331–340 of 478 posts
Just show up - I started this last year going to the gym - if I didn't feel like going to work out, I just went to the gym and messed around, did whatever I felt like, even for 15 or 20 minutes and then left. The discipline has translated into other projects - a camper reno, a game engine, etc. Just showing up is more than half the battle, even if you don't accomplish much on one given day.
Reading books. I was never a reader as kid. And, for the last 10 years or so of my adult life, the only reading I've done was programming tutorials, documentation, and whatever I ran into on the web. Certainly, there wasn't any reading done for fun. But, last month after picking up lunch one day, I actually walked into the used book store and bought a book. Yesterday, I started reading book #4. Kinda surprised I went…
For me, fiction is such a nice break from the technical stuff that I am exposed to day in and day out. I feel it has helped me to be more empathetic, has exposed me to all sorts of different characters/personalities, and has made me a more well-rounded person in general. I also feel as though I am more frequently able to find the right words to adequately express my ideas.
Another thing that's great about reading is talking about books with close friends. Their insights on the book might be something that would have otherwise gone completely over your head.
Mine is _very_ modest compared to some of the excellent ones posted thus far, but it has certainly worked for me. "No seconds" rule i.e. don't take a second helping of food. I have lost 10 lbs since last month and hope to get to my ideal weight losing another 20 lbs. It is actually surprisingly easy to get this habit going and maintain it.
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I also started doing this more -- including with my wife. It has definitely helped my mood and mental health overall to talk about the things that are on my mind, even if the conversations don't always end up going in my favor per se. This probably seems super obvious to a lot of people, but it does not come naturally to me, and I suspect an equally large number of people have trouble with it too.
If you're just learning to be open, you'd probably enjoy the book, Conscious Loving. There's a whole section dedicated to telling the "microscopic truth" in your relationships. https://www.amazon.com/Conscious-Loving-Co-Committment-Gay-H... Painful to do in the beginning, but as people get use to your new truth telling ways, they learn to appreciate the honesty.
Home workouts, using mostly body-weight exercises (along with rings and a pull-up bar). I no longer go to the gym, so there are less "transaction costs" to exercise; we'll see how this one will turn out.
Taking less organized notes, mostly in one "Notes" email draft in my Gmail account. Reduces the mental friction/resistance to taking notes, because I don't feel the need to keep them tidy.
Some time ago, I started using smaller plates, to reduce the perceived, and therefore hopefully also actual, portion sizes.
Skipping lunch (baring social obligations), so that I can gorge for dinner (I rarely eat breakfast anyhow).
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Yeah, coffee is crazy expensive when you look at how much shops charge you for a drink. It costs about $1.33 per day for the 20oz of coffee I make for my wife and I. Really not bad considering if we were to both go out and buy a coffee everyday it would be around $10.
20oz = 591,471 millilitres for others wondering. And it is a good practice indeed. I think deep down my comment history here one can find that I found it strange that someone would pay a lot of money on an annual basis for coffee out of the home. That said I also think that it is not bad to be able to spend money like that. Not about the money itself, but the mindset required to spend. It must require a very pleasant…
I started keeping a diary because I wanted to write fiction but couldn't keep at it, so I just put my streams of thoughts on paper. Later I got used to writing daily, and it has become my primary way to relax and clear my head.
Reading what I was doing and thinking ten years ago has been very valuable to me. It's a treasure trove of memories. But it is way more than a nostalgic pleasure. It has helped me to understand my thought processes. And distance myself from it.
It made me realise the meaning "you are not your thoughts" on a deeper level that is hard to explain here. I'm very happy I started this so many years ago and kept at it.
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If someone wants to do this but a little more productive (imo), get anki (or similar flash card app) on your phone and memorize words in a foreign language that interests you
Flashcards are nowhere near the same thing, or as useful. I'm talking about cultivating your memory like a muscle. That way, when it comes time to use it, you actually can.