Habituation is the human propensity, in scientific terms, ‘to diminish our response to constant stimuli over time’. Or in plain English, our tendency to take things for granted and in doing so, rob life of its richness and fullness. In excess, habituation fuels boredom and leads to listlessness and ennui, a loss of meaning and purpose.
Multiple solutions exist; the first is to keep a Gratitude Journal or to start each day with listing 5-7 things you value/appreciate in your life. Remember! What you focus on expands! A related technique is to voraciously express your appreciation to those around you; make it a goal to hourly give a sincere (preferably specific) compliment or thank you. Consider thanking someone out of the blue, even (or especially) for something that occurred a while ago if it still brings a small smile to your lips or a warm glow of memory to your heart.
Another powerful technique is a mental game called Deprivation Exercise: imagine things you value start disappearing; you lose your home, your bestie passes, your health suddenly deteriorates…
Finding or scheduling things to look forward to, even small pleasures or rewards, gives your life vital forward momentum as does constantly seeking ways to bring new or unusual things into your life, looking for ways to expand your comfort zones.
Closing Quotes:
“Things you may take for granted, other people are praying for.” – Marlan Rico Lee
“Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted.” – Aldous Huxley, 1894-1963, Brave New World
“When you take things for granted, you diminish their importance and may even jeopardize their very existence.” – Frank Sonnenberg, b. 1954
As always, I share what I most want and need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier
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