Some links below are affiliate links, meaning we receive a commission if you make a purchase using the link. Phippen Tax only recommends books Xa or Patrick personally read and enjoyed, or products they personally found useful.
While I am a full believer that it is possible to buy happiness, not all happiness needs to be expensive. Since not much is free, these three suggestions provide tips regarding how to find happiness without spending any money beyond the preexisting needs costs in your life. Unless you are living the most maximized frugal existence, you can likely enjoy some of this happiness “for free,” without any marginal cost to you:
1. Live Where You are Happy
Living where you are happy involves two different principles. First, live in a place where you can easily travel to your favorite activities because simplifying logistics adds the joy of simplicity. Second, live somewhere with an environment or free activities (or both!) that allow you to go outside and enjoy an afternoon without spending any money.
Our current home is near most of our favorite activities. We are within walking distance to multiple outdoor sports stadiums and on the same metro line as the indoor ones. Walking home just a few blocks after a baseball game removes all the stress (and cost) of figuring out transportation to and from the event. It is just easier to get everywhere. While we all have different favorite activities, living within proximity of easy transportation to your favorite places just adds simplicity to life.
Living near outright free activities that you enjoy can also add happiness. Our neighborhood has a recreation center with tennis courts, basketball courts, a softball field, a soccer field, and a swimming pool as well as free pickleball courts, playgrounds, and a kiddie pool. A library branch is also just a short walk away. Pretty much everyone can find a fun activity within walking distance. Free activities may also relate more to the environment around you: Living within walking or biking distance to great hiking trails through the woods, a river where you can kayak, or a golf course may add joy if you love those activities. The environment around you can also be more relaxing. Our riverfront area has a bunch of cute adirondack chairs for public use where you can sit with a friend and a drink and enjoy the view.
2. Choose How You Spend Your Time
Folks who control their schedule are happier than folks who let their schedule control them. In many cases, this can be a problem of letting work control your schedule rather than setting boundaries, but no matter the obstacle, prioritizing time for your happiness is important. Allocating the time can sometimes be more challenging than identifying a fun activity or making plans.
Block out some time for yourself—even if you work full-time, have two toddlers, are taking care of a sick relative, and manage three side hustles. You need some time for happiness, and finding the time is possible!* If you are feeling short on time but do not keep an hourly or half-hourly schedule, similar to time blocking recommended by Cal Newport, start there. Whether by hand or in a Google Calendar, start entering every priority into your calendar to track where you spend time. From there, you can better see what activities may be shuffled, outsourced, or eliminated to create more time for happiness.
Additionally, blocking out time for happiness does not have to be completely removed from other activities. If you have to walk your dog anyways, you may find that walking your dog on a certain trail through the woods allows you to connect with nature and feel refreshed. Turn something that could be a chore into a joyful time to connect with nature and your four-legged family member. Similarly, exercise can happen with friends to make it a social activity, whether you find a gym buddy or set up a weekly tennis doubles match.
3. Enjoy Free Fun
Once you live in an environment with free fun activities and decide to dedicate time to something fun, enjoy the free fun! Enjoying the free fun could mean going for a run along the waterfront or a hike in the mountains. Less intuitively, enjoying the free fun also means enjoying the activities you have already paid for to their maximum enjoyment. This may mean going to the gym where you already have a membership, spending time after your workday at the pool that you already pay for through your HOA, or running with the free local run group since you already bought your new running shoes.
But do not do just these activities. Get more creative. In Washington, DC, we have tons of free museums, historic monuments, and educational think tank discussions (where you can often get free food as well as new ideas!) every day. The free activities vary in each location, but no matter where you live, there is a new experience to discover. Local book clubs, yoga in the park, or town history speakers are often free or low-cost, and can provide more joy than expected.
Regardless of how you choose to find happiness, it can be found for free or at no marginal cost to your lifestyle. Enjoy the opportunities around you to start feeling happier daily.
*If you truly do not believe finding the time for happiness in your life is possible, or you need assistance finding it, hire me for a Scheduling & Prioritization Consult so we can find you time for happiness each week!
Comentários