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Welcome

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Hi! I’m C.
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I’m a 34-year-old creative empathy who lives with Mental Illness, trying to live a dopamine life here on the Central Coast/Darkinjung Land.
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I live with Depression, Anxiety and Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I’ve been in ‘recovery’ for a loooooooong time and I wanted to create this platform to share, to create, and to be a source of inspiration for all the people out there just like me.
I am not a doctor, or a therapist, I don’t have a degree in anything but my own lived experience, and the lessons I have learned a long the way while trying to reprogram.
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I was once told ‘you need to be wealthy to be healthy’ and I think that is the farthest thing from the truth. While a lot of mental health supports out there can cost a pretty penny, there are so many alternatives, lifestyle choices, activities, and practices that can be implemented in your life that don’t cost an arm and a leg or ones that are free! I wanted this space to be where I share resources, supports, tools, activities and lessons learned and discovered. I certainly don’t claim to have all the answers, but there is so much information out there that hopefully this can be a place where things can be compiled for you to explore. I will always source the information I share so you can check out the original site.
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So, what is ‘Dopamine Living’ – according to ye old Google ‘Dopamine Living is a lifestyle that is healthy and engaging in activities that increase dopamine levels. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that affects mood, motivation, and movement.’
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For me it’s a play on words for living a healthy, fulfilling, safe, balanced, caring, contributing life. For me it is about functioning when I am good and functioning when I am not. It’s about having supports in place, knowing where I can seek help, and knowing how and when to refill my cup. It’s about being able to function in my relationships and give to those I care about and to my community, to show up at work, to maintain my home, and to do all of that I need to do to take care of me so I can continue to give. This used to feel like such a selfish thing, that I was trying to focus on myself, but I now know that I can’t pour from an empty cup. I can’t support others and be present with others if I have nothing to give.
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The way I think about it it’s like being a plant. I can give oxygen and shade and sustenance, but I can’t do that if I’m all shrivelled and dehydrated. In order to give I need to have sufficient sunlight, to have plenty of water, I need nutrition, healthy soil and no pests. I need those things in order to function and to give. To be my best self for others I need to take care of me.
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Mental health and mental illness can suck! But there is always hope and you are not alone.
It’s nice to meet you, and thank you for joining me.

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