Is Happiness a Luxury?

Presented by BetterHelp.

Increasingly often, it seems that happiness is considered a luxury. Far too many advice articles tout the value of working hard, putting your nose to the grindstone, and making more money—more money to invest, more money to enjoy your leisure time with, and more money with which to purchase a lavish lifestyle. Few of these articles focus on happiness and how it factors into the equation, including how money positively or negatively affects the pursuit of happiness. 

The Roots of Happiness

Although happiness has not always been considered an area of study, positive psychology has turned the realm of psychology on its head in order to focus less on what is perceived as “wrong” or lacking, in favor of focusing on what can be added or improved to cultivate happiness and fulfillment. The roots of happiness may seem complicated, or may initially appear to require a huge investment of time and energy, but happiness is actually surprisingly simple. In order to feel a sense of happiness or fulfillment, people require community, love, creativity, and wisdom. Happiness has also been associated with having a spiritual or religious practice. The basics of happiness tend to follow the basics of fulfillment and general contentment, and require a sensation of belonging and community. 

Qualifying Luxury

Luxury is defined as an enhanced state of comfort, or an extravagance. By definition, luxury suggests some amount of excess. To say that happiness is a luxury is to say that happiness is excessive, unnecessary, or over the top of what is required to function optimally or even normally. Luxury is often a term used to describe a car or an individual’s closet, but has increasingly been used to weaponize people’s desire for happiness. When the pursuit of happiness is brought up, many are quick to describe that particular pursuit as excessive or unnecessary. If luxury is, by definition, excess, can happiness truly be identified as a luxury? 

Is Happiness a Luxury? 

On the contrary; happiness is far more a basic necessity than it is a luxury. Because luxury is synonymous with excess, happiness does not qualify. Happiness is a basic requirement to achieve a sense of fulfillment and contentment. Happiness can alternately be described as a feeling of safety, comfort, and satiety with one’s life. These are requirements to maintain mental and physical health, which are also not luxuries. Instead, happiness is the simplest baseline from which to develop your habits and daily practices. 

Cultivating Happiness for Yourself

Cultivating happiness is often treated as a luxury, or inaccurately associated with luxury, but happiness does not require a great deal of material wealth, or even a great deal of friends or family members. Happiness relies far more on a feeling of safety and community, and can be cultivated without a lot of money, a huge network of friends, or even material possessions. Instead, happiness can be said to come from strong health, a solid sense of community, and a firm network of loving family and friends. From utilizing BetterHelp to develop your own definition of and plan for happiness, to simplifying your life in order to make room for what matters most to you, pursuing happiness is far more a basic requirement for successful and fulfilled living than it is a luxury.

Featured Photo by Eye for Ebony on Unsplash