Life Renewal Counseling

  • About Us
    • Meet Jennifer
    • Meet Ann
    • Meet Alyson
  • Our Services
    • TeleTherapy
    • Accelerated Resolution
    • EyeDetect Services
    • Indivduals
    • Couples
    • Families
    • Groups
    • Parenting
    • Teams and Organizations
  • Contact Us
    • Join Our Mailing List
    • Pay for Counseling Online
  • Beat Again
    • Care for Pastors
    • Support Group
  • Store
  • Continuing Education
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Why Counseling?
    • FAQ's
    • Mindfulness
    • Self-Compassion
    • Inspirational Messages
    • Self-Injury
    • Helpful Websites
    • Recommended Reading
    • Eye Movement Video
 

My Happy Place

1/3/2013

0 Comments

 
Townsend, TN
Townsend, TN
 This Christmas, my husband and I received money from family members and made the difficult decision to spend part of it not on gifts, but on a trip to the Smoky Mountains for ourselves and kids, to see new sights and spend time with extended family.  My husband and I were excited about the experience.  Our kids... not so much.  They wanted all of the money for "things".

It turns out, they enjoyed themselves and have already asked to go back again next year.  I was thrilled that my rugrats had matured from this lesson, until I read the February issue of Psychology Today and discovered that research consistently shows that most people will be happier when they spend money on an experience -- a trip or concert -- than on a "thing", such as a gift or iPod.

Why?  Experiences are unique and highly personal, which makes them difficult to subject to comparison, which is the root of envy and dissatisfaction.  I might be envious of my friend's newer, flashier car, but if we both take a trip to the beach, her description of the white sand doesn't diminish my experience of the glorious sunset.

Additionally, many people might experience buyer's remorse after a big purchase, whereas not spending money on an experience might lead to regret.  Besides, your big screen TV will eventually be outdated and upgraded, but your memories are forever a part of you.

So, what can you do in this new year to cultivate experiences and create happiness for yourself and those you care about?  Often, the experience takes more time, effort, and thought than the "thing", but it's always worth it!


0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Authors

    The author of Life Renewal Counseling's Blog is Jennifer Street, LCSW.  Earlier posts are credited to our former counselor,  Yolanda Harper, LCSW.  For more information on Jennifer please visit the "About Us" section of our website. 

    Archives

    July 2013
    May 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    August 2012
    July 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    October 2011
    September 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    November 2009
    October 2009

    Categories

    All
    Announcements
    Awareness
    Boundaries
    Christian Counseling
    Control
    Counseling
    Food For Thought
    Land 'o Lakes Counseling
    Land O Lakes Counseling
    Land O' Lakes Counseling
    Land O' Lakes Counseling
    Land O' Lakes Counseling
    Life Renewal Counseling
    LifeRenewalCounseling.org
    Lutz Counseling
    Marriage
    Mind
    Mind And Body Connection
    New Tampa Counseling
    Parenting
    Parenting Coach
    Priority
    Relationships
    Relaxation
    Self Care
    Selfcare48030fae0c
    Selfcare5b2d870dfe
    Selfcare7081eedef0
    Spirit
    Stress Reduction
    Tampa Bay Area
    Tampa Bay Area Counseling
    Wesley Chapel
    Wesley Chapel Counseling
    Work

    RSS Feed

Our Mission

Our mission is to see lives renewed, rebuilt, and restored through quality, faith-based, client-centered counseling. 

Subscribe

Join our mailing list today!
Join Now

Disclaimer

The Life Renewal Counseling website is for
informational and marketing purposes only. 
If this is an emergency,
​please dial 9-1-1.  

This website IS NOT MONITORED or
staffed to receive crisis messages. 

To ensure HIPAA compliance, safety, privacy, and confidentiality,
no emergencies or therapeutic issues
will be handled through this website.  
Thank you for your understanding. 
verified by Psychology Today