The sameness of everyday life can get monotonous but it is important not to Let Routine Depress You. Our brain defaults to cortisol when it is not experiencing happiness.
This is the mad trap we get into by needing happiness perks to get out of the cortisol stimulus. It is why we shop, overeat, do drugs, gamble, use anger, and other self-destructive routines. The negative behaviors listed can deliver happiness brain chemicals unfortunately.
We can get into a negative spiral to escape the depressing affects of cortisol. Shopoholics are an example of getting stuck on the treadmill of continuous spending. They get a perk from a new acquisition, but it is the characteristic of happiness bran chemicals to wear off and default to cortisol. The only way for shopoholics to escape is to buy something else.
The same can happen with eating, drinking, drugs, and anger. They become the outlet to stimulate happiness. Post partum depression can be a result of the same pattern and so can there be a let down after school finals are finished. We get keyed up, adrenalin crazed, excited about something that is going to happen and when everything is finished we are left with a vacuum of no stimulus.
We can become habituated to daily routines. Every day starts looking like the last one and we expect tomorrow will look like today. We start feeling like we are in a vacuum with the same demands being made on us every day and finding that there is no longer excitement or happiness in fulfilling these demands.
This can lead to burn out. Routine can play with our brain’s need for challenge, risk, growth, and contribution. These are all characteristics that stimulate dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphin. Our brain has a reward center for certain behaviors. When we keep feeding it, we don’t have the need for negative behaviors to fill the vacuum.
This is where time management and creating blocks of growth into our daily routines can reduce the need for negative behaviors. If we have several growth blocks in a day, we overwhelm negative thinking or don’t give it a lot of time to fester.
What are some growth blocks? Creativity, collaborating, caring, protecting, learning, exercise, eating healthy, love, and contribution to name a few. Classify your highest energy periods of the day for the most demanding, challenging, risky, and creative work. This will give you a big opportunity for growth and hopefully working toward your purpose and perhaps the reason you are here.
Let the purpose for your work be something that gives your life meaning. Set a goal or just engage because the engagement is what makes you happy. I feel a need to write and exercise everyday. A day without the two can make me sad. I feel I missed two things that give my life purpose, that align with my values, that are reasons I am here.
On the other hand, when I am finished with each or while I am engaging I feel gratitude that I have the opportunity to engage. Each gives me happiness brain chemicals because I am meeting a challenge and taking a little risk that I might not finish nor accomplish my goal. Risk doesn’t have to be mortally or financially threatening.
Our brain loves creativity. It is an act of solving a problem or creating something that didn’t previously exist. It gets a bigger perk if it would contribute to helping others. Why do song writers feel the need to share or writers, or entrepreneurs, or teachers? There is something about our efforts influencing other lives. We are a communal species. If you want to get more cosmic, cells and the most basic matter in the universe exist to make the whole better.
Find ways to break up your routine with meaningful activities. Have several a day. At the end of the day, we want to say, that was a good day and I am looking forward to making tomorrow just as meaningful or growth oriented.
Lifestyle Posts:
Lifestyle Determines Our Health
How Lifestyle Leads to Happiness
Lifestyle Changes for Productivity
Making Gratitude a Primary Goal
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Happiness is more achievable than most people realize. It is not as complicated was we seem to learn when we are young. We can have it right away without first achieving some life goal. Learn more Available on Amazon as E-Book for $2.99 or Paperback for $6.95
Read my new book Self-Leadership. It is about time management and how to create a life that is meaningful to you and will make you more productive and employable at the same time. Available on Amazon. E-Book for $2.99. Paperback for $6.95
Build Happiness into Your Day to Create the Work/Life Balance you seek. Available in E-Book on Amazon for $2.99
Read a good book on changing your lifestyle with weight loss, building strength, gaining flexibility, and aerobic fitness. The 3 Week Plan
Read the The Good Life Plan How to set your priorities and create a fulfilling life. Available on Amazon in E-Book $2.99 or Paperback $6.95
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