Welcome to Happy Monday. Every Monday, I share three pieces of curated content to brighten your day and an action item to motivate you for the week. Here's what I have for you today...

Why being too close can be a pain in the neck?
Why is constant pleasure not good for you?
How can you build mental resilience?

Curious?
Keep reading...

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For your ears

​Reasons to Be Cheerful, Pt.3 by Ian Dury & The Blockheads

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For your body

Posture is one thing that we should watch when working on a computer. I’m guilty of this myself.

Recently, I came across a brilliant Mac OS app that is built to nudge you to fix your posture when you’re too close to the screen. But I had an issue installing it and haven’t solved it with its developer yet. So instead of recommending an app, I’ll recommend watching your posture yourself.

When you catch yourself hunching over towards your computer, fix your posture. Not good at remembering? Try a post-it note. The recommended distance is 50-75cm, about an arm's length.

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For your mind

Dopamine helps us experience pleasure, reward, and most importantly, motivation. Without it, we wouldn’t be motivated to move or eat, let alone work for hours.

While our brains need enough dopamine for our bodies to function, too much can throw our system off balance. That’s where addictions come into play. The modern world offers endless options, and it’s full of artificial rewards that release intense bursts of dopamine without requiring much effort, confusing our brain’s natural reward system.

In an eye-opening interview, Dr. Anna Lembke, professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University, explains how dopamine works and why keeping our dopamine levels balanced is crucial. Watch the full video.​

Not in the video mood? Read this interview instead.

Building mental immunity

​Research shows that people who reflect on their values build a “psychological immune system” and are better equipped to handle life’s challenges. By writing about our core values, we create lasting effects on our psychological wellbeing and resilience.

Running on autopilot without a clear sense of purpose can lead to burnout. That’s why today’s action is about reconnecting with your core values.

Take 10 minutes to reflect on your values:

1. Choose a value that matters deeply to you (e.g., creativity, family, helping others)
2. Write about why this value matters to you (Repeatedly ask "why" 5 times to uncover your root motivation)
3. Define past experiences that highlight the significance of this value.

This exercise will help you make decisions and take actions that align with your authentic self.

Happy Monday, Reader

Merve Goulding

PS. You can now read all previous Happy Monday issues on my website. If you want to dive into the archives or send an issue to a friend, you can find them all here.

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