I don't know how you feel about the fact that we're nearly to the end of 2023, but I'm a little shaken up. It got here too quickly. I'm not ready for all the end-of-year festivities and anxieties and pastries. Just kidding. Bring on the pastries.
Actually, my holidays are relatively stress-free. I don't host big dinners. I don't do much shopping. I avoid going crazy with the decorations because I don't enjoy the task of taking them down nearly as much as putting them up. I usually take time off from work between Christmas and New Year's. And I've even cut back on my habit of crafting holiday gifts for my family, friends, and neighbors.
Despite my low-stress (and kind of boring, now that I think about it) approach to the holidays, it's still easy for me to get in a funk. I miss my Iowa family and family traditions. I despise the commercialization—don't get me started on the ads selling cars with big red bows that cost more than my first house. The weather outside can be frightening. The self-imposed socialization requirements are exhausting. And I feel the pressure to be extra jolly even when I'm just not that into it.
What does all of this have to do with a blog about creativity? Well, creativity and happiness are connected. They feed each other. So I want to provide happiness and creativity boosting activities to help you stay out of a funk this month and all the months to come. Caring for your holiday spirit is caring for your creative spirit.
Today, let's start with hormones and neurotransmitters. That's right. The center of happiness is the brain, not the heart. Endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin are known as "happiness chemicals." Each can have an effect on the brain and body that gives you good feelings and each can be triggered by simple actions and healthy habits. Sometimes you'll see people use the D.O.S.E. acronym as a way to help remember them (get a daily D.O.S.E. of happiness). Just to be contrary, I'm going to suggest the "ODES to Happiness." Either way, it's not the name of the chemicals you need to remember; it's knowing how to trigger the chemicals that matters.
Oxytocin. Oxytocin is known as the "love hormone" or "cuddle hormone." It can give feelings of trust and motivate relationship building. It's super important to bonding between moms and their new babies. Low levels of oxytocin can mean feeling lonely or disconnected, stressed or anxious, and unmotivated. It can also mean low energy and insomnia. To trigger oxytocin production:
Send a nice card or text message to someone
Do an act of kindness or service
Hold hands or hug someone you love or trust
Pet or play with your dog or cat
Socialize with or talk on the phone with someone you like
Play with a baby
Give someone a compliment
Listen to music
Get a massage or acupuncture
Exercise
Take a cold shower
Meditate
Dopamine. Known as the "feel good neurotransmitter" or the "motivation chemical," dopamine is about pleasure and reward. It enables motivation, learning, and determination. Low levels of dopamine can result in procrastination, low self-esteem, feeling anxious or hopeless, low energy, lack of focus, and mood swings. You can get a dopamine hit from healthy and less-than-healthy habits (for example social media scrolling or gambling). Let's stick with the healthy sort:
Set and work toward a goal
Commit to learning something new
Check things off your daily to-do list
Complete a puzzle
Plan and follow through on self-care activities
Get good sleep
Eat good food
Celebrate small wins
Exercise
Write in a gratitude journal (paid link - my Reflections for Creatives journal)
Meditate
Create something!
Endorphins. Endorphins are natural painkillers and stress relievers. An endorphin deficiency can result in anxiety and depression, mood swings and impulsive behavior, insomnia, and aches and pains. They can create a feeling of euphoria, being released when the body is in pain or stressed (like a "runner's high). Fortunately, there are easy ways to trigger endorphins that don't involve running long distances:
Watch a funny movie (one that makes you laugh out loud)
Stretch or exercise
Eat dark chocolate (paid link - wonderful chocolate from a wonderful company)
Have good sex
Get a massage
Eat spicy food
Go to a comedy show
Dance
Burn vanilla or lavender essential oils
Cry
Meditate
Create something!
Serotonin. Considered a mood regulator or stabilizer, serotonin can give a feeling of calm and acceptance—by those around you and of yourself. Low levels of serotonin might contribute to low self-esteem, being overly sensitive, anxiety, feeling hopeless, mood swings, social phobia, and insomnia. Speaking from experience, those are awful feelings to have. Here's how to get more serotonin in your life:
Spend time in nature (go for a hike or walk in the park)
Get some sunlight (but don't get burned)
Listen to music
Gratitude journal (paid link - my Reflections for Creatives journal)
Eat clean, healthy protein
Practice meditation and mindfulness
Do yoga or deep breathing
Focus on wins
Get out of your comfort zone
Take a cold shower
Exercise
Get a massage
There you have it. A whole bunch of activities you can do to hack your happiness hormones. I hope you can find something in these lists that will help you stay happy, healthy, and creative during the months ahead. Here we go.
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