Money Can't Buy Happiness, But It Can Buffer Stress

Having very few resources will not make you happier, but it is important to note that money can buffer stress. Once people reach a certain level of income relative to their cost of living, the amount of happiness does not increase significantly. However, money can help alleviate stress by enabling the purchase of goods and services, especially services.

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I explain the science of happiness, including the different types of happiness and how our actions, circumstances and mindset control them. While it is difficult to standardize happiness from one person to the next, I outline a structured framework of what is critical to increasing your innate “natural happiness,” including financial security, purposeful work and relationships, and I explain specific tools to increase internal happiness (so-called “synthetic happiness”). I review how specific types of human connection and attention to our choices (or lack thereof) can increase or undermine our level of happiness. I also discuss the importance of certain types of physical contact, gratitude, financial choices and volunteer contributions that research shows can maximize happiness. And I discuss how factors such as children, pets, physical well-being, substance use, prior traumas and life-phase milestones affect our quest for and depth of happiness.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.