Self improvement corner!

[Mjaumjau]

I would also add a nutritionist to the mix, especially when you've been dealing with disordered eating and don't have a clue about how to have a balanced diet that suits your body and your needs.

On top of that, I would recommend getting bloodwork done to see if you are lacking in vitamins/minerals. That's how I found out I need to take vitamin D supplements regulary.

 

[yuzu]

I'd love to hear more on this, please! I noticed recently that my shoulders are rounded forwards and I'm turtle necking as well. It's from all the time I spend at my desk for work. I want to correct my posture immediately before it becomes much worse.

While I'm not a professional or studying to be one like @aliciaaaa (ty for the wonderful exercise tips) I want to add my two cents. I have the same issues as I'm working from home. Even with doing stretches and light exercise to ease the neck/shoulder/back area I felt tightness and pain. I decided to go to a RMT (registered massage therapist) for the first time with great results. It's nothing like relaxation massage and I admit it was very painful! I was sore for a few days but immediately after the session I had better mobility in my neck (previously had pain when tilting head back). It will not solve all posture issues but acts as an aid. I'd recommend it to anyone who feels poor mobility when doing stretches and exercises. Even a few sessions could be good to undo the stubborn knots in the muscles. Depending on your country you would need to look for an equivalent licenced professional.

 

[aliciaaaa]

Massage therapist are the best!!! They count registered health care professionals in my country since many of them go into massage therapy for their graduate program. They are AMAZING at massaging away the scar tissue build up. I don’t like to advocate for those as I know there are people from around the world on this forum and I do not know the rules of different countries. In some countries you can be a massage therapist right out of high school, which in my personal opinion is a bit shoddy because there’s a lot to know about the human body, but if they are a registered professional with a legitimate certification in your home country then definitely see them!! Same with osteopaths, in my country you only get into a osteopathic program for your graduate degree and you need a 3.7 GPA (80%+) in your undergrad to get in. I know in the UK physiotherapists, personal trainers and osteopaths are seen as quacks

 

[Eiannelli]

Also if i was working id

@1001 others are you trying to meditate?
@Eiannelli did you do yoga from YouTube and if so can you tell us who did you follow?

I started following this guy and often you can find list of nasty food in his comments so I don't watch whole video . @aliciaaaa Do you have any recommendations on nutrition? @Sadies any recommendations on food .Here we have a lot of new members not related to previous topic

Yes yoga from youtube: Gayatri Yoga (specifically her most popular video Power Yoga)its challenging but with patience and practice got to learn the most advanced positions.
And to change it up id do pilates too: Move with Nicole, Dansique Fitness
Wouldnt go a day without practicing even if i had almost no time id still try to squeeze in at least a 20 min stretch.

Plus i paid 30 dlls to a nutritionist for online group “challenge” for a menu for 21 days with detailed measurements for protein/carbs/fat.. i needed to learn how to eat according to my height, age and goal. And up to today i really have eliminated bad habits and eat pretty healthy by intuition . It changed my life for sure. My BEST money spent , not a scam haha! Id be glad to share nutritionist too but she speaks spanish (Healthnanda)

 

[JanineL]

My people!! Looking forward to picking up some pointers, and sharing some of mine.

Aesthetic living:
Nami's life: I got waaaay into Japanese/Korean daily life vloggers during the pandemic, it felt less lonely to go about my business with some background video. We don't even see her face, but this lovely young lady is an artist. Look at how tiny her apartment is (housing is crazy expensive in Tokyo), and yet she cooks beautiful meals and dresses well. I'm inspired to try and keep my own place clean

Thank you so much for this recommendation on Nami's Life! I had some time this weekend so watched several of her videos. What a truly elegant woman! I just love her channel and approach to life.

I love her home, her organization, and that she makes so many lovely meals. (Multi-course meals!). I noticed that she eats a lot of vegetables (even for breakfast). She eats a lot of food but stays so naturally slim and doesn't forbid herself treats. I think the vegetables and healthy options chosen so consistently are part of the formula.

This reminded me of a free program I've found recently, and have been trying to follow. It's called Full Plate Living, and it simply recommends filling 75% of your plate at every meal with vegetables, fruit, beans, and cooked whole grains. That's it. I find it simple to remember, and simply a healthy way to eat.

Thanks again! I'm a Nami's Life fan now!

Full Plate Living - A doable approach to healthy living.

Full Plate Living nutrition programs are now available at no cost. It's a small step approach that can lead to big health outcomes.

www.fullplateliving.org

 

[ElChanguito]

This is a fantastic project to set your mind to: a touch typing course! It's free, though there are some premium features. I am going to aim for 30 minutes every day for the next month. It's fun and satisfying to do.

Free Touch Typing Software

Learn touch typing online using TypingClub's free typing courses. It includes 650 typing games, typing tests and videos.

www.typingclub.com

 

[Chloesm]

Thank you @AnnaBeg love this thread idea!

 

[Stella_Luna]

Has Bastine been seen in this thread? Would love to make it more active. I haven't read it in its entirety.

At the beginning yes. But she hasn't written anything here either since she's absent from the Anna Bey tread.

 

[no-no]

Has anyone looked in to non-reactivity? i.e. how to be non-reactive in social situations/not reverting to submissive or aggressive behaviours. I’m new to it so trying to wade through all the PUA garbage, but it’s an a-ha moment.

 

[NicePeasNorma]

Slightly aside : Anyone else feel regret over not having achieved more , in terms of self-improvement, during lockdown? I made only a half-a$$Ed effort and really regret not making more of the enforced time at home. I should have read more books, done more creating, lost more weight, improved my cooking-skills and more. Sigh....

Me too. I began with eating better, but I ended up going back to the old habits .
However, I managed to get out of my comfort zone for a bit and volunteered for an NGO in order to enhance my curriculum, which helped me land my current job .

Sometimes, our improvement path goes in different ways and that's okay. Keep going one step at a time and everything will be fine.

 

[tacokitten]

@grumpy_curry I am also a scanner and loved Sher's books! Super helpful

 

[rosebud07]

Slightly aside : Anyone else feel regret over not having achieved more , in terms of self-improvement, during lockdown? I made only a half-a$$Ed effort and really regret not making more of the enforced time at home. I should have read more books, done more creating, lost more weight, improved my cooking-skills and more. Sigh....

A lot of people thought that they would have tons of free time during lockdown, but it wasn't like that at all. When teleworking I tend to do longer hours than in the office. So don't beat yourself up! Plus, life is really hectic nowadays, you need to get some rest once in a while.

 

[no-no]

I have done some work on that and tbh I didn't read much about it. I mostly just socialise with the mindset of everyone has their own shit and it's about them not me, and disengagement. Works a treat with people like my mum who love and argument. I just say "ok" and leave. Stops her in her tracks and it means it doesn't escalate into tit for tat which always leaves me feeling frustrated as my mum just starts to raise her voice

I’m going to keep looking into it as I think I have a lot of subconscious submissive behaviours. Love this video Explains the reason behind them, worth a watch if you have the “disease to please”:

 

[katsudon]

@AnnaBeg Hah, here we go! Looks like there's a series of them too

 

[tacokitten]

So many awesome recommendations! I'll add two more channels that I enjoy watching on YouTube:

Better Ideas has some good videos of the ups and downs of self-improvement:




Sean Tucker runs a photography channel BUT it's much more than that. Also, his approach to photography is curious, intelligent and philosophical. One of his recent videos is a personal one about changes in life and how to cope with being in between things:

 

[Mjaumjau]

Same exact problem here.

Not a hair oil, but I just started using KMS Tamefrizz Smoothing Reconstructor. It's pricey but you don't need much, and you use it in place of conditioner. I think it will last a while. Got it from Amazon.

Thank you so much for the recommendation!

The classes look very interesting, I will have to check them out in the near future. There is a lot going on at my job at the moment and some stress with my living situation at the moment so my brain is occupied.

On the other hand, I would recommend people who have the resources and want to improve their strength/mobility/lose weight to get themself a reputable personal trainer. It is really expensive, but I believe it's better for you when you have to get into shape and have no idea what and how to use gym equipment. It is a slow process for me, I have quite a bit of weight to lose but it is rewarding to see the results.

 

[Stella_Luna]

@Stella_Luna Can you recommend me oil colours for a friends birthday present?Budget is up to 100£.

Shooooot... I'm so sorry, haven't seen this post until now. I'm guessing you already found something...
For future reference:
Sennelier oil pastels come highly recommend. A few basic colours are enough for beginners.
Or if you had oil paint in mindmind, this article could be useful:

The Best Professional-Quality Oil Paints for Working Artists

These are the finest-quality oil paints for working artists.

www.google.com

Also, not sure if it's a hobby, or your friend is seriously interested in these techniques. Most artist that I know make their own oil paints by using pigments. That might be another idea to put together a make your own paint starter kit for next year...
Again, I'M REALLY SORRY not replying earlier

 

[no-no]

Working towards this mindset. Might be viewed as “low-brow” and I know positive thinking out of context gets a bad rep, especially by people not ready for that, but I’ve learnt so much this past year that I used to scoff at and dismiss with “oh, but I’m too x/y/z” or “you don’t understand what I’m dealing with” etc. I aim to be more open-minded and present now. What I was using didn’t work for me, there’s a tendency to overcomplicate stuff, so now I’m trying to get back to the basics. Like I said, a year ago I would’ve scoffed at this kind of talk but having done a lot of reading from various reputable sources, this is a common theme, just so happens to be summed up by a bit of a douche

 

[laurensanchez]

Has Bastine been seen in this thread? Would love to make it more active. I haven't read it in its entirety.

 

[NicePeasNorma]

Thank you so much for the recommendation!

The classes look very interesting, I will have to check them out in the near future. There is a lot going on at my job at the moment and some stress with my living situation at the moment so my brain is occupied.

On the other hand, I would recommend people who have the resources and want to improve their strength/mobility/lose weight to get themself a reputable personal trainer. It is really expensive, but I believe it's better for you when you have to get into shape and have no idea what and how to use gym equipment. It is a slow process for me, I have quite a bit of weight to lose but it is rewarding to see the results.

I would also add a nutritionist to the mix, especially when you've been dealing with disordered eating and don't have a clue about how to have a balanced diet that suits your body and your needs.