MY DOPAMINE MENU: When Life is a Mess, I Go Back To These 5 Basic Steps
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I have to admit: I’m easily overwhelmed, easily carried away, and prone to spiraling downward. Maybe it’s the city I live in (New York City), the dauntingly long (and never ending) to do list, or the fact that I’m just an adult now, but one moment I’m in a really good headspace and routine and the next I’m in that familiar embrace with anxiety. This used to paralyze me, but I’ve danced this dance plenty of times through my 20’s and now—in the last year before turning 30—I find myself not so ill-equipped when these waves come.
You see, I’ve developed my own unique dopamine menu. What is a dopamine menu, you ask? It’s a cocktail of ingredients (read: activities) I do to get my feet back on the ground again. Even when my emotions scream they want to stay in bed, I disconnect my brain from the feelings and put it on autopilot. I have five simple activities that, without fail, get me on the right tracks again. And this works no matter what the issue at hand is. I understand that anything could trigger these bouts of hopelessness, stress, or exhaustion. Relationships might be taking a weird turn, jobs might not be going your way, or some completely mysterious spell just got cast on you (in other words, sometimes you don’t really know what is happening). Those issues might not go away, but how you handle and feel about them can change drastically if you’re in the right mindset. So after allowing myself to wallow and rest for a hot minute, I engage in the following dopamine menu.
Journal
First thing’s first: organize the mind. Journaling always helps me get my mind and emotions right again, plus, I can do it in the comfort of my bed. It also gives your issues a chance to be released — from the brain out through the hand. Get into the habit of penning your feelings at least twice a week.
Read
I prefer reading simple feel-good romance novels because it 1) allows me to forget the bad stuff going on in my real life and 2) acts as a motivational story — something to aspire to. It also kind of minimizes the seriousness of whatever it is you’re going through, reminding you that there are other “lives” out there to enjoy.
Decrease my screen time
This is key key key. That doom-scrolling has a serious impact on your mental health. In my case, it makes me feel like a zombie, and it steal precious brain time when I could be having unique, original thoughts. Allow your brain to breathe and function on its own without the help of meaningless short video clips.
Eat right
Anytime I’m feeling down, I realize I’m simultaneously eating badly. That’s when I know it’s time to stock up on kale, spinach, frozen mangos, chickpeas, carrots, blueberries, and whatnots. Less frozen foods and more meal prepping. You’ll be surprised how much simply eating right can uplift the mood and give your brain some clarity.
Exercise
Listen, that endorphin rush that comes from exercising is real. And it’s not just the feeling of being strong and active — when the world is crashing down around you, exercising is the one place where you can feel in control. I always think if I exercise, journal, read, and travel, then I’m unstoppable. No one can tell me shiiiit (except my mommy).
Editor’s note: I think it’s important to have your dopamine menu be a short one. No one wants to check off a long list of things to do when they’re feeling down. Remember that your energy is already at an all time low, so promise yourself simple, easy, and short tasks that don’t feel too daunting on the exhausted mind.
