With the economy in a dip, recession looming, and industries going down left and right, many feel they are being left without the simple pleasures and outlets that make life worth living. But you shouldn’t have to choose between your happiness and staying afloat. If anything, finding happiness during times of economic uncertainty is instrumental to our survival.
While the Conference Board, the National Bureau of Economic Research, and other economic experts fight over the technicalities of whether we’re really heading toward recession, the rest of us are feeling the pressure. Anxieties about the economy and trade policy are at a high across all generations, and consumer confidence is the lowest it’s been since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
After barely covering the essentials, spending upwards of $7 on a sweet drink just feels unjustifiable, never mind trying to go out to eat or check out an event. These days, it feels like most people can expect to take out a loan just to go to a concert.
So what can you do?
As someone who never grew up with spending money, I can tell you — a lot more than you think. You can’t fix the world, and you certainly can’t “positive mindset” your way into a reality where money isn’t important. But you can control the power it has over you.
So, with summer right around the corner, let’s get into the ways you can take back some of the power over your happiness and actually have some fun.
Back to Basics: What Makes You Happy?
When the world gets too expensive or complicated — simplify it.
Start making a list of all the things you love to do. Then think about what specific part of each thing is bringing you the most joy.
If you enjoy clubbing, maybe you love adrenaline, dancing with loud music and moody lighting, or socializing with new people. If you enjoy going out to restaurants, it could be you enjoy trying new foods, or it might be you just appreciate the shared company over a meal. Love the salon? Maybe you’re into the pampering process, the confidence boost, or the latest gossip in the community.
Whatever it is, you should get to the root of your joy. Breaking it down into the fundamentals will help you open up the possibilities and start getting creative.
When I do this, I tend to find what I want is a lot closer (and cheaper) than I think. Some good company, a nice hangout spot, some music, maybe even a fun activity or a snack if I’m feeling like it, is all I need to make me happy. And none of those things are out of arms reach.
So what makes you happy?
What Do You Have?
Now that you have an idea of what you like, it’s time to figure out what you need and what you have to make it happen.
Companies love to sell us the idea that we have less than we do because it means we have to buy the solution from them. But most of the time all you need is already there.
Whether we know it or not, we all have resources available to us: People, places, time, Wi-Fi, services like public transport, nature, things just lying around the house. Look around, and you might just find you have far more than you would have ever realized.
Do you know what you can get with a free public library card? When’s the last time you explored your town’s side streets? What about the last time you checked out a community events page? Have you ever looked at your town’s “everything free” page? Do you know how many museums, artist studios, and lobbies are free to you? Do you remember the last time you went through all your old stuff?
When you start laying it all out like that, you realize you probably have more than you need at your disposal. Most things you want are closer than you think, you just need the will to find them.
Escaping Expectations
Many people are held back by their idea of what “sounds” fun. Not everything fun looks good in an Instagram post. When you stop caring about FOMO and people’s expectations of what a good time is, you start feeling free enough to actually have fun.
Some of the best times I’ve had have been hangouts with friends doing basic things like chilling on the couch or running errands together. I truly believe you haven’t lived until you’ve experienced the joy of wandering around a furniture store with the intent to not buy a single thing.
But if you’re wanting something a bit more special, then I have some great options you probably won’t find on any other “what to do” listicle — provided you’re willing to get a little “weird.”
Here are some unhinged activities I’ve kept myself entertained with over the years:
- Keeping a box of burnt out light bulbs for the explicit purpose of (safely) smashing them instead of paying for a rage room
- Throwing fries on top of your car’s sunroof at the beach and watching as it becomes a safari
- Playing F*ck, Marry, Kill with the artwork at the museum — 3D art and sculpture is best for this
- Home rave with Dollar Tree lights and speaker system
- Recreating JC Penny photoshoots
- Dollar menu scavenger hunt: walking to every fast food joint in the area and buying only dollar menu items to compare them
- Robbers walk: walk around the rich neighborhoods to look at all the fancy houses and discuss how you’d break into your favorites
- Art conversations: select 3-5 colors and “talk” with your friends only through abstract squiggles till you fill a page
Minimizing the Power of Money
Although money can bring convenience and a boost in quality, it doesn’t guarantee those things and certainly doesn’t guarantee a good time.
With the onset of social media, there’s been an epidemic of over-hyped and over-expensive clubs, restaurants, and “events.” I can’t tell you how many times my friends have talked me into paying a ridiculous cover just to get into a place where everyone’s standing around to bad music.
As a rule of thumb: if you need to pay to get in and spend more money, it’s not worth it.
Unless it’s something special, most of the time $20-$30 is more than enough for a good time. If it’s over $40 get suspicious. And if it’s over $60 there’s probably better options around.
Always ask yourself, “could I do that at home with what I’ve got?” If the answer is yes, try it. Paint and Sip? You can get paint tubes for less than a dollar, and Bob Ross videos are free. Game night? Cards are more than easy to come by. The worst that could happen is you decide it’s not for you and your wallet gets a rest.
The Psychology: Why Does it Matter?
I’m not going to act like any of this is easy. Spending money brings an instant gratification and convenience that is hard to beat for the human brain. It takes a lot of effort to work around it, especially when you aren’t used to living like this and already have a lot on your plate. But it does get easier.
And more than anything, it’s important to try.
Periods of economic recession and uncertainty have detrimental effects on both mental and physical health. There is an abundance of neuropsychiatric literature supporting the hypothesis that times of economic stress and uncertainty about the future increase anxiety levels and depression and influence decision-making.
A study in Behavioral Sciences found a “significant relationship” between “periods of economic recession and increased depressive symptoms, self-harming behavior, and suicide during and following periods of recession.”
This is especially concerning with the data on stress that’s come out of the APA the last four years. In 2022, 2023, and 2024 the economy and money have ranked as one of the top stressors across every age demographic. This type of stress effects all of your body’s systems and can have disastrous long-term effects including, but not limited to:
- inflammation and chronic pain
- digestive issues
- heart disease
- weight gain
- stroke
These symptoms and effects can continue even after periods of economic recovery. Finding your joy in times like these isn’t just a matter of personal boredom or stress relief, it’s a matter of public health. And personally, it’s a matter of spite. Billionaires, politicians, and faceless companies have already taken so much from us, I’ll be damned if they take this too.
It’s our lives, we have a right to enjoy them. Even if the world is crashing down around us. Especially because the world is crashing down around us.
So blast that recession pop, give yourself a home-haircut, laugh with your friends, and follow your bliss — it just might be the best thing you do for your country.
