The act of purchasing something we want is one way we activate that hormone, which quite literally makes us happier. “I do collect things when I’m feeling down,” Hodge said. Hanging on to the things that bring us joy can be powerful amidst the hard moments in life. As young adults begin to get older and face more stress, being able to afford stuff to make us feel better is pretty neat. She collects Sonny Angels while I collect Smiskis, and we both agree our respective trinkets accurately reflect our personalities.