5 Reasons Experiences Lead to Happier People
At Present location is important for a reason — so that you can find fun and exciting things happening around you in your community! Studies suggest that people who spend their money on experiences and doing things rather than purchasing things are much happier and more fulfilled. At Present we want to facilitate you doing all the things with new and existing friends — which is why we are location-based so that you can always find something new to do in your community!
1. Experiences Improve Mental Health
In an incredible study by the University of Colorado, Boulder they concluded that “purchases made with the intention of acquiring life experiences make them happier than purchases made with the intention of acquiring material possessions.” A.k.a spend money on doing things not material posesions is the best way to be happy in the longterm! You should definitely show this study to your boss next time you are asking for some time off to adventure with your bestie!
2. Investing in experiences helps you grow
The UC Berkeley study also concludes that spending money on experiences versus things helps you to grow as an individual AND in your relationships. The study depicts experiences as a great way to “help you grow as an individual and broaden your identity.” They point to the fact that we are more grateful for experiences rather than things as one of the key reasons that experiences help you grow. Also, the shared happiness that you will experience with the person you are adventuring with will give you something to reminisce about for years to come.
3. Create a Work Life Balance
In an article by Kanwaljeet Anand from Stanford University he explores whether a work-life balance is attainable and how to use it to create satisfaction and prolonged happiness in our lives. He advocates for finding work that is aligned with your passions, he asserts, “Satisfaction and tranquility will then derive from living a purpose-driven life at work and outside with our coworkers, families, and friends alike, and not from financial enrichments or accumulation of titles on our business cards and email signatures.” To me, this means that in the same way that we as millennials are very intentional about how we spend our money to facilitate our growth and the growth of our community we should bring that same lens to our work. Whether we have the ability to pursue our dream passions or we are working somewhere less than ideal, how can we frame our position in a way that aligns with a purpose driven life? If we can frame our work role in that lens, we will be happier and more fulfilled in the long run!
4. Develop and Grow Your Community
Tanya Menon in her recent Ted Talk begs the question how can your loose connections and networking set you up for fulfillment and growth? She demands that her students change their seat every class to reinforce this notion and in her TED Talk states: “people thought of more people, they thought of a broader network, they were positioning themselves to bounce back from that setback.” Through her talk, she demonstrates that typically we only reach out to our networks and expand our communities when we are in need, but if this is an exercise that we practice on a regular basis, we will grow significantly through the journey of investing in our community. She encourages you to expand your network and more specifically your community.
5. Friendships are Built on Experiences, not Likes
While social media can be nice to maintain a friendship, in-person time is vital to strengthen and grow in your friendships. This was reinforced by a study at the University of Kansas by Professeur Hall “You can’t snap your fingers and make a friend,” he asserts. His study found that on average it takes 200 hours before you consider someone a close friend! The study also concludes that “the amount of time and the type of activity shared with a partner can be thought of as strategic investments toward satiating long-term belongingness needs.”
At Present we know that experiences more than things make you happy which is why our platform allows you to connect locally with your community and find out what is going on around you in real time! Never experience #FOMO again with Present. Join Present today to find out what’s happening around you, share an experience with a friend, and invest in your happiness!
