5 Reasons Investing in Experiences Made Me Happier and Why You Should Too

Experiences, no matter how good or bad they are, help shape us into who we’re meant to be. Would you have known what curry tasted like if you hadn’t taken the leap and tried it? Even if you didn’t actually know how you’d feel about it, you went ahead and tried it anyway.

Just the other day, I was checking my friends’ Instagram stories. I saw one who shared her experience when she joined a race for the first time. To me, it looked exhausting, but to her, someone who’d just finished her first race, saw it as an achievement.

I saw another one who posted a photo of himself and his idol on a video call. He said he wasn’t able to sleep the night before their scheduled call because he couldn’t contain his excitement.

That’s the thing about experiences: to actually know how they make us feel, we have to live them out ourselves.

Granted that almost nothing is free, how you choose to spend your money is on you. So what am I doing here? I’m here to share with you what I’ve learned over the past years and how investing in experiences instead of material things has helped me develop an abundance mindset, so read on.

Experiences make you appreciate life.

Remember the last time you actually tried something new? How did it feel? Invigorating? Liberating?

In 2016, I went on my first out-of-the-country trip with my best friends on my birth month. That same year, the iPhone 7 had just been released, and I could’ve just gotten that as a birthday present to myself just as easily.

Most people care so much about what others think of them that they would do anything to be accepted by society. I was surrounded by people who wanted to buy designer bags just so they could impress everyone else even when they couldn’t really afford them; people who had the need to replace their iPhones with a newer model every year only because they are never satisfied with what they have even though their phones work perfectly fine.

My family, we’ve always loved traveling, but we wouldn’t feel as good if we’d spent that much money on material things. Why? You buy what you want, then what? That giddy feeling doesn’t last for too long.

The first international trip I had with my best friends? I remember the excitement I felt to this day, and that memory will stay with me for the rest of my life.

It made me realize that the world really does have a lot to offer, and it’s up to us to make the most of what we’ve been given.

I’m not saying that spending on material things is bad, because for some, it’s an accomplishment — being able to buy expensive things. And if you can afford both, then go ahead. But if you’re someone who has to carefully choose what to spend on, just like me, I’d dare you to try new things. Go for that solo trip you’ve been wanting or go diving. Grab those opportunities while you’re young! Who knows what you’ll discover?

Experiences widen your perspective.

I used to be a simple-minded individual, and that’s not to say that I’m sophisticated now, but surely, my perspective has widened. Traveling is my favorite thing in the world, but there are plenty more experiences to try. When I do travel though, I prioritize the food, the culture, and the sights.

I make sure to try to talk to locals wherever I go, even when I travel domestically. If it weren’t for traveling, I never would’ve been confident enough. It also probably helped that whoever I travel with, I make sure that I still get my alone time. I had to force myself to go out there, and because of that, I was able to meet a lot of different people with different stories.

Experiences open doors to a lot of different opportunities. You just have to be willing to take them.

To widen your perspective, you don’t even have to travel. It could be something simple, such as learning a new language or listening to new music.

Experiences make you feel content.

When was the last time you went on a shopping spree? How did you feel about it?

The last time I went on a shopping spree, I felt like I deserved it since I haven’t gone on one in five years (and I did deserve it). I happily tried everything on in the dressing room and bought everything I tried on. Afterward, I thought to myself, I’d already bought some clothes, why not throw in a bag and some shoes too?

You may not feel the same, but it was this unending feeling that I needed more that was tempting. I had enough, so why couldn’t I get enough?

I didn’t feel this way when I first traveled or when I went to my first concert. All I know is that I had a great time sharing those experiences with my friends and that I would gladly go again. Experiences, unlike material things, will actually make you feel satisfied and content.

Experiences allow you to see reality rather than chase it.

If you’re spending your money on something, make sure it’s within your budget. I’ve heard stories about people getting deeper in debt because they couldn’t help satisfying their shopping urges. But why do they do it when they know they can no longer afford the lifestyle?

Some do it to keep up with the trends and for the social status (thanks, society). If this is the reason, then you’re chasing what you want your “reality” to be rather than seeing it for what it truly is.

Now imagine this instead…going for a long drive with your loved ones, discovering new places and food, and going to a music festival with your friends with VIP tickets. You can’t own these experiences the way you own material things, but they sure give you far better memories to look back on.

Experiences help you figure out what you want.

Would you spend on something you didn’t want in the first place? Before I decide that I actually want something, I think about it a couple of times. I even have to send my best friend a text asking if she thought that particular thing was a “want” or a “need.”

Looking back, I never had second thoughts about spending on activities. A close friend asked if I wanted to try football, and she didn’t even have to ask twice. I had to purchase some equipment before I played for the first time, but that made me happy because I knew I was about to do something I’ve been meaning to try.

Another time, I was offered a position that required me to be at the office from 8 to 5, and that would’ve given me the stability I needed. I didn’t accept the offer; instead, I took the risk and looked for freelancing opportunities because I realized I couldn’t be the person who stays in an office for too long. I loved traveling, so I might as well work while doing what I am most passionate about.

I can say that going on different adventures has made me more open, decisive, and appreciative. They helped me figure out not only what I want out of life, but also what I don’t want.

Experiences are what you make them, and each one is priceless because you get to decide who you spend them with.

Your hard-earned money? It’s entirely up to you how you want to spend it. But know this: you do not have to spend thousands of dollars for short-term happiness when you can invest in experiences that will last a lifetime.