Increasing your well-being

There is no major conclusion in positive psychology that has not been challenged, modified or even rejected.

Yet the fact that positive psychology is becoming more popular means that it gives hope, optimism and perhaps happiness to millions of its consumers.

The story of positive psychology started just 20 years ago with Martin Seligman, head of the American Psychological Association. The idea he considered was: What if every person was encouraged to nurture his or her character strengths, rather than being scolded into fixing their shortcomings?

He reorientated the entire discipline of psychology away from mostly treating mental illness and toward human flourishing, then used his authority to promote it.

Objects fade and become part of the new normal. So you’ll get more happiness spending money on experiences like going to art exhibits, doing outdoor activities, learning a new skill, or traveling. 

Experiences really are part of ourselves. We are the sum total of our experiences.

They connect us more than shared consumption.

Even if someone wasn’t with you when you had a particular experience, you’re much more likely to bond over both having hiked the Appalachian Trail or seeing the same show than you are over both owning Fitbits.

• Consider an All-Cash Diet, as limiting yourself to physical currency combats overspending.
• Set aside 1 minute a day to check on your financial transactions, to identify problems, track goal progress and set your spending tone.
• Allocate at least 20% of your income to financial priorities like emergency funds, debts and retirement fund.
• Budget about 30% of your income for nonbasic spendings, like entertainment. Abiding by the 30% rule, you can save and splurge at the same time.

• Draft a Financial Vision Board, it motivates and helps you to stay on track with your financial goals.
• Set specific financial goals stating the reason, the way, numbers and dates.
• Adopt a spending mantra, a phrase that serves as a rule of thumb for how you spend.
• Love yourself. Taking control of your finances is part of that.
• Make bite-size money goals. Make the bigger ones but also small step goals to get there.
• Don’t be a financial fatalist, and switch to more positive mantras.
• Get your finances and body in shape. The discipline associated with regular exercising translates to managing your money well.
• Appreciate what you have now, instead of being a consumerist.
• Get a Money Buddy. Studies indicate people pick up good habits from friends with similar traits.

Happiness has always been difficult to quantify because it is subjective, depending on if you have a short- or a long-term outlook on life. Recently, researchers have started to distinguish between two types of happiness: 

• Hedonic happiness that provides a mental high;
• Eudaimonic happiness, a sense of well-being which involves a life well-lived.

People will always be happy when they see their children prosper when they feel loved, secure, and well-fed.

But, this formula for happiness is so obvious that most people dismiss it. They would rather look for a secret ingredient. The answer is that there is no secret.

Perfectionism is a growing cultural phenomenon that has engulfed a large set of people including celebrities. Some of the causes are:

• Modern parenting
• Competitive economy
• Consumerism and advertising
• Social Media.

Social Media acts as the biggest culprit in amplifying perfectionism as youngsters can constantly compare their looks and their lives to others in easily measurable ways.

There is an increased expectation from our family and our peers to be perfect in all aspects of our lives.

That midlife slump (not to be confused with a midlife crisis) is often nothing - just a natural transition due to the passing of time.

Those likely to notice it are people that seem to have everything going for them; they're achieving their goals, and nothing much changed, yet they feel less satisfied than they expected and think there must be something wrong with their lives.

According to a study by economists, the U-curve is generally noticed at age 46. It tends to appear in wealthier countries.

However, some economists and psychologists factor in the possibility that those who become happier in the studies are the same people who are content in their early years.

Depression is caused by the lack of what we need to be happy:

• We need to belong to a group. 
• We need to be valued by other people.
• We need to know that we are good at something.
• We need to know we are secure in our future.

If the work you're doing isn't meaningful, people are bound to get anxious, depressed and unhappy. The most stress-inducing is the work that is monotonous and boring.

The idea behind kakeibo is to help you understand the relationship with money by keeping a ledger with all incoming and outgoing transactions.

The difference from other budgeting systems is that kakeibo emphasizes the importance of physically writing things down as a way to observe your spending habits.

• Can I live without this item?
• Based on my financial situation, can I afford it?
• Will I actually use it? Do I have space for it?
• How did I come across it in the first place? (Did I come across it after wandering into a gift shop out of boredom?)
• What is my emotional state in general today? (Calm? Stressed?)
• How do I feel about buying it? (Happy? Excited? Indifferent?)
• How long will this feeling last?

• Earn extra spending money.
• Liberate oneself from the 9-to-5.
• Obtain financial security.
• Get a deeper sense of satisfaction.

Seaside living generally has more sunlight and less pollution, promoting better health and more of vitamin D to the people living there.

People who are living near the sea also are more likely to spend time outdoors in some activity or exercise.

Water has a psychologically restorative effect on humans. It reduces negative mood and stress at a better rate than being in green spaces(nature).