Many people think that happiness requires money. Money definitely helps, but it really is not a pre-requisite for happiness. Most of my coaching clients want to improve their wealth, believing that money brings happiness, but we can be happy without money.

What they do not understand is that it works better the other way around: happiness brings more money.

The belief that money can buy happiness and that you cannot be happy without money usually comes from mom and dad. My clients learned it from their parents, who learned it from their parents who learned it from their own parents, and on and on.

Can you see the cycle here? If you have kids, you have to make sure to stop it! You have to believe you can be happy without money!

There is lots of research on the science of happiness. It tells us that happiness is a chemical reaction in the body. We can build up our happiness by doing things that stimulate our ‘happy’ chemicals. Luckily, we do not need money for all of them. For example, I got a little happiness sign and I love taking photos of it. The camera is digital and the photos are free. But it makes me happy anyways.

How to be happy without money

Here are ten things you can do to increase your happiness that you do not need money for:

1. Smile. Smiling can instantly boost your energy and make you happy without money. If you do not have a reason to smile, do it anyway. Stand in front of the mirror with a pencil between your teeth.
2. Make friends. Having close relationships helps us overcome lots of difficulties. It gives us a sense of belonging and connection.
3. Dream. Imagine a happy and successful future. This is a very easy and simple technique to help you feel good. It lights up hope and optimism.
4. Laugh. This works like smiling but is even better. If you do not have a reason to laugh, try the laughter therapy. Check out my post on Laughter Therapy to see how it is done. My example is listening to baby laughter. I myself feel a boost of energy.
5. Have sex. This may sound a bit rude but sex is one of the best feel good activities, and you can have it without spending any money at all. Even the poorest people on earth can enjoy sex and feel happy without money.
6. Hugs are good expressions of physical touch that make us feel good. They function as the best anti-depressants. In 2007 we started a hug campaign. You can watch one of the videos here.
7. Go for a walk. Walk stimulates hormones and gives the body energy through movement. Spend time outside. Even 10 minutes a day will make a huge difference.
8. Write a happiness journal. A study on happiness got participants to write down 3 things each day that made them happy. After 3 weeks, they found that their levels of happiness increased. Try it! It is easy! Use any writing mechanism you already have e.g. journal, email to a friend/relative, online, etc.
9. Give someone a compliment. Saying good things about others usually makes them do the same. If you want to attract compliments that will make you feel good, give compliments to others. The more you give, the more you get! And it is cheap!
10. Do a random act of kindness. When we are kind to others, we not only attract kindness in return, we also feel good about ourselves. Use every opportunity to be kind. Your self image will thank you. Check out Make a List: Ways to be Kind for some ideas.

I hope you now realize how easy it is to be happy without money. There are many alternatives for bringing happiness in to your life, in an easy and cheap way.

Be happy (without money)!
Ronit