Wealth and Happiness
➙ Tell me friend, does money or wealth bring happiness?
➙ To some it does, to others it doesn't. We can't say categorically for all humans though.
➙ Who does it bring happiness to and who does it not bring happiness to?
➙ Wealth brings happiness to those who have anchored their happiness on wealth and what it can bring to the person.
➙ You say, "anchored their happiness". I don't understand what does that mean?
➙ Well, happiness is a state of mind that is caused by certain chemicals inside our brain. These chemicals are secreted by certain stimuli such as good family relationships, romance, careers, hobbies, social life, prominence, money and what it can buy. To those who become happy with the stuffs money can buy, we can say that money brings happiness to their lives.
➙ Going by that, money can brings happiness to most people.
➙ Correct. Our senses have a particular liking for material pleasures and our brain enjoys them too. For a child, toys, sweets, friends, play time, outings, etc., are pleasurable and bring happiness. As the child grows, this tendency simply evolves to bigger things that money can gratify. I don't mean to say that non-materials things don't make that person happy. Just that money is a big factor. But the funny this is that you can be happy almost all the time irrespective of your financial state.
➙ How so?
➙ By training our mind to listen to ourselves, we can choose to be happy and be happy at will.
➙ At will?
➙ Yes, at will. This might sound very impractical, but those who have enough level of control over themselves can do this. One can be happy at will despite their financial state, family affairs and other factors, for their anchor is nothing but their will to be happy.
➙ How can you achieve that much of control?
➙ There are many ways — meditation, rationalisation, repetition and many more. What I like the most is rationalisation and repetition. You keep rationalise the situation and repeat to yourself an assertion — such as that you are a happy person and that you shouldn't let the bad situation take the happiness from you, it empowers you to truly rationalise the situation and take control of your emotions.