The world today is one of speed and hyperconnectivity. At any given moment in time, our brain is being triggered to be in a stirred-up state. Social media notifications, streaming platforms, and other instant entertainment options constantly fire dopamine hits at our fingertips. In fact, they are more likely to lead to hyperstimulation, anxiety, and the inability to derive pleasure from less intense, more fulfilling experiences. This is followed by a so-called dopamine detox.
Well, I have written an explanation of dopamine detox before. And now, let me just suggest how to rediscover joy with dopamine detox. It could create a feeling of peaceful ambience and clarity of mind. So here are a few things that we could do:
1. Choose a comfort location:
Look, listen, and smell around! Choose a comfortable setting for a breathtaking place. It could be a park close to our home, a path through the bush, a beach, a space in our home, or any location where we can get in touch with nature. We obviously have to choose a location where we will not be distracted by the usual hustle and bustle.
2. Stay away from the gadget:
Staying away from the phone or any other gadgets could make it easier to enjoy the moment. We need to minimize distractions to fully focus on ourselves and the environment. So, we can be aware of the things that we are usually not really aware of. Take a deep breath, inhale through the nose, and exhale it through the mouth. This will keep us rooted and connected to the immediate environment.
3. Journaling:
Find a quiet space to sit and rest. Retrieve the journal and start to write anything that comes to mind. Write about how we feel, what we are thinking, and what we notice. We could try answering some of the following questions:
- How am I feeling in the present moment?
- What am I grateful for today?
- How can I more readily bring mindfulness into my everyday existence?
4. Capture the moment:
We can take a couple of shots of whatever is interesting and captured by our vision. Pictures and videos would be the sources of the documentation. We can use these things at a later time to remind ourselves of the peace and happiness that we felt during the moment.
7. Be grateful:
As we finish the moment, just take a minute to be grateful for what we've encountered. We can simply express gratitude for the beauty of nature, which provides us with peace and happiness. Being grateful every day would give us more peace in our daily lives.
A dopamine detox shouldn't need to be a difficult task. By doing simple practices like walking in nature, reading a book, or mindful journaling. Doing those kinds of things could reduce our stress, improve our mood, enable our mindfulness, and absolutely detoxify our mind. So we will definitely thank ourselves for it.