Key Takeaways
- Structure can bring us happiness.
- Structure in your budget can help you spend on what makes you happy.
- You don’t have to spend a lot to take you to your happy place.
You’ve likely heard people say (or perhaps you’ve said it yourself), “I want to go to my happy place.” We’ve all got our own versions of what or where that is. Your happy place might be a beach vacation, a trip hiking through mountains, or a long weekend at a secluded lake house. We usually think of it as a destination that we can only access once a year or so.
But why can’t we be in our happy places more often? Why not make this a more regular occurrence? Well, maybe we can. The key may be to have a happy budget, which is the subject of a Decision Fish article, “Beat the Budgeting Blues.”
“Happy budget” may seem like an oxymoron, but it’s really not at all. If you think about it, child psychologists recommend that parents provide a lot of structure for their children to help them grow into happy, well-adjusted adults. Put rules and schedules in place, have kids do regular chores, and set limits, so that they grow up with great habits – and they’ll be much happier for it.
These same structures may cause us to have a knee-jerk “I don’t want that as an adult – I want my freedom” reaction. But you’ll find that very successful entrepreneurs, entertainers, and athletes are all very structured people. This doesn’t mean they don’t have fun and that they’re not happy. Instead, the structure in their lives allows them to play when it’s time to play.
Likewise, if you set your budget and make sure all your basic needs and savings are taken care of, you can identify where you can spend on your happy wants. It doesn’t need to be a big amount – even indulging in a fancy coffee drink can bring happiness. But by putting boundaries in place, you can identify where you can play, and do so more often.
So give it a try, and go to your happy place! Until next time, enjoy.
Gary
