“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” – Bill Bryson
If you’re a regular reader of the Tinggly journal then it will not come as any surprise when we tell you that we believe travel experiences make you happier. Especially when they’re shared with others.
Whether it’s seeing the Northern Lights, learning how to scuba dive or taking the road-trip you’ve always dreamed of, getting out into the world, trying new experiences, is sure to make you a happier person than any material possession possibly could.
But you don’t need to just take our word for it. This is also the opinion of Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor at New York’s Cornell University, who has spent some 20 years exploring money and happiness, and why some purchases make us happier for longer than others.
His take on it is that material purchases, such as a fancy new juicer, a valuable piece of jewellery or a sound system, may give a satisfaction boost at first, but this rapidly wears off as we adapt to them, and they just become a regular part of our daily lives.
In contrast, experiences, particularly those that we gather while travelling, are much more likely to provide us with a sustained feeling of happiness.
Why?
Because although we may love listening to our new stereo, getting a fresh juice every morning and admiring the way we look in our jewellery, these things are necessarily apart from us. Whereas one way of looking at your personality is the sum total of your life experiences.
What we do, not what we own, is what makes us who we are.
The logical conclusion of this is that novel experiences are the answer to true satisfaction, and they come best through frequent travel. It doesn’t require spending vast amounts of money. You don’t need to go on a year-long backpacking adventure, or sell your home to see the world indefinitely. Just escape your regular surroundings for a few days and you’ll likely notice a positive change in yourself.
You might do something as simple as going to a festival, taking a romantic city break with your partner, or just camping, but the important thing to note is that you’ll be developing new memories along the way. Often these memories will be shared with others which can create lifelong bonds.
So dig out your passport, your tent or your favourite travelling shoes, and hit the road for new experiences and longer-lasting happiness!
But wait… why keep all the joy for yourself? Don’t you want to spread it around a little too?
Tinggly = Happiness
In the Tinggly collection, you’ll find hundreds of amazing gift experience all over the world to suit every personality type. Maybe you’re a culture vulture who would like to skip the line at prestigious museums or landmarks. Perhaps you crave adrenaline rushes like skydiving or racing powerful performance cars. Or do you look for unique and immersive experiences when you travel to a new destination, such as foodie tours or village stays with locals?
A Tinggly gift is the perfect way to give someone a burst of happiness. They are made for travellers. Recipients can choose what they want to do, when and where. They could pick up new skills, have a life-changing encounter or indulge in their favourite pastime, but you can be sure that whatever they end up picking out of our collection, the happiness will be far more enduring than just a new phone. 