9/16/2026
Earlier this month, I wrote a piece about the seasonal memories associated with going back to school. For a long time, perhaps dating back to my own elementary school years, I have had a special fondness for summer—the lazy summer days of catching dragonflies, playing outdoors, and simply doing nothing in particular.
Autumn, on the other hand, has always made me feel a little down. Perhaps it is the sight of leaves falling and nature preparing for winter dormancy in late autumn and early winter. For a long time, I thought I was simply one of those people who felt this way. Later, I learned that there is a medical term for a recurring seasonal change in mood: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Some people even use medication to help manage its symptoms.
When it comes to regulating our emotions, many non-medication approaches involve changing our thoughts, reframing how we see things, and learning to accept our emotions.
This reminds me of David Phillips's book High on Life: How to Naturally Harness the Power of Six Hormones and Revolutionize Yourself.
Phillips discusses six chemicals closely related to our emotions, motivation, and mood: dopamine (多巴胺), testosterone (睾酮), endorphins (内啡肽), oxytocin (催产素), serotonin (血清素), and cortisol (皮质醇).
Dopamine (多巴胺) is closely associated with motivation, focus, and reward-seeking behavior. When the dopamine system is activated, we may feel, “I want to do it.” The important word here is want.
One important function of the dopamine system is its role in reward prediction—our brain responds not only to a reward itself but also to the anticipation that a reward is coming.
Think about our to-do lists. There are many things we know we should do, but don't really want to do. So how can we turn “I should” into “I want”?
Phillips suggests giving the brain something to look forward to. Instead of focusing only on the final reward, we can create small expectations and positive feedback along the way.
For example, if you want to go running, choose a route you really enjoy in advance and your favorite songs. Perhaps you can look forward to the scenery, listen to your favorite music, or plan to stop somewhere you like afterward.
In other words, plant a few small hooks in the future.
Maybe motivation is not always something we have to wait for. Sometimes, we can create a reason for our brain to look forward to what comes next.
More on these chemicals tomorrow...