Exploring the World with Receptivity and Expectation free essay sample

Like everyone else, we eventually get bored of noticing the same things day after day. What we like to do is explore and move away from expectations. There must be some activity or pastime that triggers such excitement towards new destinations. Maybe it is the dull continuity and repetition of similar surroundings that is making us desperate to discover new things. In â€Å"On Habit† by Alain de Botton, de Botton makes distinctions between the â€Å"traveling mindset† and a â€Å"habituated† view of the world in the line between receptivity and expectation. The mindset described as habituated, is dull to the human mind and life because it takes on a pattern in which there is no spontaneity for an individual to explore new ideas and experiences. The mindset is not necessarily an indication that the real world provides no intellectual or emotional satisfaction for the human being, rather it is inside the mind of the individual that confines him or her to believe that there is nothing to look forward to. By believing that there is nothing new to see or learn, we no longer find interest in places we encounter or pass through. On the other hand, a traveling mindset† is concentrated on receptivity, meaning, the willingness to process and find value in human experiences and knowledge. The whole purpose between the distinctions of the â€Å"traveling mindset† and a â€Å"habituated† view of the world is not necessarily trying to prove which one is better but rather a way to show how the human approach to daily life needs to be set on learning new lessons and experiences. An individual that has an open mind to the new opportunities and learning experiences that surround every day life look at people, places, and events with an eager desire to engage them with a â€Å"traveling mindset† approach. This is evoked from a receptive attitude. Receptivity is said to be the â€Å"chief characteristic† of a traveling mindset (de Botton 62). When a person has such receptivity then their surroundings are no longer habituated. For example, â€Å"I forced myself to obey a peculiar kind of mental command: to look around me as though I had never been in this place before. And slowly, my travels began to bear fruit. † (de Botton 63). After reading de Maistre’s work, de Botton tries to reverse the process of habituation by disassociating his surroundings; he then approaches his neighborhood as if everything around him was something ew. By doing so, he discovers new things and learns to appreciate the buildings and site that were already there. If one were to approach his or her locales with a â€Å"traveling mindset†, they’ll begin to notice objects that release latent layers of value. They will then start to notice more traits that make up your environment , things that were not noticed before. This would allow people to remind themselves how certain means contributed differently to their lives. Rather than just simply acknowledging an object’s basic functions, we have to appreciate its inner worth nd value. As people, we are capable of completely evolving in life through our change of outlooks. The idea that we are in control of our lives is often questioned, as new ideas are introduced. We are more inclined on our destination rather than the journey and approach it took to reach there. On the contrary, â€Å"the pleasure we derive from journeys is perhaps dependent more on the mindset with which we travel than on the destination we travel to† (de Botton 61). When we’re traveling, it doesn’t matter where we’re going but what does matter is our psychological state. By approaching a journey with no rigid ideas of what’s interesting, we allow ourselves to avoid expectations towards new places. â€Å"On entering a new space, our sensitivity, is directed towards a number of elements, which we gradually reduce in line with the function we find for space† (de Botton 63). Tourists, for example, approach places as if everything appeared to be fascinating; they are more focused on the beautiful nature rather than functions. With that said, tourists, risk getting run over because they are too busy intrigued by all the small details. With a â€Å"traveling mindset†, there is no expectation of the function we find for space ecause everything is considered as a potentially useful. People who perceive with the habituated view of the world â€Å"had fallen into the habit of considering their universe to be boring – and it had duly fallen into the line with their expectation† (de Botton 62). The profound insight of habituation de Botton provides us deeply suggest that people feel despair towards new discoveries. Expectations can often lead to disappointments; it reflects objectivity as well as sensitivity. By developing a grid of interests, one would mainly be focused on getting from one place to another and not appreciate the esthetic quality of the places themselves. With thousands of things that might be seen, we end up aware of only a few. We’ll worry about the battery on our phone, what we’re eating next, and when we’re able to cross the street. We’re constantly focused on factors that only affect us directly; anything that would not assist us to reach our destination would then be considered irrelevant and unnecessa ry. A goal-orientated approach is always at odds with the â€Å"traveling mindset† because it over complicates our objectivity; it is the freedom to enjoy uncertainty that is more self-rewarding. Often times, people who adapt the habituated view of the world will find their homes to be really dull. The sense of familiarly will continue to overwhelm their minds as they feel the need to explore. â€Å"It seems inconceivable that there could be anything new to find in a place which we lived in for a decade or more. We have become habituated and therefore blind† (de Botton 62). When we are presented with repeated circumstances, we become accustomed to habituation; what we need is a way to revitalize ourselves. Some people revitalize themselves by going on vacation; others simply accept and appreciate what each moment offers. The issue is that we spend too much time on functionality, worrying about how things should be done rather than just doing it. The greater appreciation for daily life is the feeling of uncertainty, if we were to wake up everyday knowing exactly what to look forward to then there would not be much meaning or significance of our lives. Expectations are not a negative mindset; rather they need to take on a traveling mindset, one that is open to spontaneous activities. It is true that, you will be obligated to act certain ways depending on your physical environment but the important thing lies on the approach of your surroundings. The â€Å"traveling mindset† is more open to unlikely scenarios; it is an attempt to approach news places with humility and curiosity. There is no indifference because everything is considered as a potential interest. While, a â€Å"habituated† approach is rather filled with expectations and grids of interest that dictate no spontaneity. Certainly, the richness and complexity of one’s day would then be diminished. With a set of interests, we are limiting possibilities beyond our control. This type of mindset will mainly make you aware of factors that directly correlates to us; we would not be ware of our surroundings and thus, missing the whole picture behind our paths. A â€Å"habituated† view of the world might not be the favorable mindset but it still pertains to what holds true to one’s identity. Conversely, we’re suppose to be inspired by the idea of the â€Å"traveling mindset† that make our daily lives less of a schedule and mor e like a journey. It brings forth the idea of being able to approach your surroundings freely with no expectations. There is no doubt that each mindset has its own set of characteristics but understand that the freedom we get and deserve is solely based on one’s receptivity and expectation.