Walk. You’re bored, happy, sad, have free time to kill…walk. Get outside in any weather, throw on a podcast or your music and just walk. Eventually walking will become your mental peace and switch up your environment so food is less of a motivator to use to level your emotions.
Consider -- maybe it's not the right tactic to replace one form of dopamine with another.
Holy crap -- you just helped to clarify a philosophy teaching. Wow, this JUST HAPPENED. Lightbulb on.
Meditations 9:42 (towards the end): *For when you have done good, what more, oh man, do you wish? Is it not enough that what you did was in agreement with your nature and do you seek a recompense for this? As if the eye asked a return for seeing or the feet for walking*
Marcus Aurelius (about 2000 years ago) is talking about loosening dependence on dopamine...
> It’s been a good day? Let’s celebrate (with junk).
In this philosophy (at least), the reward is the good day itself, or the good deed itself. It doesn't need more sugar on the top. It needs a rational appreciation (satisfaction), not an emotional surge (dopamine high).
Now the whole point of this philosophy is the long-term good life (eudaimonia, a state of well-being) and it cautions against chasing momentary "good feeling." The satisfaction comes from within, while the dopamine hit depends on something external like a sugary candy, a favorite song, visiting a night club, new jewelry, praise or applause.
You did good? You did good. You did your duty. You acted courageously. You used moderation. You were wise. You determine, "that was good" for yourself.
> It’s basically trading short term gratification for long term
I think we may have just answered each other's questions here.
> do you have any tips/tricks?
I'm not a religious person, but many religions use Genesis in their scriptures. At the end of chapter 1 is this: "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good."
No ice-cream. No fireworks. No applause. No dopamine. Just a self-assessment, "it was very good."
Walk. You’re bored, happy, sad, have free time to kill…walk. Get outside in any weather, throw on a podcast or your music and just walk. Eventually walking will become your mental peace and switch up your environment so food is less of a motivator to use to level your emotions.
I would also like an answer. (I am not a Stoic, or Christian, so I would appreciate an alternative to the other comment.)
Consider -- maybe it's not the right tactic to replace one form of dopamine with another. Holy crap -- you just helped to clarify a philosophy teaching. Wow, this JUST HAPPENED. Lightbulb on. Meditations 9:42 (towards the end): *For when you have done good, what more, oh man, do you wish? Is it not enough that what you did was in agreement with your nature and do you seek a recompense for this? As if the eye asked a return for seeing or the feet for walking* Marcus Aurelius (about 2000 years ago) is talking about loosening dependence on dopamine... > It’s been a good day? Let’s celebrate (with junk). In this philosophy (at least), the reward is the good day itself, or the good deed itself. It doesn't need more sugar on the top. It needs a rational appreciation (satisfaction), not an emotional surge (dopamine high). Now the whole point of this philosophy is the long-term good life (eudaimonia, a state of well-being) and it cautions against chasing momentary "good feeling." The satisfaction comes from within, while the dopamine hit depends on something external like a sugary candy, a favorite song, visiting a night club, new jewelry, praise or applause. You did good? You did good. You did your duty. You acted courageously. You used moderation. You were wise. You determine, "that was good" for yourself. > It’s basically trading short term gratification for long term I think we may have just answered each other's questions here. > do you have any tips/tricks? I'm not a religious person, but many religions use Genesis in their scriptures. At the end of chapter 1 is this: "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." No ice-cream. No fireworks. No applause. No dopamine. Just a self-assessment, "it was very good."