What improved your quality of life, so much, you wish you did it sooner?

[piddocktrumperiness]

For me it's a few things:
-Learning what past trauma is and how it plays out in relationships
-Learn to say no to things and people and not feel bad about it
-Realising no one really notices or cares what I do or look like; felt liberated to not always wear lots of makeup, dress in a new outfit or have my roots done, or eat out alone, or do anything alone.
-Not watching much current tv and picking up a book instead
-Listening to James O' Brien on LBC ( I know he's not everyone's cup of tea- but I learned alot)
-Waking up v early to have some me time. This was hard as I was a night owl for many years.
-Declutter and only buy when I need something. To be honest this started as I had to downsize to an empty flat after my divorce and am on not much money but it has helped with not worrying about possessions and all the cleaning involved.
-Divorce my ex husband- biggest impact haha

What improved yours?

Going part-time before retirement

Retiring at 67

Fab thread!

Mine are a bit dull but I'll throw in dishwasher & tumble dryer!

Going part time at work.

Deciding I can run and lift weights even with a prolapse because it’s not going to kill me if my fanny’s a bit saggy some days - symptom wise I’m best when I’m training regularly anyway: decent muscle tone/core strength makes everything better.

Meeting my husband. Having my kid. I like them a lot.

Caring less and less what people think about me

HRT

Regular exercise that I like

Creative writing

Eating less crap

My children getting older so they're less needy (not my achievement but has really helped!)

Leaving behind friends who bring nothing positive to my life.

Realising that my DM and I will never have a decent relationship and just considering visits to her like any other dull household chore, essential but always relieved when it's over

Anti-depressants
Writing
Setting realistic goals not pie in the sky dreaming
Decluttering

Walking by a river most days. Cutting out a lot of sugar after realising I was only eating chocolate etc because it's meant to be a treat but it actually was way too sweet for me. Similar with alcohol, a glass of wine is meant to be a treat but it's just...not.

Early retirement.

Iron infusion

What impact did it have?

Leaving my last job

inheriting a load of money

Sounds good in theory, I grew up in a sub-tropical island, mosquitos there can eat you alive, not to mention the wet summer heat, absolutely suffocating. I love the UK!

Stopping dying my hair. It’s completely silver and I get compliments every day

Having my colours done - saving so much time and money looking for clothes as I know what to buy
Doing the Fast 800 (after a successful period of dieting other ways then reaching a plateau) and realising I might actually achieve my weight goal.

Tranexamic acid. Only started it because my ferritin levels were way too low and I was exhausted. Having ‘normal’ periods is amazing compared to the horrors I faced every month before. To think I used to put up feeling wobbly and faint for a couple of days every month!

Couch To 5K
Tattoos
Kindle
Audible subscription
Sleep headphones

Shakti Mat- lying on this at bedtime listening to an audio book and I'm asleep within 10 minutes! Massively improved sleep

1. Stopped drinking alcohol completely (am in late 30's). Transformative.
2. Learning to respond effectively to people who criticise me for not drinking.
3. Sea swimming.
4. Realising the main reason I can't live in the UK is not the weather but the lack of sunshine hours.
5. Realising that mistakes are normal and don't mean I am a crap person- thank you Brene Brown.
6. Giving up social media.

Things I am still working on:

1. Learning to deal with people who are rude or not very nice but who you can't just "cut out" (e.g. a friend who I also work with).
2. Not taking things personally/being so sensitive

Open to tips on those things!

What is HRT? 😳

Sorting my boundaries out in relation to my time and people pleasing, I do things on my terms now.

Therapy - helped me do the above and sort my head out without the chaos of addiction and self sabotage.

Cutting out social media completely. It's SO freeing not feeling like I should update the world on my life. I wasn't massively into it either but every 'thing' I did I would think 'I need a pic for Facebook' and wonder if people would like it. I wasn't massively invested by any means but it was a thought always there in the background.

I LOVE just being out of it and not seeing anyone else's life highlight reel either. It's the best thing I've ever done for my mental health by miles.

Stupid, but cutting 37" off of my hair, leaving it about 2-3 inches long all over. I was sick to death of waking up with my hair caught under my arms, or wrapped around my boobs, or lying next to me on the pillow with the cat nesting in it!

I have two. Leaving my husband, getting a tongue scraper. Both good ways of removing annoying crap.

Daily stretching

Getting a divorce
Deciding that I don’t want/need another man
Practicing self-reliance
Wonderful pets
Eliminating news programmes from my daily routine
Retiring!

Switching my diet from unhealthy to healthy options.
Losing a stone in weight. My clothes fit and I just feel so much better.
Working from home most of the week.
Getting out and having a daily walk
Doing a 7 minute workout each day.
Ditching some acquaintances that were toxic.