It is said that money can’t buy everything, or probably it could. Who knows? I for one never had enough to be a judge of that. Perhaps a Jaguar, a yacht, a mansion, and a holiday in the Bahamas would make me happy; I wouldn’t know because I don’t have any of them.
If you’ve got enough money to buy yourself everything that the world has to offer, then you probably would be making yourself happy, no? I mean, what do human beings really need for them to be happy? Most of them would agree that it’s the basic necessities like food, clothing, and shelter. Then again, if you have achieved these, then you would move on to the next level of happiness, once your other increasing needs are taken care of.
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Abraham Maslow, who was a renowned American psychologist, came up with a very interesting theory in the early 1940s. It is called the ‘Hierarchy of Needs.’ The theory is simple, for it is explained in the form of a pyramid which has a person’s needs sorted out from the bottom, going all the way to the top.
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The pyramid is divided (from the bottom) likewise:
- Physiological needs: These needs lie at the very bottom of the pyramid, and are known to be the most basic needs a man has to make him happy. Food, water, air, breathing and the like.
- Safety needs: Upon the physiological needs, are man’s next set of needs. They are needed only once a person has achieved the physiological needs. Safety needs include security of employment, family, health, and property.
- Love/Belonging: Then comes the need to be loved. Friendship, family, and physical intimacy.
- Esteem: After the need to be loved, comes the need of esteem. Confidence, achievement, respect for others, respect by others, etc.,
- Self-actualization: Lastly, right at the top of the pyramid is the need that is supposedly rarely achieved by individuals. It occurs when individuals have reached a state of harmony and understanding after achieving their full potential. Morality, creativity, problem solving, lack of prejudice, and acceptance of facts are some of the needs that sum up the self-actualization stage.
You see how needs increase over time, and that fulfilling these needs makes you happy? Now, you would think that if you have enough money, you could fulfill all your needs and thus be happy. But the point is, money can only fulfill the bottom two layers of Maslow’s Pyramid. Yes, the physiological needs and the safety needs.
What happens after that?
Go back to the pyramid and think rationally. Money can’t really buy love, affection, respect, and harmony. Can it? Therefore, there are a bunch of things money can’t buy – ever.
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So, no matter how much moolah you have, you’d never be able to buy things that invoke feelings of happiness and peace of mind. Here are 80 such things.
- A good friend’s honest advice amongst pretentious friends.
- A loving partner who genuinely cares about you and your well-being.
- Your child’s toothless grin. It spreads on her like wildfire, making your heart melt.
- Laughter. Meaningless and loads of it with someone close to you. That feeling after you have laughed till your sides ache is priceless.
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- A family you can always count on. In times of need, in times of happiness, and simply on days that aren’t so bright.
- Someone who understands and supports you. Someone you can talk to about your dreams and ambitions without feeling shy.
- Your child’s first words. Listening to your child’s first words will simply drop a tear from your eye.
- High school friends. If you’re still friends with them!
- Memories from high school. All the silly, stupid things you did in high school. From getting expelled to having your first crush.
- Days you bunked off in college.
- Your first kiss. That moment when you don’t know what you’re supposed to do but you’ve seen it multiple times on TV and aren’t too shy to try.
- Soundless sleep. Getting a full night’s uninterrupted sleep and waking up feeling fresh.
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- Cuddling your pet. Running your fingers through your furry baby is the best feeling in the world. Period.
- People telling you they are proud of you.
- A home-cooked meal.
- A warm hug when you need it the most.
- Being able to wake up every morning.
- Being able to move about, speak, and hear things.
- Watching a beautiful sunset or sunrise.
- Getting drenched in the rain with a loved one with a single umbrella. Or simply running about to find some shelter.
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- Reuniting with an old friend and talking about your time together. Reminiscing the good old days and getting nostalgic.
- Listening to stories narrated by an elderly person. Imagining how things were ‘back then’ and feeling happy they aren’t the same now!
- The smell of clean sheets. Nothing beats this.
- Your first paycheck. The feeling is beyond words.
- Sitting by a warm fire on a cold winter night. Should we say more?
- Lengthy conversations over a drink with a special friend. When you know you can just speak your heart out without being judged.
- A feeling of accomplishment after you have taught someone a skill you possess. Riding a bike, baking a cake, or swimming.
- Counting down to the New Year and kissing the person you love at midnight.
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- Meeting with your favorite celebrity. When you bump into them at the local mall accidentally, and realize they look so different off-screen!
- The feeling when the ocean waves caress your feet for the first time as you stand on the slippery sand.
- Finding old photographs in your drawer and getting nostalgic.
- When a baby smiles at you and you are forced to smile back no matter how bad your day is.
- A cool summer breeze. When you’re sweating like a pig and the wind blows and dries your sweaty forehead.
- A warm bath during winter. Nothing feels great than a hot tub bath in winter.
- Drinking water to quench your thirst. Finally finding water after a hot, tiring, and thirsty day.
- Taking your shoes off after a long day. Especially if they were high-heeled!
- A birthday wish from an unexpected person. When you think people have forgotten you but someone totally unexpected wishes you.
- A meal with your family.
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- The moment you realize you’re pregnant. Priceless.
- The smell of Christmas cake coming from your oven. The rum, the spices, and the butter. Yum!
- Keeping a promise.
- Listening to your favorite song on the radio.
- A walk on the beach with a loved one. Hand in hand, under the moonlight.
- Passing a test when you thought you wouldn’t!
- Dry, hot towels in winter.
- Seeing your parents smile.
- Meeting your childhood crush.
- Sharing a secret with your sibling.
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- Playing hard to get. When you know someone likes you and you want them to push harder in pursuing you. *wink*
- Listening to someone say ‘I love you.’
- Listening to a musical instrument. The sound of a violin, piano or harp.
- Eating your mama’s home-cooked food. Nothing on this earth beats this.
- Waking up next to the person you love.
- Seeing your child sleep peacefully.
- A shoulder to cry on.
- A cold shower on a hot summer day.
- Getting your pet’s welcome when you reach home at the end of a long day.
- Having coffee with friends.
- Meeting your high school teacher after a decade.
- Getting through a medical test with no unexpected bombs.
- Playing treasure hunt.
- Figuring out the mystery in the novel before you’ve reached that part.
- Watching mindless TV on a weekend with your partner.
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- Walking around in your jammies.
- Getting lost in a crowd.
- Holding hands for the first time.
- Singing in the shower.
- Saying sorry when you mean it.
- Getting a free gift.
- Having free Wi-Fi.
- The smell of earth when the first drops of rain hit the ground.
- Your mama’s loving kiss on your forehead.
- When your dad says he’s so proud of you.
- The high of connecting intellectually with someone.
- The moment when your child hugs you with infinite trust.
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- When someone lauds you for your unshakable integrity and impeccable work ethic.
- When you land on foreign soil for the first time ever in your life.
- A really good day at work when everything goes according to plan, without a hitch.
- Being told how much you mean to another person.
- Unexpected rain.
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So here are 80 things money can’t buy; they are pure experiences and feelings. These are things you see, feel, and experience on a daily basis, but they are underestimated always. The problem with us humans is that we are constantly stuck in the rat race. We have started associating happiness to material things that money can pay for. But we often forget how we don’t always need money to be happy. There are a thousand things that can give us happiness which money can’t ever buy. But, as helpless as we are, we get stuck with life’s bigger problems and fail to see beyond a certain point. We consider money to be the most important thing in life and don’t recognize anything beyond that. It’s such a shame.
Wasn’t life better when we were younger? When we were in school or college? We barely knew money or had any of it, and were able to live rather happily. As we grew older and earned it, we got ourselves additional responsibilities, liabilities, and worries. No doubt, we grew up and became successful in our respective fields, but then again, we aren’t too happy. We are chasing happiness constantly, but what we forget is that all our achievements or wealth cannot buy us happiness. Happiness and peace comes from within. It’s the smallest things that can sometimes lift your spirit and calm your mind.
There are a lot of things money can’t buy, and those things will always make you feel content – effortlessly – if only you choose to see them.
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