Where are you getting your dopamine?
When I was over drinking, 5:00 couldn't get here soon enough.
I was striving for that finish line of my day- pouring that first glass of wine, changing out of my work clothes into something comfy and vegging out in front of the TV.
That was my life - work, wine, TV, with food and kids activities interspersed.
No wonder wine was so appealing.
I was getting all of my dopamine out of wine, not from my life.
Despite the fact that socializing has been limited the past couple of years, the lock down has also provided us with breathing room. Space to revisit the hobbies or activities that we didn't have time for in our crazy busy pre-pandemic times.
But there is no motivation to go out and do these things - sign up for a class to learn Mah Jongg or start that art project or book that you have been thinking about or anything else to create a life when your dopamine is being satisfied by wine.
If this resonates, and then very quickly devolves into a "now I am stuck" moment, don't let it.
Change ALWAYS starts with awareness.
It has to.
Because we can't change something that we can't see.
Now that you see it, what do you want to do about it?
If you want to break out of this cycle and create a life that gives you dopamine, a life that you don't want to numb out of, it's time to get purposeful.
Start by brainstorming all of the ways that you WANT to get your dopamine (aka the ways that you want to spend your time when you aren't wasting it getting wasted!)
Don't forget that you get a dopamine hit from achieving a goal.
You can use this to your advantage by setting and adhering to your drink plan. Achieving a goal that you establish for yourself feels great. Give yourself this gift and unwind your habit of drinking at the same time. Win- Win!
By making this shift in my own life, these are the changes I have made ... so far
I haven't felt like having a drink for over 2 years
I have healed my relationships with others and myself
I left my corporate career and started a new career
...and I feel like I am just getting started.
If you would like some help in figuring out how to do this for yourself, grab your time on my calendar here. Just last week, I was able to help someone make a mindset shift in her free session. A shift in perspective is all that is required to put yourself on a whole new track.
Are you ready?
Take care,
Caroline
PS- I had the great pleasure of talking with Bradley Charbonneau on his Repossible podcast - you can listen to it here. His message is so perfect with the dopamine conversation because his favorite question is - when are you going to start living the life that you were meant to live? Great reminder for all of us!
