Why nothing feels exciting anymore (and what to do about it)
When everything is interesting, nothing is
Hello friends,
Does this ever happen to you? Things that used to feel exciting, like a plan with friends, a new season of your favourite show, a weekend with big plans, just don’t feel the same way anymore. You look forward to something, it arrives, and somewhere in the middle of it, you find yourself reaching for your phone. Just because… you kind of get bored.
I’ve had this feeling more times than I could count. And the more I’ve looked into it, the more I’ve realized: it’s not that the things in my life were boring or that life had become less interesting. It was because my brain had been rewired.
That’s partly the reason why I created my anti-rot year challenge. It’s been almost 6 months and I think I was able to change this feeling. At least for most days. But this piece is not about my anti-rot journey. It’s what I would advise to an old version of myself. It’s about how to rewire your brain.
But first, a little science lesson. Because when we learn the “why”, it becomes so much easier to change our behaviors. Don’t worry, it’s not that boring.
What constant scrolling actually does to our brains
Our brains have a reward system; a network that releases dopamine when you experience something pleasurable or new. For most of human history, this system was activated by things that required some effort: finishing a task, sharing a meal, discovering something, connecting with someone. The reward felt proportional to the experience because it was the experience.
Scrolling reshapes that system.
Every swipe, every new post, every notification delivers a tiny hit of novelty. Your brain gets a small dopamine dose, not from something meaningful, but from the mere act of newness.
And because the feed is infinite, because there is always something new just one swipe away, your brain never has to sit with anything long enough to actually want it.
When you overstimulate the reward system with constant cheap dopamine, it compensates by becoming less sensitive overall.
The result? Real life starts to feel underwhelming by comparison. But we can change that.Because the good news is: brains are trainable. And the way back is probably smaller and easier than you think.
What to actually do about it
The rest of this piece lives behind the paywall for my paid subscribers. If you’re curious what being a paid member looks like, here’s a little look at what’s waiting for you:
Mondays (Free/Paid): Essays about life skills, anti-rot ideas, romanticizing life and thoughtful ways to make everyday life feel fuller and more intentional
Wednesdays (Paid): How-to guides about the life skills I wish we learned in school: from social skills and creativity to building rituals, hobbies, and a life you genuinely enjoy
Fridays (Free): Essays, life hacks, and chic anti-rot ideas about making life feel a little more elegant, cozy, and fun
1st of each month (Paid):A monthly anti-rot guidebook built around themed missions, rituals, and a monthly curriculum to help your days feel less repetitive and more alive
15th of each month: (Paid):A cozy life inspiration series filled with reflections, articles, journaling prompts, hobbies, rituals, and creative projects designed to help you enjoy your life more and create moments you don’t just scroll past.
