To ask what was the most prolific thing you have done to change your life for the better?

[Dotdotlineline]

I'm in a bit of a funk today so want to know what other people do when faced with an idea of changing something.

Has anyone ever made a drastic or even a small change for the better? Whether that be spiritually / money wise or with themselves?

I keep thinking about the notion that 'life is what you make of it' and questioning where I am going wrong.

Meh, everyone makes mistakes and your meaning was clear.

@Dotdotlineline

Thanks for starting the thread. I've enjoyed reading it. It's given me some good ideas.

@FastFood

I can also add embracing minimalism. For one it had been really good for my finances but it has been beneficial way beyond that, it made me calmer, less prone to compare myself with other, more grateful...

@FastFood Do you have any resources for learning about minimalism that you'd recommend?

@OohThatCat I highly recommend Goodbye Things by Fumio Sasaki, really relate to that guy's life.
Otherwise, there's a lovely Netflix documentary about two minimalist guys, they're extreme, but they seem to calm and happy...
Youtube has plenty of resources as well. I don't have kids but I know they are some minimalist parents there.
Sometimes Youtube is a bit annoying though, because it overlaps with finance minimalism and FIRE movement (Financial Independance Retire Early) and I find it a bit patronising and disconnected from real people's lives ("how I saved £3000 each week for a year")

Got dicorced
Bought my own house outright
Joined the Rock Choir and sing my heart out
Happy days 😊

Wrote down my goals and how to tangibly work towards them. It's a continuous journaling style thing and I love it. Reading it daily and adding / editing it as I go keeps my mind focused on achieving them.

Also, why did the pedants come out in force over this thread?

Stopped drinking nearly 34 years ago.
Had councelling with great person a few years ago and get the occasional top up. It was private but helped

Got a puppy ,total life changer.

Had a tattoo 20 years ago . I love it.
Had brows microbladed recently
Ditched a life time wearing glasses for contact lenses.

Realise I don't care what others think or if they gossip about me.

@Dotdotlineline It's a brilliant thread. Ignore the petty-minded pedants.

[quote FastFood]@OohThatCat I highly recommend Goodbye Things by Fumio Sasaki, really relate to that guy's life.
Otherwise, there's a lovely Netflix documentary about two minimalist guys, they're extreme, but they seem to calm and happy...
Youtube has plenty of resources as well. I don't have kids but I know they are some minimalist parents there.
Sometimes Youtube is a bit annoying though, because it overlaps with finance minimalism and FIRE movement (Financial Independance Retire Early) and I find it a bit patronising and disconnected from real people's lives ("how I saved £3000 each week for a year")[/quote]
I second the recommendation for 'Goodbye Things', it's really good!

Going part time at work, even thought I didn’t think I could justify it to myself as I’m able bodied, have no dependents and really have no real reason to other than my mental health and general well-being.

I reduced my hours from 40 to 32 per week. It gives me an extra day a week for general life. They salary reduction has been totally manageable.

Following

I love this thread - so inspiring! I also quit a well paid job and retrained in a subject I love. I have a less well paid job but it will lead me to a more satisfying career. And I did couchto5k 4 hrs ago and I’m running my first marathon next month. It’s helped my mental health so much.

Agree with a previous poster though, sometimes the smallest changes are enough. Drink more water, regular bed time routine, regular self-care (something as simple as a bubble bath), regular walks. They all make a huge difference.

Left my exH, applied for PhD funding (and got it), got together with DH and had our daughter.
But the thing that sparked that change was working with a really good therapist/coach who helped me work out what I did and didn’t want. So huge changes came from that small decision.

Great thread OP!

Left home at 18 to start nursing in a children's hospital and got away from my toxic stepmother my life than started. But adopting 6 children was the most rewarding thing DH and I have done!

Stopping alcohol, 9 years ago
Lighter and brighter!

Great thread. Very inspiring. I hope I can retain some of the inspiration!

Love this thread @Dotdotlineline . Thank you.

Intermittent fasting
Exercise especially using weights
Going part time at work
Taking risks when trying to make new friends. Pushing through that awkward stage and making some nice local mates!

Yoga
Minimalism
De registered my DC from school to home educate them.
Stopped caring SO much about what others think of me. I used to cripple myself with worry. Not anymore!

PS my minimalist blog recommendations are;
The Minimalists
Becoming Minimalist
Be More with Less
Zen Habits.

Found a great therapist, daily yoga, daily ceremonial magick rituals, started studying esotericism. Embraced my introversion only accepting invites to social events I wanted to go to.

This is a great thread - don’t get sidetracked by the pedantry, OP!

I have quite a few and am inspired to go for more after reading this. Mine are:

Going very low contact with a toxic family member who emotionally abused me from childhood. It was such a huge part of my life and shaping me (in a bad way) before I was old enough to understand it. I lived in a constant state of fear of her for years and in the end the solution was so simple. I did it about five years ago and it’s been a complete game changer.

Going back to study for another degree in my mid 30s. It was hard work but led to a life-changing career move that in turn led to life-changing financial gains as I was totally skint before. But on top of that, studying gave me so much joy in its own right and reminded me how it feels to expand my brain, at an age when I was better able to appreciate its value.

A couple of ‘choosing less’ ones: choosing to stay living in a small flat when I could afford a house these days. It means that I live under my means financially and feel so much freedom/flexibility and less stress as a result.

I’m also about to ‘step back’ at work. I’m very driven but have lately found myself in a toxic environment being pushed way beyond what I can reasonably achieve under the circumstances and subject to bullying. I’ve chosen to walk away from the supposedly glittering career path that was being dangled and will be started a new job next month with less responsibility but equal pay! I can’t wait and wish I’d done it two years earlier.

This thread has reminded me that I want to do more exercise as well. I was very fit in my twenties and it made everything in life exponentially better. And though not a minimalist per se I totally agree with having fewer things in general. So much of our time, attention and money are sucked up by unnecessary consumerism.

@LowlandLucky your life sounds wonderful! I am picturing the packed lunches being eaten in the beautiful Scottish countryside

Took up running. The plan was to run for 30-40 mins 2 to 3 times a week. Before lockdown I was training for my 3rd marathon. This month I am doing 3 half marathons (not planned as 2 were postponed due to some reason or another, cant think what )

The other was move to the country. Lived in a council house in a rough area of a small city, but put our names on the list for a move and moved to the country. Still a council house and in a completely different area (50 or so miles away), but much better.

These were both in 2012 and now I'm feeling the need to change something again. A complete life overhaul, but due to currant situations I'm not sure its possible in the near future, but maybe something to work towards perhaps. For now I'm going to check out this tiny habits idea.

Ending relationships usually. Always a positive change.

Stopped smoking 12 years ago