Dopamine has a reputation as the body’s “feelgood” hormone, but it’s “really more about motivation than about positive affect”, says happiness researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky. This is the chemical that nudges you towards things you enjoy, helping you muster the effort required to attend a party you’re on the fence about, then showering you with a sense of reward when you actually have a great time. Dopamine works with other neurotransmitters like serotonin to give you a sense of momentum: do one thing to give yourself a mood boost, and the cascading effects of that decision can help you break out of a rut and resuscitate your zest for life. January, with its clean slate, is the ideal time to rev this process up.
Enter the concept of the dopamine menu: a fresh sheet of stimulating activities designed to lift your spirits: quick “starters” that take relatively little time and effort to pull off; more substantial “mains”; and subtle “sides” or indulgent “desserts”.
