Dopamine detox? Romanticise the hell out of life!

If you’ve ever taken time to understand how the brain and nervous system works or have found yourself feeling highs then lows after eating lets say, fast food and using social media you may have some awareness of how the reward centres of the brain work…..

When individuals engage in activities that activate the reward centre, the brain and nervous system releases chemicals which make us want to keep returning to the activity. This can be both a good and bad thing depending on how you apply this to your day to day life. Are you consciously aware of what is happening whilst you are achieving these highs that want you to keep engaging, or are you unaware and then left wondering why you feel dips in your energy or mood?

I am currently a parent of two young children and this is an area of interest to me because as a parent I have to do lots of activities that aren’t hugely stimulating and don’t necessarily activate these reward systems. So what are the alternatives for people who want to take ownership of how they are feeling, or for people like me who are limited in the amount we can access the dopamine rush of highly rewarding activities?

I like to return to a game I call, “Romanticise the Hell Out Of Life!” How does this game go? It starts by slowing right down in a moment and focusing hard on an aesthetically pleasing, or an auditory stimulating noise that is pleasant, for example, focussing on a flower’s details or the sound of a bird song. Once you’ve found your focus, how much detail can you pull out of that moment? Can you notice the creases of petals, the way the sunlight catches the flora at different angles, and so forth…..

Did you know that this can also be extended and transcended onto the dependents we spend time with like children and pets? The constant games of fetch and other high-intensity workouts that are placed on dogs activate these reward centres too, which means dogs, (for example) may struggle to move on to the next task or slow down, without a considerate handler who has an awareness of how these repetitive and energising games impact an actor. You can transfer “Romanticise the Hell Out of Life!” onto your dog, too. The first step is having an awareness of how you behave around your pet, via your movement and the energy you are portraying. I dare you! Next time you fancy going on a jog with your dog, instead you go for a sniffarri instead.

Enjoy!
R xxxxx