Do you remember the euphoria of the new house or car you bought? Or perhaps the excitement of getting a raise at work, getting married, indulging in the latest gadget, and so forth? We naturally experience a boost in our happiness when we obtain things that once we would fantasize about. However, the exhilaration soon dies down as the novelty wears off. We find ourselves in search of the next thing that will again spike our happiness.
Psychologists refer to this cycle as the “hedonic treadmill.†Hedonia refers to short-lived pleasures. And while we work out a sweat on the treadmill, we remain in the same place. Thus, it is a cycle of chasing happiness by acquiring more things and indulging in pleasures of the senses, without satisfaction. We can run the rat race, buy expensive cars, go on luxury vacations, and accumulate more “stuff,†however, they don’t give us long-term happiness. The sudden surge in happiness levels off soon after we obtain the object of our happiness. Because of this, the hedonic treadmill is also called “hedonic adaptation.â€
It is noted that our happiness recalibrates to baseline levels in both good and bad circumstances. Hence, we adapt to our new situation and don’t find either happiness or much distress in it. Lottery winners experience an initial “high.†However, studies have shown that they soon return to their previous levels of happiness once the freshness wears off and they adapt to the new norm. The same is witnessed in accident victims who become handicapped. After the initial depression, they soon habituate to their pre-accident level of well-being.
So, how do we get off the hedonic treadmill and attain lasting satisfaction? Here are some tips to help you do that:
Find your purpose. Engage in meaningful activities that evoke passion in you. Things such as volunteering your time for a noble cause or even small gestures of kindness that make a difference in someone’s life, add purpose to life. Being a “giver†gives inner satisfaction.
Practice gratitude. We often take our many blessings for granted. The familiar becomes mundane and uninteresting. Instead, if we shift our focus to appreciating the abundance in our lives, we will naturally raise our level of fulfillment.
Do a “hedonic reset.†Resist the short-term pleasures such as TV, desserts, or coffee/tea. Divert your mind to purposeful pursuits such as reading a good book, listening to a discourse, or meditation. Restricting oneself from mundane enjoyment builds willpower, fosters moderation, and gives us more control over our happiness.
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