It would be cool if we had a self-improvement comm.
As leftists, we understand that a lot of individual problems are caused by systemic issues. However, I think that there is still a lot that can be done on the individual level to improve your life.
Most online self-improvement spaces have a reactionary slant and are dominated by the same type of guy, which is another great reason to have a self-improvement comm on this website.
EDIT: our awesome admins created the new comm and our awesome comrade @[email protected] stepped up to moderate it, please check it out and start posting: https://hexbear.net/c/self_improvement
Are there any improovers here? What would you like to improve in 2024? Would you like to have a comm where we can hang out? 
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Can’t improve on perfection
You’re my spirit animal.
I’d like to improve almost everything but I get paralyzed and disheartened when I realize how far behind I am at my age. Maybe a comm would be cool though.
mood
It’s never too late, comrade! There is no point in comparing yourself to others since everybody has different circumstances. It’s best to compare yourself to your past self and see how much progress you have made.
I recommend starting small and adding some healthy habits first. For example, you can download a step counting app and try to walk for at least 3000-4000 steps every day. I also recommend listening to self-improvement podcasts, since it’s an easy way to absorb useful information. You can listen to them while walking or washing the dishes. I also recommend the book Atomic Habits by James Clear, it’s a good book and has a lot of useful advice. You can do this chief
Thanks for the encouragement. Any specific pods you can recommend?
I’m a huge podcast enjoyer, here are some recommendations:
Huberman Lab - the host is a neuroscientist and professor at Stanford. This is my favourite episode, it has a lot of actionable advice
The Tim Ferris Show - the guy interviews successful people from all fields. There are a lot of episodes so you can choose the guests which you like
10% Happier - this one is focused on stuff like meditation, mindfulness, mental health and Buddhism. My favourite episode is with the autor of Atomic Habits
The Art of Manliness - the title is a bit cringe but it’s a good podcast and there is no toxic masculinity
Life Kit - a podcast by NPR on how to do stuff
The Psychology Podcast - different topics from psychology but it’s not too dry because every episode is an interview of a different guest
It’s Not Just In Your Head - how mental health problems are caused by living in hellworld
Wrestling With Depression - open conversations with people going thru stuff, except a lot of them are comedians so it’s funny as well
Overdue - podcast about books. The hosts are very nice and have decent politics
The Antifada - my favourite leftist podcast
I started music super late and I’ve had a lot of horrible curve balls thrown my way that came with starting late, including teachers who did not want to work with my lack of ability/newness/inmmaturity and an insane amount of student loans that I had to truly suffer to pay off. But I’m glad I still did it, especially now that I’m starting to feel my time and skill coalescence into something worthy. I’m proud of my journey, I have a unique journey and I know at some point that perspective will be useful.
Additionally, I think there’s an aspect/sense of journey that one gets that can’t possibly be felt to someone who hasn’t started. The journey itself is worth the price of admission.
In general, unless you’re talking about something physical like learning a sport, you’ll pick up things faster relative to people who are learning it at the socially appropriate age because you’ll have more life experience and better time management skills.
and better time management skills.
good joke
It’s already over if you’re gonna use 4chan slang and memes
It’s so joever
I’d be up for this if we can mix together things in a way that makes it unlike any other.
Reading, artistic improvement, personal improvement, physical improvement, emotional improvement, spiritual improvement, interpersonal improvement, all rolled up into one.
Spaces like this are usually super exclusionary, cis white straight, the “improvement” is usually only in one direction such as something like getting physically stronger when in reality some people might want a more femboy body or a more womanly body or a more androgynous body and the methods for achieving all of those things are completely different. An environment where everyone is comfortable asking about all of these things would be a good one.
Yeah, allow any self improvement posts that aren’t deeply problematic. Make it a common space for learning. We’re all united in wanting to be our best selves.
I agree with everything you said, let’s do that
My job has started to eat into my ability to take care of myself. In the new year I’d love to get back into cooking for myself more regularly, reading regularly (I read 50 books in 2022 and like 23 this year), and even just brushing and flossing better, but I really might have to leave the job behind.
The other thing that I’ve figured out with the help of a therapist is that my avoident attachment style has made it hard to lean in and be vulnerable in my relationships, romantic or otherwise, and that it’s too easy to withdraw at the first sign of tension or imbalance. I’d like to do better at openly telling people that I love them or want to spend time with them instead of keeping my cards to my chest in order to accomodate and mirror how they’re feeling.
Other than that I had a fantastic and exhilerating 2023 and mostly just want to build on it.
Hi, I am trying to kick my videogames addiction
As a g*mer, I cannot fully support this goal but I’m still wishing you the best of luck in your endeavor
I did that by becoming a game dev lol
how fast did you learn to code? Did you go to uni for it?
2 years in generalist game dev studies, a bit of everything, 2D & 3D art, programing in C# with unity as a game engine, small game proyects, so many programs for everything etc.
I didnt find it difficult, but Ive always been a computer nerd so idk
I still dont know how to properly program stuff as thats not really my expersite, I mean that I know how to get things done but im sure its not very eficient.
Then another year of a master in 3D art (no programing here), now I can do some shit like this.
Whelp, I spent years trying to learn arabic in a not really useful environment til I threw a sizeable amount of money at a specialized course and it works now. I could try art now that I have time to do other things, but it might be too close to g’ming and reactivate the addiction clusters, idk
In case it helps you, I found it the opposite, now that I have more knowledge about how games are made, I see so many of them as just pure repetitive consumerist trash, so I only end up playing the really good ones that really get my attention, and overall spend much less time playing.
I think I will just master arabic as good as I can, that is probably already a pretty big fucking task that will keep me busy forever
Oh, my friend just picked up a drawing tablet, seems like I will spend my evenings like that
I’ve already decided that 2024 was gonna be my year a few months ago.
I’m going to get my upper body drum technique comprehensively together, I have just a few topics I want to hit left: the one I’m currently on which is shoulders and forearms, then I’ll move to press rolls and then lastly traditional grip. I’m worried the traditional grip might take longer than I’m hoping so this one and the below might blend together.
After that I’m going to spend a few months focusing in on one drummer at a time. I’m thinking Max Roach, Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, Roy Haynes to start myself off. I’d also like to dig deep into Brian Blade, Kenny Washington and Ralph Peterson as they were two modern drummers that made me feel something when I first became interested in music. Some other drummers I think are worth investing into are Ed Thigpen and Harold Jones.
I also want to lose ten lbs and eat cleaner.
Oooooo I’m about to improoove!
I am already a self-improvement freak and I would like to continue improving in many areas, including sleep, nutrition, exercise, reading, grass-touching and so on.
Some stuff that I want to do:
- I want to learn to cook more healthy meals. My nutrition is mostly healthy but I’m always eating the same few meals that I’ve learned. I also want to eat more plant-based food.
- have a regular sleep routine and read books before bed instead of shitposting in the megathread lol
- read 12 books
- exercise regularly and go running at least once a week but ideally twice a week
- touch grass more often and hang out with people
There’s more of it but it’s all pretty basic stuff
I’d say a lot of these are domino things. Exercising more makes sleep easier. Getting more nutrient dense food like veggies also makes sleep easier.
I completely agree. When I was in a depression, I kept falling into negative feedback loops - for example, you stay up late, then feel like shit the next day, eat unhealthy food and sit all day. That’s why I’m trying to create positive feedback loops, which is what you described.
I often find myself playing video games when I could be reading, even though I know I’d enjoy reading more, at least in the long term. Gonna try to change the habit.
I can’t play video games anymore because I read too much.
It’s the same for me but with doomscrolling random garbage on the internet. I’m honestly so tired of this BS but no matter how much I try to motivate myself, I just seemingly can’t do other productive things that I want/have to. It’s really disheartening, not gonna lie
I might be an improover
Well, I stopped, to a degree
It was too productivist and too negative.
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I’d like to try to lose a little weight, find a new living situation, spend more focused time on my hobbies, waste less time mindlessly on the internet and maybe get a bit more involved in the local organizations. lots to improove especially compared to the current year where ive really felt i kinda let myself go
Those are some great goals, I’m wishing you success!
acknowledging bmf’s sketch of a critique (“neoliberal-subject.jpg” or w/e), this is probably cool – we’re already posting, an ur-practice of neolib subjects, but working at setting and achieving goals, and discussing these with others, mitigates that concern, at least somewhat.
maybe there could be a cross-over with the theory reading group (is there such a thing? sometimes a book gets pinned i think), or the fitness sub.
Been drinking about half of what I usually do over the past few weeks. Started reading some decolonial marxist theory the other day. Going to try and complete the Chunka Luta network’s “required reading” list. Choosing better stuff to eat. Going to try going to the gym in a couple months after the new year’s crowd dies down. Things are looking good, honestly
