Friday, 1 January 2010

happy twenty-ten !

Thought I'd given up this blogging lark, eh? Thought I'd forgotten all about you, eh? Boo! Here I am!

On this, the first day of the year, I wanted to share something I thought would be relevant as many make resolutions to better our lives. I came across an article called Ten Psychology Studies from 2009 Worth Knowing About, which really put some things into perspective for me. Well, most of the article did - the point about playing Tetris after witnessing a traumatic event wasn't terribly useful, to be honest. The study that resonated the most with me was the one about experiences making us happier than possessions. How simple yet profound: we get bored with material objects but experiences stay special forever. Granted, we can all probably think of one or more items we own that are precious and incredibly special to us, but if we're talking about splurging on an xBox, iPhone, or other things that contain upper and lower case letters in random combinations, the novelty wears off after a period of time. But if you think back to places you've been, things you've done, meals eaten, laughs shared, your firsts, your lasts, and all the in-between, the memories provide an emotional response you'll never get from a possession. These memories also tend to improve with time, as proven by the fact that no one seems to remember that late pregnancy and childbirth is pretty damn uncomfy (until you do it again, and then you say to yourself "Oh, yeah. Shit.")

Thus, if you're wondering what to suggest for that next birthday present or thinking about treating yourself, opt for an experience. If anyone's asking, I would very much like a spa weekend in a remote luxury resort that has a michelin-starred restaurant. Thanking you in advance.