5 Of the Best Things in Life That Won’t Cost You a Dime

Years ago, I read something that put a smile on my face. It said, “Whoever said money can’t buy happiness didn’t know where to shop.”

What do you think? Is happiness linked with how much money we have?

Money is important, no doubt about that, but is it everything? From my experience, some of the best things in life don’t cost any money at all.

“The best things in life are free. The second best things are very, very expensive.” – Coco Chanel

1. Precious Moments With Loved Ones

One of the best feelings in the world is to be around loved ones: family and friends. It could be anything from going through old photos with your siblings to watching old movies together or singing along to your favorite songs.

Nothing compares to laughing so hard with your loved ones that your stomach aches or waking up to the smell of breakfast made by your kids.

My siblings and I are married, and we live in different cities and countries. It’s quite difficult for us to make plans for the holidays so that all of us are present at our parent’s home. I miss the time when all of us were together before we got married.

Last year, fortunately for us, we were all together during the summers. It was one of the most fun and enjoyable times of my life.

2. Showing Kindness and Empathy to Complete Strangers

Remember the last time a stranger smiled at you? Ever been at the receiving end of an act of kindness? How did you feel?

It felt good, didn’t it?

What feels even better is when you are that person who helps others. The one who has that sweet, contagious smile that instantly forces the other person to smile as well no matter the size of the frown on their face.

Now, guess how much that precious smile costs?

Nothing, zero, zilch!

Try giving out compliments to strangers you meet; you’ll be amazed by their reactions. First, they’ll be caught completely off-guard, and rightly so: we don’t normally expect it from people we don’t know.

Then, you’ll see their confusion turn into contentment and appreciation. The smile you receive in return will be enough to make you feel good about yourself the whole day.

3. Rereading Your Favourite Books

Books take you places. A good book will transport you to a different place and time and will let you experience life from the perspective of its characters. It will make you feel all the emotions that its characters are feeling, and you’ll laugh and cry with them.

While reading books, time after time you’ll come across a sentence so remarkably written, you’ll have to pause and just wonder in amazement at the spectacle.

Getting hold of your favorite book and rereading it is an amazing experience in itself. Not only will you love the characters all over again, but you’ll also remember how you felt when you read it for the first time.

My daughter and I have made it a practice to pick our favorite books every so often. Whenever she rereads Harry Potter – her absolute favorite – she makes me sit with her when she comes across a scene that we loved reading (the comic ones in particular) and reads aloud.

And we laugh as if we’ve read it for the first time. The humour in those lines doesn’t fade away – it’s there to amuse you no matter how many times you come across it.

As Oscar Wilde says,

“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.”

4. The Sound of a Child’s Laughter

Hearing a child laugh and giggle is one of the best ways to make your day better. A child’s laugh is fun, cheery, and contagious.

No matter how down and miserable you’re feeling, a child’s laughter is sure to make you feel better. It will force you to smile, even if you don’t feel like it.

There’s a reason why you see a lot of baby laughter videos going viral on social media. It’s because there’s nothing more pure and soulful than a little giggling bundle of joy.

5. Enjoying Nature

Exposure to nature impacts your well-being. Spending time around nature is bound to make you happy and improve your physical, mental, and emotional health.

You don’t need fancy gadgets or tons of money to enjoy nature.

Whether it’s sitting in the sun on a cold winter morning, the smell of fresh air and flowers, or listening to the sound of the waves, there’s so much beauty around us to experience – completely free of charge.

“I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.” — Henry David Thoreau

This article first appeared on Medium. Check out more great content right here!