From a neuroscience perspective, feeling our inner awesome is often referred to as D.O.S.E., aka dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. These neurotransmitters are what researchers reference as the “feel good” chemicals and their related reward feelings:

• Dopamine: anticipation, reward, memory, learning, attention, mood

• Oxytocin: social connection, bonding with others, the love hormone

• Serotonin: accomplishment, status, pride, gratitude, mastering learned techniques,

• Endorphins: pleasure, happiness, pain reliever, runner’s high, morale booster

These neurochemicals are also affected by our holistic lifestyle choices, including exercise, food, sleep, stress management, and more.

Some research suggests when people “celebrate” themselves for doing something — no matter how seemingly insignificant — that supports a chosen new habit, then they may be able to increase the likelihood that their new habit stands a good chance of becoming a life-long one.

In other words, if we can consciously identify how we think, speak, and act while living in the experience of achieving, then might achieving become easier for us because we’ve already carved that familiar neuropathway for ourselves, i.e. tapped into our motivation, perhaps by our own design?

Although more research is necessary, scientists believe these little intentional gestures of reward for accomplishing a task rewards the brain, whether a fist pump because you remembered your gym key fob that morning or maybe a few Snoop Dogg side steps en route to the grocery store.

A habit is formed when we have a cue, routine, and reward; so it is important to reinforce strategic moments of reward throughout the journey to our goal in order to help us stay motivated.

Whatever your immediate reaction would be in that moment of feeling achievement is exactly the type of thought, word, and action you want to channel over and over again when you are adopting a new habit.

So what does achievement feel like for you?

What does “celebrate yourself” behavior (those thoughts, words, and actions when you achieve something for yourself) look like for you?

To affect life change, we:

+Set goals based on our values.

+Identify and describe key habits to support life change.

+Select cues and routines that work for us.

+Take action by considering: what step(s) do I need to take right now so there are no obstacles to my success?

We most do not realize is we are capable of triggering those feel good neurochemicals for ourselves.

To develop our self-awareness, we need to remember:

• We are responsible for our every thought, word, and action.

• We can consciously “celebrate ourselves” by recreating the behavior (thoughts, words, and actions) in how we express feeling good about ourselves to reward our brains.

Doing so helps our brain predict, recognize, and reward us —which reinforces our motivation to sustain our habits and get them to stick.

The new neuropathway habits associated with these positive feelings may increase our personal and professional motivation toward our goals and help us discover our brain’s own unique way of celebrating ourselves.

NEW Habit I am choosing to live a healthier lifestyle, so I will exercise 3 times per week for 30 minutes each session for 4 weeks. Then I will analyze my progress and readjust my performance objective.

Cue I will put on gym clothes first thing in the morning so I am ready for the gym after I drop the kids off at school.

Reward
(1): After getting dressed, sing like Lizzo, “hell yeah, I put my gym clothes on!” and do a shimmy.
(2) After making a protein shake, pretend you have your best outfit and work that runway in the kitchen.
(3) When you remember your key fob to open the door at the gym, do the lasso three times in front of the yoga mirror.
(4) When you finish your workout, swag walk all the way back to the car.
(5) Scream: “I am AWESOME!” as loud as you can 3 times in a row.

Every.single.time you do anything that supports a new habit, celebrate the awesome of you!