Create experiences to generate gratitude and happiness
Research confirms that money can buy happiness when it is spent on experiences.
This coming weekend, for the fifth straight year, we’re heading back to PEI to rent the same cottage for a week of summer relaxation. We had a similar tradition when our kids were growing up, although we didn’t always go to the same place.
It’s quite insightful to reflect on how our grown children reminisce (i.e. talk about what they’re grateful for) about their childhood vacations. You don’t hear them talk about anything that was reflective of the amount of money we spent on the vacation—and we’ve had vacations across the spectrum from budget to very nice.
They talk about experiences like:
Remember the puzzle that had two of the same pieces
Remember when Dad BBQ’d burgers that came off the grill looking like softballs
Remember when Mark was running after the tractor
Remember when we had the meltdown at the theme park
Remember when Mom & Dad stopped at every hardware store to look at lights
Remember when Canada won the gold medal
Remember when Stef threw up
Remember when Nick got lost
Remember when the house flies woke up as the place warmed up
Remember the size of the ice cream cones
Remember when Mom said, “Peas on the side”
The same principle holds in the workplace. I hear colleagues, clients and myself reminisce about:
Remember the lunch hour runs
Remember the Power Breakfast mock radio show
Remember how all the kids would come into the office for the morning on December 24
Remember the Senior Team quarterly retreats
Remember the dinner to celebrate the completion of the project
Remember how well the team worked together
Remember when they announced the company was going public
Remember how much food we donated to the food bank
Remember how everyone came together to support Megan
Each experience is a special memory reserved forever and comes overflowing with gratitude and happiness !
I hope you spend some money on experiences and build on your traditions—both at work and at home.
And in the meantime, what personal and professional experiences are you grateful for ?
