Word that means replacing bad things with good things

Question

I'm looking for an existing word that roughly means "the process or idea of replacing bad/negative elements/deeds with good/positive elements/deeds, such as when a negative thing is eliminated at the same time that a positive thing is added".

In terms of words that would not fit this goal are words that could (to some people) mean only the elimination of bad or the addition of good without the other half.

Here is an example sentence showing the usage:

I live my life with _____ so that I'm not just removing bad habits, but I'm filling the hole created by removing the bad habits with the addition of good habits, which both maintains my ability to fight returning to the bad habit while also creating a positive element at the same time.

Answer 1

I'd say the most succinct way to convey the situation described by OP is to call it a piecemeal upgrade.

piecemeal adjective
done, made, or accomplished piece by piece or in a fragmentary way
Example usage: piecemeal reforms in the system

Generally speaking, this adjective is used disapprovingly. It's usually thought better to fix everything at once, within the context of an overall design. Doing things bit by bit means you always have to maintain "backward compatibility" for those elements not yet upgraded.

Answer 2

Amelioration comes pretty close. It is similar to the word improvement; but amelioration means improving something negative/bad, while improvement is not necessarily improving something bad.

Cambridge provides this succinct definition of amelioration:

the process of making a bad or unpleasant situation better

Note: Amelioration may not naturally fit your example sentence which you've added later to the original post. Perhaps, you could use a more general phrase like "a positive attitude/mindset" in your example sentence to sound more natural.

Answer 3

Repentance.

I personally don't accept that definition of the word I proposed, but it is a documented definition none-the-less. As far as I am concerned, repentance is a feeling of remorse, or regret for ones actions, thoughts, etc. and the change that comes afterward is something else entirely. However, with all of that being said, according to Merriam-Webster, I am wrong.

Answer 4

After getting some great answers and doing some research, I believe that "transplantation" is probably the best word for this that exists. The only problem with it is that it's typically associated with adding something positive that previously existed. "Liver transplantation" would refer to a good liver turning into a bad liver and then being removed while a good liver is added. In contrast, I would be referring to something that was never good being replaced by something that is new and good.

That said, I don't think such a word is likely to exist.