedding itself, to paying for college and expenses, to becoming parents to twins, moving, going through a major car accident, and not making a lot of money as my husband worked as a teacher, and now on more advanced degrees. I haveoften felt like we were just in the stage of life, as newlyweds, as recent college grads, as new parents, of just needing help. We received many great gifts, often from strangers, or anonymous gifters, always coming at just the right time. How grateful I am for the wonderful people who throughout my life have taken the time to care for those less fortunate, to bless the down-trodden, and to give and serve without recognition or praise.
And having received so much through my life, especially in the 6 years of my marriage, my husband and I finally feel more in a position to give, albeit still not a lot, but much more than ever before. Due in large part to the success of this blog, we are in a much better place financially than we’ve been before. We can not only make sure to pay off more of our debts, but give more to charitable organizations, to our church, to friends, and so on. We no longer need every penny going into our checking account. We have room to be more charitable, and it’s a pretty wonderful feeling.
You know what’s really interesting? ThisTed Talk I listened to the other day, called Money Can Buy Happiness. Over and over again through the years we’ve heard the phrase that money can’t buy happiness. But, this presenter, Michael Norton, argued that, well, it just depends on what you spend your money on. He believes that if you spend your money right, if you spent it on other people, even a little bit, will give you these good feelings. Giving money to others, even a small amount, in whatever way you want, can make you happier.
GiveForward
While large charity organizations are fantastic to support and the great work they do, I, personally, would rather help individuals directly, like I have been directly blessed by others in my life. And that is why I love sites like gofundme.com and Giveforward.com. On these online platforms, like Giveforward, communities can come together and support a loved one (or even a stranger) in their time of need. These are real people standing in need financially and emotionally. I have seen various campaigns for people come up on these types of sites. I have seen money being raised to pay for unexpected funeral costs of a newborn baby. I have seen money being raised to help pay for legal fees as someone fights for custody for their children. I have seen money being raised for a couple trying to pay for IVF so they can conceive a biological child. I have seen money being raised for a family suffering from cancer. And the list goes on. There are just times in our lives when money can help. Of course money is not taking away the pain and hurt or the trial these people are facing, but it is in some small showing that you care. That you hear them. That you are there. And that you love them, and are just trying to help in whatever way you can, especially if you are far away from them.
Anyone canGiveForward and create a fundraising page to both raise money for those times of need, while also gathering words of encouragement and support for your loved one to help them get through their tough time. GiveForward reallybelieves that no one should ever face life’s most difficult challenges alone, so they do everything they can to help you through those times by connecting you to your communities and providing fundraising coaches to help you with anything you need.
GiveForward started in 2008 and to date, they have helped families raise over 140 million to cover unexpected costs and help ease the stress during hard times.
So one of my goals for 2015 is to donate at least $5 to these campaigns that come across my newsfeeds and emails this year. I encourage you to adopt a similar resolution for this year. The good news is, it will make you happier. And probably some else as well.
Also, if you are looking for another great organization to support,Monkey Do Project, based in Indianapolis (where I used to live), is fantastic.
People earning more money tend to be happier than those making less, but how money affects happiness varies by individual, which means there's an overlap in happiness among people at various income levels.
Money may not buy happiness, but there are some things you can do to try to increase happiness. Consider the following: Write down what you're grateful for. Literally “ counting your blessings ” can help you feel more positive.
Specifically, for the least happy group, happiness rises with income until $100,000, then shows no further increase as income grows. For those in the middle range of emotional well-being, happiness increases linearly with income, and for the happiest group the association actually accelerates above $100,000.
It is good to be ambitious and money can be a good driving force to lead a comfortable life but when one becomes greedy and selfish then the ultimate goals of life are replaced with materialistic things. An achievement does bring happiness but for a short span.
More money brings greater control: Those with higher incomes felt they had more control over negative events and that control reduced their stress. People with ample incomes felt more agency to deal with whatever hassles may arise.
Wealth is not associated with happiness globally; non-material things are more likely to predict wellbeing. Money, in and of itself, cannot buy happiness, but it can provide a means to the things we value in life.
Emotional fulfillment: Happiness comes from a sense of fulfillment and purpose, which cannot always be bought with money. Strong relationships, meaningful work, and personal growth are just a few examples of non-material sources of happiness.
Whether you're curious to know how to marry rich or are looking for someone rich, keep in mind that money isn't something that can truly comfort you when you're feeling down. Humans are social creatures by nature, and we often inherently desire love.
So, can money buy you happiness? It seems the answer is yes – but you have a pretty big advantage if you're already emotionally healthy to begin with. And even so, Killingsworth pointed out, it's still perfectly possible to be rich and miserable. “Money is just one of the many determinants of happiness,” he concluded.
While money itself doesn't guarantee happiness, it is a resource that can provide the peace of mind and opportunities needed to build a fuller and more satisfying life. It's important to find a balance between seeking financial security and pursuing happiness in experiences and personal relationships.
The bottom line is that if you can’t be content, you’ll never lead a rich life, no matter how much money you have. The key to money management—and happiness—is being satisfied. It’s not how much you have that makes you happy or unhappy, but how much you want. If you want less, you’ll be happy with less.
Happiness is a six-figure salary: On average, Americans say they need $284,167 per year to be happy. Millennials are driving up the average. While the other generations say happiness is about $130,00 a year, millennials say they need $525,000 a year.
Happiness is a state of bliss. If you train your brain to stay in this state it will stay this way. This is because your mind believes whatever you say. However, it is not as simple as it seems. You may experience happiness from time to time however it may take months or even years to make this state last.
While nearly 90% of the people surveyed had incomes below $200,000, the researchers were able to show that happiness and income steadily rise together for those earning more than $200,000. That pattern exists for incomes of up to $500,000.
' The proverb first appeared in the United States in 'William & Mary College Quarterly' . It is found in varying forms: Money can't buy everything, Money can't buy friends. Spike Milligan in his quote: “Money can't buy you happiness but it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery.”
“Money can't buy happiness, but it can make you awfully comfortable while you're being miserable.” 10. “Only buy something that you'd be perfectly happy to hold if the market shuts down for ten years.”
Money can purchase time to work on things like talent, love, and happiness, but it cannot buy these things. You become more aware as you get older that all you really need is stability in your relationships, tranquility, and love.
Introduction: My name is Fr. Dewey Fisher, I am a powerful, open, faithful, combative, spotless, faithful, fair person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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