Somewhere around week three of the pandemic, I started stress-shopping: First for jewelry and dresses I imagined wearing to an office I’d never return to; later, for fancy pens and even fancier plants. Surely these purchases would help me feel content again.

In a new essay for TIME, happiness expert Jenn Lim takes that age-old idea—that money can buy happiness—and offers fresh thoughts. It turns out having a padded bank account isn’t that important, at least when it comes to being as happy as most of us want to be. Among Lim’s most intriguing points:

• Money can lead to short-term pleasure—but this sensation wears off as soon as the newness of whatever you bought does.
• When we focus only on what makes us feel good, we’re missing out on the opportunity for sustainable happiness, which requires confronting and embracing difficult emotions.
• It’s smart to aim for a “greenhouse mindset,” which means experimenting with conditions to see what we need to thrive, and then nurturing what works.

READ THE STORY.