Resilience, Dopamine, and the Wisdom of Letting Go
There's a part of resilience no one really prepares you for.
Not the crisis. Not the breakdown.
But the quiet moment when you realize something in your life is slowly, subtly hurting you.
In this episode of Diamonds in Dumpster Fires, Melie explores what real resilience feels like in the nervous system, why calm can feel uncomfortable after prolonged stress, and how dopamine-driven habits can quietly erode our sense of safety. Using dating apps as a personal example, she unpacks how constant anticipation and unresolved seeking can lead to emotional fatigue, even when nothing is "technically wrong."
This conversation isn't really about dating.
It's about noticing when something consistently costs you peace—and trusting yourself enough to let it go.
New episodes of Diamonds in Dumpster Fires now release bi-weekly on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month.
Reflection:
What habits leave you calmer?
What habits leave you tired?
What feels nourishing—and what feels activating but empty?
Because when something quietly drains you, letting go isn't failure.
It's wisdom.
Did this episode speak to you? Come join Melie on IG to chat about it @meliewilliams
