Wikipedia defines hedonic treadmill as, “the observed tendency of humans to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events or life changes.” Interesting….but what’s that have to do with gratitude?
Based on the hedonic treadmill concept we live with a baseline happiness level and since so much of life is a routine it may be hard to feel heartfelt gratitude except for the new, novel and exciting.
Here are a few ideas that help bring about a deeper sense of appreciation and contentment plus raise your baseline of happiness.
- Look at the negative. Look at the difficulties you don’t have. For example, if you are blessed with good health then reflect or learn about health problems others suffer from. The same applies to family, friends, income and more. Some people don’t have a friends…
- Reflect on the changes. Contemplate the positive changes or improvements in your life. The changes may be in material goods, a recovered illness, a better friend group, breaking a bad habit or getting married — the list goes on.
- Dig deep. Think about the series of events or steps involve in a particular blessing.
For example, a cup of hot tea; 1) no need to go to the well, water comes from the faucet via modern plumbing, 2) a cup can be cheaply and easily purchased instead of carving a cup from wood or making it from glass or clay, 3) water is easily and nearly instantly heated – compare that to starting a fire, 4) tea and sugar are readily available at the grocery store not via ancient trade routes.
When you take the time to look a little deeper at the blessings in life your baseline happiness will be elevated and that, my friend, is a good thing!
Yitzhak Sasson 