Just returned from a short but very stressful business trip—nerves and long hours and all the rest. I followed my morning protocol to manage the stress as best as I could, and it definitely helped:

• Outside within an hour of waking for natural light exposure
• 10 min meditation
• 20 min exercise
• Positive self-talk int he mirror (it helps counteract the negative chatter!)
• Cold shower

I also did bedtime meditations to help me sleep.  I never thought of drinking, really, just thought, “wow, how I would have destroyed some bourbon after a couple of days like this 2 years ago.” I LOVE that I have the tools to manage and regulate my mental and emotional states now. Huge confidence booster.

For those in the early days, your brain really does rewire. You don’t have the same pining / cravings, and you do find much deeper enjoyment in everyday things once the dopamine levels reset. There are a lot of things I find so much more enjoyable than when I was drinking, especially the first cup of black coffee in the morning. I think when I was drinking the coffee was just a necessity, and it tended to irritate my already irritated stomach. Just adding acid and irritability to my hungover or at least foggy self.

Speaking of which, on the plane home, I listened to a great podcast on dopamine and addiction from a while ago. “Understanding and Treating Addiction” is the episode, and it’s excellent and relatable. It was an interview with the Anna Lembke, author of “Dopamine Nation,” a book I want to read this weekend.