You can change your life in 60 days (here's how)
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P.S. My favourite song of the week. Check out the video version of today's episode on YT here In the face of the Sublime, we feel a shiver…something too large for our minds to encompass. And for a moment, it shakes us out from our smugness and releases us from the deathlike grip of habit and banality — Robert Greene You can completely change your life in the next 30 days. In today’s episode, I want to share a simple dopamine detox that completely changed my life. Over the last 30 days, I launched MS Studios to create a platform for independent creators, artists, and athletes. Sometimes it felt like I I was trying to do too many things at once. Sometimes it felt like the world was falling apart. That was when the dopamine detox came into my life. I’m going to assume you already know what a dopamine detox is. Everyone seemed to have their own take on it, and after disappearing from the internet to conduct my own experiment, I can say that it will drastically improve your well-being. Hyakujo’s LessonTo become empty is to become one with the divine — that is The Way — Awa Kenzo There is a story about the Zen master Hyakujo that drives the message home: One day, two students began their morning chores on a farm attached to the master’s template. According to legend, the two students were expecting their first lesson on the Way. They talked for hours in the farm, debating on the kind of instruction they will receive, the rigorous training in the mountains, the principles and teachings from past sages and warriors… Meanwhile, the sun was rising above in all it’s glory. The rosy fingertips of dawn over the mountains. Swords of light pouring down the fields. Trees and flowers bathing in starlight. Rivers and streams ranging along the forest. The sound of water washing over the soil. The golden shrine standing between this life and the next. It was at that moment that the two students had finished their labours and quickly hurried to the master for their first lesson. Ignoring the signs from the last scene, they begged the master to teach them the first principle of the Way. He simply turned his face to the fields, extended his arms out in the direction of the sun, and said nothing. That was the Way. Nature… The poetry of the earth. The acceptance of all things that is are yet to come. As it was in the beginning, as it will be forever. This story serves as a beautiful reminder that all great work is born out of silence. It starts with an idea. The idea is then cultivated through the absence of words and preconceptions. The key to all this is absence. Absence from thoughts. Absence from what will come. Absence from what has already happened. That was the missing piece with everything I was working on at the time. I started with a simple checklist to write down all the things that I would crave on a regular basis. Then I set some time in the evening to eliminate each item meticulously, while writing a down a few exercises that I could practise in case the ‘dopamine hits’ spring up. I challenged myself for the next 30 days to abstain myself from DMs, emails, group chats, Youtube, and so on. In that time, I made space for prayer, journaling, and training. There are a few reasons why I think a dopamine detox will completely change your life. I) Gratitude and positive thinkingEmbracing a positive mindset can help you to approach life with a more constructive outlook. In fact, some research papers encourage activities such as yoga, tai-chi, and other mindfulness-based exercises to promote a sense of contentment and harmony. The key here is recognising the mind as a series of desires spread across your social, spiritual, and physical life. One of the first things that a dopamine detox allows you to do is become sensitive to all these stimulations. Once you begin noticing the dots, you can reconnect them for a more balanced experience. To start what I did here was to identify all my vices:
And in turn this will help you stay receptive to the goals that will actually lead to a more fulfilling life. II) The integration principleEveryone has a unique set of values, experiences, and strengths across different levels. As we’ve already establish, your goals are organised across your physical, social, and spiritual domains. This is important because your goals are never pursued in isolation. What do to your health affects your mood, your social life, and the rest. This is what I call the ‘Integration Principle’ and it gives rise to all kinds of new sciences that we will continue to explore in the coming months. For now, implementing a dopamine detox can give birth to all kinds of activities to promote a more balanced lifestyle. Once I’ve identified my vices, I started focusing on integrating other aspects of my life:
The sense of completeness will energise you, inspire you, and propel you towards a prominent chapter in your life. III) Harnessing the power of mindfulnessMindfulness involves carving out space for activities that spark new insights and ideas. Weather is by incorporating mindfulness into daily rituals, dieting, breathing, and walking, these exercises will help you bring attention to the present moment. How you approach mindfulness will determine in your dopamine detox. It is without doubt the most important piece of the puzzle. And the best part is that these are all free and accessible:
It’s time to finally take control over your life. Ready to take on the challenge? These are only some of the ways that you can start implementing a dopamine detox onto your life today. I’m genuinely curious to hear about your thoughts:
When you are ready, join the email list today to learn more about all my upcoming events, projects, and activations! Love, Michael |
