When Theodore Roosevelt said,' Comparison is the thief of joy' he was explaining the Paradox of Possessions. More you have, the more coveted.No matter how recent model you got someone else will have a better model of a car or a watch. As we purchase something new, we experience the dopamine rush, the sense of achievement but its fleeting. To get that high again we go back to buy more or better, which is a vicious cycle and induces guilt as experienced by alcoholics and drug addicts.
What is exciting and alluring becomes a norm in no time. New purchases lead to new expectations and we keep on raising the bar, we look for even better ones. It's a never-ending and is known as PoP-Paradox of Possessions. It's like the bottle of soda pop, once opened it fizzles out.
Close relationships, more than money or fame, are what keep people happy throughout their lives, a Harvard study revealed. Along with relationships, Experiences than possessions bring more happiness. Human beings are an accumulation of their experiences. A safari in the Thar Desert will be more gratifying than possessing a THAR jeep. We are the things we have done and places we have been to.
Mere the anticipation of an experiences raises the levels of Happy hormones in our body. Research shows that anticipating an experience makes us happier than that of anticipating a material purchase. A holiday with your family is more valuable than costly purchase. Materials may last longer but the experiences are what matters most in the pursuit of happiness.
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