Their effort is an attempt to deal with an idea that has been kicking around for four decades, called Hedonic Adaptation, or the Hedonic Treadmill. That theory suggests that good things may move us up on the happiness scale, but in time the glow dims and we return to a point established chiefly by genetics. Bad things may move us down on the scale, but the impact of even traumatic experiences also diminishes over time, although some research suggests it's harder to forget the bad than remember the good. We deal as best as we can with bad things as a way of avoiding depression, and that forces us back up the happiness scale. And as for the good things, as soon as we get them, we want more, thus pushing us back down toward the median.↵
Sheldon and Lyubomirsky argue that simple lifestyle changes can help keep us a bit happier, despite pessimism from the current literature that the pursuit of happiness may be largely futile, as Lyubomirsky puts it. It all comes down to two words: variety and appreciation. There's a new love in your life? Keep it alive by introducing new experiences and variety. That will keep the relationship fresh and rewarding, and, well, happy. Appreciate what you've got. To appreciate something is to savor it, to feel grateful for it, to recognize that one might never have gotten it, or might lose it, the study says.↵
Without that, you're likely going to lose interest and cast about for something better, whether it's a new mate or a new car. It seems we are never satisfied, and that brings the happiness barometer down. The researchers tested 481 students over two semesters to measure their level of happiness and determine if savoring a good thing could last even a few weeks. In most cases, it didn't. The participants quickly returned to their regular levels of happiness. But some participants were able to maintain that elevated level of happiness by keeping the memory alive and appreciating what they already had.