Dr. Solangel is an integrative medicine doctor with extensive experience in alchemical quantum medicine and mental upgrading. She is the founder of Dharmagaia Integrative Medicine and the creator of The Master’s Journey, a transformative online program that has helped hundreds of people.
As the New Year approaches, many of us set ambitious resolutions: getting fit, saving money, and starting new projects. Yet, by February, the gym is empty, the savings are spent, and we’re back to our old habits. Why?
To truly change our outcomes, we must first change ourselves. Remember, "Insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results.”
Our external reality manifests our internal state of being. We need to change, and that change starts by rewiring the habits and thought patterns that keep us trapped in a loop or hamster wheel. Let's learn practical tips to get out of the loop and achieve your resolutions.
Is delayed gratification the key to breaking free from this wheel?
You grab your phone to check one Instagram notification. You’re still scrolling an hour later, comparing your life to strangers’ reels or watching Instagram videos. Your to-do list is forgotten, your messages ignored, and that creeping sense of FOMO leaves you feeling worse than when you started.
Instant gratification (dopamine) strikes again, stealing your time and peace of mind.
Delayed gratification has been associated with personal success and transformation. Modern life and some new-age ideologies promote instant gratification and the search for joy, inspiration, and/or excitement as the keys to achieving your goals.
How does quantum physics, the connection to your higher self, tie into this? And how can you use this information to approach the upcoming year and your resolutions?
The marshmallow study: A lesson in patience
The famous Marshmallow Study conducted by psychologist Walter Mischel exemplifies the idea of resisting momentary happiness for future gain. The study explored delayed gratification, a critical aspect of self-control and future success.
A child is brought into a quiet room, where a marshmallow is placed on a table. The researcher gives the child a choice: they can eat the marshmallow immediately or wait 15 minutes and receive a second marshmallow as a reward. The researcher leaves the room, and the child is left alone with their thoughts, impulses, and that tempting marshmallow.
Some children dove in immediately, unable to resist. Others used creative strategies, such as singing songs, covering their eyes, or turning away to distract themselves and successfully waiting for the second treat.
Mischel and his team tracked down these children. They found striking differences between “the waiters” and “the immediate eaters”:
Waiters tended to have higher academic scores, better social skills, healthier lifestyles, better emotional regulation, superior stress management, greater life satisfaction, and more fulfilling careers with higher earning potential.
Immediate eaters, on the other hand, were more likely to struggle with impulsivity, stress, and even health and emotional issues.
Decades later, researchers explored the neuroscience behind these behaviors, using brain imaging studies to uncover the mechanisms of delayed gratification. Here’s what they found:
Prefrontal cortex: The self-control center
The children who successfully waited showed stronger activity in their prefrontal cortex. This part of the brain is responsible for decision-making, planning, and regulating impulses. It acts like a wise mentor, urging us to consider the bigger picture rather than giving in to immediate desires.
Ventral striatum: The reward system
In children who struggled to wait, the ventral striatum, a region deep in the brain, lit up with activity. This area is heavily influenced by Dopamine, the neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and rewards. When they saw the marshmallow, their ventral striatum shouted, “Eat it now!” This same region is activated in adults when exposed to temptations like junk food, social media, or addictive behaviors.
Hamsters and the skinner box: A dopamine lesson
In the 1940s, B.F. Skinner placed rats in a simple box equipped with a lever. When the rats pressed the lever a specific number of times or at a fixed schedule, they received food pellets. But when Skinner switched to intermittent reinforcement, food was delivered unpredictably, and the rats became obsessed. They pressed the lever compulsively, ignoring everything else, chasing the elusive reward.
The key driver? Dopamine. Each reward triggered a Dopamine spike, reinforcing the behavior. The uncertainty of when the reward would come amplified the effect, making it almost impossible for the rats to stop. The little rats became frenetic, got sick, and were more aggressive.
Today, during the era of instant gratification, humans face their own Skinner boxes: Dopamine addiction, social media, money, gambling, sexual and substance addictions, and even binge-worthy streaming platforms.
Divine inspiration or dopamine urge?
You have heard me mention the higher self, inner being, or oversoul. The wise voice that softly whispers in your ear-your intuition.
The choice to listen to your higher self often involves engaging the seat of higher-order thinking (prefrontal cortex), self-control, and long-term planning. The Prefrontal Cortex advocates for patience. It says, “Wait for the second marshmallow; your future self will thank you.”
While this might feel like delaying gratification, it leads to profound benefits in the long run. It allows you to connect, tune in, and listen to your higher self, which always has a broader perspective and is aware of the ripple effect of each choice. A decision made from this connection will always be for the highest benefit of all involved and the best achievement of your long-term goals and values. Why? Because this is the part connected to the source, spirit, all that is, and your higher purpose.
The Ventral Striatum pushes for immediate gratification. It whispers, “Why wait? You could have pleasure right now.” This choice usually carries some kind of body reaction like increased heartbeat, sweating, or a sense of urge. In some cases, if the person has been doing it for a while, the body gets used to these changes. Still, you can tell that it may take an emotional toll because the fleeting pleasure often leaves you craving for more and, with a weird sense of unease, a faint emotion that tells you something is not quite right. The urge may often overstep a boundary, break a promise, hurt someone, or carry a lingering sense of guilt or feeling incomplete.
Mastering emotional intelligence to decode your inner GPS
The ability to delay gratification is more than just resisting a marshmallow; it’s a skill that profoundly impacts your life.
Think of the last time you chose a workout over a couch session. Recall the feeling of achievement and completeness and how proud you felt about yourself. Practicing patience and self-regulation fosters deeper, more meaningful connections with yourself (self-love and self-care) and with others (empathy-self awareness).
In a follow-up of the marshmallow study, researchers found that those children with healthier upbringings who were heard, loved, and supported had higher emotional intelligence and could wait for the second marshmallow.
Children who grew up in a stressful environment and did not have the same support were most of the immediate eaters and developed stress-coping mechanisms, stronger tendencies to addictions, avoidance, and anxious attachment styles, and less emotional self-regulation.
A new year, a new you
Imagine stepping into the New Year as someone who is no longer controlled by impulse or instant gratification. You’ve rewired your brain, strengthened your willpower, and aligned your energy with your highest vision.
Suddenly, those resolutions don’t feel like chores. They are the inevitable next step in your growth.
This is the power of self-transformation: it’s not just about changing what you do but about who you become. With the right mindset and tools, you can leave the dopamine-driven cycles behind and create a life that is balanced, joyful, and fulfilled with goals that have been achieved.
While self-control may come more naturally to some, it’s a skill that can be strengthened much like a muscle in the brain.
Actionable steps you can take toward self-transformation today
1. Mindful pause: Disrupting the impulse loop
The next time you get an impulse, take three deep, slow breaths. Wait and let it percolate for a few minutes (at least three minutes). Then, turn your attention to something else, like listening to your favorite music or engaging your brain in a creative project. Once you are feeling good, revise your impulse and practice inspired action.
2. Awareness and observation: Pruning and rewiring
Identify one habit you engage in daily.
Set a small challenge to avoid the habit for 24 hours.
Replace it with a fulfilling low-dopamine activity, such as reading a book, meditating, practicing yoga, or spending time in nature.
Identify moments when you tend to give in to the impulse to engage in this activity (habit).
Recall the emotion driving the behavior (e.g., stress, boredom).
Place your hand on your heart and breathe into that emotion.
Imagine releasing it as you exhale, visualizing it dissolving into light.
Replace the emotion with an empowering intention: “I choose calm.”
“I choose alignment with my higher self.”
"I am the master of my choices. Each decision I make aligns with my highest purpose and deepest intentions. I trust in the process and welcome the abundance that patience brings."
Reflect on how you feel afterward.
If the impulse fades, reward yourself with positive reinforcement for waiting (e.g., a mental pat on the back focusing on the clarity and peace that comes from reduced stimulation).
Gradually extend this time and use this detox period to connect with your energy field, journaling about shifts in your emotions, thoughts, and physical sensations.
If you cannot avoid the activity habit for 24 hours, you are in a dopamine loop!
3. Reframe: Elevate to a higher vibratory frequency
Ask yourself: “What is the long-term consequence of giving in? What will I gain if I wait?”
Reverse engineer prior events to gain perspective.
Related article: The Astounding Power Of Reverse Engineering Your Life
Elevate your frequency to have access to a better understanding of the situation from the Soul's Journey Of Expansion.
4. Visualize: Activates the prefrontal cortex
Use your imagination to vividly visualize yourself thriving even when you are not engaging in that activity or habit, focusing on how it feels energetically. Engage all senses: See the environment in detail, hear the sounds around you, and feel the emotions of accomplishment.
You can visualize a desired future outcome (e.g., feeling healthy and energized, losing weight, having financial freedom, or being in a fulfilled relationship with a secure attachment style).
5. Affirm: Enhances new focus
Repeat affirmations aligned with this vision (while feeling the desired outcome described above), such as: “I am patient, and I trust the process.”
“Every choice I make aligns with my highest good.”
“I prioritize health and energy daily.”
“I love the way it feels to be financially free."
6. Gratitude journaling: Rewiring for emotional regulation
Every evening:
Sit comfortably and close your eyes.
Redirect the brain’s focus (from seeking external rewards) to appreciating present blessings (reducing the pull of instant gratification)
Write down three things you are grateful for that day.
Reflect on how these moments align with your larger goals.
Pair gratitude with visualization by imagining how these positive feelings will grow in the future. (e.g., imagine yourself spending money on the things you like, supporting those who have a craft that you admire, and seeing yourself overflowing with resources, connect to the feeling of freedom and joy that you can embody when you are entirely supported in the material plane)
Ready to level up your mindset and master your choices?
Your journey to a more empowered and inspired you start today!
Discover how to strengthen your emotional intelligence, align with your higher self, and create the life you’ve always envisioned.
Click Here to book a personalized session with me to help you master your impulses, trust your inner guidance, and unlock lasting fulfillment.
Click on the link above to access prior articles and The Soul's Journey Masterclass.
Read more from Dr. Mariana Solangel
Dr. Mariana Solangel, Medical Doctor Transformational Expert
Dr. Solangel is an integrative medicine doctor who is a leader in biohacking. Her gift for seeing the unseen allows her to offer a unique set of techniques using the power of self-exploration, mental upgrading, and self-transformation. Her flagship program, The Master’s Journey, facilitates profound, long-term shifts that assist individuals toward their next level of wellness and personal growth.
