Lately I’ve been wondering: Is there such a thing as a trend gap?

Not the age gap. We’ve all accepted that one. I’m talking about the cultural space that quietly opens up between generations — the place where suddenly the things that feel brand new to our kids are things we’ve actually known about for years.

But somehow… they make them feel new again.

If you have children, younger colleagues or even one particularly plugged-in friend, you probably already know what I mean. They have this uncanny ability to stay in the loop of what’s trending, what’s going viral and what everyone suddenly “just discovered.”

And sometimes — at least in our house — they sneak these trends into conversations with us without telling us it’s a trend.

It’s like a social experiment.

The other day one of our lovely children casually started talking with my husband and me about cortisol levels.

“Do you know anything about cortisol?” he asked.

I had to laugh a little. Of course we know about cortisol. We 1,000% know about cortisol levels and the impact stress — or what we tend to call life in general — has on them.

Between running businesses, raising kids, volunteering and simply existing in adulthood, we have earned our honorary degrees in cortisol.

But then he followed it with a question I was not expecting.

“Have you heard about the dopamine dance?”

Now that one stopped me for a second.

Apparently, it’s trending right now — or at least it was at the exact moment I’m writing this, which in the world of the internet could mean anything between three days and three hours from now.

Naturally, I asked him to demonstrate.

Whatever synchronized concoction he came up with, he did with full commitment while explaining that the idea was simple: you move, you dance and the movement boosts your dopamine levels — your brain’s happy chemical.

Then he looked at me.

“Your turn.”

And I tried.

I’m not saying it was graceful. I’m not even saying it was coordinated. But I will say this: we all laughed. A lot. And by the end of it, I actually did feel happier.

Which, scientifically speaking, was the whole point.

The trend is tied to the song “Dopamine” by Indian pop artist Guru Randhawa, a high-energy Punjabi-pop fusion track. I had never heard this style of music before and I’m so glad I now have. Because people online are right — it is absolutely infectious and a real mood booster.

And I have to admit, there is something wonderfully funny about this being treated like a groundbreaking discovery. Dance makes you feel better.

Who knew?

Except… we all did.

Humans have always danced. At weddings, in kitchens, in living rooms, in celebrations and sometimes even in sorrow. Movement has always been medicine long before someone on social media gave it a name and a hashtag.

But here’s what I love about our younger counterparts.

They didn’t invent the idea. They repackaged it.

They took something that has always existed — something good, something healthy, something joyful — and made it resonate again in a language their generation understands.

They turned it into something fun. Something shareable. Something that makes people actually want to participate.

And that got me thinking about how we communicate in general.

Sometimes the things that are best for us aren’t new at all. We’ve known them for years — maybe decades. Move your body. Laugh with people. Take a break. Step away from stress for a moment.

But knowledge alone doesn’t always inspire action.

What does?

Energy. Creativity. A little bit of fun.

Maybe that’s the real lesson hidden inside a so-called dopamine dance. Not that dancing boosts happiness — we’ve always known that — but sometimes the way we share the message matters just as much as the message itself.

Because when something good is wrapped in joy, people actually want to try it.

And when that happens, the trend gap between generations suddenly doesn’t feel like a gap at all.

It just feels like everyone is dancing in the same room.

Mother, author, entrepreneur and founder of Dandelion-Inc, Lisa Resnick wants to hear your story. Share memories with her by emailing lisa@dandelion-inc.com.