The first quarter of February has passed, and I am quite happy with my interim result.

Although I had already deleted all of my Social Media accounts, it became still obvious, that taking out my smartphone on every occasion I felt a vibration resulted in a micro spike of happiness, and leaving the mobile phone in the corner sparked a mini panic when I didn’t reach for it.

Reducing the cues and triggers to take up my phone was the first and easiest task. I put the phone on “Don’t disturb” and let it in the corner.

When I work, it is never a problem, because I am focused on my tasks and clients. But in idle times, it became a boredom killer with all its mini rewards sparking mini dopamin kicks.

Now that 9 days have passed, I already found out a couple of things about my ongoing Recovery. You can read it in my February posts.

One major takeaway after this first quarter of hands free Feb is that the quick fixes in every way represent a substitute for other addicting habits, granting you “instant micro happiness”, but also it leaves you with a shale and hollow feeling after the dopamine spike fades and your serotonine is following suit. Depressing feelings come up, cravings may emerge, a feeling of disorientation, because you want something but don’t know exactly what.

This is not especially new to me, but the intensity still surprised me somewhat, and now that I am dealing with these wuick fixes more in detail, I learn that building more sustainable habits is prime, because it’s the only way to boost self esteem, self worth and self efficacy.

So far, this has been working so-so, but I’d say it’s like a big ocean liner heading over the ocean and the fun park and pools are closed: You know it’ll take time to reach your goal port, and you know you will be happy once you are there, but the way there is going to be boring at times, there may be tempests and sea sickness underway. So, brace yourself and find something that keeps you up without yearning for the fun parl and swimming pools and all other accomodations aboard, because they will not open the whole journey. In time, you will find other, more meaningful activities and the cruise will be a pleasing journey after all.

This is what I am working on and it is partly already working, but every time I pass the pool under construction, a glimpse of yearning for a swim emerges. But I know it will pass, because I know the craving will fade and I will find another activity someplace else.

Until next time: Keep up the faith in yourself and take one step at a time.