When Everything Becomes Normal, Nothing Feels Special

When I was in middle school and high school, my parents didnā€™t allow me to drink soda.

But they had a secret stash of Coca-Cola in the garage fridge.

I still donā€™t know why it was there. My parents didnā€™t drink soda. Maybe it was for guests. Maybe it was just inertia. But I knew it existed and that was enough.

Whenever I was stressed about school or upset at them, Iā€™d sneak into the garage and take a sip out of one of the 20oz bottles.

That sip wasnā€™t about the soda. It was about rebellion. Self-soothing. Control. It was a quiet ā€œf youā€ to rules I didnā€™t agree with, and a small moment of calm in the garage when I needed it.

Today, Iā€™m an adult. I have adult money. I can buy soda whenever I want.

And because of that, soda means nothing to me now.

Scarcity creates anticipation

Anticipation amplifies experience

Unlimited access removes anticipation

Without anticipation, pleasure decays into habit

Standing in an immigration line in Vietnam last week, I realized something uncomfortable: this was a Tuesday for me.

For the people around me, this was a once-in-a-lifetime moment. First time in Asia. First time in Vietnam. Something theyā€™d talk about for years.

I missed that uncertainty, that joy, the nervousness traveling to a new country. At this point, Iā€™ve visited 60 countries in the world. Iā€™ve had that ā€˜new country experienceā€™ 59 times in my life and that novelty is waning.

I donā€™t think happiness comes from adding more things.

I think it comes from protecting the things that still feel special.

So this year, Iā€™m not trying to upgrade my life, introducing new luxuries to post about on IG of Threads.

Instead, in 2026 I want to restore contrast.





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