Looking for some mood boosting ideas? I’ve got you! I hosted a live Dopamine Menu Party online last week for The Chic Life community, and we came up with a huge list of mood-boosting ideas, which I used to create some aesthetic examples of Dopamine Menus you can use as is. Or, use the full list and / or examples as inspo to create your very own Dopamine Menu.
Let’s get mood boosting!
What Is Dopamine?
Dopamine is often called the “feel-good hormone”.
It’s a brain chemical, specifically a neurotransmitter, that helps regulate mood, motivation, and pleasure. It gives you that little spark of joy or satisfaction when you do something enjoyable, achieve a goal, or even check something off your to-do list!
What’s a Dopamine Menu?
A Dopamine Menu is a collection of mood-boosting ideas grouped by common menu categories, like appetizers, entrées, sides, desserts, and specials.
Except on a Dopamine Menu, the ideas are typically categorized by level of effort vs being real food ideas. Though some food ideas are often included!
Hey, I love food, so that works for me!
Dopamine Menu Categories
There are SO many fun ways to create Dopamine Menu Categories. I actually had a fun time figuring out which ones to use in my Dopamine Menu Templates and went back and forth on which exact titles to use.
Here are the Dopamine Menu categories we used:
- Appetizers: Tiny actions for a fast boost (1–10-ish minutes)
- Entrées: More immersive ideas (15+ minutes)
- Sides: Joyful things you can add to daily routines
- Dessert: Fun stuff that’s amazing…in moderation!
- Specials: Bigger ideas (may require advance planning)
Feel free to use more or less categories and use your favorite names. Like maybe you want to use “Mains” instead of “Entrées”.
Dopamine Menu Ideas
On our Dopamine Menu Party, all the attendees contributed their favorite mood-boosting ideas. Here’s our collection of crowd-sourced actions, healthy habits, and just-for-fun ideas.
Appetizers
(Tiny actions for a fast boost that take 1–10-ish minutes – think quick hits of joy or comfort — little pick-me-ups)
- Take a quick walk outside
- Pet my dog, cat, furry friend
- Feel the sun on my face for 5 minutes
- Make my bed
- Dance to a fun song
- Listen to a fun song
- Text a friend
- Give someone a compliment
- Set an affirmation as a background on phone, laptop, etc.
- Do a breathing exercise
- Do a mini meditation
- Get up and stretch
- Do some stretch movements
- Do a specific yoga pose (child’s pose)
- Do a 5 minute tidy
- Put on a diffuser
- Make a gratitude list (3 things)
- Send a mini voice note
- Put on fuzzy socks
- Light a candle
- Write my to-do list
- Drink water
- Make spa water
- Do some jumping jacks
- Take a 5-10 minute guilt-free rest break
- Doodle for 2-10 minutes
- Mindfully rub lotion onto your hands
Entrées
(More immersive ideas that take 15ish or more minutes – think ideas that are more immersive or nourishing – things that take more energy or time than appetizers)
- Paint, draw, or do a small creative project
- Read a book
- Listen to an audiobook
- Listen to a podcast
- Declutter a drawer or other space
- Longer walk
- Take a bath / bubble bath
- Take a shower (with a shower steamer)
- Put on a face mask
- Soak my feet
- Use a massager on muscles
- Digital declutter for 15 minutes or more
- Take a different route / switch up my commute
- Send someone a physical card or letter
- Send voice note
- Water my plants
- Using colorful pens, stickers, washi tape, etc. in your planner
- Set up a Google calendar category
- Journal
- Wash your linens / sheets (and lay down in your warm sheets)
- Meal prep
- Write your goal
- Grounding
- Get some sun
- Dance in the mirror
- Get close to some water (pond, river, creek, fountain) – Blue Mind Theory
- Look at a sunrise or sunset
- Put on an outfit you love / you feel confident in
- Play dress up in your closet
- Play with makeup
- Go to a coffee shop
- Read a book at a coffee shop
- Do some digital art
- Clean out my purse
- Do a workout / workout class
- Try a new hobby
- Bake
- Try a new recipe
- Go on a solo date
- Visualize my dream life
- make a playlist of your current favorite songs
- Visit a local museum, library, or bookstore
Sides
(Joyful things you can add to daily routines – think fun things that can be paired with other, sometimes not-so-fun things)
- Play upbeat music while cooking dinner
- Listen to an affirmation audio
- Listen to a podcast / audiobook / music:
- while cooking dinner
- while you fold laundry
- while you load / unload the dishwasher
- while vacuuming
- while you drive
- Gamify your chores – Can you beat your timer?
- Have a sensory experience when you use your lotion / perfume
- Gua sha in the shower
- Drink your favorite beverage while you work
- Take your vitamins / supplements with your favorite drink
- Put your windows down while you drive
- Put on rain sounds while you’re sleeping
- Listen to sleep affirmations while you sleep
- Crochet / knit while you watch TV / listen to a training / study
- Diffuse essential oils while working or relaxing
- Set an intention for the day while you make your morning coffee
- Walk while you do a phone call or voice note
Dessert
(Fun stuff that’s amazing…in moderation!)
⭐️ Tip: Consider using a timer and time-box your dessert Dopamine Menu ideas
- Scroll Pinterest for fun outfit or home inspo
- Watch a YouTube video
- Watch a TV show or movie
- Watch my comfort show / movie
- Watch a documentary
- Scroll on TikTok, Instagram, social media
- Order Doordash / food delivery
- Get a special dessert or treat
- Retail therapy
- Get a fun coffee
- Have an unstructured “do nothing” hour
- Take a “mental health day” off social media
- Build a cozy fort and just chill
- Have a movie marathon
- Online window shopping (without buying)
- Read a juicy novel (not a “should” book)
- Eat ice cream outside
- Take a nap
Specials
(Bigger ideas – may require advance planning)
- Book some travel
- Go to the beach
- Book a concert, play, or local event
- Volunteer / help someone
- Set up custom Google calendar categories
- Schedule a massage / mani / pedi / facial
- Host a game night
- Have a spa day
- Cook dinner for a loved one
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Dopamine Menu Aesthetic Examples
Here are some Aesthetic Dopamine Menu Examples using the ideas above. I spread the ideas over three different examples, and there are a couple formats / colorway options.
Pink Aesthetic: Dopamine Menu Examples #1
Neutral Aesthetic: Dopamine Menu Examples #2
Pink-on-Pink Aesthetic: Dopamine Menu Examples #3
More Posts to Love
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Thank you for stopping by to check out my blog post on Dopamine Menu Ideas List and Aesthetic Examples!
Comment below: Which Dopamine Menu Ideas are your favorites? What did we forget?!