There is some evidence out there saying there are three main pillars of happiness: health, community, and finances. This is not without controversy, and of course one could add in others, but these seem to be the most researched ones. Finances can be easily measured and are what many people focus on. Fair enough; money, whether we like it or not, is important in the world we live in today. Health is often pushed down for the sake of maximizing finances — not such a great idea. Obviously, if one is physically miserable with a chronic illness, money may help alleviate some of the issues, but the best thing is to not get in that condition in the first place.
Community is harder to measure, and something that is often overlooked as a distinct asset class that also needs investment in the same way health and finances do. We are playing the long game here, and just as fitness today pays dividends far into the future, investing time and energy into the community will do the same. We look at all three areas as diminishing over time unless we take actions today: save more than we earn and invest sensibly, take care of our body as it is the only one we have, and nourish our communities because if we don’t we will find ourselves empty nesting with a shrinking group of people around us.
The way I like to think about all of these areas is similar to recommendations for wise financial investing: diversification covering many areas. In health, this means not just being single-minded about musculature, but also balance, aerobic fitness, medical needs, maintenance of joints, and the entire body.
With community, I like to think of the overlapping and diverse groups I belong to. Some are sporting, some are spiritual, some are guy groups, and some are issue-based. One or more of these groups may go away, or I may leave them, but I have several others to keep me tethered. I don’t need to be a perfect fit with every group; the key is to focus on commonalities, not differences. When I do look at the negatives, it is just me being scared. As I often write here, just say yes, and see where it leads. Sure, it is possible to be over-extended, but it is far more common to be on the verge of isolation. Let’s be joiners, and invest for the long term.
Onward and upward,
David
