Since I came across this brilliant article a while back, I have been advocating this approach to how we view lives of others and our own.
The article focuses on a term known as Hedonic adaptation. The principle states that we return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events in our lives.
I find this axiom especially useful when we start looking at the perceived success of others and start thinking if only I had that I would be happier. When faced with such a circumstance I would advise we take the approach of remembering that your overall level of happiness is unlikely to change, regardless of your wish for your "child to be like X student who is top of the class” etc.
As the link itself is quite lengthy I am going to keep this week’s newsletter short and finish with an apt quote:
“Comparison is the death of Joy” - Mark Twain
Further Reading
1. The New Normal [A really cool short video on this topic]
2. Life is a picture but you live in a pixel [The article]
As always, your comments and thoughts are welcome on the topic.
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