Money can’t Buy Happiness

You know the old saying money can’t buy happiness?  A study by three University of Rochester researchers confirms it.  It says having lots of money, good looks, or fame can actually make you less happy. And the things that make your life happy are growing as an individual, having loving relationships, and contributing to your community.

The study published in the Journal of Research in Personality, tracked 147 alumni from two universities during their second year after graduation.

As with earlier research, it confirmed that the more committed an individual is to a goal, the greater the likelihood of success. But unlike previous findings, this analysis showed that getting what you want is not always a good thing.

It showed that reaching materialistic and image-related milestones actually contributes to negative feelings like shame and anger and more physical symptoms of anxiety like headaches.  By contrast, the subjects who valued personal growth, and close relationships, experienced a deeper sense of well-being, more positive feelings toward themselves, and fewer physical signs of stress.

The researchers aren’t sure if this applies to people of all ages and demographics.