Chasing Money of Choosing Peace?

My Great SIL for Christmas hooked us up with a subscription to LDS living magazine, and I really have enjoyed the first two issues we've received. With me on my awesome new budgeting system that I am slightly obsessed with right now, I just read an article that really goes along with how I have been feeling lately.

~

It goes through talking about how people who are chasing money rather than choosing to live peacefully end up often times with unhappiness, frustration, and an overall feeling of not being satisfied with the plenty they DO have. A Harvard University Psychologist named Daniel Gilbert wrote a book called Stumbling on Happiness, concludes that "wealth increases human happiness when it lifts people out of abject poverty and into the middle class but it does little to increase happiness thereafter."

~

The article pointed succinctly out that there are a few things that make us happier, or less happy, that we can control. First, coveting your neighbor's possessions. One study found that people who have plenty of money for their needs and live very comfortably with what they have suddenly get dissatisfied when they make relative income comparisons to others around them and their income compares unfavorably. So according to that study (and common sense I think!) the less you care about what your neighbor makes (or friends), and the less you covet what they have, the happier you'll be.

~

Interestingly, another study found that there are some poor people who have more of a problem with money than the rich people they envy. They have shown that focusing too much on money leads to greater risks of depression, anxiety, and lower self esteem. They even tend to have more physical, behavioral, and relationship problems. They study pointed out that the problems did not come from being rich. In fact, many of the participants were categorized as being poor or less affluent. But either way, when money was the primary focus in life they suffered more than those who were trying to be satisfied with what they had. An important lesson indeed.

~

The article also pointed out that when we focus on what we are thankful for we are more able to feel satisfaction with what we have, as well as being able to make wiser purchasing choices. Another great point was that we need to be able to choose "enough". Since humans are such adaptable creatures, we often don't know when enough is enough. So no matter how much money we have, we always adjust to it and eventually are left wanting for more, if our attitude is off .

~

Martha Washington said, "The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions, and not on our circumstances." I would also add a feeling of having control over one's finances assists greatly to this as well.

~

I think I needed to write about this as a reminder to myself, as I know I have struggled with this in the past. I finally feel like I am growing out of it, that I am learning not to compare and to focus on the genuine things that matter. I also feel a greater sense of happiness since I am being more responsible with our budgeting and finances, and it makes me proud to know that I can be a better planner and work towards a better future for our family through that.