Have you ever wondered why “out of the ordinary” days stick with you the most? Maybe it was the day you met a lifelong friend, the moment you set your eyes on a beautiful landscape in a new country, or the birth of a child.
When we enjoy novel experiences such as these, research shows that our brains get a rush of dopamine, which lights up our pleasure center and makes us feel happy.
It’s also true that humans thrive on predictable routines. Habit formation is key to maintaining long-term physical and mental health.
Now that I’ve experienced the highlights of my college years, a decade of marriage, and the joys of having children, I realize that it’s habits and not novelty that lay the foundation of a good life….