How to be happy, fulfilled and motivated like your ancestors.
A dopamine reset guide.
A dopamine reset guide.
Disclaimer: This will be a longer read.
Before we get started, let’s look at what dopamine actually is.
Dopamine is a chemical released by your brain to give you the satisfying feeling of doing something useful.
Dopamine is a chemical released by your brain to give you the satisfying feeling of doing something useful.
In our primal years as humans, this would’ve meant:
- Finding food
- Procreating
- Finding a cave as shelter
- Producing tools
- Etc.
All would’ve given us a very satisfying feeling after.
- Finding food
- Procreating
- Finding a cave as shelter
- Producing tools
- Etc.
All would’ve given us a very satisfying feeling after.
This is good.
It gives us motivation to do such activities.
But, in the modern day and age, we have everything at our fingertips and don’t need to work for our dopamine hits anymore.
It gives us motivation to do such activities.
But, in the modern day and age, we have everything at our fingertips and don’t need to work for our dopamine hits anymore.
This is a problem, as you most likely know.
This thread will serve as a guide to those of you feeling numb and seemingly not enjoying life as much as you could.
This thread will serve as a guide to those of you feeling numb and seemingly not enjoying life as much as you could.
First, we should identify the problematic sources:
- Porn and masturbation
- TikTok
- Alcohol/stimulants
- TV shows
- Netflix
- Too many dumb YouTube videos
- Processed foods high in sugar
- Casual sex
I have probably forgotten some, but you get the point.
- Porn and masturbation
- TikTok
- Alcohol/stimulants
- TV shows
- Netflix
- Too many dumb YouTube videos
- Processed foods high in sugar
- Casual sex
I have probably forgotten some, but you get the point.
These are all bad, because they are all unnatural resources. They blast your dopamine receptors, which make them numb to the novel resources of nature.
Now, which are these natural resources?
Now, which are these natural resources?
Think of:
- Walking
- Reading
- Having deep conversations
- Journalling/writing
- Cleaning/ doing basic tasks around the house
- Training sports/fighting
- Lifting
- Eating well
- Taking care of yourself
- Cuddling
- Taking a warm bath
- Taking a cold shower
Just to name some.
- Walking
- Reading
- Having deep conversations
- Journalling/writing
- Cleaning/ doing basic tasks around the house
- Training sports/fighting
- Lifting
- Eating well
- Taking care of yourself
- Cuddling
- Taking a warm bath
- Taking a cold shower
Just to name some.
These are all natural things to do, that will give you steady, sustainable resources of dopamine and won’t make you crash afterwards lingering for more.
Basically, doing these things will make you fulfilled.
Basically, doing these things will make you fulfilled.
Now that we have identified both the good and the bad, how do you rearrange your life in such a way that you can start becoming more fulfilled?
1. Identify the problematic pleasure activities for you
Not every activity is as bad as the other. Identify which harm you.
Some people’s go-to way to escape is through drugs, whilst others’ is through Netflix and cookies.
Find what is hurting you and write them down.
Not every activity is as bad as the other. Identify which harm you.
Some people’s go-to way to escape is through drugs, whilst others’ is through Netflix and cookies.
Find what is hurting you and write them down.
By identifying them through writing, you make them tangible.
You can look at them objectively, which allows you to tackle the problem more effectively.
You can look at them objectively, which allows you to tackle the problem more effectively.
2. Identify your ideal self
Now that you have identified the problematic activities that don’t suit you
It’s time to start writing again.
This time, you want to write about your ideal self.
Now that you have identified the problematic activities that don’t suit you
It’s time to start writing again.
This time, you want to write about your ideal self.
1. Get a piece of paper
2. Just start writing
3. Have no desired outcome
Just let your fantasy do the work.
2. Just start writing
3. Have no desired outcome
Just let your fantasy do the work.
Where do you envision yourself in 1-10 years?
What does your ideal self do on a day-to-day basis?
How does he look? What energy does he vibrate? What does he feel?
Go through all the landmarks.
Just start writing. Detach yourself from outcomes.
What does your ideal self do on a day-to-day basis?
How does he look? What energy does he vibrate? What does he feel?
Go through all the landmarks.
Just start writing. Detach yourself from outcomes.
3. Find which natural activities accommodate the ideal identity
What would your ideal self do?
Which habits does he participate in?
Write these down as well, just as in the previous two steps.
What would your ideal self do?
Which habits does he participate in?
Write these down as well, just as in the previous two steps.
You will find that a lot of activities speak to you. You adore these activities.
They will give you a sense of calmness, by just thinking about them.
They will give you a sense of calmness, by just thinking about them.
How nice would it be if you could just spend your day lifting, nourishing, walking, reading and cuddling and be fucking happy?
Exactly. This is what we’re aiming for.
Exactly. This is what we’re aiming for.
4. Look at your daily routine critically
Now, this is where it gets spicy.
What you want to do is this:
Now, this is where it gets spicy.
What you want to do is this:
Write down your daily routine, on a piece of paper (yes I know — a lot of writing, but this is part of the reset so trust me).
Preferably go through every hour of your day, but you could do every 30-120 mins.
Preferably go through every hour of your day, but you could do every 30-120 mins.
Any longer than that is not preferable, as things will get too vague.
Write down in detail what you do at these times.
Write down in detail what you do at these times.
5. Match the harmful activities with your earlier list
So, get out your list from the first step.
What activities your wrote down there, do you recognize in your daily routine?
So, get out your list from the first step.
What activities your wrote down there, do you recognize in your daily routine?
If there are none, you either lied to yourself or you’re just better than you thought. I leave that up to you.
But if there are matches, good. Then those times are your focus points.
But if there are matches, good. Then those times are your focus points.
They are probably problematic timeframes during your days where you’re either bored, or just have time in between tasks.
Whatever it is, you need healthy replacements for those times.
Whatever it is, you need healthy replacements for those times.
6. Plan these natural activities
So like I mentioned above — instead of planning NOT to watch TV or porn — we are going to plan what we ARE going to do.
For example, let’s say you watch porn every day when you get home from work between 6 and 6:30 PM.
So like I mentioned above — instead of planning NOT to watch TV or porn — we are going to plan what we ARE going to do.
For example, let’s say you watch porn every day when you get home from work between 6 and 6:30 PM.
Instead of doing that, you are now going to take a 30 mins walk. Write this down in a new daily schedule.
So, same schedule as before but now with the natural activity planned.
So, same schedule as before but now with the natural activity planned.
Remember? By writing it down you make things tangible.
You just made a commitment to yourself.
This is the first step to break free.
Now, do this for any harmful activities you might have in your daily routine.
You just made a commitment to yourself.
This is the first step to break free.
Now, do this for any harmful activities you might have in your daily routine.
7. Execute
Understand this: This will NOT be easy.
The first couple of weeks, you will need to rely on a lot of willpower.
BUT — once you get through these life will get easier and more exciting again.
Understand this: This will NOT be easy.
The first couple of weeks, you will need to rely on a lot of willpower.
BUT — once you get through these life will get easier and more exciting again.
What can help is to write down your why on a piece of paper and stick it somewhere where you normally conduct in self-harming behavior.
This could be the bedroom, kitchen or living room.
As long as you can see it very clearly.
This could be the bedroom, kitchen or living room.
As long as you can see it very clearly.
Also, it can help a lot to do this with an accountability partner, for example your spouse or best friend.
Do this together.
When the going gets tough for either, you can help each other push through.
Do this together.
When the going gets tough for either, you can help each other push through.
But this guide is designed with the sole purpose of making your life more enjoyable, so this should get easier over time.
8. Evaluate your days
This is a crucial step.
When you’re executing, you don’t want to do this like a headless chicken.
Be planned. Be calculated.
Every night, journal about your day.
There’s a healthy routine for you for free ;)
This is a crucial step.
When you’re executing, you don’t want to do this like a headless chicken.
Be planned. Be calculated.
Every night, journal about your day.
There’s a healthy routine for you for free ;)
But seriously, journalling has been one of the best habits I have adopted.
Clears the mind and boosts creativity too.
Write about how your day went, how you feel, what emotions came up, etc.
Clears the mind and boosts creativity too.
Write about how your day went, how you feel, what emotions came up, etc.
Experiment for yourself when you want to this, for how long and what you want to write about.
You will get accustomed to it over time, guaranteed.
You will get accustomed to it over time, guaranteed.
9. Adjust accordingly
Last but not least, when evaluating your days you’ll probably identify some bottlenecks in the process.
Eliminate these. Please don’t stick to a routine because I said so.
Remember — It must be YOUR routine for it to work. This is extremely important.
Last but not least, when evaluating your days you’ll probably identify some bottlenecks in the process.
Eliminate these. Please don’t stick to a routine because I said so.
Remember — It must be YOUR routine for it to work. This is extremely important.
I have made this mistake time and time again, where I would do something because some internet guru said so.
But I just found it didn’t work in that way for me. So I made my own versions of them.
And now habits stick.
But I just found it didn’t work in that way for me. So I made my own versions of them.
And now habits stick.
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That's it.
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