A lot of people go through their lives always wanting more. However, but once they achieve the goal, it is never as fulfilling as they expected. Have you ever wondered why having a fancy car, expensive jewelry, or a big house doesn’t actually make you happy, yet it is something you have always wanted?
“Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has, the more one wants.” — Benjamin Franklin
Have you ever noticed how most of the things you have bought made you happy only for a very short period of time? New shoes seemed perfect on the first day, but with each day passing by, you started noticing that you don’t even wear them that often, and all of a sudden you want to buy a new pair. It is very simple – happiness does not come from stores, and, while purchases can give you a temporary satisfaction, it never lasts.
We have made a list of reasons why making big purchases will not actually bring you the expected happiness.
They do not stay new
Nothing lasts forever. As soon as you take the product out of the box a clock starts ticking down on it, mere days after buying it, it will not be as shiny as it looked in the store. Not to mention that you will get used to it. The temporary excitement over finding something beautiful only lasts while it is new. Once it becomes an everyday thing, it will simply stop bringing you the happiness it did the first day.
There is always something else to buy
With the freedom of choice that you have in today’s market, buying things is easier than ever. When you find that perfect phone that you wanted, you will notice, mere months later, that someone else has a better model, a prettier one with more options and you will wish for it. The same story could be told about clothing, cars, and even house decorations. Not long after the moment you satisfy your need for the best thing out there, you will start wanting again.
You will get stressed out
Evey time you buy an expensive item that you do not really need, you are actually just adding one more thing to your life to worry about. It can be damaged, lost, stolen, or it can have a hidden flaw. As such, you will end up with stress instead of happiness.
They can be a let-down
One of the reasons that people purchase expensive, luxurious items is to impress the people around them. Most people would never admit it or are not even aware that one of the reasons for trying so hard is to get a better social standing. But, more often than not, it will not be noticed or admired enough to gratify the need you created when you purchased that item.
If you bought a great wristwatch that costs a small fortune, you will, at least subconsciously want it to be noticed by your peers, and it will not always be the case. Even worse than that, they could simply not like it, or will even feel like they do not have enough material properties which would make them feel bad.
Someone will always have more than you do. Therefore, if you are trying to find happiness in possessions, you will never be satisfied. There is always going to be someone who has more and is, by that logic, happier than you.
Shopping will never make you content
Instead of finally giving you what you want, shopping will just raise the bar for contentment in your life. You need to learn to be happy with what you have before going out to buy things in hopes that it will make you satisfied.
Shopping does not make great memories
If you want to feel happy, you should try and get memories and experiences rather than try to shop for it. You should try to enjoy life instead of cramming extra hours of going through malls, car dealerships, real estate companies, and spending your hard-earned money in hopes that the latest possession will make you happy.
Conclusion
In the end, we are not saying that you should stop shopping, but do not obsess over it. You should buy that fancy car, but then take someone you love one a trip with it, build memories, and live your life. That should make you happy, not the car itself.
