The reverse of hedonic adaptation?

[pdean]

Hi all,
So I'm walking the dogs this am and pondering this excellent post from the Art of Manliness, http://www.artofmanliness.com/2016/08/15/what-do-you-want-to-want/ when I see a parking lot filling up with solo drivers in trucks and SUVs and I think, "A day when I don't drive is a good day."

Then I realized a couple of things about my day yesterday: 1. I didn't have to drive anywhere; 2. I was outside several times, exercising in the fresh air; 3. I ate healthy meals with no meat.

It made me wonder whether we don't need a term for the tendency I (and possibly others) have to overlook the positive actions/changes/trends in our daily lives, absorbing them thoughtlessly and proceeding to fixate on the next worthwhile actions/changes/trends that we desire to see happen in our lives.

Moral of the story: to give ourselves a little credit, a little slack.

Virtuistic adaptation?...

[GuitarStv]

Virtuous habit

It's a way of life that you have consciously chosen to perform, but has been done so often now that it's second nature and has coloured the way you view the world.

[pdean]

Right, @GuitarStv.

I just hope all of us who are striving to do better for ourselves and the world will pause and give ourselves the smallest, humblest pat on the back for the steps we've successfully taken.

[Us2bCool]

Yeah, good point. I live in the Bay Area, have a good job with a high salary and no commute...our HQ is a 7 minute drive from the house. I rarely appreciate it until my co- workers talk about the traffic on their drives in.

[Metric Mouse]

I smile every time I operate my favorite vehicle; the feeling that I'm the luckiest, happiest person on the planet. It's truly awesome to have the freedom to be the most actualized version of yourself you can be.  Life should be enjoyed, always, and not taken for granted.