Issue #89: Which way to happy?
Step right this way for your dopamine menu, from quick, easy starters to meatier main courses.
‘Hot baths.’
‘Post-run endorphins.’
‘A crisp autumn walk with bright sunshine.’
‘A good novel.’
‘Raclette.’
‘Dogs. All dogs, everywhere.’
One evening earlier this week, I challenged my friend to a game as we walked to the Tube station together: name one thing that makes you happy.
It had been a particularly Mondayish Monday, with the grey-on-grey-on-grey of our east London surroundings not exactly helping the cause. It was a gloom even the cheese toasties we’d inhaled for lunch couldn’t mitigate. But, during the ten-minute walk to Whitechapel, we co-curated a list of reminders that not every day went like this one. That even this day could be turned around.
And look, that’s not always the case. Sometimes bad days do require a G&T and a cathartic ugly-cry. But when you’re eventually ready to turn a corner, it’s comforting to break out of the rut, and remember that sources of joy exist. The inspiration for my Tube walk game came from a concept I came across on my Instagram feed, shared by wellbeing coach
.A dopamine menu!
While Alice explains the concept much better than I, in the full caption to her Instagram post, I’ll paraphrase here. A dopamine menu is a list of ‘things to make your days more joyful, rather than less’. It’s split into different sections, ranging from starters (small, quick tasks) to mains – the ‘most fulfilling and rewarding’ which typically involve more of a time investment, plus desserts (little enjoyable boosts).
Sides are ‘things you can do alongside other tasks’. There’s also the option to add specials: ‘things you might not do so frequently but you know can be useful’ which I quite enjoy.
Once I got home, I had a go at doing this myself.*
STARTERS
Shared laughter
Morning coffee
A proper hug
Stroking a dog. All dogs, everywhere. But especially my parents’ dachshund.
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