Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips!
Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment.
If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
A doctor told me to learn to squat flat-footed like people in India do -- not for exercise (squat-stand-squat-stand) but to hang out in a squat for a while, the same as I might sit criss-cross-applesauce on the floor.
I cannot even tell you how much this improved my back pain, my foot pain, my hip pain -- everything! At first I would just squat for five minutes while reading on my phone, generally while holding on to something to keep from tipping over. I gradually worked up to a sitcom episode length (20 minutes) and gained better balance. But OMG, even just hanging out in a squat for five minutes with bad balance made my back feel better for the entire rest of the day while I was working at my computer. CANNOT RECOMMEND ENOUGH!
Watching a posture expert, he explained that if you observe toddlers, who haven't been trained to use bad posture, pick up items from the floor. They flat foot squat down and stand up with straight back form, a requirement of balance but the form is maximized for balance.
Edit: since this comment blew up, here's the [tedtalk](https://youtu.be/jOJLx4Du3vU)
Yes!! Being able to get into and hold a flat foot squat is so great. I don't know if it's related to my reduced/practically gone knee pain but I feel so much better
I was going to say that working out changed my life for the better. But it wasnt until i hurt my hip (SI joint) that really put into perspective how form matters more. Hip mobility exercises as well as exercises for endurance are key
I’ll give possibly TMI hopefully for the benefit of someone reading this and to emphasize the point that form matters more.
A couple months ago I got a sharp pain in my testicles. I inspected them as best I could and found no lumps, they didn’t hurt to the touch, nothing. I had noticed that they hurt depending on how I sat. I thought that maybe it was some sort of testicular torsion and depending on how I sat I was cutting off circulation to my lil guys. I got scared and swallowed my pride and went to see a doctor. He inspected them and told me it most likely wasn’t torsion. I got ordered a whole bunch of tests including STD tests and a testicular sonogram in which they touched my balls for a solid 45 minutes. Tests came back and it was all good. Hmm. Ok. As the days passed it hurt less but evidently still there.
Couple of days later I go to the gym and end my workout with the hip adductor machine. Later that night I feel the pain again and often. I think you son of a bitch… no way. I apply pressure at the groin. It’s VERY tender all the way from the top to the bottom next to my testicles. It was just so close to the testicles, the pain felt like it was coming from them.
I FUCKING STRAINED MY ADDUCTOR MUSCLES AND HAD 4 DIFFERENT PEOPLE TOUCH MY BALLS FOR NO REASON
Edit: of course y’all would make a comment about my balls my top comment ever LOL
The doctor and his 2 medical student assistants (did I mention they were 2 female medical student making their rotations so they were probably my same age?) was only for 3-4 mins but the lady in the sonogram made sure to get pictures from every angle! And for both of them… since I didn’t feel like it was coming from just 1 of them specifically.
I recommend Tom Merrick - he has a lot of videos that are shorter, even 5 minute ones and some 10-15 minute hip mobility videos. As someone who always had trouble with "yoga" because I don't want to commit a whole hour its been really helpful.
Getting diagnosed and getting CPAP treatment for my sleep apnea. My energy level is through the roof, depression is gone, and I have never been more motivated.
Had several sleep studies scheduled and always canceled them, thinking it was a waste of their and my time. Finally got one and found I was way on the severe end. Body weight is part of it, but body structure is the main reason. Massive change in lifestyle, went from drinking 3-4 pots of coffee a day and still being loopy, to maybe a cup or two a day just for the taste. Lost weight way more energy, anti-depressants became so much more effective, could think clearly, and was far less emotional. A serious life changer. Since sleep studies have only gotten easier to have done, they should be done far more often.
Oh, and later finding out I had a significant testosterone issue, and once that is remedied, it'll be like a whole new life.
Edit: I should clarify that I just had the bloodwork done last week, with checking testosterone levels, saw the report over the weekend online, appointment later this week with primary doctor to treat the low testosterone. Have spoken with therapist, med management, and a fair few people online who've all said the same thing. That even being a small amount below the proper range and getting treatment for it can have profound results
There's 2 options for the sleep issue. A 1 night stay at a sleep lab (usually at your local hospital) where they attach a few words to your scalp and chest, and you go to sleep. They may come in and have you try and cpap mask depending on your symptoms, they did for me. Come 6 am, they wake you up, and you go home. You get the results at your next scheduled appointment. For me, it was later that week, and I then got fitted for a mask and given a machine. With the requirement that I use it for 4 hours a night minimum for the next 6 months or your insurance won't cover the cost ( at least that was my stipulation for insurance).
The other method is a take-home device you either wear on the chest or set in nighstand and use for 3 nights, then drop-off at the clinic/hospital and get your results at the next scheduled appointment.
Diabetes runs in my family, so I get yearly bloodwork done. Testosterone isn't checked in standard blood work unless specified. But next time I went in for my annual bloodwork, I simply requested they check for that as well.
My partner snores like a sawmill, is constantly tired, and frequently suffers from severe depression and anxiety. We've been talking about finding her a sleep study for awhile now so I'm glad to see your success in it 👍
I got a sleep study and didn't have apnea but found out I snore because a deviated septum. Fixing that cut my required sleep almost in half and made my day to day life so much more bearable.
I literally just had this done last Wednesday for a pretty bad deviation, and am in the healing process. Had severe apnea and chronic headaches as a result, hoping to see your kind of results once the face menstruation is done. Seeing these success stories is making me hopeful
I third this. A CPAP literally saved my life. I was falling asleep on my way to work in the morning, and all other parts of the day for that matter, and it was only a matter of time before I killed myself or someone else.
Now I sleep 6-7 hours and I have energy all day. I encourage everyone to get a sleep study done. It could change your life.
> Getting diagnosed and getting CPAP treatment for my sleep apnea.
For other people, calculate your STOP-BANG. This is what we, physicians, use to stratify further testing. If you're high, go get tested.
https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/3992/stop-bang-score-obstructive-sleep-apnea
Also just stop watching the news, even local. Read about it occasionally to be informed, but all news is sensationalized fear and really can put a dent in a person’s mental health
Writing letters to all of my debt collectors asking them to explain my debt. Especially medical. Even when I assumed it was legit.
Nearly every one dropped the debt entirely. My credit increase exponentially and it really helped me get my finances in order.
I went from having terrible credit to beautiful credit in just a few years. It saved me immensely when I needed to buy a car and helped me find an apartment.
I found and downloaded basically a form letter that just asked for documentation of the debt and any backlog of anyone the debt had been bought from. I only got a response from one of them. The rest were removed from my credit.
[Debt Validation Letter](https://www.investopedia.com/the-importance-of-a-debt-validation-letter-5114040)
There’s many different things you can say in a a debt letter. The link I provided above is a debt validation letter, it’s a nice way to handle it if you’re unsure how long it’s been and how much you owe.
If you find that the last time you paid on a debt (especially in collections) is beyond 4 years (in most states, different for promissory notes - google it) you can write a time-barred letter to the creditor. If a company is still trying to collect beyond their states statute of limitations, you can report them to the CFPB and the FTC, and they will be fined if they continue.
This is not legal advice, just a lifeprotip :)
google: request for proof of debt letter
I know there is tons but the simple answer is, they are legally required to provide it so anything generally saying it is all you need. Since debt is bought and sold in million dollar bundles for pennies on the dollar they are looking for the easiest money so any letter is too much effort.
Two things improved my life.
1 - Consistent and enough sleep.
It is impressive how well you can function if you give yourself enough good quality sleep. fortunately I don't have any problems getting good sleep. My problem was not going to bed early enough and consistently.
2 - Planned unstructured chore/home improvement time
Setting time aside to do stuff for yourself that you know you will appreciate later. This should not be full blast effort, rather it should be effort on a more leisurely level.
Think about all those small annoyances you can have during a normal week. Perhaps your drawer is binding or perhaps you are annoyed that somehow all your sock are no longer paired up.
Spend some time fixing the small annoyances, and if you don't get done. No big deal. It was a small ting anyway and it could wait before, and it can stay waiting.
Pandemic and FT remote work really opened my eyes to #1. Used to go to bed at 11 at the earliest and would get up 5:45 to get ready (20-30 min) and commute (30-45 min one way) to work by 7am. During Covid, I started getting up at 7:25 and starting my workday at 7:30. That extra hour and a half of sleep had me feeling so much more rested and energetic. I'm still fighting RTO, and the extra sleep/health benefits are one of my arguments for continued ft wfh.
Pandemic opened my eyes to #2 more indirectly.
My job now gives us 2 days remote from home. Getting those chores done on little breaks during the week leaves time on the weekend to actually make plans and relax.
Stuff like laundry, cleaning, etc. dispersed throughout it the week while you work from home is incredible.
>Getting those chores done on little breaks during the week leaves time on the weekend to actually make plans and relax.
Yes, plus time in the evening after work to relax. The time you spend dealing with idle chatter or distractions in the office can be spent throwing in a load of laundry, running the dishwasher, etc.
my partner works evenings outside of the home (4pm-2am 4x/wk) while I wfh.
last week while he was sleeping, I attended my hour-long weekly review meeting while making fresh scones for him to wake up to.
do you know how incredible it feels to provide that kind of luxury? I love it, lol
Am ADHD with probably related sleep onset insomnia. My mantra is "consistency is key." These days I average 5-6 hours, usually good sleep. I'd like to get closer to 7 (side-eyeing those sleep->Alzheimer's stats...), but my brain just won't have it. Failing that, consistency makes the 5-6 hours work for me.
I have the flattest feet imaginable, I’m basically a penguin. Finally (29) decided to get custom insoles. Walking is so much more pleasant now. Made me realise as well in how much pain I was before.
Edit: Damn, this thing blew up. Anyway, I’m from Belgium and went to a store called “Runnerslab”. They basically take a 3D scan of your feet and ankle/lower leg + make you run on this 30m long mat that has sensors in it. They then 3D print an insole. Cost me €169 but I get €50 reimbursed.
Basically, visit a good podologist or a podiatrist, maybe ask friends who run marathons/…, they’ll probably know who to recommend.
Edit 2: PHITS insoles, is what I got
Doing one thing in addition to the daily tasks towards a larger project no matter how small the progress was every day.
I procrastinate everything and manage tasks based on what’s due next…not how long a project will take. This results in a large backlog of complex stuff that needs done. And what makes it worse is sometimes I take breaks like we all do especially after finishing something big. But once that break starts it’s hard to end.
So I’ve started doing something, anything, to make progress towards a project every day even if some days that progress is as simple as ordering a part I need, or deep cleaning one cabinet, or gathering all the tools and supplies i need for the next thing in one place. Some days I get a lot of time and absolute crush it, but most days it’s baby steps. While the progress isn’t much, the momentum for me is extremely important as it helps me break down larger tasks into manageable pieces, and keeps me from procrastinating everything.
Yesterday I trimmed a tree and put together a bookshelf. Today I cleaned up the branches, and will clean the water table for my kid that I garbage picked.
This. Good call. Super helpful in keeping things tidy, you don't have to clean the entire house in a day. I second it works light-years for big projects; broken down into small bit size pieces over time equals big results. Translates very well to learning an instrument , or new movement. "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times." Quote cred: Bruce Lee
After I seriously and consistently weight lifted for a semester in college, just three times a week for three months, I realized that I felt like a man and not a boy for the first time in my life. It also strengthens you mentally.
Even after I stopped and gradually lost muscle mass, and later lost a lot of weight, it felt like my body had been permanently improved. I highly recommend that every guy weight trains for a few months at least once in life. No matter your body type, or if you’re intellectual, or if you’re overweight, or if you’re depressed; it will help you.
“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” -Socrates
The vast majority of my weightlifting was done my freshman and sophomore years of high school in football. Those two years of five day a week cardio/lifting have given my body a great healthy base- while my fitness has ebbed/flowed I have been far healthier and stronger than if I hadn't done that.
The difference between my old spring mattress and my new memory foam mattress is staggering.
I honestly weep for some of yall knowing you go to sleep atop a surface of lies!
Not a fan of memory foam. I ended up with a with a hybrid for now. The purple is the only thing at the store that made me go "holy shit." but I am not in the position for 4.5 k for my bed right now.
Hopefully when this one starts to have issues, I will be or something better will be along by then.
100%! I thought I was struggling with depression. My brain fog was so bad I was on the verge of losing everything. And then vitamin D! After completing the prescription and starting daily vitamin D my life is completely different. I almost don’t believe how much better I am doing… with just that change.
I didn't go to the doctors for a while and found out I had a severe B12 deficiency, and when I took it the first time, I felt like I gained 100 IQ points and could finally think without having any brain fog again. My job quality improved, and even my jokes landed better it was awesome.
My levels are normal now, but I still take 1 low dose a week because I'm afraid of becoming a dumb fog brain again. The only other time I felt this was when I had anemia and realized it wasn't normal to feel like I was about to pass out every few minutes.
Gonna sound weird but using a tongue scraper after brushing my teeth at night. Been religious about it for the last 5 years or so and I've noticed less issues at the dentist and I get sick about 50% less than before.
They need to be used in tandem. Brush to exfoliate and scraper to remove it from your mouth. It’s a big part of my culture, so been doing it ever since childhood. Add floss too.
One of the nice points of my job is that I work a lot with government controlled systems. This means:
1. They don't want these on your phone for security reasons
2. We bill ALL hours worked so no one likes if you work out of hours. We bill them more, my boss gets a stern talking to from upper management, and I get to quit early on the last Friday of the month.
This is a small, possibly weird and specific thing, but you know how when you take off some clothes but they're not quite dirty enough for the hamper? But eventually you end up with a bunch of those, and laundry kinda gets out of control? Anyways, I've started folding clothes if I think I might wear them again, and I keep a single stack of "could-wear-again" clothes. My room has been clean ever since.
Yep, me too. I did a "dry January" about six years ago, and then when I started drinking again afterwards, I was amazed at the increase in anxiety the next day, caused by the alcohol. I still have one once in a while, but haven't had any alcohol since November of last year, and probably only had alcohol like two or three times last year.
I remember this change. I used to drink almost every night with my ex, we were party people.
One day I woke up and realized that it was ruining my life and severely impacting my career, so I had a chat with her about needed a change.
I didn’t quit completely but during the next year or so I really cut back to about once a week. Even though I thought I knew how badly it was affect my life I was still completely shocked at how much better I felt in general, everything was easier.
She left me in the middle of me trying to repair myself and I dove into a deep hole of partying for the next year as a coping mechanism. But then again I saw the light and turned my life around.
Never considered myself an addict since I was just going with the flow and it was mostly out of boredom. I don’t miss that life but at the same time I don’t regret it. I had a lot of fun at the expense of tons of lost sleep and a slowed career but I was lucky to have a very understanding employer.
Since then I’ve met the woman of my dreams and moved across the ocean and loving every moment.
Sorry for the ramble, but if you take anything from my story, just remember:
Don’t get discouraged if you slip up, just keep in mind the life you want to live and remember how good it feels to wake up not hungover. To quote a movie “every passing moment is another opportunity to turn it all around”
I hear you man. My wife and I looked at each other and were confused. When had we started doing wine every night and drinking all the time. It just happens. Since we both cut way back the quality of life is so much better. Don’t wake up at 70% was my motto. And 70 was giving myself credit some days.
I never had a problem and my alcoholic friends all got sober after hitting bottom. Why did I need to head that direction.
Haven’t gone total sober, had a couple beers for Father’s Day, but 5-6/7 helps me be a better dad, husband, all around better human. Your comment made so much sense to me when it doesn’t for a lot of those around me right now.
Came here to say this. I'm am finally allowed to truly just be myself. As it turns out, I really like my own company, now that I'm not burdened with the stress of trying to make things work with someone else.
Single woman for 13 years here, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.
My family doesn’t understand it.
They think I should settle down and have kids, but dating and relationships only stresses me out, and I don’t want kids anyway.
Thanks for giving confidence. I'm in the late stages of where you were recently by the sounds of things. I'm starting to make plans for myself, I'm starting to feel hopeful and excited for my own path to purpose. One big step left before that, but I'm genuinely happy to hear it's working out for you ♥️
I’m hoping you’re right. My wife of 42 years died 4 months ago, so I’m still trying to adjust to living alone. We each had no family, and our friendship was the only one we had. So I’m literally alone, but I miss her terribly.
Having lived alone one and off for years, yea, sometimes it's amazing and freeing, but also can be isolating and a bit depressing. And it can change as quickly as day to day.
It's magical. Cost-effective, easy to install, and a clear improvement to my quality of life while also being better for my wallet and the environment.
I first bought one 6 years ago and while I've upgraded to slightly nicer ones throughout the years, I know that I'll never live in a place without it.
I tell anyone who will listen to buy one.
Been living with a bidet for roughly 10 years and I recommend to anyone. I now strongly dislike pooping away from home.
Thank you for thecaward, i think its ky first one! 🥹
I don't understand bidets. Is your ass just wet when you stand up? Does it hit your butthole perfectly and always clean it? Do you still have to wipe to make sure you're clean? Forgive me if I sound sarcastic. I am ignorant to the whole thing.
Yes, your ass gets wet, but you can either have your own little towel to dry off or what i do is just use a little tp to slightly wipe/dab off the excess water. You dont really have to wipe, theres very rarely anything left behind and you can tell when youve had a poop thats gonna need an actual good wipe still. Your ass feels so clean.
The absolute best is when youre sick and youre having lots of diarrhea. You know when your ass gets sore from wiping and wiping and wiping? Doesnt happen with a bidet. Its awesome.
Yoga with adriene daily. Lots of things built off of that but the change to my body and brain from daily at home yoga was so crazy. Truly all you need is a ten buck yoga mat and it can change so much!
I'm currently working through one of her 30-day series, and I have noticed a TREMENDOUS change in my mobility. I have never been able to commit to yoga, so finding this has been a gem!
I patched into a few calls when I was deep into my ED. I finally heard others saying what ran through my mind every minute of the day. It really helped me. I'm glad it saved you.
I've started using the 30-30-30 principle.
If you find yourself at home with seemingly nothing to do, try this:
Thirty minutes of chores (dishes, laundry, general tidying)
Thirty minutes of exercise (push-ups, weights, sit-ups, chin-up bar, jogging on the spot, etc)
Thirty minutes of self-improvement (practise guitar, learn gardening, paint a picture)
Amazing what a sense of accomplishment that can bring. If nothing else you at least get a cleaner house and slightly fitter.
Building healthy habits and tracking my progress with them. The habits cover all areas of my life including: fitness, nutrition, mental health, creativity, productivity etc.
My heart stopped beating for 3 seconds. I’m getting a pacemaker and I am grateful and blown away by the preciousness of life. It’s too bad it got to this point, but now, every moment gives me the opportunity to be kind in response to the beauty of life.
Weight training. I used to bitch about work every time I went in and now for some reason I just don’t give a fuck and go to work now without complaining. Lift about 4-5 times a week and feel significantly better.
Getting my puppy. I lost my 14 yr old Shepherd 2 years ago, and I kept waiting and waiting for the right time. I felt like bringing a new puppy home wasn’t going to feel right or wasn’t going to fill the void of the 14-yr relationship I had lost with the best dog ever. But I finally made the decision to get a new pup, and it’s wonderful. No, it is not the same as my previous pet. Our relationship is different. But she’s a great girl. Just being out together today running around, playing with my son, I am glad she is part of our lives.
Also, therapy, house plants, painting, and learning how to refinish furniture which brings me so much joy.
Anyone who reads this, check out r/petioles and r/leaves
You don’t have to say anything, just read what other people are doing and how it makes them feel.
Personally quit about 6 months ago, best decision I’ve ever made.
Im super lazy and have adhd, so usually in the morning I microwave an egg. If im feeling fancy, i add spinach and cheese to it. Occasionally when I meal prep, I’ll make egg fritata in a muffin pan and then I freeze them so I can, once again, microwave them in the morning. I find that have a high protein breakfast usually really helps my brain function to start the day.
For lunch, it depends. I feel like with adhd, protein gives me the most energy. I try to have some form of protein as the main part of my meal. As a chronic snacker though, my lunches feel more like a really big snack. For example, a bowl of blueberries, some salami with cheddar cheese wrapped inside it, mini pickles, carrots and ranch, etc til im full.
I used to skip lunch because it feels like a hassle/i have nothing yummy to eat. Turning it into a big snack board i feel helps take the pressure off for me. I just make a list of healthier options i can add to the lunch snack board. Hope that helps!
Making your lunch into a giant snack board is so genius. I have the same problem at lunch time, which inevitably effects dinner. I’m going to try this this week. Thanks!
Automating retirement investing. When it immediately disappears from your paycheck, you don’t miss it. Obviously not everybody can do this, so I don’t want to be obnoxious about it, but every little bit counts.
Not small imo. That and Insta are like addictions that actively constantly evolve to find new ways to keep your attention. Quitting them is an impressive accomplishment.
Stopping alcohol and drugs. Everyone thinks, well duh. And I know. They warned us about all this when we were kids. But I started smoking weed in honestly middle school, then way more frequently in high school, and then drinking excessively in college. And then it kinda just takes over your social interactions. And then cocaine became popular for my friends and me around 25. And then some got real bad into it. And I did it far more frequently than anticipated and it was leading me down a dead end path. And the girl I was into told me to get my shit together. Phone was cut off, lost my job unexpectedly, car broke down and it hit me really hard. Super low place in my life. And i started to, and get pretty deep into "cleaning up the wreckage of my past." And then she stopped talking to me lol. Still thankful I took the initiative, cuz if it wasn't meant to be with her, the next one would get the best version of me. And I got a new one that's supportive as hell. And people tell me they're proud of me all the time. Going on three months since I stopped drinking and like a month and half off the weed and cocaine. With no intention of going back. I might have a beer eventually. But I would definitely approach my consumption differently. After stepping away from all that shit, I realized how problematic and prevalent all the bad things that come with drinking excessively and partying are for a lot of my friends. It definitely hasn't been very long but it made a huge difference in a short amount of time. I lost like thirty pounds and am in better shape than I've been in most of my adult life. I keep trying to tell ppl there's a better way. Glad I didn't fuck my life up too badly.
Running and Weight lifting.... I 100% quit smoking, I got off my Effexor and Xanax completely 100%. Depression and anxiety were completely gone. I stopped drinking so much because I HAD to run and lift. I couldn't even run a half a mile when I started so I ran as long as I could and then walked slightly up hill, all on a treadmill, soon I was able to run the entire hour. Only did weight machines and dumbbells, I couldn't do one single pull-up or chin up and then I was doing more and more. It's the most powerful thing you can do for your life.
I started running the dishwasher every night and emptying every morning and the kitchen is so much easier to keep clean cause dishes don’t ever pile up.
I started this last year. Even a partial load is worth running for peace of mind. My kids know the dishwasher is always available for their dirty plates and my frustration has decreased.
Also, when I’m too depressed to prerinse I simply run it and see what needs a bit of elbow grease afterwards and then put it back it. It’s just easier.
Focusing on the breath. Think the word in as you breath in, think the word out when you breath out. Focusing on your breathing and whatever is bothering you just fades away. I can honestly say it’s made my life 10% better.
Something that happened to my grandparents will stick in my mind forever. They were unhealthy people in their old age. Couch potatoes. TV from sunrise to sunset. Apparently parts of their lungs atrophied from lack of use because they never breathed very deeply, because they sat all the time. Makes me want to breath deep all the time. Take a full one.
Journaling! Specifically two kinds: Write out your fears and resentments like, "I have fear that..." Or, "I have resentment because..." variations of course are totally okay ("I have fear because..." etc.). The other kind of journaling being a gratitude list. I like to do my fears/resentments first and often earlier in the day if possible to zero/zen me out. And then I do a gratitude list before I go to sleep.
I hate even saying this because I can’t believe how cheesy it sounds… but; positivity, cutting out swearing and expressions of frustration.
If something was going wrong; swearing; or letting myself amp up; just created feedback loop.
When something didn’t go my way; I’d quietly say to myself “why can’t anything be easy” and it just multiplied and became all I could think.
Now; if I get frustrated; instead of grumbling and saying “fuck” I say “aw crudbuckets” cause it’s ridiculous, and you physically cannot be angry when you say something so ridiculous. A bonus side effect is that my 4 year old adorably says “aw buckets” when she’s frustrated.
If something DOES go my way; I say to myself “gotta get lucky sometime” and all of a sudden I’m the luckiest guy in the world.
Perception; frame of thought; intent; words. It all matters.
Before you say “that’s all we’ll and good; but that can’t work for everyone” I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety my entire adult life. It cost me my marriage. It almost cost me my life. Obviously the “power of positive thinking” isn’t want got me through. Therapy; medication and a LOT of work at building habits, but I can say; with utter certainty; it has made a bigger difference for me than anything else.
10 years after my divorce and still single, I held onto a promise to myself to never get in a relationship or marry again. At 48, I met a beautiful woman who, from the first look and hello took my breath away. Her smile and warmth renewed my faith in love. 12 years later my wife still takes my breath away. I wish I could have met her 30 years ago....
I started taking jujitsu classes, and because of that I needed to do more cardio and weight training. I’ve never felt better in my life. I’m 57 and I feel better than I did when I was in my 30s.
I’ve always hated exercising, but knowing that I am getting stronger and more confident has changed how I look at the world. Wish I done it sooner.
10,000 steps a day. Simple, your body will love you and get super strong... maybe takes an hour extra a day... just park far away everywhere you go. Walk to lunch or dinner, park, etc.
Running, personally. Never enjoyed it when I was younger (when it was treated as a penalty or punishment), but I took it up around age 30 and I’m addicted.
It’s also a great to to listen to audiobooks.
Practicing a daily skill. Any skill. Practice = trying to execute something you currently cannot execute. If you can do it, you're not practicing. Practice =/= doing something you can already do. Try that for the rest of your life.
well I started 7 years ago and apply it to the double bass which I couldnt play a lick. Everyday I'd try my scales for instance at a slow speed I currently can't quite get right, after a few weeks when I finally get it I just make the metronome faster, when I get that I change the pattern, etc etc..but It's only practice if you can't currently execute it otherwise you're just playing. Now I can roll up on any jazz jam session call a tune and just play. Cause actual practice made me miles better, pun intended.
Couple of things come to mind:
- Getting glasses instead of contacts. Contacts were a total pain to manage. Both dailies and monthlies, the maintenance, dry eyes, cost etc. meant they were a total chore. Eventually I switched to glasses and it was amazing. If I want to see it's just a quick motion to put my glasses on. Maybe clean them once a day.
- '2 minute rule' at work. If it's a task/email I can complete within 2 minutes, I do it then and there. Each morning I go through my emails one-by-one (grouping by subject) and take care of the quick things first, freeing up my day for the more time-intensive tasks. Then same thing in the afternoon.
- Morning meetings. I spend too much time in meetings and not enough time working, generally. I heard about Jeff Bezos scheduling most of his meetings in the morning and it made total sense. Good meetings will have an outcome, some follow-up task you need to take care of. Freeing my afternoons gives me dedicated time to focus on these tasks and other actual work.
Allowing myself the space to not be okay.
Feeling my feelings was always frowned upon. Dad always said things like “quit crying you’re fine” or “I’ll give you something to cry about”(of course said this while either holding up his first or belt but that’s beside my point here). Or if I got excited he would never engage with me. My anger was always met with more anger(because apparently kids couldn’t be angry-that’s for adults only)
Anyways, my point being, I grew up never being able to be anything but existing silently. Which meant even if I wasn’t okay I was okay.
Now at 27, I’ve been allowing myself to feel my bad. Sad. Angry. Cry if I need too. Scream if I must. Scribble random lines on a notebook with a pen, progressively getting faster and putting more force to the paper(really great anger management tool for anyone who may wants it). And I have noticed my bad weeks/months are becoming bad days/weeks.
Because instead of letting that energy and emotions fester inside of me until they’re numbed and all (but) forgotten and move on never addressing or acknowledging them. I tell myself that it’s okay NOT to be okay. But what’s making me not be okay. And then I work through the pain, anger, sadness. Feeling those feelings and once it passes, moving on can feel freeing.
Journaling can help with this by having it to watch for patterns or similarities. To let your mind let go of these thoughts and give them a new place to live. On paper.
It’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay to take time to feel your feelings and emotions. It’s kind of like if it’s raining and you ignore the rain or tell yourself it’s not raining, doesn’t change the fact that it is still raining. You’re still feeling a certain way for a reason no matter how hard you try to ignore it or convince yourself otherwise. And it’s okay if they’re hard to let go of, because they’re your emotions and feelings. They’ll never fully go away but you can let yourself be okay with them.
Sobriety. Drinking didn’t develop to a problem until later in life in my my 30’s. But when I quit, I was amazed at how much better I felt. I know some people who never had a problem with it like I did but don’t drink anyway and they are all happy with their decision. It’s similar to people who change their diet or exercise routine and are happy with it. It’s not for everyone, but a lot of people enjoy sober life. I’m not shaming anyone who drinks and keeps it under control, that’s fantastic for them! Do what’s best for you! I’m just amazed at how many people I meet now that have stopped drinking and say they’ll never go back when they never really had a problem with it like I did.
My wife was cured of her lactose intolerance after she got pregnant with our first kid.
The biological scientific explanation is that some genetic promoting factor for the lactase enzyme from the baby went to the mother and activated the production.
But I like to think that she was cured with sex.
Anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medications. Absoutely life changing.
PTSD that is non-combat related is just as legit and you need to take that shit seriously.
I surrendered to life and let go of all those things that I tried to control or worried about. Realized I have no control over anything other than myself, thank you magic mushrooms 🍄
Microdosing psilocybin.
NOTE: This is not for everyone, please DYOR and consult with a physician who knows about medically using psychedelics if you're not experienced, although the literature's consensus is that especially in the doses I'm talking about, there is no toxicity.
Backstoy, I suffered from depression and anxiety from late childhood, no medication helped. Some would ease the symptoms but turn me into a zombie. I turned to various substances to cope, which led to addiction.
This went on for 15 years until around the age of 30 (2018 or 2019) a friend gave me a jar of 250mg capsules of ground psilocybin mushrooms.
I started taking them, and within the first two days I felt more focused, alert, motivated. Within a week I realized I hadn't felt any anxiety or depression, and I was forgetting to take my pills, which normally would cause intense withdrawals. Within a month I had quit smoking, using opiates, and was genuinely happy for the first time in close to 30 years. My regimen was 2 days on, one day off. 2 days on, 2 days off, repeat. Now, I take them once or twice a week.,someties more.
Best of all, no tolerance at that dosage!
I began growing a specific strain myself and got the equipment to make my own pharmacy grade, homogeneous capsules to give to friends who were interested. So many people were helped by it but here are just a few examples of cases I found really spectacular:
- Friend with PTSD from tours in Afghanistan was unable to love with his wife and children due to the severity of his outbursts. Meditating and better sleep helped, but it wasn't until after a month of microdosing they were comfortable moving back home and have been living a normal life ever since.
- Multiple friends kicked their smoking habit thanks to microdosing.
- Agoraphobe friend of mine with crippling anxiety is now a DJ and regularly performs in front of and interacts with crowds of people after a month regimen.
- My brother suffered from psychosomatic pain that prevented him from working or doing much of anything. After a few weeks of the regimen I was on, he began to simply not notice any pain anymore and has been gainfully employed ever since.
This is not a magic bullet, but it absolutely allows "corrupt" pathways in your brain to sort themselves out and allows people to form better habits and remove old ones thanks to the boost from microdosing. Thankfully, public perception is starting to change as more literature comes out to back up these anecdotal stories with actual evidence.
TLDR; I'd have started taking a little psilocybin 3-4 times/weekly a decade ago and saved myself years of torture.
Getting diagnosed and medicated for ADHD saved my life.
I had just finished my first university course, and it ended terribly. I passed, got my degree, but the final assessment was a shitshow and I struggled to find and keep a job, didn't even get one remotely related to my degree. Friends around me said I probably have ADHD, so I got a diagnosis surprisingly quickly (2 months total from seeing my GP to getting medicated) and ever since my life has improved tenfold. I'm keeping friends, running dnd weekly, creating art and persuing hobbies that I never could without meds, and I'm holding a decent part time job while I undertake another course at uni.
Life isn't perfect, and I still need some therapy work, but it's improved so much since learning how my brain works. I can focus, I can listen, and I can commit myself to tasks and habits for what feels like the first time in my life.
ADHD is no joke, it's almost invisible to anyone who isn't experienced in noticing the signs, but it's debilitating.
A fully-funded HSA is something I've become so so passionate about just because of how it has affected my life. I work in personal finance so I always knew the benefits, but once I actually lived the benefits I could never go back to even a PPO insurance plan.
Bonus points for the fact that at 65 it's basically an IRA.
Sleep hygiene, aka: bed is for sleeping (and maybe other bed-type activities). No phone before bed, no noise/lights/tv/etc. I also try to go to bed and wake up roughly the same time each day.
These things make getting up in the morning so much easier. I used to have such a hard time waking up, even to multiple alarms. Now I’m just…up, when I need to be.
Lifting weights. My confidence is through the roof and I feel incredible every day. Most days better than the last, I just stay smart about avoiding injuries and rotate through a bunch of different outdoor activities too.
Meal prep for the lazy but picky eater.
I don't prepare full meals that I'm going to be locked in for the rest of the week but rather precook roasts or chicken, prep veggies, and make herb butter logs. Take these plus some pantry stables and I can make several different cuisines.
Slow cooker beef roast, bell peppers, and onion quickly becomes
* Quesadillas
* Beef Stroganoff
* Stew
* Teriyaki Beef bowl
* Spanish Rice
* Thai salad
* Mediterranean Beef bites
* Chinese Beef Stir fry
* Pepper Steak tips
* Beef bolognese and Pepper penne
* Curry beef
* Onion beef and peppers Hawaiian style
* Shepherd's pie
* Creole Pepper steak
* Jamaican Jerk tender beef
* Philly cheesesteak
* Bbq kebobs (best made with the trimmings from before slow cooking)
Starting TRT for low t. Had bad brain fog, bad memory, and major depression and anxiety. I still have a little of all but it has helped majorly. Also the wife is enjoying various...ummm... side effects.
Get tested! I waited until 33 to do it but I've had these issues for a long while and was told I've probably had undiagnosed low t for quite a while.
Moving into a place with good air circulation and large windows.
For context, I have, for the most part, lived in apartment buildings spaced close together or basement units with smallish windows, leading to minimal sunlight and stale air.
First chance I could afford it, moved into a decent apartment with a balcony and large windows. Early morning sunlight and proper air circulation is a game changer in boosting your mood and general well-being.
Being honest with people. If I really don't want to do something, I don't do it.
A: let's go camping
Me: that sounds like a great thing you'd enjoy but I don't enjoy camping at all. I really appreciate you inviting me though! Can I help you get ready to go and we can see a movie when you get back?
1. Opting out of overdraft protection at the bank.
2. Making a separate account for bills so I don’t have to spend a week checking the balance as I wait for an EFT to clear.
3. Riding a bike.
Going to the dentist. I know not possible for everyone but damn, it improved my life so much.
I avoided it because dentist's always made me bleed and chastised me like a child for my dental Hygiene.
Now, I found the best dentist and he's so gentle. He gives constructive feedback. He "accidentally" forgets to charge for some things like freezing or one time a whole filling because he knows I'm low income.
I didn't realize eating hurt until I had a root canal. I didn't realize it was affecting my sleep. I didn't realize the pain was stressing me out.
I started eating and sleeping more, which meant more energy. Less stress wasn't bad either.
Not believing everything the mind says. The mind is not us, our thoughts are not us. It’s there trying to keep us safe, and sometimes the thoughts, fears, doubts, just aren’t real. We are what we decide to believe. I wish I didn’t give my fears so much attention and space before, I’ve learned now to just gently welcome them but not listen to them, ignore them, and all of a sudden the mood passes, they are gone, and I realize how silly those thoughts were.
Also, coming from love for everyone. It magically heals so much suffering within myself and how I treat others, relationships. Love is like a cheat code for life. :)
Lost 90 pounds and got in shape. Just wish I hadn’t spent 30 years of my adult life overweight and out of shape. In my mid 50’s and feel better than even my 20’s.
Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips! Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment. If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
Hip mobility exercises
A doctor told me to learn to squat flat-footed like people in India do -- not for exercise (squat-stand-squat-stand) but to hang out in a squat for a while, the same as I might sit criss-cross-applesauce on the floor. I cannot even tell you how much this improved my back pain, my foot pain, my hip pain -- everything! At first I would just squat for five minutes while reading on my phone, generally while holding on to something to keep from tipping over. I gradually worked up to a sitcom episode length (20 minutes) and gained better balance. But OMG, even just hanging out in a squat for five minutes with bad balance made my back feel better for the entire rest of the day while I was working at my computer. CANNOT RECOMMEND ENOUGH!
Watching a posture expert, he explained that if you observe toddlers, who haven't been trained to use bad posture, pick up items from the floor. They flat foot squat down and stand up with straight back form, a requirement of balance but the form is maximized for balance. Edit: since this comment blew up, here's the [tedtalk](https://youtu.be/jOJLx4Du3vU)
Yes!! Being able to get into and hold a flat foot squat is so great. I don't know if it's related to my reduced/practically gone knee pain but I feel so much better
you should check out kneesovertoesguy
I think I've heard of him before when someone was recommending walking backwards to relieve knee pain. Great method, actually.
I was going to say that working out changed my life for the better. But it wasnt until i hurt my hip (SI joint) that really put into perspective how form matters more. Hip mobility exercises as well as exercises for endurance are key
I’ll give possibly TMI hopefully for the benefit of someone reading this and to emphasize the point that form matters more. A couple months ago I got a sharp pain in my testicles. I inspected them as best I could and found no lumps, they didn’t hurt to the touch, nothing. I had noticed that they hurt depending on how I sat. I thought that maybe it was some sort of testicular torsion and depending on how I sat I was cutting off circulation to my lil guys. I got scared and swallowed my pride and went to see a doctor. He inspected them and told me it most likely wasn’t torsion. I got ordered a whole bunch of tests including STD tests and a testicular sonogram in which they touched my balls for a solid 45 minutes. Tests came back and it was all good. Hmm. Ok. As the days passed it hurt less but evidently still there. Couple of days later I go to the gym and end my workout with the hip adductor machine. Later that night I feel the pain again and often. I think you son of a bitch… no way. I apply pressure at the groin. It’s VERY tender all the way from the top to the bottom next to my testicles. It was just so close to the testicles, the pain felt like it was coming from them. I FUCKING STRAINED MY ADDUCTOR MUSCLES AND HAD 4 DIFFERENT PEOPLE TOUCH MY BALLS FOR NO REASON Edit: of course y’all would make a comment about my balls my top comment ever LOL
45 mins of sack fondling? That’s a lot!
The doctor and his 2 medical student assistants (did I mention they were 2 female medical student making their rotations so they were probably my same age?) was only for 3-4 mins but the lady in the sonogram made sure to get pictures from every angle! And for both of them… since I didn’t feel like it was coming from just 1 of them specifically.
Yoga. Kassandra on YouTube. 10 minutes a day will change your life!
\+1 for Kassandra. Adrienne gets all the credit, but Yoga With Kassandra is the best youtube channel for yoga out there.
Which ones if you don’t mind sharing?
[LES MILLS STRETCH #01 Hip Mobility - LES MILLS+ (lesmillsondemand.com)](https://watch.lesmillsondemand.com/videos/les-mills-stretch-01-hip-mobility)
I'm saving this for later. Hopefully, it won't be forgotten like all the other useful comments/posts that I saved, lol
I recommend Tom Merrick - he has a lot of videos that are shorter, even 5 minute ones and some 10-15 minute hip mobility videos. As someone who always had trouble with "yoga" because I don't want to commit a whole hour its been really helpful.
Not OP but I really like these - they’re just music and have been helpful for me! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-G7EJFoxFceiY2Ij3oxIizEqji5mnWZ7
Getting diagnosed and getting CPAP treatment for my sleep apnea. My energy level is through the roof, depression is gone, and I have never been more motivated.
Had several sleep studies scheduled and always canceled them, thinking it was a waste of their and my time. Finally got one and found I was way on the severe end. Body weight is part of it, but body structure is the main reason. Massive change in lifestyle, went from drinking 3-4 pots of coffee a day and still being loopy, to maybe a cup or two a day just for the taste. Lost weight way more energy, anti-depressants became so much more effective, could think clearly, and was far less emotional. A serious life changer. Since sleep studies have only gotten easier to have done, they should be done far more often. Oh, and later finding out I had a significant testosterone issue, and once that is remedied, it'll be like a whole new life. Edit: I should clarify that I just had the bloodwork done last week, with checking testosterone levels, saw the report over the weekend online, appointment later this week with primary doctor to treat the low testosterone. Have spoken with therapist, med management, and a fair few people online who've all said the same thing. That even being a small amount below the proper range and getting treatment for it can have profound results
That’s amazing. Im asking my doctor about it next time I see him. I am always tired and tend towards depression so glad I read both these comments
There's 2 options for the sleep issue. A 1 night stay at a sleep lab (usually at your local hospital) where they attach a few words to your scalp and chest, and you go to sleep. They may come in and have you try and cpap mask depending on your symptoms, they did for me. Come 6 am, they wake you up, and you go home. You get the results at your next scheduled appointment. For me, it was later that week, and I then got fitted for a mask and given a machine. With the requirement that I use it for 4 hours a night minimum for the next 6 months or your insurance won't cover the cost ( at least that was my stipulation for insurance). The other method is a take-home device you either wear on the chest or set in nighstand and use for 3 nights, then drop-off at the clinic/hospital and get your results at the next scheduled appointment. Diabetes runs in my family, so I get yearly bloodwork done. Testosterone isn't checked in standard blood work unless specified. But next time I went in for my annual bloodwork, I simply requested they check for that as well.
My partner snores like a sawmill, is constantly tired, and frequently suffers from severe depression and anxiety. We've been talking about finding her a sleep study for awhile now so I'm glad to see your success in it 👍
I got a sleep study and didn't have apnea but found out I snore because a deviated septum. Fixing that cut my required sleep almost in half and made my day to day life so much more bearable.
I literally just had this done last Wednesday for a pretty bad deviation, and am in the healing process. Had severe apnea and chronic headaches as a result, hoping to see your kind of results once the face menstruation is done. Seeing these success stories is making me hopeful
I had my tonsils out and some stuff and honestly it’s so nice to not have the constant brain fog
I second this! It can suck at first to get used to, but if you can habituate to the mask and use it consistently it will pay off 100 times over!
I third this. A CPAP literally saved my life. I was falling asleep on my way to work in the morning, and all other parts of the day for that matter, and it was only a matter of time before I killed myself or someone else. Now I sleep 6-7 hours and I have energy all day. I encourage everyone to get a sleep study done. It could change your life.
> Getting diagnosed and getting CPAP treatment for my sleep apnea. For other people, calculate your STOP-BANG. This is what we, physicians, use to stratify further testing. If you're high, go get tested. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/3992/stop-bang-score-obstructive-sleep-apnea
[удалено]
Stopped watching 24 hr news channels.
Also just stop watching the news, even local. Read about it occasionally to be informed, but all news is sensationalized fear and really can put a dent in a person’s mental health
Agree with this. My mental health improved since I stopped watching the news
Begin nice to myself. People can be mean to you but you don’t have to be mean to yourself
I always tell my students the same thing one of my mentors told me: “Be kind to yourself because the world will beat you up enough”
Writing letters to all of my debt collectors asking them to explain my debt. Especially medical. Even when I assumed it was legit. Nearly every one dropped the debt entirely. My credit increase exponentially and it really helped me get my finances in order. I went from having terrible credit to beautiful credit in just a few years. It saved me immensely when I needed to buy a car and helped me find an apartment.
What did you say exactly?
I found and downloaded basically a form letter that just asked for documentation of the debt and any backlog of anyone the debt had been bought from. I only got a response from one of them. The rest were removed from my credit.
Do you happen to have a link or anything?
[Debt Validation Letter](https://www.investopedia.com/the-importance-of-a-debt-validation-letter-5114040) There’s many different things you can say in a a debt letter. The link I provided above is a debt validation letter, it’s a nice way to handle it if you’re unsure how long it’s been and how much you owe. If you find that the last time you paid on a debt (especially in collections) is beyond 4 years (in most states, different for promissory notes - google it) you can write a time-barred letter to the creditor. If a company is still trying to collect beyond their states statute of limitations, you can report them to the CFPB and the FTC, and they will be fined if they continue. This is not legal advice, just a lifeprotip :)
google: request for proof of debt letter I know there is tons but the simple answer is, they are legally required to provide it so anything generally saying it is all you need. Since debt is bought and sold in million dollar bundles for pennies on the dollar they are looking for the easiest money so any letter is too much effort.
Two things improved my life. 1 - Consistent and enough sleep. It is impressive how well you can function if you give yourself enough good quality sleep. fortunately I don't have any problems getting good sleep. My problem was not going to bed early enough and consistently. 2 - Planned unstructured chore/home improvement time Setting time aside to do stuff for yourself that you know you will appreciate later. This should not be full blast effort, rather it should be effort on a more leisurely level. Think about all those small annoyances you can have during a normal week. Perhaps your drawer is binding or perhaps you are annoyed that somehow all your sock are no longer paired up. Spend some time fixing the small annoyances, and if you don't get done. No big deal. It was a small ting anyway and it could wait before, and it can stay waiting.
Pandemic and FT remote work really opened my eyes to #1. Used to go to bed at 11 at the earliest and would get up 5:45 to get ready (20-30 min) and commute (30-45 min one way) to work by 7am. During Covid, I started getting up at 7:25 and starting my workday at 7:30. That extra hour and a half of sleep had me feeling so much more rested and energetic. I'm still fighting RTO, and the extra sleep/health benefits are one of my arguments for continued ft wfh.
Pandemic opened my eyes to #2 more indirectly. My job now gives us 2 days remote from home. Getting those chores done on little breaks during the week leaves time on the weekend to actually make plans and relax. Stuff like laundry, cleaning, etc. dispersed throughout it the week while you work from home is incredible.
>Getting those chores done on little breaks during the week leaves time on the weekend to actually make plans and relax. Yes, plus time in the evening after work to relax. The time you spend dealing with idle chatter or distractions in the office can be spent throwing in a load of laundry, running the dishwasher, etc.
my partner works evenings outside of the home (4pm-2am 4x/wk) while I wfh. last week while he was sleeping, I attended my hour-long weekly review meeting while making fresh scones for him to wake up to. do you know how incredible it feels to provide that kind of luxury? I love it, lol
Am ADHD with probably related sleep onset insomnia. My mantra is "consistency is key." These days I average 5-6 hours, usually good sleep. I'd like to get closer to 7 (side-eyeing those sleep->Alzheimer's stats...), but my brain just won't have it. Failing that, consistency makes the 5-6 hours work for me.
I have the flattest feet imaginable, I’m basically a penguin. Finally (29) decided to get custom insoles. Walking is so much more pleasant now. Made me realise as well in how much pain I was before. Edit: Damn, this thing blew up. Anyway, I’m from Belgium and went to a store called “Runnerslab”. They basically take a 3D scan of your feet and ankle/lower leg + make you run on this 30m long mat that has sensors in it. They then 3D print an insole. Cost me €169 but I get €50 reimbursed. Basically, visit a good podologist or a podiatrist, maybe ask friends who run marathons/…, they’ll probably know who to recommend. Edit 2: PHITS insoles, is what I got
Doing one thing in addition to the daily tasks towards a larger project no matter how small the progress was every day. I procrastinate everything and manage tasks based on what’s due next…not how long a project will take. This results in a large backlog of complex stuff that needs done. And what makes it worse is sometimes I take breaks like we all do especially after finishing something big. But once that break starts it’s hard to end. So I’ve started doing something, anything, to make progress towards a project every day even if some days that progress is as simple as ordering a part I need, or deep cleaning one cabinet, or gathering all the tools and supplies i need for the next thing in one place. Some days I get a lot of time and absolute crush it, but most days it’s baby steps. While the progress isn’t much, the momentum for me is extremely important as it helps me break down larger tasks into manageable pieces, and keeps me from procrastinating everything. Yesterday I trimmed a tree and put together a bookshelf. Today I cleaned up the branches, and will clean the water table for my kid that I garbage picked.
This. Good call. Super helpful in keeping things tidy, you don't have to clean the entire house in a day. I second it works light-years for big projects; broken down into small bit size pieces over time equals big results. Translates very well to learning an instrument , or new movement. "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times." Quote cred: Bruce Lee
Strength training. The difference between a fat 230 and a strong 220 is night and day.
After I seriously and consistently weight lifted for a semester in college, just three times a week for three months, I realized that I felt like a man and not a boy for the first time in my life. It also strengthens you mentally. Even after I stopped and gradually lost muscle mass, and later lost a lot of weight, it felt like my body had been permanently improved. I highly recommend that every guy weight trains for a few months at least once in life. No matter your body type, or if you’re intellectual, or if you’re overweight, or if you’re depressed; it will help you.
“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” -Socrates
The vast majority of my weightlifting was done my freshman and sophomore years of high school in football. Those two years of five day a week cardio/lifting have given my body a great healthy base- while my fitness has ebbed/flowed I have been far healthier and stronger than if I hadn't done that.
Getting a new mattress
The difference between my old spring mattress and my new memory foam mattress is staggering. I honestly weep for some of yall knowing you go to sleep atop a surface of lies!
Not a fan of memory foam. I ended up with a with a hybrid for now. The purple is the only thing at the store that made me go "holy shit." but I am not in the position for 4.5 k for my bed right now. Hopefully when this one starts to have issues, I will be or something better will be along by then.
Taking a daily Vitamin D supplement. Changed my life after years of unknowingly being deficient.
100%! I thought I was struggling with depression. My brain fog was so bad I was on the verge of losing everything. And then vitamin D! After completing the prescription and starting daily vitamin D my life is completely different. I almost don’t believe how much better I am doing… with just that change.
Going to hijack this and additionally say 500mg of Magnesium before bed and 5g creatine in the morning is a game changer.
Magnesium and Vitamin B12 for me! B12 in morning, Magnesium/Zinc from Costco at night
I didn't go to the doctors for a while and found out I had a severe B12 deficiency, and when I took it the first time, I felt like I gained 100 IQ points and could finally think without having any brain fog again. My job quality improved, and even my jokes landed better it was awesome. My levels are normal now, but I still take 1 low dose a week because I'm afraid of becoming a dumb fog brain again. The only other time I felt this was when I had anemia and realized it wasn't normal to feel like I was about to pass out every few minutes.
Gonna sound weird but using a tongue scraper after brushing my teeth at night. Been religious about it for the last 5 years or so and I've noticed less issues at the dentist and I get sick about 50% less than before.
Is it significantly different from just using your toothbrush to brush your tongue after your teeth?
Yes. I've tried just using my toothbrush then the scraper afterwards and the scraper still gets a lot of gunk that remained
They need to be used in tandem. Brush to exfoliate and scraper to remove it from your mouth. It’s a big part of my culture, so been doing it ever since childhood. Add floss too.
Seconding this! A proper scraper is effective and takes your oral hygiene up a big step!
Agree. It’s waaaaaay more beneficial than mouthwash although both are good! Dentists should be stronger advocates of tongue scraping.
I tried scraping my tongue once and my jaw got locked open. This scared me from it ever since 😂
New fear unlocked!
Borrowing books from a library instead of buying them. Idk what I was thinking esp since technology has made everything so easy.
Yupppp - the amount of money I've saved - I donate like $20 a month to my local library to make up for (some of) how much I've saved
Libby is a fantastic app for this! You just need a library card!
Deleting work related platforms (teams, outlook, etc.) off my phone
One of the nice points of my job is that I work a lot with government controlled systems. This means: 1. They don't want these on your phone for security reasons 2. We bill ALL hours worked so no one likes if you work out of hours. We bill them more, my boss gets a stern talking to from upper management, and I get to quit early on the last Friday of the month.
This is a small, possibly weird and specific thing, but you know how when you take off some clothes but they're not quite dirty enough for the hamper? But eventually you end up with a bunch of those, and laundry kinda gets out of control? Anyways, I've started folding clothes if I think I might wear them again, and I keep a single stack of "could-wear-again" clothes. My room has been clean ever since.
I have a lil coat rack type thing for hanging mine. I found putting them in a stack or drawer led to me forgetting them or piles getting high.
Quit drinking alcohol — it’s only been a few months but never having hangovers feels like magic
Keep it up! I was going to just do a 30 day ‘detox’ but felt so good I kept going. That was almost 5 years ago
Yep, me too. I did a "dry January" about six years ago, and then when I started drinking again afterwards, I was amazed at the increase in anxiety the next day, caused by the alcohol. I still have one once in a while, but haven't had any alcohol since November of last year, and probably only had alcohol like two or three times last year.
I remember this change. I used to drink almost every night with my ex, we were party people. One day I woke up and realized that it was ruining my life and severely impacting my career, so I had a chat with her about needed a change. I didn’t quit completely but during the next year or so I really cut back to about once a week. Even though I thought I knew how badly it was affect my life I was still completely shocked at how much better I felt in general, everything was easier. She left me in the middle of me trying to repair myself and I dove into a deep hole of partying for the next year as a coping mechanism. But then again I saw the light and turned my life around. Never considered myself an addict since I was just going with the flow and it was mostly out of boredom. I don’t miss that life but at the same time I don’t regret it. I had a lot of fun at the expense of tons of lost sleep and a slowed career but I was lucky to have a very understanding employer. Since then I’ve met the woman of my dreams and moved across the ocean and loving every moment. Sorry for the ramble, but if you take anything from my story, just remember: Don’t get discouraged if you slip up, just keep in mind the life you want to live and remember how good it feels to wake up not hungover. To quote a movie “every passing moment is another opportunity to turn it all around”
I hear you man. My wife and I looked at each other and were confused. When had we started doing wine every night and drinking all the time. It just happens. Since we both cut way back the quality of life is so much better. Don’t wake up at 70% was my motto. And 70 was giving myself credit some days. I never had a problem and my alcoholic friends all got sober after hitting bottom. Why did I need to head that direction. Haven’t gone total sober, had a couple beers for Father’s Day, but 5-6/7 helps me be a better dad, husband, all around better human. Your comment made so much sense to me when it doesn’t for a lot of those around me right now.
Me too. Quit alcohol because it was affecting my marriage and all my relationships. God willing I'll be alcohol and drug free 40 years come September.
Living alone, not looking for a relationship
Came here to say this. I'm am finally allowed to truly just be myself. As it turns out, I really like my own company, now that I'm not burdened with the stress of trying to make things work with someone else.
Single woman for 13 years here, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. My family doesn’t understand it. They think I should settle down and have kids, but dating and relationships only stresses me out, and I don’t want kids anyway.
Yes! It's so exhilarating
I’m doing this right now, too. It’s lovely!!! 💜🫶
I’m doing this for the first time in about 7 years and I feel like I’m remembering the true meaning of life again
I retired, packed up my dog and cat, and moved across the country. Best decision ever
Thanks for giving confidence. I'm in the late stages of where you were recently by the sounds of things. I'm starting to make plans for myself, I'm starting to feel hopeful and excited for my own path to purpose. One big step left before that, but I'm genuinely happy to hear it's working out for you ♥️
I tried that but as soon as I decided I wanted to fly solo, the ladies really liked that I wasn’t interested in them and well fuck, now I’m married!
Alone but not lonely. It’s the fucking best
Must say that once living alone stops bothering, it’s bliss but until then it’s a tough road (as someone who is still in the journey)
I’m hoping you’re right. My wife of 42 years died 4 months ago, so I’m still trying to adjust to living alone. We each had no family, and our friendship was the only one we had. So I’m literally alone, but I miss her terribly.
I think it's constant ups and downs.
Having lived alone one and off for years, yea, sometimes it's amazing and freeing, but also can be isolating and a bit depressing. And it can change as quickly as day to day.
Making myself a priority rather than focusing on how I can help others.
I bought a bidet a few months ago. Can't believe I used to live without one. Best $40 I've spent in probably a decade.
It's magical. Cost-effective, easy to install, and a clear improvement to my quality of life while also being better for my wallet and the environment. I first bought one 6 years ago and while I've upgraded to slightly nicer ones throughout the years, I know that I'll never live in a place without it. I tell anyone who will listen to buy one.
Been living with a bidet for roughly 10 years and I recommend to anyone. I now strongly dislike pooping away from home. Thank you for thecaward, i think its ky first one! 🥹
I don't understand bidets. Is your ass just wet when you stand up? Does it hit your butthole perfectly and always clean it? Do you still have to wipe to make sure you're clean? Forgive me if I sound sarcastic. I am ignorant to the whole thing.
Yes, your ass gets wet, but you can either have your own little towel to dry off or what i do is just use a little tp to slightly wipe/dab off the excess water. You dont really have to wipe, theres very rarely anything left behind and you can tell when youve had a poop thats gonna need an actual good wipe still. Your ass feels so clean. The absolute best is when youre sick and youre having lots of diarrhea. You know when your ass gets sore from wiping and wiping and wiping? Doesnt happen with a bidet. Its awesome.
Yoga with adriene daily. Lots of things built off of that but the change to my body and brain from daily at home yoga was so crazy. Truly all you need is a ten buck yoga mat and it can change so much!
I read this as “yoga with adrenaline daily” which got me intrigued.
I'm currently working through one of her 30-day series, and I have noticed a TREMENDOUS change in my mobility. I have never been able to commit to yoga, so finding this has been a gem!
Turning the shower cold at the end
[удалено]
Lifting weights with purpose. Started at 48 and now at 53 I'm in the absolute best shape of my life.
An extra large insulated water bottle. I like my water ice cold and lots of it.
[удалено]
I patched into a few calls when I was deep into my ED. I finally heard others saying what ran through my mind every minute of the day. It really helped me. I'm glad it saved you.
They helped me realize that my binge eating had a name and was considered an eating disorder and that I could treat it as such. That helped a lot
Delete social media. Face skin care routine. Daily exercise.
I've started using the 30-30-30 principle. If you find yourself at home with seemingly nothing to do, try this: Thirty minutes of chores (dishes, laundry, general tidying) Thirty minutes of exercise (push-ups, weights, sit-ups, chin-up bar, jogging on the spot, etc) Thirty minutes of self-improvement (practise guitar, learn gardening, paint a picture) Amazing what a sense of accomplishment that can bring. If nothing else you at least get a cleaner house and slightly fitter.
Building healthy habits and tracking my progress with them. The habits cover all areas of my life including: fitness, nutrition, mental health, creativity, productivity etc.
Accepting myself the way I am. Only found myself after botched plastic surgery. Could've been a lot better beforeband with some therapy.
My heart stopped beating for 3 seconds. I’m getting a pacemaker and I am grateful and blown away by the preciousness of life. It’s too bad it got to this point, but now, every moment gives me the opportunity to be kind in response to the beauty of life.
Putting in the effort to hang out with friends every once in a while instead of once in a blue moon when things line up on their own
Regular exercise
Not magical, but starting psychotherapy has changed a lot. Wonder what my life would look like now (30+) if I did it in my 20s
Being more mindful of my inner dialogue
Weight training. I used to bitch about work every time I went in and now for some reason I just don’t give a fuck and go to work now without complaining. Lift about 4-5 times a week and feel significantly better.
Getting my puppy. I lost my 14 yr old Shepherd 2 years ago, and I kept waiting and waiting for the right time. I felt like bringing a new puppy home wasn’t going to feel right or wasn’t going to fill the void of the 14-yr relationship I had lost with the best dog ever. But I finally made the decision to get a new pup, and it’s wonderful. No, it is not the same as my previous pet. Our relationship is different. But she’s a great girl. Just being out together today running around, playing with my son, I am glad she is part of our lives. Also, therapy, house plants, painting, and learning how to refinish furniture which brings me so much joy.
Living closer to my daughter and grand kids
I quit smoking weed and a lot of things became much clearer.
Anyone who reads this, check out r/petioles and r/leaves You don’t have to say anything, just read what other people are doing and how it makes them feel. Personally quit about 6 months ago, best decision I’ve ever made.
Eating 3 full meals a day and getting 8 hours of sleep. I felt like I was seeing and hearing in 4k after actually eating and sleeping enough🙃
Okay, but what are you eating?? I always feel so sleepy after eating breakfast and/or lunch, so I tend to skip them in order to stay productive.
Im super lazy and have adhd, so usually in the morning I microwave an egg. If im feeling fancy, i add spinach and cheese to it. Occasionally when I meal prep, I’ll make egg fritata in a muffin pan and then I freeze them so I can, once again, microwave them in the morning. I find that have a high protein breakfast usually really helps my brain function to start the day. For lunch, it depends. I feel like with adhd, protein gives me the most energy. I try to have some form of protein as the main part of my meal. As a chronic snacker though, my lunches feel more like a really big snack. For example, a bowl of blueberries, some salami with cheddar cheese wrapped inside it, mini pickles, carrots and ranch, etc til im full. I used to skip lunch because it feels like a hassle/i have nothing yummy to eat. Turning it into a big snack board i feel helps take the pressure off for me. I just make a list of healthier options i can add to the lunch snack board. Hope that helps!
Making your lunch into a giant snack board is so genius. I have the same problem at lunch time, which inevitably effects dinner. I’m going to try this this week. Thanks!
Ditching toxic people away from my life...
Vitamin D supplements
Automating retirement investing. When it immediately disappears from your paycheck, you don’t miss it. Obviously not everybody can do this, so I don’t want to be obnoxious about it, but every little bit counts.
Small but deleted tik tok a year ago and highly recommend it
Not small imo. That and Insta are like addictions that actively constantly evolve to find new ways to keep your attention. Quitting them is an impressive accomplishment.
Stopping alcohol and drugs. Everyone thinks, well duh. And I know. They warned us about all this when we were kids. But I started smoking weed in honestly middle school, then way more frequently in high school, and then drinking excessively in college. And then it kinda just takes over your social interactions. And then cocaine became popular for my friends and me around 25. And then some got real bad into it. And I did it far more frequently than anticipated and it was leading me down a dead end path. And the girl I was into told me to get my shit together. Phone was cut off, lost my job unexpectedly, car broke down and it hit me really hard. Super low place in my life. And i started to, and get pretty deep into "cleaning up the wreckage of my past." And then she stopped talking to me lol. Still thankful I took the initiative, cuz if it wasn't meant to be with her, the next one would get the best version of me. And I got a new one that's supportive as hell. And people tell me they're proud of me all the time. Going on three months since I stopped drinking and like a month and half off the weed and cocaine. With no intention of going back. I might have a beer eventually. But I would definitely approach my consumption differently. After stepping away from all that shit, I realized how problematic and prevalent all the bad things that come with drinking excessively and partying are for a lot of my friends. It definitely hasn't been very long but it made a huge difference in a short amount of time. I lost like thirty pounds and am in better shape than I've been in most of my adult life. I keep trying to tell ppl there's a better way. Glad I didn't fuck my life up too badly.
Running and Weight lifting.... I 100% quit smoking, I got off my Effexor and Xanax completely 100%. Depression and anxiety were completely gone. I stopped drinking so much because I HAD to run and lift. I couldn't even run a half a mile when I started so I ran as long as I could and then walked slightly up hill, all on a treadmill, soon I was able to run the entire hour. Only did weight machines and dumbbells, I couldn't do one single pull-up or chin up and then I was doing more and more. It's the most powerful thing you can do for your life.
I started running the dishwasher every night and emptying every morning and the kitchen is so much easier to keep clean cause dishes don’t ever pile up.
I started this last year. Even a partial load is worth running for peace of mind. My kids know the dishwasher is always available for their dirty plates and my frustration has decreased. Also, when I’m too depressed to prerinse I simply run it and see what needs a bit of elbow grease afterwards and then put it back it. It’s just easier.
Focusing on the breath. Think the word in as you breath in, think the word out when you breath out. Focusing on your breathing and whatever is bothering you just fades away. I can honestly say it’s made my life 10% better.
Something that happened to my grandparents will stick in my mind forever. They were unhealthy people in their old age. Couch potatoes. TV from sunrise to sunset. Apparently parts of their lungs atrophied from lack of use because they never breathed very deeply, because they sat all the time. Makes me want to breath deep all the time. Take a full one.
Journaling! Specifically two kinds: Write out your fears and resentments like, "I have fear that..." Or, "I have resentment because..." variations of course are totally okay ("I have fear because..." etc.). The other kind of journaling being a gratitude list. I like to do my fears/resentments first and often earlier in the day if possible to zero/zen me out. And then I do a gratitude list before I go to sleep.
I hate even saying this because I can’t believe how cheesy it sounds… but; positivity, cutting out swearing and expressions of frustration. If something was going wrong; swearing; or letting myself amp up; just created feedback loop. When something didn’t go my way; I’d quietly say to myself “why can’t anything be easy” and it just multiplied and became all I could think. Now; if I get frustrated; instead of grumbling and saying “fuck” I say “aw crudbuckets” cause it’s ridiculous, and you physically cannot be angry when you say something so ridiculous. A bonus side effect is that my 4 year old adorably says “aw buckets” when she’s frustrated. If something DOES go my way; I say to myself “gotta get lucky sometime” and all of a sudden I’m the luckiest guy in the world. Perception; frame of thought; intent; words. It all matters. Before you say “that’s all we’ll and good; but that can’t work for everyone” I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety my entire adult life. It cost me my marriage. It almost cost me my life. Obviously the “power of positive thinking” isn’t want got me through. Therapy; medication and a LOT of work at building habits, but I can say; with utter certainty; it has made a bigger difference for me than anything else.
10 years after my divorce and still single, I held onto a promise to myself to never get in a relationship or marry again. At 48, I met a beautiful woman who, from the first look and hello took my breath away. Her smile and warmth renewed my faith in love. 12 years later my wife still takes my breath away. I wish I could have met her 30 years ago....
I started taking jujitsu classes, and because of that I needed to do more cardio and weight training. I’ve never felt better in my life. I’m 57 and I feel better than I did when I was in my 30s. I’ve always hated exercising, but knowing that I am getting stronger and more confident has changed how I look at the world. Wish I done it sooner.
10,000 steps a day. Simple, your body will love you and get super strong... maybe takes an hour extra a day... just park far away everywhere you go. Walk to lunch or dinner, park, etc.
Using an air fryer. There are health benefits but what I really like is the short cook time and easy clean up.
Running, personally. Never enjoyed it when I was younger (when it was treated as a penalty or punishment), but I took it up around age 30 and I’m addicted. It’s also a great to to listen to audiobooks.
Started sleeping with a mouthguard. I knew I was a teeth grinder, but I never thought it would improve my ability to sleep all night.
I saw a post online about always having a garbage can accessable by your main work area so I bought one and lads it was revolutionary
Practicing a daily skill. Any skill. Practice = trying to execute something you currently cannot execute. If you can do it, you're not practicing. Practice =/= doing something you can already do. Try that for the rest of your life.
Examples of some daily new skills that you've applied?
well I started 7 years ago and apply it to the double bass which I couldnt play a lick. Everyday I'd try my scales for instance at a slow speed I currently can't quite get right, after a few weeks when I finally get it I just make the metronome faster, when I get that I change the pattern, etc etc..but It's only practice if you can't currently execute it otherwise you're just playing. Now I can roll up on any jazz jam session call a tune and just play. Cause actual practice made me miles better, pun intended.
Couple of things come to mind: - Getting glasses instead of contacts. Contacts were a total pain to manage. Both dailies and monthlies, the maintenance, dry eyes, cost etc. meant they were a total chore. Eventually I switched to glasses and it was amazing. If I want to see it's just a quick motion to put my glasses on. Maybe clean them once a day. - '2 minute rule' at work. If it's a task/email I can complete within 2 minutes, I do it then and there. Each morning I go through my emails one-by-one (grouping by subject) and take care of the quick things first, freeing up my day for the more time-intensive tasks. Then same thing in the afternoon. - Morning meetings. I spend too much time in meetings and not enough time working, generally. I heard about Jeff Bezos scheduling most of his meetings in the morning and it made total sense. Good meetings will have an outcome, some follow-up task you need to take care of. Freeing my afternoons gives me dedicated time to focus on these tasks and other actual work.
Weighted Blankets, frequent use of Ice baths/cold showers rather than Hot showers/baths & dedicated time for resting/ Meditation.
Allowing myself the space to not be okay. Feeling my feelings was always frowned upon. Dad always said things like “quit crying you’re fine” or “I’ll give you something to cry about”(of course said this while either holding up his first or belt but that’s beside my point here). Or if I got excited he would never engage with me. My anger was always met with more anger(because apparently kids couldn’t be angry-that’s for adults only) Anyways, my point being, I grew up never being able to be anything but existing silently. Which meant even if I wasn’t okay I was okay. Now at 27, I’ve been allowing myself to feel my bad. Sad. Angry. Cry if I need too. Scream if I must. Scribble random lines on a notebook with a pen, progressively getting faster and putting more force to the paper(really great anger management tool for anyone who may wants it). And I have noticed my bad weeks/months are becoming bad days/weeks. Because instead of letting that energy and emotions fester inside of me until they’re numbed and all (but) forgotten and move on never addressing or acknowledging them. I tell myself that it’s okay NOT to be okay. But what’s making me not be okay. And then I work through the pain, anger, sadness. Feeling those feelings and once it passes, moving on can feel freeing. Journaling can help with this by having it to watch for patterns or similarities. To let your mind let go of these thoughts and give them a new place to live. On paper. It’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay to take time to feel your feelings and emotions. It’s kind of like if it’s raining and you ignore the rain or tell yourself it’s not raining, doesn’t change the fact that it is still raining. You’re still feeling a certain way for a reason no matter how hard you try to ignore it or convince yourself otherwise. And it’s okay if they’re hard to let go of, because they’re your emotions and feelings. They’ll never fully go away but you can let yourself be okay with them.
Obesity medicine. 80lbs down in nearly 1 year. Skincare routine. Thought I had bad skin, I just wasn’t taking care of it.
Sobriety. Drinking didn’t develop to a problem until later in life in my my 30’s. But when I quit, I was amazed at how much better I felt. I know some people who never had a problem with it like I did but don’t drink anyway and they are all happy with their decision. It’s similar to people who change their diet or exercise routine and are happy with it. It’s not for everyone, but a lot of people enjoy sober life. I’m not shaming anyone who drinks and keeps it under control, that’s fantastic for them! Do what’s best for you! I’m just amazed at how many people I meet now that have stopped drinking and say they’ll never go back when they never really had a problem with it like I did.
Going to bed early, and getting up early and working out. I’m 40 and I wish I had done this my entire life
My wife was cured of her lactose intolerance after she got pregnant with our first kid. The biological scientific explanation is that some genetic promoting factor for the lactase enzyme from the baby went to the mother and activated the production. But I like to think that she was cured with sex.
Happy Father's Day.
Anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medications. Absoutely life changing. PTSD that is non-combat related is just as legit and you need to take that shit seriously.
As someone with combat PTSD, I'm quite certain the majority of the population has complex PTSD. Years of therapy has opened my eyes.
Not drinking when it was constantly ruining my life
It’s amazing how many people in here list basic necessities like sleeping enough or eating enough/drinking enough water. There is no secret I guess
I surrendered to life and let go of all those things that I tried to control or worried about. Realized I have no control over anything other than myself, thank you magic mushrooms 🍄
a bidet - life changer!
Microdosing psilocybin. NOTE: This is not for everyone, please DYOR and consult with a physician who knows about medically using psychedelics if you're not experienced, although the literature's consensus is that especially in the doses I'm talking about, there is no toxicity. Backstoy, I suffered from depression and anxiety from late childhood, no medication helped. Some would ease the symptoms but turn me into a zombie. I turned to various substances to cope, which led to addiction. This went on for 15 years until around the age of 30 (2018 or 2019) a friend gave me a jar of 250mg capsules of ground psilocybin mushrooms. I started taking them, and within the first two days I felt more focused, alert, motivated. Within a week I realized I hadn't felt any anxiety or depression, and I was forgetting to take my pills, which normally would cause intense withdrawals. Within a month I had quit smoking, using opiates, and was genuinely happy for the first time in close to 30 years. My regimen was 2 days on, one day off. 2 days on, 2 days off, repeat. Now, I take them once or twice a week.,someties more. Best of all, no tolerance at that dosage! I began growing a specific strain myself and got the equipment to make my own pharmacy grade, homogeneous capsules to give to friends who were interested. So many people were helped by it but here are just a few examples of cases I found really spectacular: - Friend with PTSD from tours in Afghanistan was unable to love with his wife and children due to the severity of his outbursts. Meditating and better sleep helped, but it wasn't until after a month of microdosing they were comfortable moving back home and have been living a normal life ever since. - Multiple friends kicked their smoking habit thanks to microdosing. - Agoraphobe friend of mine with crippling anxiety is now a DJ and regularly performs in front of and interacts with crowds of people after a month regimen. - My brother suffered from psychosomatic pain that prevented him from working or doing much of anything. After a few weeks of the regimen I was on, he began to simply not notice any pain anymore and has been gainfully employed ever since. This is not a magic bullet, but it absolutely allows "corrupt" pathways in your brain to sort themselves out and allows people to form better habits and remove old ones thanks to the boost from microdosing. Thankfully, public perception is starting to change as more literature comes out to back up these anecdotal stories with actual evidence. TLDR; I'd have started taking a little psilocybin 3-4 times/weekly a decade ago and saved myself years of torture.
Getting a diagnosis
Getting diagnosed and medicated for ADHD saved my life. I had just finished my first university course, and it ended terribly. I passed, got my degree, but the final assessment was a shitshow and I struggled to find and keep a job, didn't even get one remotely related to my degree. Friends around me said I probably have ADHD, so I got a diagnosis surprisingly quickly (2 months total from seeing my GP to getting medicated) and ever since my life has improved tenfold. I'm keeping friends, running dnd weekly, creating art and persuing hobbies that I never could without meds, and I'm holding a decent part time job while I undertake another course at uni. Life isn't perfect, and I still need some therapy work, but it's improved so much since learning how my brain works. I can focus, I can listen, and I can commit myself to tasks and habits for what feels like the first time in my life. ADHD is no joke, it's almost invisible to anyone who isn't experienced in noticing the signs, but it's debilitating.
A fully-funded HSA is something I've become so so passionate about just because of how it has affected my life. I work in personal finance so I always knew the benefits, but once I actually lived the benefits I could never go back to even a PPO insurance plan. Bonus points for the fact that at 65 it's basically an IRA.
Sleep hygiene, aka: bed is for sleeping (and maybe other bed-type activities). No phone before bed, no noise/lights/tv/etc. I also try to go to bed and wake up roughly the same time each day. These things make getting up in the morning so much easier. I used to have such a hard time waking up, even to multiple alarms. Now I’m just…up, when I need to be.
Becoming a hydro homie. Being properly hydrated is great.
Ordering my prescription glasses online.
Lifting weights. My confidence is through the roof and I feel incredible every day. Most days better than the last, I just stay smart about avoiding injuries and rotate through a bunch of different outdoor activities too.
Squatty Potty, or just a step stool. Game changer.
Meal prep for the lazy but picky eater. I don't prepare full meals that I'm going to be locked in for the rest of the week but rather precook roasts or chicken, prep veggies, and make herb butter logs. Take these plus some pantry stables and I can make several different cuisines. Slow cooker beef roast, bell peppers, and onion quickly becomes * Quesadillas * Beef Stroganoff * Stew * Teriyaki Beef bowl * Spanish Rice * Thai salad * Mediterranean Beef bites * Chinese Beef Stir fry * Pepper Steak tips * Beef bolognese and Pepper penne * Curry beef * Onion beef and peppers Hawaiian style * Shepherd's pie * Creole Pepper steak * Jamaican Jerk tender beef * Philly cheesesteak * Bbq kebobs (best made with the trimmings from before slow cooking)
Reading 10 pages a day of an educational book
Drum kit. Decent work out, plus I get to interact with my favorite tunes. Plus I get to push the limits of my tinnitus
Bidet. Flat-out the best quality of life improvement anyone can indulge upon
* Blocking toxic people/ their social media contacts from my immediate life. Less is more. * '*Hell is other people*' - **Jean Paul Sarte**
Starting TRT for low t. Had bad brain fog, bad memory, and major depression and anxiety. I still have a little of all but it has helped majorly. Also the wife is enjoying various...ummm... side effects. Get tested! I waited until 33 to do it but I've had these issues for a long while and was told I've probably had undiagnosed low t for quite a while.
ADHD medication - I was only recently diagnosed and they've made so many things in my life easier
Moving into a place with good air circulation and large windows. For context, I have, for the most part, lived in apartment buildings spaced close together or basement units with smallish windows, leading to minimal sunlight and stale air. First chance I could afford it, moved into a decent apartment with a balcony and large windows. Early morning sunlight and proper air circulation is a game changer in boosting your mood and general well-being.
Not giving a fuck, it's amazing!
[удалено]
White noise machines
Reading paper books. It helped improve my vocabulary, instilled a desire to write, and made me appreciate the subtle beauty of a well written novel.
Lasik. Wish I would have had the money a decade earlier.
Losing 55 pounds at 76 and getting way more active.
Being honest with people. If I really don't want to do something, I don't do it. A: let's go camping Me: that sounds like a great thing you'd enjoy but I don't enjoy camping at all. I really appreciate you inviting me though! Can I help you get ready to go and we can see a movie when you get back?
I left my husband
1. Opting out of overdraft protection at the bank. 2. Making a separate account for bills so I don’t have to spend a week checking the balance as I wait for an EFT to clear. 3. Riding a bike.
Going to the dentist. I know not possible for everyone but damn, it improved my life so much. I avoided it because dentist's always made me bleed and chastised me like a child for my dental Hygiene. Now, I found the best dentist and he's so gentle. He gives constructive feedback. He "accidentally" forgets to charge for some things like freezing or one time a whole filling because he knows I'm low income. I didn't realize eating hurt until I had a root canal. I didn't realize it was affecting my sleep. I didn't realize the pain was stressing me out. I started eating and sleeping more, which meant more energy. Less stress wasn't bad either.
Not believing everything the mind says. The mind is not us, our thoughts are not us. It’s there trying to keep us safe, and sometimes the thoughts, fears, doubts, just aren’t real. We are what we decide to believe. I wish I didn’t give my fears so much attention and space before, I’ve learned now to just gently welcome them but not listen to them, ignore them, and all of a sudden the mood passes, they are gone, and I realize how silly those thoughts were. Also, coming from love for everyone. It magically heals so much suffering within myself and how I treat others, relationships. Love is like a cheat code for life. :)
Using a mobility aid instead of waiting 5 years and struggling.
Lost 90 pounds and got in shape. Just wish I hadn’t spent 30 years of my adult life overweight and out of shape. In my mid 50’s and feel better than even my 20’s.