This creates what psychologists call the “hedonic treadmill.” You’re always running toward the next source of pleasure, but the satisfaction never lasts. Each experience becomes your new normal, requiring more intense stimulation to achieve the same emotional high. But when you deprive yourself of pleasure, the opposite happens. A hedonic treadmill reversal. Slowly, then rapidly, simple pleasures become enjoyable again. You experience what Buddhists call the beginner’s mind. You notice the detail in the sky when you’re on a walk outside. You notice the hint of rosemary in the well-cooked meal. Life becomes electric, as it should be.