What makes you happy..?

Dan Heath author of Made to Stick : Why some ideas survive and others die (together with his brother Chip Heath), interviewed by Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project had this as one of the answers to the questions he was asked,

"Is there anything that you see people around you doing or saying that adds a lot to their happiness, or detracts a lot from their happiness? 
I read a brilliant paper recently called “If Money Doesn’t Make You Happy Then You Probably Aren’t Spending It Right” (written by Elizabeth Dunn, Dan Gilbert, and Timothy Wilson). [I have that very paper sitting on my desk right now!] It suggests ways we can spend our money in ways that yield more happiness (which I know is something you’ve also written about). One recommendation is to spend money on experiences rather than things. Here’s a good quote from the piece: “Experiences are good; but why are they better than things? One reason is that we adapt to things so quickly. After devoting days to selecting the perfect hardwood floor to install in a new condo, homebuyers find their once beloved Brazilian cherry floors quickly become nothing more than the unnoticed ground beneath their feet. In contrast, their memory of seeing a baby cheetah at dawn on an African safari continues to provide delight.” That has been a useful idea for me to keep in mind; every time I start thinking about buying a fancy new dining table or something, I think about how quickly I’ll adapt to it. Might as well adapt to the crappy table I’ve got." 

I really liked this because I think traveling and things that will create great memories are one of the most important things you must invest your money on. 

Text taken from, http://www.happiness-project.com/