Enjoy & Have Fun
For A Healthier Brain & A Brain Healthy Dessert
Did you know that when you enjoy life and have fun, that you are more productive and have happier relationships?! It's true. In addition, you stay focused and on task better. Not to mention the fact that your mental health is, well, healthier! :) There is a time and place for serious, hard work but our perspective on that work makes a huge impact on our wellbeing. Life, even work, does not have to be drudgery.
Let’s just acknowledge the fact that when we aren’t doing well nothing is very satisfying, not even the things we plan - just for fun. It's well known that human beings function better when we have things to look forward to - especially fun things! When we don't, we can get desperate - and that is a dangerous place to be.
People, not just teenagers, do things that don't fit with their values in an effort to find some joy, excitement, or fun in life. Whether you eat the whole plate of cookies, party too hard, or maybe, if you're more desperate, you stray outside the boundaries of marriage.
When we violate our own values seeking a dopamine high . . .
When that dopamine high wears off, we are back to where we were, or worse - still down in the dumps and now feeling guilty. Ooof! That is no fun!! There is a better way.
Let's look at healthy ways to lighten up so we can enjoy life and also have some good healthy fun. It's important! When we take steps to lessen our stress, have less anxiety and take life a little less seriously, our life gets better. But when we are stuck in a rut of boredom, numbness or depression, we have a hard time figuring out how to take those steps.
Sometimes a walk down memory lane is helpful. Everyone has a few good memories and by reflecting on better times it can help us understand ourselves and open our eyes to what made life better back then. Here is an exercise that can help.
Jot down 3 good experiences you enjoyed and what you felt - the experience and the feeling. I’ll give you some examples to hopefully give you some clarity on how to do the exercise.
1. The experience: When I presented a new idea and my boss thought it was so good, she shared it with the team.
The feeling: I loved feeling like an important part of the team and I felt smart.
2. The experience: When I surprised my wife with tickets to Le Mis and she was so excited she cried and hugged me a long time.
The feeling: She clearly knew how important she is to me and I loved that feeling of connectedness.
3. The experience: Teaching a class.
The feeling: Accomplished. I like feeling good enough at something to be able to teach it.
Everyone's fun looks different. By looking at what you write, you will see what you need more of in your life. In the examples above, the person valued teamwork, knowledge, connection with their spouse and feeling accomplished.
When we know what makes us feel good, it can help direct us.
You can do the same kind of exercise by writing down experiences that you thought were really fun. Articulating what about the experience was fun can help you figure out other things you could do that would meet that need.
Having more joy in life is likely going to come one step at a time, but when you start taking those steps, that bit of life it gives you will likely propel you to continue making changes. Some people, like me, even at their best, struggle.
After my brain scan, (part of getting my Brain Health Professional certification) it was suggested that I try the supplement Lithium Orotate. People who've known me a long time may have noticed that I can be a little too even keeled - stable and peaceful... So much so that I don't often get the elation of happiness others experience. I knew this before the scan but it was SO interesting that they saw it and could tell me why!
Lithium, the drug, has been used for years as a psychiatric drug and has some serious side effects (read more). However lithium orotate is so safe you do not need a prescription.
If you suspect that you are dopamine deficient, I highly recommend this supplement. I'm thankful it is not expensive because I take 2 a day. On Fullscript it's $10.49 for 60 capsules.
I hope that you'll take time to reflect on some good memories. Better yet, I hope that you'll write them down and note of what makes you feel good. Because when you feel better, you act better, you stay on task and are more productive. Your relationships improve and so does your mental health!
Brain Healthy Dessert
To make this vegan, skip the yogurt or use coconut yogurt - that is a great option!!
