6 reasons Why you should spend your money on experiences instead of material things

Millennials, we have the world at our feet. We are the generation of unlimited possibilities, immense desires and no restraints. We’re able to enjoy our lives to the fullest potential and we can make our own choices on how we want to do that. Traveling the world, educating ourselves at universities, attending as many festivals as we want, and endless self-discovery trips. We’re the first generation to be granted all the options our parents and grandparents dreamed of. Wouldn’t it be a shame if we didn’t seize these beautiful chances of self-improvement and true joy? 

As a girl with an ambitious personality and uncontrollably drive, my spirit urged me to challenge myself, and become the absolute best version of me. Namely, why I’ve choose to invest in experiences- and push myself daily to get out of my comfort zone.

The endless solo trips overseas that I’ve taken in the last two years have changed my entire perspective on the world around me. And here’s why you should do the same:

1. You find happiness in the long run

I notice that many young people spend all their money on expensive things that don’t really matter. They rather have the most expensive car, the newest tech gadget or the biggest house and they are convinced that these possessions will make them happy. If you want to be happy in the long run, that’s probably not the way to go. Experiences will not only give you happiness in the moment itself, but they will shape you and enrich your life.   

2. You stop giving a damn about what other people think

Not only will the happiness of owning this product fade as rapidly as the high you got when you bought it, you probably didn’t buy it for the right reasons either. It’s a sad realization to see that we sometimes care more about what other people think of us and how we want to be perceived by them, instead of our own contentment. I’m not saying that having this car will not make us happy for a while, or the fact that we will feel good about ourselves when people look up to us for being able to buy the car. However, this is not true happiness and the satisfaction will not last either.

But even more important: why should our happiness depend on how other people think of us? If you care more about owning all of this fancy stuff than about your own growth and well-being, then you only care about how other people perceive you. I’d say stop investing in products to make people respect you and invest in yourself. It will most likely make them respect you even more.

3. You do it just for you

The thing about experiences is that you do it just for you. You wouldn’t go bungee jumping or skydiving just to impress other people. It may be nice to post a picture of it on Facebook, but jumping out of a plane with a parachute is something you do just for yourself. I’m the biggest advocate for the power of experiences, because they have nothing to do with keeping up appearances. They make us grow as a person and let us figure out what we really want in life. Broadening our world views and enriching our lives should be something we all fiercely want to strive for.

4. Experiences last forever

Experiences will stay with you forever. They’ll transform into stories to tell and memories to hold onto. And that new iPad you got will not give you any more satisfaction as soon as a newer version launches. Even though people might think material product will last longer than a one-time experience, it’s actually far from the truth. That month you traveled through Europe by train, the summer you spent in Italy dancing in the hottest clubs or that week you hiked the mountains in Peru to see the temples of Machu Picchu will never be erased from your mind.

5. You build your own identity

I used to care a lot about fancy stuff and I genuinely thought it would make me happy. After I traveled to Canada for three months by myself, I got to taste the greatness of experiences. Solo trips have become a significant part of my identity.

These snippets of experiences make me the person I am today. Like going to an exposition or a musical, or driving three hours to see a concert of your favorite band. Hosting an intimate dinner with friends, a night of partying or going to the movies. Also learning new things is just as much of an experience as having a good time is. Doing a workshop or enrolling in a study course will challenge you and allow you to learn more about what makes you happy.

Traveling alone forced me to stand on my own two feet, while being responsible for everything – including my own needs. Not only did it teach me a lot about who I am, but it gave me more confidence and the chance to grow into the powerful women I’ve always wanted to become. When I came home, everything was the same, but I had undergone a huge transformation within. I have found true happiness in being me.

6. Get out of your comfort zone

The greatest experiences are probably the ones that are outside of your comfort zone. As scary as they might be, these are the experiences you really don’t want to hold yourself back from. These are the ones that will leave the most powerful marks behind. The ones that make you grow profoundly and will leave you with gratefulness.

Go skydiving, travel the world, move to the big city to chase your lifelong dream. A life not lived will result in what if’s. Go for it, because your money will return. Your time won’t.

Save on material things. Invest in yourself.