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Hello and Welcome back  Daring listeners to another episode of The Daring Well Podcast!  I'm your host, Rita Mercer and today, we're going on a journey to explore the pathways to joy, freedom, and connection. Healthy Relationships start with us first and then expands outward.  As a wellness coach, licensed counselor, and neuroscience geek, I invite you join me as we uncover the beauty of wired for connection and explore the 4 feel-good happiness hormones: dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin. If you’re ready for a dose of inspiration for wellness tips and healthy relationships? Let's go!

The Neuroscience of Connection 

To kick things off, let's unravel our neurobiological systems and the neuroscience of connection. Our brains are wired for connection, including the 4 happiness hormones - dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin. These neurotransmitters and hormones play a critical role in shaping how we feel and how we connect. As a neuroscience geek, specializing in mental health and holistic wellness, I’m exited to guide us through these four feel-good hormones. Lean in, as we get ready to understand how these chemicals influence our feelings of joy, freedom, and connection."

I’m sure you’ve heard, no man is an island. And, that is so true as we think about our human evolution down through the years, decades, and centuries. From our human evolution of living in tight-knit communities, our survival depended not just on the skill of hunting and gathering, but also including our survival of cooperating with one another in order to survive.  The study of linguistics, anthropology, psychology, and of course neuroscience reminds of this simple truth conceptualized by “mirror neurons.”

For a quick overview of these four feel good hormones, Let’s start with dopamine, the reward hormone, which drives our motivation and pleasure. Serotonin contributes to our mood and sense of well-being. Endorphins, the body's natural painkillers and stress relievers, bring about a euphoric state. And oxytocin, the bonding hormone, deepens our connections with others. 

Next Steps - Boost your Feel Good Hormones 

As we wrap-up our time together of exploring the simplicity of joy, freedom, abundance and connection, I want to remind you that we are all wired for connection. The rush of dopamine, the euphoric feeling of endorphins, the connecting warmth of oxytocin, and the sweet serenade of serotonin are within your power, you just need to tap in! 

So there we have it—the fantastic four: Dopamine, Serotonin,  Endorphins, & Oxytocin.  Each of these feel-good hormones plays a unique role in our pathways toward finding more abundance in joy, freedom, and connection.  I hope you feel inspired and empowered to embrace the incredible power that lies within each of us. Remember, you are wired for connection, and the journey to true joy, freedom, abundance, and connection is uniquely yours to navigate. 

In the next 30 days, share your goals and your progress about what you’re choosing to be different? Start small and be consistent and watch your holistic wellness

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