Does Facebook make us sad?

It is human nature to compare yourself to others. It is also human nature and habit to overestimate other people’s happiness and compare it to yours. Many people log on to their facebook and read about all the new relationships, babies, and exciting events that people post thinking that their life isn’t as great. 

Most people don’t post the negative things that happen in their life giving others a false picture of their life and reality. Thinking that everyone around you is so much happier leads you to feel more sad and depressed, and even alone.

Question: Do you ever feel that people seem so much happier than you do when you log on to facebook and read other’s statuses?

"Money and Happiness"

I read in a recent article that money can actually make us happy. People who spend more money on experiences that affect their social life, improve their chances of becoming happy.

The author examined the data of a research that sampled 500 household over a four year period. They found out that the families that could spend more money on things that could create positive experiences increase peoples happiness. The author found out that the best way to increase happiness is to buy smaller purchases rather than just one big purchase.

This is because you will keeping increasing you happiness with the purchases of the small things, rather than purchasing something big and only not getting happier any other time.

Can money buy happiness?

Brain Plasticity in Action

Brain function and how it grows over a lifetime has been a very mysterious subject for many scientists. Not until just recently has it been discovered that the brain can increase in functionality over a persons lifetime, and in turn, make the person happier.

This is due to brain plasticity, the brains ability to overcome certain challenges by enhancing specific parts that control specific functions. Neurons in the brain will clump together in areas of high activity, so that function will become more functional for a person over time. So even when you don't think you're learning, your brain is working to make sure you are at all times.

Do you think brain function relates to happiness in life? Why?

How to Be Happy

The article focuses on how men and women often try to be people that they are not. They often do things to be who they think they should be rather than who they want to be. An example is how a woman may pursue a career in a male dominated field simply to be who the "feminist" society thinks they should be. This is only one of the examples, but the author of the article believes that people should live the lives they want to live for themselves instead of trying to be something they aren't.

The author believes that men care most about money and career advances, while women care most about their family and relationships. Do you believe that this is true? If not, what do you believe is the truth about what men and women care about most?

The Pursuit of Happiness

In the article, "The Pursuit of Happiness" one topic discussed is how money does buy happiness but generosity brings true joy.

Money allows your life to be comfortable and generosity allows your life to be meaningful.  Do you think money or generosity brings true happiness?