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Cooler days call for layers that last, and for me, Quince is the place to get them.
Their essentials strike that perfect balance, cozy, refined, and budget-friendly.
We're talking 50 Mongolian cashmere, premium denim that fits like it was made for you, and luxe outerwear built to last season after season.
Honestly, the wool coats look like something off a designer rack, but at a fraction of the price and the quality holds up.
That's because Quince partners directly with ethical, top-tier factories and cuts out the middleman.
So you get true luxury pieces without the markup.
It's the smartest kind of style refresh.
And my personal pick, the suede Chelsea boot in cinnamon.
It's become my go-to this fall.
Find your fall staples at Quince.
Go to quince.com slash Radioheadspace for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
Now available in Canada, too.
That's q-u-i-n-c-e dot com slash Radioheadspace to get free shipping and 365-day returns.
Quincecom slash Radioheadspace.
Hey friends, it's Rosie.
Welcome to Radio Headspace.
So, the other day, it was one of those afternoons.
You know the kind.
I was back to back with meetings, trying to stay on top of messages, Slack pings, 47 tabs open, my brain was done.
No spark, no clarity, just system overload.
So I did what a lot of us do when we hit that wall.
I reached for my phone.
Just a quick scroll, just two minutes.
I told myself something light to reset, a little palate cleanser.
An hour and 27 minutes later, I was now sitting on the couch phone hovering over my face, eyes glazed watching a cat playing with the toy to the sound of a remix Taylor Swift track.
And I felt terrible, not just guilty, but unmotivated, like I had just overdosed on nothing.
And that moment made me think of a conversation I recently had with Dr. Anna Lembke.
She's a psychiatrist, addiction specialist, and author of the incredible book, Dopamine Nation.
And something she said really stuck with me.
She explained that we're living in a time where dopamine isn't being released in small earned doses, like our brain evolved for.
Instead, we're hit with a constant fire hose of dopamine through food, social media, scrolling shopping, even just clicking.
And what happens after a flood of dopamine?
We crash.
Our brains go into what she calls a dopamine deficit state.
Basically, it's like we're emotionally hungover.
We feel irritable, anxious, empty.
And so we reach for more of the thing that made us feel good for a second, just to get back to baseline.
Sound familiar?
Yeah, me too.
The wild part is this cycle doesn't just affect our mood.
It actually reshapes our brain.
Dr Lemke said that over time, too much stimulation dulls our ability to enjoy natural pleasures like sitting in the sun, having a meaningful conversation or being present with our breath.
So how do we interrupt the loop?
One tool she offers is something called a dopamine fast.
It's a 30-day pause from the thing that's hijacking your reward system.
Now, before you panic, this doesn't mean you have to give up joy or go off grid.
It means consciously choosing to abstain from one behavior or substance you rely on for a quick relief.
That might be sugar, TikTok, shopping, romance novels, no shade to Anna.
I love that part.
In my case, It was mindlessly scrolling, especially when I was feeling overwhelmed.
So last summer, I decided to make a small shift.
Instead of trying to quit cold turkey, I did what I call a habit remix.
If I was going to scroll, I had to walk on the treadmill while doing it.
And guess what happened?
Ten minutes in, I was out of breath and irritated by the bouncy screen, and I just stopped.
Eventually, I started choosing to walk and listen to music or a good podcast.
Hi.
And you know what?
It started to feel really good.
Because once your brain isn't constantly chasing stimulation, it actually notices more.
You start to feel the richness of this moment right here.
The sip of tea, the breeze, the softness of doing nothing.
That's the power of resetting your dopamine system.
It's not about punishment.
It's about presence.
Dr. Lemke said it best.
We need to reframe discipline and even deprivation as something that can ultimately bring us more joy.
And neuroscience agrees.
Studies have shown that deliberate abstinence, even short term, can restore baseline dopamine levels.
It can improve our focus, even reduce anxiety and depression.
So if you're feeling that emotional crash after a scroll session, or if you're in that weird space where nothing feels that good anymore, try this.
Identify your personal dopamine trap.
That thing you reach for when you're tired, bored, or stressed.
Take a deep breath.
Make a plan to step away from it for a few days.
Or better, four weeks.
Replace it with something simple.
A walk.
A stretch. a slow breath, and watch what happens.
You might be surprised at how alive the world becomes when you're not chasing the next hit.
And if you're looking for more support, check out the Walking in Nature mindful activity in the app.
That's it for today, friends.
If you've tried a dopamine fast or you're thinking of starting one, Message me on Instagram at Rosie Acosta, and tell me how it's going.
Unless your dopamine trap is Instagram, then maybe email me instead.
And remember, you don't need more stimulation to feel better.
You just need more space to feel what's real.
I'll see you back here soon.
