Finding Lasting Happiness, Beyond Quick Fixes

Woman thinking of ways to lift her spirits.

Feeling the Winter Blues? Here’s Why a Holiday or New Car Might Not Fix It

As the days grow shorter and colder, many of us experience the familiar drag of the “winter blues” a dip in mood or energy that can feel persistent and heavy. It’s tempting to think that a change of scenery, a holiday, a shiny new bike, car, or even a new home will lift our spirits. And sure, these things can bring a temporary boost of pleasure. But despite spending thousands on these external comforts, research shows they often fail to produce lasting happiness or emotional well-being.

The Hedonic Treadmill and Temporary Pleasure

Psychologists refer to this as the “hedonic treadmill.” Studies reveal that after an initial surge of happiness from acquiring new possessions or experiences, people quickly return to their baseline level of happiness. For example, a study by Brickman, Coates, and Janoff-Bulman (1978) famously showed that lottery winners and paraplegics tend to return to their baseline happiness levels over time, regardless of their dramatic changes in circumstances.

Similarly, research by Kahneman and Deaton (2010) found that while higher income can improve life evaluation (how people think about their lives), it does little to affect emotional wellbeing beyond a certain point around $170,000 NZD a year in 2025. This suggests that external wealth or possessions have limits when it comes to lasting emotional happiness.

Happiness in Less Wealthy Countries: The Paradox of Contentment

Many travellers returning from less wealthy nations often remark on how joyful and content people seem there despite limited material wealth. This phenomenon isn’t just anecdotal. The World Happiness Report consistently shows that while wealth correlates with happiness, social factors like strong community ties, trust, and a sense of belonging play a larger role.

For example, Diener and Seligman (2004) found that people in poor but tightly-knit communities often report high life satisfaction. This points to the importance of internal perception and social connection rather than just external circumstances.

External Circumstances vs. Internal Perception

The key to understanding happiness lies in the distinction between external circumstances and internal perception. External changes like new possessions or trips might provide a short burst of joy, but our internal mindset, habits, and emotional resilience largely determine how we feel day to day.

Mindfulness and gratitude practices, for example, have been shown to improve long term emotional wellbeing by shifting focus from what we lack to what we appreciate (Emmons & McCullough, 2003). Similarly, cognitive behavioural research highlights how reframing thoughts and managing expectations can mitigate feelings of dissatisfaction even in difficult times (Beck, 1976).

In Summary

·       Buying things or going on holidays can give a short boost but rarely create lasting happiness.

·       The “hedonic treadmill” means we quickly adapt emotionally to external changes.

·       Wealth has limits in increasing emotional well-being, especially after basic needs are met.

·       Happiness is more closely tied to internal perceptions, social connection, and mindset.

·       Practices that cultivate gratitude and mindfulness can greatly improve long-term outlook.

If you find the winter blues lingering and are searching for deeper, lasting support to shift how you feel inside, sometimes talking it through with a professional can help. At Resilience Counselling Taupō, we offer compassionate, down to earth counselling tailored to help you build emotional resilience and discover lasting well-being, beyond the temporary fixes.

Feel free to reach out if you’d like to explore how counselling could support you through these challenging seasons.