Health + Wealth + Love = Happiness

I've spoken briefly in the past about Health, Wealth, and Love. I'd like to expound upon this concept now.

A lot of you have heard this phrase, or a variation thereof at some point, but it is one of those phrases that we tend to let roll off our backs. We hear it, but it doesn't sink in. Kind of like...

• Fall 7 times, get up 8
• Dance like there's nobody watching
• Experience is the best teacher
• Work smarter, not harder
• Think outside the box
• Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today

These are phrases that, if you were hearing them for the first time, would probably provide some inspiration, guidance, or at least simple advice. Many were profound when they were first said, but they have since reached ubiquity, and are part of that dreaded class of phrases called "cliche"

Here's why Health, Wealth, and Love should not become a cliche. We can guide our lives by this simple principle:

You need health, wealth, and love, to be happy. Any can pull the others up, but any can also pull the others down. 

Before we get into how we can use this principle, I'd like to give a brief definition of each - at least, this is how I define them for myself.

Health

Arguably the most important, and the most often ignored feature of this triad of happiness. Health refers to physical health, of course, but also mental health. 

Physical Health

We all have physical ailments which are detrimental to our happiness. Perhaps we are overweight, have a chronic disease or acute disorder. You may have diabetes, scoliosis, halitosis, tuberculosis, or any of the other dreaded "-osis"'s. You may be 10 pounds overweight, or 300 pounds overweight. These are all detrimental to health, and detrimental to happiness.

or...

You may be in peak physical condition. You may run a marathon every month, eat a healthful diet, be at your body's optimal weight, have lower than normal cholesteral, an athlete's blood pressure, a strong ticker, huge lung capacity, a sharp mind, and be in the top 0.01% of physical specimens in this human race. These are all pro-happiness, and provide a great platform to develop even more happiness.

Odds are, you fall somewhere in between. We want to be closer to the second example than the first, and the closer we get to the first, the harder it becomes to be happy.

Mental Health

When most people hear mental health, they think that as long as they are not hearing voices which tell them to burn things, that they are healthy mentally. I'm afraid we all have improvements to make to strive toward peak mental health.

I define mental health as our ability to cope with, and be comfortable with, our situation. This ties in self-esteem, self image, confidence, positive vs. negative self talk, adaptability, and a host of other concepts. Additionally  some will suffer from depression, schizophrenia, delusions, voices, etc.

I will tend to focus on the non-clinically diagnosed disorders.

Wealth

This one seems pretty simple, right? More money = more happiness.

Well, not quite. There is pretty much a similar belief among those at any level of wealth that "If I just had more money, I'd be happy". The truth is, more money rarely equals more happiness. What really matters is the perception of wealth. 

There are hundreds...maybe thousands of travel hackers out there who don't have a particularly large amount of money, but they can game the system to live like they are wealthy. They can travel the world and stay in luxury accommodations without having the wealth we imagine is necessary to do so. To me, wealth means flexibility - by having enough money saved, I have the options to do what I want, when I want.

I can't go buy a lamborghini, but you know what? I could probably go rent one. 

For me, wealth focuses on the financial stability that affords higher flexibility in living than the typical person has. For some, this will mean simply increasing the number of dollars in their bank account. For others, this means spending wiser, or saving for retirement so they can have a fun retirement. I will be focusing on all the aspects that can be necessary to increase your wealth, by increasing your income and living options, reducing costs, and growing your fortune by saving/investing.

Love

This is simple. More Sex = More Happiness.

Just kidding. Love refers specifically to relationships. There are a number of different types of relationships we can focus on:

• Sexual
• Romantic
• Friendship
• Family
• Business
• Mentors

I choose to focus on all aspects of the relationships in our lives. Each relationship we develop is important to our love (and in many ways, to mental health), and our happiness. While many strive for sexual and/or romantic relationships, this doesn't mean we should neglect our other relationships in our search for a romantic partner.

This can be dragged down by social awkwardness, shyness, and fear. We will look to conquer those negatives, and build up our ability to be a social center, a strong relationship partner (romantic and otherwise) and an outgoing, fun loving person.

Don't worry Introverts - you can be outgoing as well. As someone who tends toward introversion myself, I will not forget about you. I understand the power of introverts, so I will be speaking to you as well.

How does it all tie together?

Well, it's simple. Think of each of the three aspects of life tied together with rubber bands. It's possible for one to be higher than the others, but as one starts to skyrocket, it can pull the others up with it. Vice Versa, as one starts to plummet, it can pull the others down with it.

• If you get very ill, your earning ability and flexibility drops, and your ability to maintain relationships also drops
• If you lose your job, and spend all of your savings, it becomes difficult to maintain your relationships (they can be expensive - all types) and you might not be able to afford the proper medical care - your physical and mental health begin to decline.
• You go to school and develop a rock start network of friends. You are in constant contact with them, and they help you in your quest to find your dream job which increases your wealth, and your mental health
• You get a raise at work, and can now afford to go out on some dates, so you begin developing more relationships. You can also afford higher quality food, so your nutrition and physical health increases

And all three, taken together, make up your happiness. So, as each facet begins to increase, you actually can get a three fold increase in happiness (and vice versa). 

How do I use this information? 

Well, simply being aware of the facets of your life is a huge step toward maintaining and increasing happiness. Very often, one or two of these factors are much lower than they should be, but we don't even realize it. As a result, we are being held back from being truly happy. Identifying that you physical health is in decline, or that you have destroyed a number of your relationships will allow you to begin repairing them.

Your tasks are simple right now. Simply be aware of these facets in your life. If you are being kept from doing what you truly wish to do, then your wealth is suffering. If you are bored on a Friday or Saturday and have nothing to do, then your love might be suffering. If you are filled with self-doubt, or are out of shape, then your health is suffering.

Then, look at what is going well, and figure out how it can help pull up your other elements. If you are making a great salary, but are out of shape, then go see a nutritionist and physical trainer. If you have tons of relationships, but cannot afford what you wish to do, maybe your network can help you get a higher paying job (this is called networking). 

You get the picture. And on this blog, I'll be focusing more on how to increase each of your life elements. By focusing on only these three factors, you can take control of your life, increase your happiness, success, and turn your existence into a truly fulfilled life.

Stay Tuned.

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