Doped on Dopamine
Learning lessons again and again
Hey Friends!
I’ve recently had some new subscribers. Welcome! You can find a bit more about me and what I do HERE
The past 6 weeks have been ram jammed working on this huge Hospital Singing Project with Singing Mamas. We received funding from Kent County Council to deliver Singing in hospitals to mums and babies (including babies in intensive care). We got a lovely write up in local news. To learn more about what we did during the project, Singing Mamas will be sharing more details on instagram next month.
Here’s me at QEQM in Margate before our hospital singing session last week! I am so happy about the weather turning.
So, anyway, what’s this got to do with dopamine?
In the organisation and delivery of this project I’ve had a constant stream of emails and whatsapps coming throughout the day and night. And then after a busy day, I was surprised to find myself compulsively checking and scrolling my phone. It was such a horrible and strange zombie feeling. There was one night where a voice in my head was begging for my husband to come and snap me out of it, and when he finally walked in I breathed a sigh of relief and put my phone down.
I strive to be a mindful, thoughtful, kind and creative person. BUT no matter how hard I try, my human mind is wired for addiction and the social media apps are designed to be addictive. So, there isn’t really a way to use “self control”. The only thing I’ve found that works is deleting the apps off my phone (temporarily). I still need to use social media for my work, so then when I need to use it (once per day) I re-install the app and then use it and then delete it off again. I can’t believe that I’m that much of a pavlovian dog, who reaches for my phone at the slight sign of boredom, sadness, fear or whatever. But I am, and I need a method for not being a zombie.
Self portrait, August 2021
I’ve tried many experiments and this seems to be the only one that actually works! How do you manage your social media use?
I just read last sentence back, did you notice I said social media “use”, how else do we use phrases like that? For addictive substances ! “alcohol use” “drug use” Social media is an addictive behaviour so forgive yourself if you’ve fallen down the hole. Getting out of the hole gets easier with practice.
One of the ways to get snapped out of a mind trap, is a nice walk in nature. Look at the colour of this Mrs Willow Tree and Mrs Pine Tree against Mr Blue Sky.
I other news I’ve been working on a new Skillshare class, called “How to Sing in 3 Part Harmony - Ear Training and Practice for Singers” It will be released some time next week, so keep your eyes peeled. This class will be my 10th Class! See what else I have on offer HERE
I’ve been recharging with Ram Dass. I enjoyed this podcast about “Taking off your spacesuit”
I love Terri Cole and she recently shared an interesting video about Social Media Boundaries
If I wasn’t chained (with love) to my son’s bed time routine. I would be going to THIS SHOW I am number one fan of NYX Drone Choir
When I need cheering up I visit Florence Given’s instagram
LOVE ALWAYS WINS
Laura
XOXOXOXOX
Find out more about my work : www.LauraLamn.com
Follow me on Social Media : Instagram // Facebook // Youtube