Pleasure or Pain
Surely, if wonderful big things happen to us, we’ll be happier. And, conversely, if something terrible befalls us, we’ll be miserable. Well, yes and no. Although falling in love, inheriting money, and getting a promotion will feel as good as we think they will, it turns out those feelings are actually fleeting.
The upside of such adaptability is that it keeps us from dropping too low when we don’t get what we want. Think of it as a psychological immune system. Unconsciously, our minds go through impressive mental manoeuvres to limit or repair emotional damage, convincing us that were are not so bad off after all.
It is likewise true that realizing your ability to wind up pretty happy with any of a variety of possibilities before your natural resilience starts working will make you even happier in the end. If you were so sure life will be meaningless unless you get to be.
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