Is There an App for Happiness

Is There an App for Happiness Photo by ivyfield via Flickr.com In our society it seems that we always want the latest, greatest, shiniest thing. Perfect example: the new iPhone 5. When we see something new we think ‘well my item is a piece of crap now’, and then we try hard to get the new thing. Some of us forget to weigh our options in trying to afford this item. We just go for it. It’s what our society tells us, “If you want it, get it”. It’s something our society should start shying away from. If the only thing we are ever focused on is the material possessions in our life what will we have in the end? Material possessions hasn’t brought anyone happiness, we can’t carry every single item we own everywhere with us. If we looked towards experiencing more than buying more perhaps we can change our ways. I had many friends who didn’t have the latest gadgets out there on the market. Yet, they have lived some of the best lives. A friend of mine went to Guatemala and he had one of the amazing experiences ever. He wouldn’t change it for the world. He stayed in Guatemala all summer. Imagine that. As children we are taught not to worry so much over material possessions. Yet, somewhere between middle school and college we lose sight of that. Around the world people have less than us and yet they’re happier. I remember watching a show on the Travel Channel, Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. That particular episode he went to a country in South America, more specifically he went to this fishing island off the coast of a city of the said country. While on the island Bourdain had asked one of the locals if he wanted to visit the city. The local’s reply was “No, I am perfectly happy here.” He was happy. A local from an island so close to the city was happy being on the island. The island had just a simple fishing village. I was astonished upon hearing him say that. To think that local is happy just living in that village. He is probably at peace with it too. He would not give it up for the world. Our society gorges itself in trying to get people always to buy more than what they need or can handle. We are obsessed in having the best money can buy. Money can buy so much. Money cannot buy happiness. It can buy security of course. I mean security of paying your bills and not having to worry cutting back on food or gas. Happiness takes an effort from oneself. It doesn’t just come to you with the help of an application on your new iPhone.