That was one of the best ideas of my life (I can count those on the fingers of… well, just one finger). In the last five years, my family and I have done two of these “reunion vacations” and they truly brought us closer together. That money would have been gotten, spent and forgotten in a minute had my siblings and I received it ourselves. So, we are the living proof that investing in happiness works! I still miss that TV, though… but guilt, there is none.

As a group, we humans, are surprisingly lucid about what makes us happy: a satisfying family life, deep friendships, a meaningful career and a personal feeling of usefulness and belonging are cited endlessly in the happiness polls. But when comes the time to put our money where our mouth is, all that goes out the window and the lust for a big house, two big Lexus’, a trophy career and tons of stuff seems to prevail. What is happening to us?

Can we blame our behaviour on marketing? How convenient… Maybe it is the culture! Possible. Huh, maybe it is us? Now we are getting warmer. Let’s face it, we are suckers for status. It makes us feel good. Status is our favorite measuring stick. We just love to feel like giants among midgets.

Over the next weeks, I will expose my everyday struggle between the desire for status and the longing for a happier, simpler more satisfying life. I look forward to hear from the readers about their own struggles as well.

But in the meanwhile, let us all invest in happiness first!

For part 2, click here