Welcome to day 14 of establish a positive mindset.
A challenge here on insight timer crafted to help you break free from negative thought patterns,
Overcome self-limiting beliefs and embrace a mindset of abundance and possibility.
Let's jump into today's session.
Hello there community.
This is Jax,
Your habits coach and stress releasing yoga teacher.
I am so glad that you're here on insight timer for the establishing a positive mindset challenge.
Are you ready to experience pleasure,
Connection,
Bliss all while sleeping better and improving your mood?
Then you are in the right place because this challenge is an opportunity to transform and I'm here to help you do that.
My favorite way that we can build sustainable happiness is through our habits.
During our time together you're going to learn how to activate your happy hormones and make it a sustainable habit by only doing two minutes of action a day.
Before we start,
Let's take a moment to get centered through the breath.
Take an exhale out the nose to prepare.
Take two long inhales through the nose.
Open mouth exhale.
Again,
Two deep inhales.
Open mouth exhale.
One more time,
Two deep inhales.
Open mouth exhale.
Great job.
Did you know that there's a science to happiness?
You have four different hormones that impact how you feel on a daily basis and these hormones create feelings of well-being and happiness.
When your brain releases these happy chemicals,
You feel good.
So what does that mean?
It means that you can produce these chemicals naturally and create your own happiness.
I'm going to let you know what effect they can have and how you can help your body and your brain produce them so that you can lower stress and start to experience more joy and overall well-being.
Our first happiness hormone is dopamine.
Have you ever wondered what gives you that feeling of pleasure and motivation when you accomplish something?
Meet dopamine,
One of the brain's most important neurotransmitters.
Dopamine is responsible for regulating mood,
Motivation,
And pleasure and it plays a key role in reward-seeking behavior and decision making.
A few ways that you can naturally increase dopamine is first,
Make a daily to-do list.
Each time you tick off a task or a goal that you accomplish,
This increases your dopamine levels.
Also doing things that make you feel happy,
Dancing,
Exercising,
Meditating,
This is all going to release dopamine and give you that satisfying feeling.
When you do something that makes you happy,
Like achieving a goal,
Receiving a compliment,
Meditating,
Or exercise you enjoy,
Your brain is releasing dopamine and giving you that satisfying feeling.
Also creating something,
Writing,
Music,
Arts and crafts,
If you're creating something you are creating dopamine.
Love,
Trust,
And bonding,
These are just a few of the things that this next happiness hormone,
Oxytocin,
Can bring into your life.
Oxytocin is a hormone that's often referred to as the love hormone because of its role in promoting social bonding and intimacy.
When we hug,
Kiss,
Cuddle,
Even eye contact and handshakes,
Any kind of physical touch,
This is going to release oxytocin and that creates feelings of warmth,
Comfort,
And connection.
You can also do your favorite loving kindness meditation,
Take a warm bath,
Or cook food for someone to really release this happy hormone naturally.
Oxytocin promotes trust and cooperation in our everyday interactions.
It also increases empathy,
Generosity,
And social bonding.
So whether you're cuddling with a loved one or a pet,
Bonding with a new friend,
Or simply spreading kindness and compassion,
Remember the power of oxytocin to bring joy and connection into your life.
Are you looking to feel happy,
Calm,
And content?
Well that is our next happiness chemical,
Serotonin,
One of the brain's most important neurotransmitters.
Serotonin is involved in regulating mood,
Appetite,
And sleep.
A couple of ways you can naturally boost serotonin is first through sunlight.
When we're exposed to 10 to 15 minutes of sunlight a day,
That serotonin in our mood is boosted.
You can also do it through exercise or certain foods like nuts,
Seeds,
Pineapples,
And plums.
When our brain releases serotonin,
It boosts our mood and helps us feel more relaxed and focused.
But there's more to serotonin than just mood.
It also plays a role in our social behavior and cognition.
Research has shown that serotonin can influence our social decision making,
Help us navigate complex social situations,
And build social bonds.
So whether you're soaking up the sun,
Going to your favorite yoga class on Insight Timer,
Or enjoying a healthy meal,
Remember the power of serotonin to boost your mood and promote social well-being.
Have you ever felt that rush of euphoria after an amazing workout or a really hearty laugh?
You can thank our last happiness chemical,
Endorphins,
The body's natural mood booster and remedy to pain.
Endorphins are released in response to stress,
Pain,
And intense exercise and create a sense of calm,
Happiness,
And even that mild euphoric bliss feeling.
This is why exercise in particular can be such a powerful endorphin booster.
But endorphins aren't just about exercise.
They can also be released through other forms of stress relief like laughter,
Crying,
Meditation,
And yeah,
Even eating 70% dark chocolate,
In moderation of course.
Whether you're trying to reduce anxiety,
Improve mood,
And promote overall well-being,
Take time to find your favorite exercise,
Crack up with some friends,
Or find your own unique path to endorphin release and remember the power of these natural mood boosters to help you feel your best.
It is so common to think that happiness is a destination that lives outside of us,
But happiness is the journey and something you can create on your own.
What I realized is that happiness doesn't happen by chance,
It happens by choice.
It's a skill that anyone can develop with the right habits.
After all,
Happiness is not something ready-made,
It comes from your own actions.
And do you want to know two ways that are going to help you stick to your happiness habits?
The first is habit stacking.
It's a very simple yet very powerful technique for building new routines and behaviors.
Habit stacking works by taking advantage of the brain's tendency to create automatic habits and associations.
By stacking a new habit onto an existing one,
You can create a powerful cue that triggers the desired behavior without needing to rely on willpower or motivation.
So let's say you want to start meditating every morning.
You could stack it into an existing habit like brushing your teeth.
Every time you finish brushing your teeth,
You commit to meditating for just two minutes.
Over time,
This simple action can become an automatic habit that's easy to maintain.
By finding a simple existing habit to anchor your new behavior to,
This is how you create lasting change with minimal effort.
The next technique is a personal favorite.
Meet the two-minute rule.
A simple yet powerful strategy for making progress on your goals even when you feel unmotivated or overwhelmed.
The idea behind the two-minute rule is simple.
Start with a small manageable action that takes no more than two minutes to complete.
And I know what you might be thinking.
Only two minutes?
Yes.
I promise you by doing this consistently,
You create momentum to build a foundation for more significant change over time.
We have to build the foundation first for our habits before we can improve them.
So if you want to start journaling regularly,
You could commit to journaling for just two minutes every day.
At first,
It may seem like a small amount of time,
But it is enough to create a sense of accomplishment and establish a habit.
Over time,
You can gradually increase the time you spend journaling and this will build your endurance and confidence along the way.
By breaking down your goals into small manageable actions,
This is how you overcome resistance and build the momentum you need to make lasting change.
So if you're ever struggling to build new habits or you're feeling stuck in your progress,
Try the two-minute rule.
Set a timer,
Commit to a small action,
And watch as your habits and progress start to grow.
Don't put your happiness on hold.
Self-care is sacred.
With a little creativity and commitment,
I promise you can stack your way to a happier,
Healthier,
And more productive life.
Before we end our session,
Let's do that same breath work we did at the beginning.
Take an exhale out the nose to prepare.
Take two long inhales through the nose.
Open mouth,
Exhale.
Again,
Two long inhales.
Open mouth,
Exhale.
Take the two deepest inhales you've taken all day and then just let it go.
So I want to know,
How are you going to get your dose of happiness hormones?
How are you going to build this into your daily routine so that you can live a happier,
Healthier,
And more productive life?
I would love to hear from you,
So please share in the discussion forum something specific about your experience with this session.
Thank you so much for taking the time today to invest in yourself.
Once again,
This is Jax,
Your Habits Coach and Stress Relief Scene Yoga Teacher,
And I'll see you next time.
