Ask Lemmy

spoiler

Enabling Grayscale mode >

It instantly breaks the "dopamine loop" of social media apps. It makes your phone feel like a tool rather than a toy. And it helps with eye strain and extends battery life.

10/10 would recommend.

Storing superglue in the fridge. Those tiny packs now actually last until I've used it all.

I started running Linux 15 years ago, and switched to Linux as my main daily driver like 10 years ago. And I couldn't be happier, but I still wish I would have started my Linux journey way sooner, especially since Windows is about as useful as used toilet paper these days...

Living alone

Getting on HRT of course

Hear me out:

Bamboo pajamas

I WFH so negl I am in jammies most of the time (yeah I throw on a corporate tshirt for the annoying "cams-on" zooms but still wearing jammie bottoms)

Wife got bamboo onesies for the baby. So soft. Then she found they also make adult jammies of the same material. Omfg. Where was this all my life till now?

You have not lived till you wear soft bamboo clothes. Worth every penny.

Cutting my hair short (like masc).

Folks insisted “but [my] hair is so nice”, “what if you regret it?” And “but you won’t be able to tie it back.”

I finally feel like me. I’m almost mad at myself for not doing it like ten years ago. I’m so genuinely happy over a friggin haircut. It’s wild.

Going vegan, kicking my religion/faith to the curb, leaving my abusive marriage, injecting estrogen.

Some pretty fun years.

Delete Facebook and twitter

Things that helped;

• Blocking Lemmy and Reddit on my phone, and limiting time browsing the News
• Delete social media apps from the phone
• Switching from diet sodas to just cold water
• Reducing coffee from 4 a day to 0-1 a day
• Get diagnosed for ADHD and get on Vyvanse
• Eat high fibre, starting the day with oats/fibre
• Meditating
• Journaling, with weekly review of how I progressed towards my goals
• Cutting back on smoking weed to once every other month

What I'm still working on;

• Cut down on time browsing porn. I'll probably binge porn for an afternoon once a week or two. Still too much.
• Consistency in the gym. I've had a lot of life altering events happen recently, so I'm trying to get back on the ball.
• Just vegging out on the computer while at home. I should be doing things like writing, reading, or exercise. But instead I sit here and type out long comments while my meds kick in. :)

SSRIs. I already knew this was likely going to be my conclusion, but I really wish I started the treatment sooner. So many years feeling incompetent and damaged! Months of school missed, almost getting expelled, turning down invites, awkward friendship moments, scared of my own shadow... Anxiety is mentally brutal. It's not just being scared or exaggerating, it's a very real struggle that can destroy your social life -- which is needed to live a healthy and prosperous life. I spent so many days unable to get myself out of bed because anything outside of that area seemed like a threat.

I started SSRIs 8 months ago. I can't say it's been perfect, but that's not what I'm aiming for. Some periods are tougher than others, but I'm so grateful I'm at a state where I actually feel like I'm living -- not a shell of a person. I'm not self-sabotaging myself as much as I used to, and I'm gaining more and more independence and confidence in my daily life. I'm finally able to say that I'm happy and motivated.

I'm sure that therapy will help resolve some of my childhood trauma, so I'm looking forward to that, but I want to go into the sessions with a clear mind. Without the medication, I wouldn't be able to process and live by my psychologist's advice. I'm extremely grateful to have found a treatment that works!

Downward facing dog -> upward facing dog -> child pose

My lower stomach and digestion work so much better when I remember to do this.

Lifting weights.

Knives that don't suck. Also getting chickens. I love them so much, great pets and they lay eggs :)

Getting a dog. Also the most value for my money I've ever gotten for any purchase in my life.

Having money.

No but seriously, nothing even comes close.

You're allowed to put banana's in the fridge to keep them from going bad.

I stopped eating meat for the most part (aka: flexiatarian).

Go for more walks and eat less meat and tell me you don’t feel better!

Sleep schedule!

Eating breakfast every day.

My eating habits were so dysfunctional that I can only describe them as a disorder. It affected all areas of my life, from sleep to energy to mood. I didn't know the core problem was my eating habits, all of my problems just meshed together.

One evening I decided that my only goal for the next day was to eat breakfast. Not lunch, not dinner, not go to the gym, not get any work done or change the world. Just eat something when I wake up. I made a beautiful baguette stuffed with everything delicious and placed it by the bed before going to sleep, so I didn't even have to get out of bed to achieve my goal.

Once I got my breakfast, I automatically got lunch and dinner too. Lots of other habits naturally fell into place when I wasn't starving.

That as 15 years ago. I've not missed breakfast since. I've still got tons of issues. But this one, tiny thing, made a massive positive difference.

Got away from my family.

Meditation and philosophical inquiry. Spent a lot of time believing the default vaguely-Christian-materialist-dualist framework that western culture has been brainwashing people into for centuries, pretending it's "objectively true".

Spent a fuck load of money on a quality bed set.

Started poisoning people I don't like.

Getting back into bicycling as an adult. I've always struggled to keep active as I don't care for sports and gyms are unpleasant enough that I really can only use them for the weights, and I only do when my apartment has a gym included. But yeah, I tried getting into running because I needed cardio, but I fucking hated it. So I bought a bike and it turns out I love that thing. It's fun to fix up and mess with, and I'm happy to ride it as long as my body, the weather, and my schedule let me. I've spent months where unless I had other plans every weekday was: work, eat dinner quickly, then bike until it's too dark to do so. I even managed to get my wife into it.

I just feel better when I bike regularly. Physically and mentally. Also it gave me killer legs and an ass to die for. And it got me in touch with the bicycle anarchists where I used to live, which it turns out is a huge thing across America and they're consistently in my experience some of thd best of both categories of people. They're fun, they're doing something other than activism to self destruction with an alcohol intake to match, and they're the sort of people who look at an old pile of gears and see a way for a neighbor to get to work or get in shape.

• going to bed before 12
• keeping distance from toxic relationships
• regular outdoor activities
• making an effort with my interior decoration
• a proper budget planner (YNAB)
• cooking

Started getting all my chores done early and day drinking on Sundays. Probably not healthy long term but fuck it, the world is on fire and I'm not going to be stressed out all the time.

Finishing college. Huge life improvement.

I got a longer USB cable.

Stop drinking alcohol and eating meat.

Methylphenidate

Being more playful. Find more things to laugh and smile about.

Tap into my inner child, getting back into the things I loved as a child because I am a kidult with free will.

Sleep with stuffed animals and taking a plushie with me when I go out, despite what people may think.

Look for glimmer moments in my day.

The world is a hot pile of shitty dumpster fire, but I won't let it take away my smile and wonder and laughter. I will be happy in spite of the world

Getting enough fiber! Like most Americans, I don't get enough fiber in my normal diet (trying to change that as well), so I've been supplementing it with Metamucil crackers.

When I say it makes a DIFFERENCE in the bathroom, I'm not kidding.

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