All children live in a world rich with surprises. Each new thing, no matter how ordinary, inspires a sense of wonder and delight. But novelty naturally declines with age, and our surroundings begin to dull with familiarity.
Ingrid Fetell Lee • Joyful: The surprising power of ordinary things to create extraordinary happiness
"What was once impressive is now the numbing baseline. What was once exceptional is now commonplace. My standards haven’t necessarily risen. It’s just that the “wow” factor has disappeared. Beauty has been standardized."
You take amazing things for granted when they become routine.
Morgan Housel • The Three Sides of Risk
You can rest assured that whatever kaleidoscope of stimulation (or even intoxication) the world conjures, you will get bored of it; getting bored is what we do, and it turns out to be a rather profound feature of our consciousness.
Have the realization that you blinked, your life happened, and you weren’t present in the decision-making process.
We lose curiosity—that sense of wonder and alertness that made everything exciting as a kid. Truthfully, I think our egos are to blame for this one. Curiosity would be admitting you don’t know something. We think we know how life works,
... See more