Spend money on experiences, not things: shows, concerts, meals, travel. Rarely if ever have I regretted spending money on one, and nobody can take them away from you later.
My memory sure can, stuff a decade ago might of well have not happened for all I can remember. I remember the basic stuff, but none of the details.
Anyway I’ll add to this that you don’t have to like all experiences. I have tried to force myself to like travelling, but I’ve come to accept I just despise every aspect of it. Other people find it weird, but whatever.
Same. I had plenty of so-called life worthy experiences, and nothing would make recommend that lifestyle to someone.
To be happy or at least satisfied and content, it takes a lot of introspection and creativity on how to pursue what you really want, which is also rarely in a permanent state. This is often overlooked in favor of taking oversimplified life advices and time consuming setting of life goals
This approach never worked well for me. Food and travel is so forgettable; it perishes much faster than nice clothes or shiny toys.
It also seems like people chase the dragon; keep going to restaurants and resorts. If experiences are so unforgettable, why would you repeat them each year?
And for most people it (for the outside) looks fraught with stupid dysfunction; the White Lotus kinds of things where everyone is just struggling to make it worth what they believe it is, and strain their relationships and lives in the process.
A resort is a vacation, travel is giong on a safari in African, trekking around the Khailash in Tibet, do a road trip through Uruguay. A resort doesn't give you experiences worth remembering, truely travelling and getting to know new cultures and regions does.
Depends. There is nothing intrinsically valuable in memories about sweating on an uncomfortable trip in Uruguay or a memory of being authentically harassed on the streets of Mumbai. (These are examples from my authentic trips). These fade away as everything else.
Simple resort stay in Greece with my SO is embedded in my memory forever.
I guess maybe the people trashing on resorts just had a better upbringing than me. Lazing next to the gently lapping ocean in a salt water pool and chatting with my wife while my small children splash around happily in the 82°F weather while it was snowing at our home was so great we decided to stay an extra day. It’s certainly like no experience I’m accustomed to. If it gets boring we’ll do something else.
I mostly agree, but sometimes the THING (and the act of acquisition) is the experience. Example: I really like coffee table books. Reading them is enjoyable but finding them, seeing them and just owning them also makes me happy.
I also think you should go farther than just the experience component and pair it with physical objects that keep the memories alive, vibrant and reliveable.
Frequently the thing is a proxy to experiences. E.g. a bicycle, kitchen utensils, a plot of land to grow a garden in, music instruments... You get the idea.
Meanwhile many „experiences“ is just staring at others or consuming prepared products. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to find out what other people did. But making/doing stuff yourself is much more rewardable in the long run. On top of that, we've to provide experiences to people around us as well. Not just consume experiences provided by others.
Anyway I’ll add to this that you don’t have to like all experiences. I have tried to force myself to like travelling, but I’ve come to accept I just despise every aspect of it. Other people find it weird, but whatever.