The Livin' is Easy ?

I wonder if there was a point in time our culture began believing that with some unknown intervention (riches come, stars align, salvation "fixes" life, retirement happens, diseases cured) our life will be easy.  As I look back over this past year - the challenges and the rewards - and anticipate the next year - the anticipated challenges and  rewards - why do we expect, hope, the next year will be anything better than the last? Seems to me like the true reward is in the depth of life day to day, moment to moment. I hope to live in the spot where I don't strive to live for the next day, but rather to reap the meaning of the moment.