Dopamine menus and beating the January blues

Staring Blue Monday in the rear-view mirror may feel like the worst of the January blues have passed us, but this time of year can be a little difficult. With the Christmas parties over, the days still cold and short and the weather miserable, it’s hard not to end up in a bit of a slump.

But despite the poor weather and lack of plans, beating the January blues isn’t as labour intensive as it sounds.

The dopamine menu

Beginning life as a social media trend on TikTok, the Dopamine menu is a great way to inject some fun and joy into everyday, in small or large doses. Following the notion of an actual menu, the exercise requires you to split activities, items and rituals into starters, main courses, desserts and drinks depending on their accessibility, time, effort and cost.

Starters encapsulates small five minute tasks and acts that make you smile, such as a two minute meditation, texting a friend or a hug with a loved one. Main courses are longer, more complex activities, like reading a book, watching a comfort film or cooking a new recipe, these require time, effort and money but the happiness garnered should be high as a result. Desserts are more indulgent, once in a whilst avenues of fun, such as a shopping spree, a trip to the beach or a takeaway with friends. Finally, drinks refers to tasks that are joyful but maybe in their practicality, like changing your bed, a long hot everything shower or going for a run.

Light a candle and make your own dopamine menu to refer back to when the days are lacking a little joy.

Being a villager

Whilst the parties and dinners of the festive period are a distant memory, the time with friends doesn’t have to take a back seat. Plan a girls night, go thrifting or even invite a pal over for a spring clean of your wardrobe. Take the time to connect and unwind together, have a laugh and enjoy each others company. Sometimes its really is just as simple as a good chat with a friend.

Start with the base

Inject some joy in the small ways as well as the big. Wear some fun underwear (like our new Boost Lace in Leopard), dress for yourself, do your make up or try out a new hairstyle. Feeling good means confidence and feeling good in your own skin, take the time to pamper yourself and indulge, get measured for your bra size, book the health appointments you’ve been putting off and start taking those walks. Get dressed for the day, clean your space or cut your hair. Joy often starts from within and the fun of time with friends needs a good foundation of self-love and acceptance to build on.

January might not be the most fun month, and whilst it feels like everyone else does Dry January and trains for a marathon, you can still inject whimsy, joy and happiness into even the smallest of moments!