🤗DopaMenu😍

 

😁Have you created your DopaMenu?😳

Well Hello There 🤗, fellow Gen-X-Ers!

It's good to be back online, and getting into the swing of things. As the summer holidays draw to an end "real life" seems to sneak back into our daily routines. To help keep that happy summer vibe going I wanted to focus this week on giving ourselves a little pick-me-up tool for when it's needed. 

This is the time of year when our heads are sent back to work, and our focus is sharpened to achieve all the tasks we have let slip a little over the summer.  We know before long and in the blink of an eye, we will be headlong into planning the Christmas Holidays, so the pressure is on! Sorry, I can't help to mention the "C" word even in September.....! 

Have you come across the DopaMenu? 

I had a spark of inspiration (thanks to my daughter) and have been researching and looking into this fairly new fad the Dopamine Menu or DopaMenu for short. This creative idea is a great self-motivational tool, once created you have easy access to see a personalised list of your favourite things to do. Having made my own menu and seeing some great results, I decided to share this with you, hoping to inspire you to create your own DopaMenu. 

Let me explain a little bit about this concept!

Dopamine is the brain's reward system, a neurotransmitter which is the messenger in our brain highlighting the feeling of pleasure and reward. This is activated when we partake in an activity that we enjoy, it makes us want to go back for more. At this point, what springs to mind? I instantly think “Chocolate” 🤪.  Dopamine has been linked to many behaviours and conditions such as addiction, and motivation alongside mood regulation.

Things that activate dopamine range from, the food we love eating, seeing friends, achieving a goal and exercising. So in effect, the dopamine “feel good” result is imperative, without this feeling, we would lack motivation and be lethargic. The dopamine hit is our reward and assists in reinforcing habits. Of course, not all our habits are good such as alcohol or digital addictions, so we are looking to focus on the positive ones!

A DopaMenu is where you piece together your personalised list of "Feel Good" activities and create a menu of five areas, similar to a food menu it's divided into the following:

Starters, 5 to 10 minutes, a quick dopamine boost to get in the zone quickly

Mains, 45 minutes, full dopamine boost takes much longer and gives more fulfilment

Sides, These accompany another task such as starters and mains to make it more engaging

Desserts, Not designed to be had every day as it's an indulgent treat, Good, sometimes but easy to overdo! 

Specials Extras treats that are few and far between

Here are some examples for you;

• Starters -Change linen on your bed, Tidy your desk, Make tea, Meditate, Water plants, 1-minute plank, Write your morning pages.
• Mains - Learn a new hobby/Skill, Self-care routine (hair, nails skin), Shop at the farmers market, Gardening.
• Sides - Listen to podcasts/music, Light a scented candle, Get a chilled water, Learn a new word. 
• Desserts - Scroll social media, Sugary treats
• Specials - Plan a trip, Book an excursion or concert, Splash out on a new special handbag.  

Are you ready to be self-indulgent and consider what makes your brain tick with a dopamine hit? I invite you to take some time out, make a tea or coffee, and find some colourful pens and a piece of paper now you are all set to create your own DopaMenu. 

If you are feeling overwhelmed, then let's first write a list of what makes you feel happy; giving your pet a cuddle, pulling the weeds out of the garden, making a pot of tea, reading a book..... anything that you can think of, singing out loud when hovering the carpet. The sky's the limit here! Don't be shy!

Let me know how you get on with your ideas by adding a comment below, feel free to share your thoughts and any ideas to assist in inspiring other readers!

Catch up again soon 💜X💜