Your intuition is telling you that you need change — some sort of shakeup in your daily routine. Here is a list of things that you could do instead of doomscrolling on TikTok and Instagram Reels.
- Get a Piercing
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There’s something about convincing yourself that one more piercing, especially the start of a curated ear stack or a belly button piercing, might fix at least one aspect of your life.
- Chop Off Your Hair, or Get Bangs Using the Scissors You Have at Home
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I’ve unfortunately fallen for the “if I make a dramatic change in my appearance, I’ll feel different” propaganda numerous times and chopped my hair, seven inches once (never again), and my bangs off with the closest pair of scissors I could find. But practice does make perfect, and I feel like I’ve gotten the bangs down. So… there’s that.
- Dye Your Hair
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A quick trip to CVS or Target for some bleach, hair dye and aluminium foil (or just any plastic bag) and a few hours later you’re officially a different person.
- Get a Tattoo
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Nothing says “I’m evolving” like making a permanent decision in a temporary state of boredom. Or have a full page of tattoos you’ll one day get with reference pictures, so you’re always ready for a spontaneous tattoo parlor trip. You could also get semi-permanent tattoos if you’re afraid of commitment (I cover my hands in henna all of the time).
- Cold Water Immersion
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As someone who loves a scalding hot shower, willingly stepping into freezing water feels like the ultimate personality reset. I don’t know if it builds character, but it definitely builds resentment.
- Rage Bait Someone
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Tell your friend something mildly controversial, and watch them freak out.
- Get Rage Baited
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Falling for any sort of rage bait is a full-body experience that I do not recommend, but it’s funny to look back at.
- Race Your Friends
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I feel like we used to do this all the time in elementary school, and I started seeing TikToks such as “When you’ve never seen your friends race at full speed.” Just make sure you’ve been hitting the gym for a while before bringing up the idea.
- Immerse Yourself in a Random Hobby
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For the next week, let something you’ve seen online or someone else do become your entire personality. It could be making wire jewelry, reading, the pilates class at the IM or anything else that tickles your brain.
- Listen to Music on Full Blast
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Putting on your headphones and dancing in your room is one of the most therapeutic things to exist.
- Relearn Your Classical Dance
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As someone who took Kathak (an Indian classical dance) since I was 5 years old, and now has a feed flooded with dance content, it’s actually wild how much muscle memory clicks back when you try to recreate choreography.
- Try Doing a Handstand
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You either fall on your face or strengthen your core.
- Text Someone Hot and Throw Your Phone Away
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Confidence is sending the text. Growth is not checking your phone for the next 2 hours.
- Text Your Ex and Throw Your Phone Away
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No further comments.
- Have an Event You’re Looking Forward to and Let That Be the Only Thing You Can Think Of for the Next Few Days
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Suddenly, your entire personality revolves around something happening in three days, and honestly, it makes life feel a little more exciting.
- Look in the Mirror for a Really Long Time, See What Looks Off About You and Hyperfixate On It
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It’s not the healthiest thing, but it is something I catch myself doing all the time.
- Adventurous Vacation
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Not the most accessible thing in the world, but as someone who loves trying new things and at times failing miserably, i.e., skiing, there are some things that truly click and make you want to move to a tropical country and live out your life near a beach.
- Go to a Concert
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If you’re starting to get obsessed with a new genre of music, a new artist or if your favorite musician is playing near you, this is your sign. Figure out how to get to the venue and book your tickets.
- Assignments
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This isn’t really dopamine-inducing, but it would reduce your anxiety if the stuff on your to-do lists is actually crossed off.
This list won’t make you a new person, but it will give you a new personality trait for a while – and your screen time might finally go down.