Pick up your cell phone. If it's a few months or years old, try to remember when you first bought it. How shiny and light and scratch-free it was. How excited you were to sync up your accounts, take pictures and videos with the new camera, or play some games.

 And now? Be honest -- it's just your phone. You might not be able to get through a day -- or an hour -- without it, but even if you've kept it in good shape the shine and the newness are gone.

That's due to a phenomenon that psychologists call "hedonistic adaptation." Over a very short period of time, the things we buy just become more things that we have, and that initial bust of happiness we feel when we crack open the box returns to the baseline.

On the other hand, buying experiences tends to create happiness that sticks with us, reverberates with our loved ones, and improves Return on Life. Here are three reasons why:

Very few people love everything about their jobs. But even if you're someone who just clocks in and out for a paycheck, wouldn't it be nice to get a little more Return on Life from something you spend 40+ hours doing every single week? Whether you're looking into a career change or trying to reframe how you think about and perform at your job, here are four reasons to whistle while you work:

The demands of being a C-level executive can be so overwhelming that you might feel like you're "on call" even on your rare days off. If you're struggling to unplug from your work, perhaps you need to make more purposeful investments of time and energy into your hobbies. Adding some creative relaxation to your routine could help you make three big improvements that could reduce burnout and boost your Return on Life.

Unless you win the lottery, no financial plan is going to deliver massive overnight results that change your life. Even windfall events like getting a major promotion, or achieving a big exit from the company you started are all the end result of smaller achievements that gather and sustain momentum towards your ultimate goal.

Whether you want to save more, improve your health, or spend more quality time with your family, this simple three-step process can help you build momentum that will improve your Return on Life in the areas that matter the most to you.

Independence is an important value to all Americans. It's also a value that's central to how we feel about and use our money. When we feel financially free, we can make a wider variety of choices, pursue our passions, and find our ideal version of work-life balance. As we move past the 4th of July and head into the second half of the year, ask yourself how these three areas of financial independence are affecting your planning and how to get more Return on Life going forward.