F I

So, there is a term for it - Focusing Illusion.

Focusing illusion refers to how people tend to exagerrate the effect of whatever they're thinking about, when they are thinking about it. Examples are people thinking they cannot get over losing a partner or having children make them happy.

I've always thought something to this effect exists..For me, it usually occurs when i crave for a certain food, thinking how good it was the last time i had it..and when i finally get to eat it, i get somewhat disappointed when it doesn't taste as good as i 'remembered' it to be..or more like i imagined it to be..

Or those occasions when i allow myself to get angry over something..and the more i think about it, the angrier i become..have u ever experienced that?

Anyway, this article also mentioned that happiness research has its practical implications, such as helping people to decide what kind of trade-offs they want to make in their lives. Interestingly, commuting is an activity cited that people never mentally adapt to..if one commutes the same way for 10 yrs and don't adapt to it - it's just gonna be unhappy all the way through. I guess that's why i still curse everytime i get caught in less-than-ideal traffic conditions..

Another point that i found rather intriguing, is that the author notes that all around the world, most people tend to overestimate what money can bring to them in terms of happiness.

But here's the clincher : Money can buy happiness, but only if people know how to spend it wisely. And this means spending it on experiences, rather than accumlating goods merely to signify status or privilege, such as branded bags or cars. If one uses money to buy gifts for friends or to fund a day out doing something fun, that could have a much greater impact on their happiness.

~ Full article 'Jobs aplenty, but are we happy?' first appeared in Straits Times, 27th July 11