Headspace

No parts of it extended beyond the lines, and the paper ticket was clearly displayed, impaled on a horn.

Wanting something requires dopamine signaling, but liking something doesn’t.

If you have a mental illness/disorder that affects dopamine, you might feel that you don’t want to do the things that you like. You do still like them. You will appreciate having done them.

Let your likes guide you.

(If you want to read more, here’s one experimental paper about it. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5171207/ This theory called the incentive-sensitization theory was originally created to explain behaviors in addiction but can be applied elsewhere as well)

Wanting something requires dopamine signaling, but liking something doesn’t.

If you have a mental illness/disorder that affects dopamine, you might feel that you don’t want to do the things that you like. You do still like them. You will appreciate having done them.

Let your likes guide you.

(If you want to read more, here’s one experimental paper about it. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5171207/ This theory called the incentive-sensitization theory was originally created to explain behaviors in addiction but can be applied elsewhere as well)

Some people leave you feeling tired. Others make you forget you were ever tired in the first place.

If you’re introverted, you’ve probably felt this before. You might even start to wonder if you’re bad at socializing, or why your energy feels so all over the place.

But what if it’s not about how social you are, but who you’re social with?

It’s not about how much energy you have

People often think that introverts have less social energy and get drained easily no matter who they’re with.

But that’s not entirely true.

Introverts can spend hours talking, laughing, and being fully present when they’re with the right people. Time passes quickly. Conversations feel natural, and you leave feeling full, not empty.

So what’s actually different when introverts are around the right people?

It comes down to how much mental and emotional effort your brain has to put into the interaction.

The hidden cost of being around the wrong people

Not “wrong” as in bad people, just not your people.

When you’re around someone who doesn’t really feel aligned with you, your brain just goes into overdrive.

You might notice yourself:

Thinking carefully before you speak 

Replaying what you just said to see if it sounded okay 

Forcing reactions so you don’t seem too quiet 

Trying to match their energy, humour, or pace 

Filling silences that feel uncomfortable 

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