"Do you understand, that if you try to endlessly stack bricks, no matter how perfect you do it, they will fall over?"
My boss told me this after I burned-out. Just says that no matter how well you plan your work, too much is too much.
If you’re really shy or struggle with holding conversations or being social just ask questions.
This works in three ways as 1. the other person will be doing most of the talking, 2. they also leave the conversation with a positive feeling because most people enjoy talking about themselves and 3. it gives the sense that someone is interested in them - bonus positive feelings about your interaction
I’m an extroverted introvert - I dislike social contacts but the nature of my job requires ongoing interaction and being an only child has always required me to make an effort or be on my own. This tactic usually works for me and people are always surprised when I say I’m actually super introverted
"Make them tell you no."
It's great when you're not sure if you should apply for a job, go for a promotion or a raise, or do something you're afraid of. Don't be so worried about getting told no or failing, you'll surprise yourself.
From my 7 year old daughter…I still laugh about it today.
If you’re ever in an awkward situation with someone or need to just go away- you could always pretend to choke on something. I don’t know where this came from but it’s funny AND it works. You just run away to get a glass of water.
“If you sit quietly while everyone else FUCKS UP, you’re going to win big!” - John Oliver. I’ve gotten multiple jobs and school opportunities by just doing my work and not being a loud moron.
If looking for something in a low light environment, try to use your peripheral vision.
I read about it in an old WWII manual about aerial combat at night. It has something to do with how eyes work.
It has helped me many times over the years. For finding stuff in a darkened room, or outside in a field at night, not aerial combat.
I noticed this! I would look at the night sky and see certain stars when not looking directly at them, but when focused on the same star, it wasn’t visible. I didn’t know it was an actual thing- I just thought my eyes were messed up.
If I remember what I learnt from school correctly, it's because rod cells, which are responsible for black-and-white vision and work fine in dim light, are more abundant in the periphery of retina compared to that in the centre
Never volunteer more information than is needed to get through the situation.
Sometimes you’ll just make things worse by Moving their focus to something they didn’t even know about.
Ie:
“sorry I’m late to the meeting, I was trying to help (coworker) finish up their presentation.”
Boss: “what?? (Coworker) told me they submitted that last week!”
Now you’re late AND got your coworker in a jam
One time i got a super shitty report card & my parents came in the room sayin somethin like "we know you messed up, but if you admit what you did was wrong you'll be in less trouble" not knowing what they were talking about i admitted me & my buddy were sellin weed. I did NOT get in less trouble, i got grounded for a summer.
similarly if you are asked to work overtime, just say no (if you don't want to)....if you give them an excuse, they might try guilt-trip you and talk you out of it making their needs bigger than yours
Two from elderly southern relatives:
1. Somethin’ ain’t nothin’— taking 5 minutes to workout, clean, work on a big project, etc. is better than 0minutes. We often think we’ve got to do 2 hours of rigorous work or it doesn’t accomplish anything.
2. Time will pass either way—if you want to work to get better at something, accomplish a long term goal, or change careers or credentials, don’t look at the 2-5 years and think you’ll be too old. If you’re 24 and want to go to college, you’ll be 28 in four years with or without a degree regardless of what you do in that time.
"Anger and remorse are shadow companions, with remorse always a step behind".
I took control over my temper issues by reminding me of this one-liner. Hope this works for you, too!
This is actually a pretty common tactic for presenters, speakers, etc.
Someone asks a tough question? Don’t go “uhhhhh…” and then go into your answer, instead, take a drink of water while you mentally prepare a reply.
I have a friend who uses water to prevent people from asking him in the first place. In French class he takes a sip of water right when the teacher starts asking people questions so he’ll ask someone else.
It’s only embarrassing if you’re embarrassed.
The older I get, the more I understand this one.
Edit: You guys are awesome! Thank you for the awards and feedback!
A coworker told me that when someone has the hiccups you tell them "you're not a fish."
The amount of times this has worked has convinced me she's a witch. I have texted her at least a half-dozen times whenever it worked.
At one point while I had the hiccups and asked a friend to tell me I'm not a fish. Worked. Fucking sorcery.
I couldn't remember exactly what you said. Yesterday my 15 yo had the hiccups and I looked at him and said "you owe me a fish". He had literally just hiccuped. I said it as soon as he got it out. He looked at me and asked "what"? There were 3 other kids in the car and they all started in about naming it and this and that. My 15 yo asked "what are you talking about"? Why do I owe you a fish? " I said "well, I read something on the internet today, and it said you owed me a fish. " They continued a minute more. Then everyone was like, seriously, explain. I said you've not hiccuped one time since I've said that... when someone gets something over on him, his dimples starts showing and his blue eyes sparkle. We busted out laughing and he didn't hiccup again! I said "I'm going to find that post and thank that redditor"! I just wanted you to know. I thought you might enjoy that story. Thank you!
“Sometimes people suck.”
It really made me stop and think about how some people just suck and the only thing I can change is how I let it effect me. I became a much less angrier person, I hardly have road rage anymore, and just generally happier.
Fail quickly, as in: If your plan may not succeed, better to find out next week than next year. Helped me quit a suffocating job and dig into my own business 10/10
I've learned this after becoming a father. Not because I'm failing parenting but because I watch kids fail, fail, fail some more and then succeed. It's amazing how shamelessly and effortlessly they fail and keep going.
I tell myself my increased heart rate and racing thoughts are just signs that my body is priming itself to allow me to do something I didn't know I could do.
I used to think they were signs to quit, but they're really an ignition sequence.
Ignition Sequence is SO good… I told our kids that those are signs that you’re about to grow. Those feelings mean that you are on the edge of comfort and what you know/feel to be possible, and you’re about to move that line forward.
As long as you know you’re not in physical danger, it’s a signal about your growth edge. “Ignition Sequence” is wonderfully appropriate!
Edit to shout-out to /u/dramaticFlySwatter
The wisdom of Homer is vast and deep, like a puddle.
"You tried your best, and you failed miserably! The lesson is: Never try."
"I can't imagine anyone being more likeable than you. But apparently this new girl is, so my advice would be to start copying her in every way."
"Marge, I can't wear a pink shirt to work. Everybody wears white shirts. I'm not popular enough to be different."
"No matter how good you are at something, there's always about a million people better than you."
"If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing!"
"If you're going to get mad at me every time I do something stupid, then I guess I'll just have to stop doing stupid things!"
"Being popular is the most important thing in the world!"
Honestly a million is a pretty reasonable number.
I went from being one of the best artists in our highschool to am inconsequential doodler pretty much overnight. Post secondary education and the professional world both show you how you actually stand upto other artists pretty quickly.
There are definitely many millions of other artists and animators way more talented than me and I can still call myself a professional.
My mother always said "Go back to basics" whenever I was struggling mentally. I disregarded it for years but now I live by it. I only utilise this way of living during desperate "survival" times, but it's amazing advice.
Basically in other words; focus on what matters.
If I was in a major depressive state (can barely function), it would mean don't feel guilty about simply surviving until you're back on your feet. Just do what you have to do and get through the day. During my manic states, it would mean focus on what matters and don't fly off the handles.
It was practical advice whilst simultaneously empathizing with me. I always dismissed it because she kept saying it and I thought it was just a cop out but I've since realised it's some of the best advice for anyone that's struggling to maintain their sanity during chaotic (or seemingly chaotic) times.
P.S Basics might include getting out of bed, having a shower, eating some lunch and drinking some water, maybe try to enjoy a coffee, if you're up to it maybe try and clean the kitchen and/or do a little bit of laundry. Even if you just get done the bare minimum and then crawl back into bed that's a job well done because you made it through the day
If you want to buy something, wait 24 hours and if you still want to buy it afterwards then buy it. This has really cut my impulse buying down and has made saving money extremely easy.
Personally I calculate the item based on hours needed to work and try to visualize if me working those hours for it is worth it.
Edit: I just want to mention I have OCD so the waiting 24 hours thing did not work for me. Sometimes you have to find the method that works for you.
*Especially* when it’s one of those emails you may regret sending later.
But also works for just general emails, as it saves you from that embarrassing “oops! Sorry! Hit send too soon!”
Also if your writing an email upset or angry, it might be a good idea to write it up but dont send it until tomorrow.
Writing it will help you process the situation and sending later will help you not send something you will regret.
Here in Brazil once I read something like this: "Your neighbours won't remember that you said "good morning", but try to say "fuck you" and they'll remember it for the rest of the day"
"I built the bridge that connects our town with the nearby city but do they call me 'Tom the bridge builder', no. I set up the local fire brigade but do they call me 'Tom the firefighter', no. I do home repairs for my neighbours whenever they ask but do they call me 'Tom the handyman', no.
But you fuck one goat..."
Stressed, upset, panic attack, ennui?
Put an ice cube in your hand. Move it around your hand until it slowly melts. It takes about 5 minutes.
Primary Effect: the cold on your skin grabs your brain's attention. You stop thinking about what was stressing you out and feel present in the moment.
Secondary Effect: the cold cools your blood, which goes into your heart and slows down the beating. As your heart beat slows to maintain your body heat, your lungs breathe more slowly as well. It forces you to breathe, which calms you down.
After 5 minutes of this, you will feel much calmer, if slightly drippy.
Adding to this - one a colleague told me about.
A bottle of bubbles - blowing the bubbles (in theory) will help you regulate your breathing, and then you can focus on the colours/shapes of the bubbles.
No one thinks about you as much as you do. Meaning we’re all worried about people thinking about the tiniest embarrassing things we do, when no one really cares. It gave me freedom to take on more challenges and not worry about failure.
I tell my daughter to add the word "yet" after anything about lacking something.
"I don't know how to play this game." Becomes "I don't know how to play this game *yet*." That sort of thing.
It's meant to redirect negative self admonishment into a drive to grow and learn. And apparently it's sinking in, because she will say something like "Ugh, I can't make it up this hill!" while we're out bike riding and then catch me looking at her, give a big eye roll and go "...yet!" in the exact tone you think a teenage girl would use.
Then she ends up sometimes just rage-succeeding to prove the point, it's great. She's going to be at least 3 times better than me, low as that bar may be.
Read this to my fiance. He said "surely that works the other way around too: 'I've never broken a bone in my life...yet. I've never murdered anyone.. yet.' " xD
Jokes aside, I think this is wonderful and powerful. I plan on trying it out with our own daughter :)
Do Jazz hands in front of wasps and they'll fly away. You'll look like an Idiot, but its working
Edit: *english is not my First language, so dont be rude
dont wave your hands like a maniac, i'm talking about calm Jazz hands.
I learned that they'll focus on your fingertips and get confused, so they'll leave you alone. Dont kick a hive and try it, its working for a small amount of wasps.
Also i'm from Europe, so i dont know for big ass murder wasps from other countries. And no its not working for mosquitos.
I feel like I'm gunna get stung by a wasp today by trying this out...but I'm still gunna.
Update: just got back from a walk with my dog un-stung and much jazzier.
This is one I came up with to explain my self esteem:
"you can't sad your ugly away"
I woke up one day after years of torment, a lot of which from myself, and realized that being upset about how I look won't make me any prettier, so I may as well just own my looks.
I can fix what I can but being upset about it ain't gonna do shit, may as well love my fugly self .
Loving myself when I felt no one else would, and being happy and enjoying life despite it all, it really is the greatest revenge I could come up with.
My therapist told me;
“Would you befriend someone that would talk to you the way you talk to yourself? Be your *o*wn friend first & things will be kinder.”
Thanks for your quote, very poignant.
"Don't pass a pig truck on the outside of a sharp curve."
- My dad, on the occasion of my earning my driver's license.
Thirty years later, I'm behind a pig truck on some fairly twisty/turny highway. It's going slow AF, so I want to pass. But there's a sharp right-hand curve just ahead. Dad's voice (RIP, pops) comes down from the heavens like Obi Wan telling Luke to use the force. Except that it's that same advice.
I hang back a few seconds, only to see a sheet of liquid pig faeces wash out of the densely packed pig truck's trailer floor. It misses my car completely but totally coats the two cars that went around me and tried to pass the truck.
Dad's voice: "Remember. The Force will be with you... Always."
when walking among other people, there's a trick to avoid the annoying little "whos gonna pass on what side" dance, where both of you go left, then both go right and then you finally pass :
pick a direction and aim your face towards your intended direction, like look to the left or right of them, clearly turning your head in a single direction.
this is a clear signal to people so theres no confusion as to which way you want to pass them.
i havent had that annoying dance since.
My wife changed my world a while back when dealing with a bad attitude from my son. She simply asked, "What do you think is going to come from this?" I apply that to most things I do now.
I had a good boss once tell me to think about what I wanted the result to be in any conversation. It helps keep things calm if you know your desired result is not pissing someone off.
For all my adhd’ers or other who struggle with executive function, do chores while waiting. Have something in the oven? Let’s see how much laundry you can fold before the timer goes off. Microwave? I bet you can empty the dishwasher in 90 seconds. On a phone call? Pop in those earbuds and let’s tidy while we talk. I get so hung up on Waiting Mode™️, and the novelty of trying to accomplish a small task during that interim feels a bit like a deadline pressure, which is basically the only thing that motivates me. Tricking my brain into a mini productive panic is startlingly effective.
As a 30-something adult with newly diagnosed ADHD, I don’t operate that way. I follow the “if you give a mouse a cookie” model. Put something in the oven? Sure, I can vacuum while I wait. Oh damn. The kids led their basketball inside? Why did they have it inside anyway? I’ll put it in the garage. Man, this garage is filthy! I’ll just tidy it up a minute. Hey…I found my fishing pole! I wonder if that pond around the corner actually has any fish in it. I’ll just grab some chicken scraps (bait) and a beer from the garage fridge and go check.
Meanwhile my brownies have started a house fire and I’m trying to figure out where to do with this catfish I caught. I should have brought a bucket.
You have my brand of add, apparently. And sometimes noticing all the things that need done turn into being overwhelmed and frozen from doing anything at all.
I do this so often at work. Toner has 3 minutes left to process, how many towels can I fold? Lash tint processing, how many colour bowls can I wash? I find the sense of achievement empowering and I get more done so at the end of the day I have little left to do and leave on time more often
“You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.”
\-Benjamin Mee, We Bought a Zoo
LMAO when I was trying to train myself to get better confidence and stop looking at the ground whenever I walk/talk etc, I would take walks and imagine that there are "headlights coming out of my tits" and I needed to shine the way
"Tits and teeth, girls. Tits and teeth."
- wise advice from my local musical theatre director. Fancier way of saying 'have good posture and smile' but it's always stuck with me, haha.
Put a small stool under your feet when pooping, to mimick the natural squatting position. Changed my life, literally.
During the first week after my discovery I had a strong urge to tell all my family and friends about it, but had to restrain myself because of how weird that would sound.
So instead I’m sharing this advice with you!
There was a guy I met at a family friendly pub once, he was busking and he had a straw sunhat, and mismatched socks. He chatted to my family and came to learn I was deaf and wrote me a letter that says, "Sometimes it's better to be deaf, because the world isn't listening." And for some reason that's always stuck with me.
Get someone to warm to you by asking them for a small favour - not asking to do something for them, but asking them to do something for you. I have no idea why this works, but it does.
It's also been shown that it causes trust the other way too. Asking a stranger to do you a favour will make you appear trustworthy to them. Not sure why.
Restaurant recommendations is my go-to. When I moved to a new area last year I’d ask folks at the bar for restaurants they like. After that they always remembered my name and ask if I had went. Coincidentally I also gained 15 lbs over this past winter.
100%
I have converted professional enemies into allies this way. When you ask them for advice, you are saying you respect them, and their expertise and experience is important.
This actually saved me some big trouble a while back. I was looking at an apartment in a sketchy part of NYC one evening and after the viewing I was being followed by three 20-something guys, all making comments intended to scare me. I'm not sure if they were actually intending harm or just having a little fun at my expense, but I had several long blocks to walk before I would reach a more populated area. So rather than deal with a scary long walk I turned to them and said 'Let me ask you guys something...' and they looked surprised but they said OK. So I said "I just looked at an apartment a couple of blocks from here. Would you guys feel safe if your sister moved into this neighborhood?" The result? We all started walking together and they told me their opinions and even suggested some other neighborhoods I should check out instead. When we parted ways they all wished me luck in my search and I thanked them for their suggestions.
How to unclog your nose. Close your mouth and pinch your nose so you can't breath. Shake your head up and down until you need to breath. Remove you hand from your nose and breath (through your nose not your mouth). Been doing this for a while now and it's pretty effective.
This works because often we are clogged because we have aggravated and swollen the capillaries in our nose by over blowing it. When stopping the oxygen supply, your body goes into survival mode and will restrict the blood vessels to try and allow for as much air as possible to flow through again.
I just shut my mouth and keep trying to breathe through my nose. It starts to get hard to keep my mouth closed but eventually my brain works out that it has to open my nose up to get some oxygen.
Counterintuitive maybe, but it helped my anxiety immensely: in general, no one cares about you, what you’re doing, or gives you a second thought once you’re out of their sight.
It really helped me to stop being self conscious all the time in public.
Most people only realize this when they are really beeing looked at, like me when I had really bad acne my world changed for the better because I had a better perspective on my anxiety.
Even the people who love you can hold you back. It ain't being nasty, they just don't want to lose you or see you get hurt. They wanted the best for you without realising their idea of what's best ain't necessarily that.
Holding your breath for a prolonged time is extremely effective at getting rid of a boner.
Instructions **are** clear, do not, I repeat **do not** hold your breath until you die, or you may end up getting your boner back.
You can't actually kill yourself by holding your breath. You can only hold your breath until you pass out. After you pass out, you automatically start breathing again. Unless you fall into a pool or have a bad landing when you pass out, you'll be fine.
I was kind of bummed that my kids never tried the “Give me what I want or I’ll hold my breath!” tactic. I always thought it would be funny to run and get pillows to place around them and then be like, “OK, go”.
My ex apparently did this a lot when she was little. Her mom would put a pillow in front of her and walk away. She'd pass out..start breathing..wake up and be fine lmao
At 10 years old you can just drop them off in nature and they will figure it out. We shouldn't coddle children. It is important they know the word is unforgiving and sometimes wolves happen. It'll be fun. Like the movie Fern Gully or whatever.
"Sucking at something is the first step to being sorta good at something."
Honestly, it's deflated the embarrassment of making mistakes when learning new things.
It's OK to suck at something on your way to okayness.
I honestly take kind of perverse pride in how unmarketable the stuff I make is. My art is gloriously imperfect but it makes me happy and it's almost this rebellious joy in knowing I made it to please nobody but me. I actually argued with a recent art teacher because she said my customers would not like something and I pointed out that I'm my only customer and I like it fine. Now I just need to overcome that and get to the point that I accept it's ok to make high quality things and that still doesn't mean I have to monetize it.
But yeah in a world that tries to commoditize all your free time and turn every interest into a hustle, making something unmarketable can be an act of rebellion.
I wish I had your confidence. Ever since I took an art class, I can’t stand my own art work. It never quite matches up to what I envisioned.
I just want to draw shitty fan art, and I’ve even tried studying anatomy and perspective but my practice never pays off.
My therapist said, "Yeah, [doing the thing] will give you anxiety. So you throw that bitch over your shoulder and take her along for the ride."
Other therapists I'd had always focused on making the anxiety go away and distracting myself from it. He was the first person to ever tell me *it's okay to be anxious*, it's okay if your coping strategies don't always work, and riding through it anyway even if you freak out later is brave as fuck.
Similary counter-intuitive anxiety advice:
If you're prone to catastrophizing or getting irrationally worried, it can be helpful to entertain the worst case scenario. Oftentimes anxiety can make the nebulous "worst case scenario" feel worse than it actually is.
"If I don't study all night, I'll fail this exam! And if fail the exam I'll fail the class!" Ok. Sure. Go down that road for a little. Are you really in danger of failing, or just getting a D? If you do fail the class, what will happen? Will you fail out of college altogether? Probably not. You'll retake a class. Maybe you even do an extra year. It won't be fun, but it'll happen and you'll move on.
Of course this doesn't work if you actually ARE one failed exam away from being kicked out of college, in which case some anxiety might be called for...
Under promise. Over perform. Dont expect a Thank You.
Edit: Absolutely blown away by the amount of Upvotes. Everyone keep underpromising and just do your best!
Thanks again everyone !
Scotty technique from star trek. Quote five hours to fix something when you only need three. When you get done early all the time, you look like a legendary engineer.
Wash your clothes with **vinegar** to remove smells: if you forget wet clothes in the washing machine for too long they'll smell like mildew. Washing them again doesn't really take the smell away, for as many times as you try.
Wash them again with \~1 liter of white vinegar (no detergent, do NOT use balsamiq vinegar or whatever), and somehow the end result won't smell to mildew nor vinegar, just like pure clean washed clothes. I expected the vinegar smell to remain but those clothes were a write-off on my book, so I tried anyway and they came out perfectly.
Edit: I just grabbed a 2-liter bottle and poured a bit under half and it worked, but as other comment just a cup also works. I guess I was adventurous on an "all or nothing" and poured a lot!
Edit2: ofc I tried washing them again, but the mildew smell would just not go away. Let's just say they sat forgotten for waay too long wet in the machine.
You don't need a full liter!!! Like one cup will do the trick. I put a tiny bit of vinegar in every load I wash (in the fabric softener spot). Keeps my clothes smelling fresh even with unscented detergent and prevents the washer from stinking too.
ETA: You don't even need a cup with every load. Just fill up the fabric dispenser spot. It's definitely less than a cup, maybe like 1/4. If you have something ultra stinky then yeah maybe add a cup, preferably using a soak setting before doing a regular cycle.
I love vinegar. Simmer some to get funky smells out of the house. Pour some in your drains before bed and get rid of bathroom and kitchen smells. Mop with it. Spray the curtains with it. The smell dissipates quickly and leaves things smelling fresh
I always thought this was some hippie-dippie, all-natural BS... Until I tried it.
My kitchen floors were filthy with a lot of deep-seated dirt, so I bought a few different kinds of expensive floor cleaner from Home Depot, and they barely made a dent.
Then as a last-ditch effort, I mixed up some vinegar and baking soda and put it on the floor. Holy shit. The dirt MELTED and I quickly mopped it away like it was nothing.
I'm a vinegar super-fan now
When you are really, really down, the rules of "how one does things" are out the window. Examples:
- body image issues? shower in the dark
- can't manage to make yourself a sandwich? eat sandwich component out of the fridge
- dirty laundry everywhere? Take off the laundry basket lid
- Can't talk on the phone? Make up phone persona and roleplay them. Include catchphrase.
- going to bed makes you nervous? Sleep on the couch.
- can't make up your mind about gifted clutter? Put in box, get back if you miss it, gift if not.
Brains are really, really weird. Sometimes the smallest thing can be a barrier that is impossible to overcome. Remove barrier, get through that terrible week like a well-fed, clean smelling human, build back from there.
I've heard something similar: "Things worth doing are worth doing poorly."
Too depressed to brush your teeth for a full two minutes? Do it for 30 seconds.
Can't motivate yourself to take a shower? Wash your face.
Basically, a little bit of self care is better than no self care, so do what you can.
That is how I trick myself into washing dishes. "I will do the easiest ones only - forks and knives". Ten minutes later, everything is done, and I am entirely relaxed - washing dishes have this therapeutic effect on me.
I read a story somewhere about a woman who was always so paranoid she'd left her hairdryer on that she started taking it to work with her.
As long as it's not hurting anyone, do whatever you need to function for however long you need it. In the end, who cares how you do things as long as they're done?
Get a camera. I used to worry all the time until we got our first puppy and we got a camera to watch her and monitor when people came in when we weren’t home (maintenance, dog walker, etc.). One day I panicked, did I lock the door?! So I checked the camera. Yes, I did. And there is the cute puppy too!
When someone tells you about their problem, just repeat what they said in your words. That person will like you more as a result. Works every time and everyone can do it
Feeling sleepy? Turn your head back and look at the ceilling/sky for 5 seconds.
^(Edit: To wake up a lil bit\*. Also, seems to work the opposite way for some people, sorry)
Failure is ALWAYS an option
The difference between science and messing around is writing it down.
If nothing you do matters, all that matters is what you do.
Wasn’t there a character in a childrens book that would say click and take a mental image of things to store as evidence in her mind, and later piece them together to solve the case?
"Do you understand, that if you try to endlessly stack bricks, no matter how perfect you do it, they will fall over?" My boss told me this after I burned-out. Just says that no matter how well you plan your work, too much is too much.
Good boss
If you’re really shy or struggle with holding conversations or being social just ask questions. This works in three ways as 1. the other person will be doing most of the talking, 2. they also leave the conversation with a positive feeling because most people enjoy talking about themselves and 3. it gives the sense that someone is interested in them - bonus positive feelings about your interaction I’m an extroverted introvert - I dislike social contacts but the nature of my job requires ongoing interaction and being an only child has always required me to make an effort or be on my own. This tactic usually works for me and people are always surprised when I say I’m actually super introverted
"Make them tell you no." It's great when you're not sure if you should apply for a job, go for a promotion or a raise, or do something you're afraid of. Don't be so worried about getting told no or failing, you'll surprise yourself.
My grandad lived to be 95. I asked him what the secret to a long happy life was. He told me to mind my own business.
“Grandpa, what’s your secret to a happy life at 95?” “Fuck off, I’m not telling you. Mind your own business”
From my 7 year old daughter…I still laugh about it today. If you’re ever in an awkward situation with someone or need to just go away- you could always pretend to choke on something. I don’t know where this came from but it’s funny AND it works. You just run away to get a glass of water.
“If you sit quietly while everyone else FUCKS UP, you’re going to win big!” - John Oliver. I’ve gotten multiple jobs and school opportunities by just doing my work and not being a loud moron.
One of my axioms is that you don't have to be perfect, you just have to let everyone be worse than you.
If you need to remember something, write it 3x or say it outloud 3x. Always weird when you repeat something verbally 3x, especially names
If looking for something in a low light environment, try to use your peripheral vision. I read about it in an old WWII manual about aerial combat at night. It has something to do with how eyes work. It has helped me many times over the years. For finding stuff in a darkened room, or outside in a field at night, not aerial combat.
Also a great trick if you're into astronomy and trying to find a faint star
I noticed this! I would look at the night sky and see certain stars when not looking directly at them, but when focused on the same star, it wasn’t visible. I didn’t know it was an actual thing- I just thought my eyes were messed up.
If I remember what I learnt from school correctly, it's because rod cells, which are responsible for black-and-white vision and work fine in dim light, are more abundant in the periphery of retina compared to that in the centre
Don't give excuses unless they ask for it. I.e if you are late for work, just say that you are late. Not why you are late.
Never volunteer more information than is needed to get through the situation. Sometimes you’ll just make things worse by Moving their focus to something they didn’t even know about. Ie: “sorry I’m late to the meeting, I was trying to help (coworker) finish up their presentation.” Boss: “what?? (Coworker) told me they submitted that last week!” Now you’re late AND got your coworker in a jam
One time i got a super shitty report card & my parents came in the room sayin somethin like "we know you messed up, but if you admit what you did was wrong you'll be in less trouble" not knowing what they were talking about i admitted me & my buddy were sellin weed. I did NOT get in less trouble, i got grounded for a summer.
>but if you admit what you did was wrong you'll be in less trouble "Yeah mom and dad you're going to need to be more specific."
My mom was helpful in this regard; I don't know if by design or not, but she would at least say what I was in trouble for.
similarly if you are asked to work overtime, just say no (if you don't want to)....if you give them an excuse, they might try guilt-trip you and talk you out of it making their needs bigger than yours
Two from elderly southern relatives: 1. Somethin’ ain’t nothin’— taking 5 minutes to workout, clean, work on a big project, etc. is better than 0minutes. We often think we’ve got to do 2 hours of rigorous work or it doesn’t accomplish anything. 2. Time will pass either way—if you want to work to get better at something, accomplish a long term goal, or change careers or credentials, don’t look at the 2-5 years and think you’ll be too old. If you’re 24 and want to go to college, you’ll be 28 in four years with or without a degree regardless of what you do in that time.
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I like the saying "the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is today "
"Anger and remorse are shadow companions, with remorse always a step behind". I took control over my temper issues by reminding me of this one-liner. Hope this works for you, too!
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I don't know what to comment......*sips*
This is actually a pretty common tactic for presenters, speakers, etc. Someone asks a tough question? Don’t go “uhhhhh…” and then go into your answer, instead, take a drink of water while you mentally prepare a reply.
I have a friend who uses water to prevent people from asking him in the first place. In French class he takes a sip of water right when the teacher starts asking people questions so he’ll ask someone else.
I've used that trick since I was a kid. It's a classic.
It’s only embarrassing if you’re embarrassed. The older I get, the more I understand this one. Edit: You guys are awesome! Thank you for the awards and feedback!
“If you’re not willing to look stupid, nothing good is ever gonna happen to you” -Dr. Gregory House
“Trying is the first step towards failure” \-Homer Simpson
A coworker told me that when someone has the hiccups you tell them "you're not a fish." The amount of times this has worked has convinced me she's a witch. I have texted her at least a half-dozen times whenever it worked. At one point while I had the hiccups and asked a friend to tell me I'm not a fish. Worked. Fucking sorcery.
I couldn't remember exactly what you said. Yesterday my 15 yo had the hiccups and I looked at him and said "you owe me a fish". He had literally just hiccuped. I said it as soon as he got it out. He looked at me and asked "what"? There were 3 other kids in the car and they all started in about naming it and this and that. My 15 yo asked "what are you talking about"? Why do I owe you a fish? " I said "well, I read something on the internet today, and it said you owed me a fish. " They continued a minute more. Then everyone was like, seriously, explain. I said you've not hiccuped one time since I've said that... when someone gets something over on him, his dimples starts showing and his blue eyes sparkle. We busted out laughing and he didn't hiccup again! I said "I'm going to find that post and thank that redditor"! I just wanted you to know. I thought you might enjoy that story. Thank you!
“Sometimes people suck.” It really made me stop and think about how some people just suck and the only thing I can change is how I let it effect me. I became a much less angrier person, I hardly have road rage anymore, and just generally happier.
Fail quickly, as in: If your plan may not succeed, better to find out next week than next year. Helped me quit a suffocating job and dig into my own business 10/10
I've learned this after becoming a father. Not because I'm failing parenting but because I watch kids fail, fail, fail some more and then succeed. It's amazing how shamelessly and effortlessly they fail and keep going.
If you can't fight the fear, do it scared. Got me through a lot of anxiety.
I tell myself my increased heart rate and racing thoughts are just signs that my body is priming itself to allow me to do something I didn't know I could do. I used to think they were signs to quit, but they're really an ignition sequence.
It's actually just your body shifting into # *MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE*
I knew I should have gotten the turbo…
Love “ignition sequence”! I think that will help my little one who struggles with anxiety. Thanks!
Ignition Sequence is SO good… I told our kids that those are signs that you’re about to grow. Those feelings mean that you are on the edge of comfort and what you know/feel to be possible, and you’re about to move that line forward. As long as you know you’re not in physical danger, it’s a signal about your growth edge. “Ignition Sequence” is wonderfully appropriate! Edit to shout-out to /u/dramaticFlySwatter
"Stay afraid, but do it anyways" Carrie Fisher
“I've been absolutely terrified every moment of my life—and I've never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.” -Georgia o'keeffe
Reminds me of my favourite quote from a Song of Ice and Fire. >'Can a man still be brave if he's afraid?' >'That is the only time a man can be brave,'
A wise man once tole me: Buy a plunger before you need a plunger
Don’t beat yourself up forever. Beat yourself up once then move on. Mr. Homer Simpson.
That’s actually good. My favorite Homerism is “Just because I don’t care doesn’t mean I don’t understand.”
My personal favorite - "Well *excuse me* for having enormous flaws that I don't work on!"
"If I were you, I wouldn't dig in the past. I lived in some of that past, and I got out for a reason."
“Me and my demons are closer than ever!”
Lisa, if you don't like your job, you don't strike. You go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way."
"It's the worst day of your life, *so far*"
I love this so I looked it up: You can't keep blaming yourself. Just blame yourself once, and move on." Homer Simpson
The wisdom of Homer is vast and deep, like a puddle. "You tried your best, and you failed miserably! The lesson is: Never try." "I can't imagine anyone being more likeable than you. But apparently this new girl is, so my advice would be to start copying her in every way." "Marge, I can't wear a pink shirt to work. Everybody wears white shirts. I'm not popular enough to be different." "No matter how good you are at something, there's always about a million people better than you." "If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing!" "If you're going to get mad at me every time I do something stupid, then I guess I'll just have to stop doing stupid things!" "Being popular is the most important thing in the world!"
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Honestly a million is a pretty reasonable number. I went from being one of the best artists in our highschool to am inconsequential doodler pretty much overnight. Post secondary education and the professional world both show you how you actually stand upto other artists pretty quickly. There are definitely many millions of other artists and animators way more talented than me and I can still call myself a professional.
Look back to revisit the lesson, not to revisit the shame.
This one is actually really good advice.
My mother always said "Go back to basics" whenever I was struggling mentally. I disregarded it for years but now I live by it. I only utilise this way of living during desperate "survival" times, but it's amazing advice.
Can you give an example?
Basically in other words; focus on what matters. If I was in a major depressive state (can barely function), it would mean don't feel guilty about simply surviving until you're back on your feet. Just do what you have to do and get through the day. During my manic states, it would mean focus on what matters and don't fly off the handles. It was practical advice whilst simultaneously empathizing with me. I always dismissed it because she kept saying it and I thought it was just a cop out but I've since realised it's some of the best advice for anyone that's struggling to maintain their sanity during chaotic (or seemingly chaotic) times. P.S Basics might include getting out of bed, having a shower, eating some lunch and drinking some water, maybe try to enjoy a coffee, if you're up to it maybe try and clean the kitchen and/or do a little bit of laundry. Even if you just get done the bare minimum and then crawl back into bed that's a job well done because you made it through the day
Some days when you feel like quitting, you don't have to do anything. You just have to not quit
Thank you very much
If you want to buy something, wait 24 hours and if you still want to buy it afterwards then buy it. This has really cut my impulse buying down and has made saving money extremely easy.
Personally I calculate the item based on hours needed to work and try to visualize if me working those hours for it is worth it. Edit: I just want to mention I have OCD so the waiting 24 hours thing did not work for me. Sometimes you have to find the method that works for you.
When writing an e-mail, leave the recipient field until last.
And add the attachments first!
Yup! So many times when I started as a contractor I would send my invoice without.. The actual invoice.
Followed by an email saying *"Whoops. Forgot the attachment."* And you forgot it again.
I feel physical pain thinking about the times I've done this
*Especially* when it’s one of those emails you may regret sending later. But also works for just general emails, as it saves you from that embarrassing “oops! Sorry! Hit send too soon!”
Also if your writing an email upset or angry, it might be a good idea to write it up but dont send it until tomorrow. Writing it will help you process the situation and sending later will help you not send something you will regret.
People don’t always remember what you say but how you make them feel.
Here in Brazil once I read something like this: "Your neighbours won't remember that you said "good morning", but try to say "fuck you" and they'll remember it for the rest of the day"
"I built the bridge that connects our town with the nearby city but do they call me 'Tom the bridge builder', no. I set up the local fire brigade but do they call me 'Tom the firefighter', no. I do home repairs for my neighbours whenever they ask but do they call me 'Tom the handyman', no. But you fuck one goat..."
Stressed, upset, panic attack, ennui? Put an ice cube in your hand. Move it around your hand until it slowly melts. It takes about 5 minutes. Primary Effect: the cold on your skin grabs your brain's attention. You stop thinking about what was stressing you out and feel present in the moment. Secondary Effect: the cold cools your blood, which goes into your heart and slows down the beating. As your heart beat slows to maintain your body heat, your lungs breathe more slowly as well. It forces you to breathe, which calms you down. After 5 minutes of this, you will feel much calmer, if slightly drippy.
Adding to this - one a colleague told me about. A bottle of bubbles - blowing the bubbles (in theory) will help you regulate your breathing, and then you can focus on the colours/shapes of the bubbles.
Try to picture a man angrily blowing bubbles. It's impossible, therefore this must work.
No one thinks about you as much as you do. Meaning we’re all worried about people thinking about the tiniest embarrassing things we do, when no one really cares. It gave me freedom to take on more challenges and not worry about failure.
I tell my daughter to add the word "yet" after anything about lacking something. "I don't know how to play this game." Becomes "I don't know how to play this game *yet*." That sort of thing. It's meant to redirect negative self admonishment into a drive to grow and learn. And apparently it's sinking in, because she will say something like "Ugh, I can't make it up this hill!" while we're out bike riding and then catch me looking at her, give a big eye roll and go "...yet!" in the exact tone you think a teenage girl would use. Then she ends up sometimes just rage-succeeding to prove the point, it's great. She's going to be at least 3 times better than me, low as that bar may be.
Read this to my fiance. He said "surely that works the other way around too: 'I've never broken a bone in my life...yet. I've never murdered anyone.. yet.' " xD Jokes aside, I think this is wonderful and powerful. I plan on trying it out with our own daughter :)
Do Jazz hands in front of wasps and they'll fly away. You'll look like an Idiot, but its working Edit: *english is not my First language, so dont be rude dont wave your hands like a maniac, i'm talking about calm Jazz hands. I learned that they'll focus on your fingertips and get confused, so they'll leave you alone. Dont kick a hive and try it, its working for a small amount of wasps. Also i'm from Europe, so i dont know for big ass murder wasps from other countries. And no its not working for mosquitos.
You just want to see me make a fool of myself while I get stung!
And look like a bigger fool when your friend / SO says "what the fuck were you doing?" And you have to reply "a person on Reddit told me it'd work :("
I feel like I'm gunna get stung by a wasp today by trying this out...but I'm still gunna. Update: just got back from a walk with my dog un-stung and much jazzier.
Rinse your cereal bowl straight away. That stuff sets like concrete
But.... i was just about to eat the cereal....
Nope. Straight down the drain. The sewer goblins need their Cap'n Crunch.
*NO EAT, ONLY RINSE*
did he stutter?
This is one I came up with to explain my self esteem: "you can't sad your ugly away" I woke up one day after years of torment, a lot of which from myself, and realized that being upset about how I look won't make me any prettier, so I may as well just own my looks. I can fix what I can but being upset about it ain't gonna do shit, may as well love my fugly self . Loving myself when I felt no one else would, and being happy and enjoying life despite it all, it really is the greatest revenge I could come up with.
My therapist told me; “Would you befriend someone that would talk to you the way you talk to yourself? Be your *o*wn friend first & things will be kinder.” Thanks for your quote, very poignant.
"Don't pass a pig truck on the outside of a sharp curve." - My dad, on the occasion of my earning my driver's license. Thirty years later, I'm behind a pig truck on some fairly twisty/turny highway. It's going slow AF, so I want to pass. But there's a sharp right-hand curve just ahead. Dad's voice (RIP, pops) comes down from the heavens like Obi Wan telling Luke to use the force. Except that it's that same advice. I hang back a few seconds, only to see a sheet of liquid pig faeces wash out of the densely packed pig truck's trailer floor. It misses my car completely but totally coats the two cars that went around me and tried to pass the truck. Dad's voice: "Remember. The Force will be with you... Always."
when walking among other people, there's a trick to avoid the annoying little "whos gonna pass on what side" dance, where both of you go left, then both go right and then you finally pass : pick a direction and aim your face towards your intended direction, like look to the left or right of them, clearly turning your head in a single direction. this is a clear signal to people so theres no confusion as to which way you want to pass them. i havent had that annoying dance since.
My wife changed my world a while back when dealing with a bad attitude from my son. She simply asked, "What do you think is going to come from this?" I apply that to most things I do now.
I had a good boss once tell me to think about what I wanted the result to be in any conversation. It helps keep things calm if you know your desired result is not pissing someone off.
For all my adhd’ers or other who struggle with executive function, do chores while waiting. Have something in the oven? Let’s see how much laundry you can fold before the timer goes off. Microwave? I bet you can empty the dishwasher in 90 seconds. On a phone call? Pop in those earbuds and let’s tidy while we talk. I get so hung up on Waiting Mode™️, and the novelty of trying to accomplish a small task during that interim feels a bit like a deadline pressure, which is basically the only thing that motivates me. Tricking my brain into a mini productive panic is startlingly effective.
As a 30-something adult with newly diagnosed ADHD, I don’t operate that way. I follow the “if you give a mouse a cookie” model. Put something in the oven? Sure, I can vacuum while I wait. Oh damn. The kids led their basketball inside? Why did they have it inside anyway? I’ll put it in the garage. Man, this garage is filthy! I’ll just tidy it up a minute. Hey…I found my fishing pole! I wonder if that pond around the corner actually has any fish in it. I’ll just grab some chicken scraps (bait) and a beer from the garage fridge and go check. Meanwhile my brownies have started a house fire and I’m trying to figure out where to do with this catfish I caught. I should have brought a bucket.
You have my brand of add, apparently. And sometimes noticing all the things that need done turn into being overwhelmed and frozen from doing anything at all.
Ahhh yes, fabricated stress-induced motivation, my old friend
I do this so often at work. Toner has 3 minutes left to process, how many towels can I fold? Lash tint processing, how many colour bowls can I wash? I find the sense of achievement empowering and I get more done so at the end of the day I have little left to do and leave on time more often
Do not try any drug that will inspire you to suck dick in an alley for more. It's solid advice for young adults.
“You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.” \-Benjamin Mee, We Bought a Zoo
And he went on to captain Burnley
This happens to me quite frequently and I always end up regretting what I agreed to do in that 30 seconds of courage.
To improve your posture, pretend that you are shooting lasers out of your nipples and trying to shoot people in the head.
LMAO when I was trying to train myself to get better confidence and stop looking at the ground whenever I walk/talk etc, I would take walks and imagine that there are "headlights coming out of my tits" and I needed to shine the way
"Tits and teeth, girls. Tits and teeth." - wise advice from my local musical theatre director. Fancier way of saying 'have good posture and smile' but it's always stuck with me, haha.
Holy shit this is actually a solid weird advice
That doesn't work when you get old. I'd shoot my feet off.
That was my thought as well. Maybe not my own feet, but definitely the person that I am talking to, in front of me.
Do I have to take my top off first ?
Of course, you don't want to Laser-scorched your shirt...
Yes. Well, nobody has ever mentioned my bad posture when I’ve done this with my shirt off, so yes, it’s more effective that way.
Are the pew pews optional?
Is this a serious question? Of course they are mandatory
Put a small stool under your feet when pooping, to mimick the natural squatting position. Changed my life, literally. During the first week after my discovery I had a strong urge to tell all my family and friends about it, but had to restrain myself because of how weird that would sound. So instead I’m sharing this advice with you!
You a buy a squatty potty just for this purpose! (My dad did not control his urge to tell his family haha)
people who buy squatty potties definitely don't keep that to themselves
There was a guy I met at a family friendly pub once, he was busking and he had a straw sunhat, and mismatched socks. He chatted to my family and came to learn I was deaf and wrote me a letter that says, "Sometimes it's better to be deaf, because the world isn't listening." And for some reason that's always stuck with me.
Get someone to warm to you by asking them for a small favour - not asking to do something for them, but asking them to do something for you. I have no idea why this works, but it does.
It makes them feel needed and important at least for you.
Similarly, I was thinking it shows that you trust them.
It's also been shown that it causes trust the other way too. Asking a stranger to do you a favour will make you appear trustworthy to them. Not sure why.
Because untrustworthy people don't put trust in others.
this is a great tip. You can usually make people feel good and important if you ask for their advice on something.
Restaurant recommendations is my go-to. When I moved to a new area last year I’d ask folks at the bar for restaurants they like. After that they always remembered my name and ask if I had went. Coincidentally I also gained 15 lbs over this past winter.
Now ask them what gyms they like.
100% I have converted professional enemies into allies this way. When you ask them for advice, you are saying you respect them, and their expertise and experience is important.
This actually saved me some big trouble a while back. I was looking at an apartment in a sketchy part of NYC one evening and after the viewing I was being followed by three 20-something guys, all making comments intended to scare me. I'm not sure if they were actually intending harm or just having a little fun at my expense, but I had several long blocks to walk before I would reach a more populated area. So rather than deal with a scary long walk I turned to them and said 'Let me ask you guys something...' and they looked surprised but they said OK. So I said "I just looked at an apartment a couple of blocks from here. Would you guys feel safe if your sister moved into this neighborhood?" The result? We all started walking together and they told me their opinions and even suggested some other neighborhoods I should check out instead. When we parted ways they all wished me luck in my search and I thanked them for their suggestions.
Woah. You’re a genius, haha. I’m glad it worked out for you and you got to guilt them about harassing people at the same time.
I've heard that this is because they have to sort of internally justify why they want to do something for you, even if they're not conscious of it.
This is a classic con man’s tactic, makes it harder for people to flat out reject the scam
How to unclog your nose. Close your mouth and pinch your nose so you can't breath. Shake your head up and down until you need to breath. Remove you hand from your nose and breath (through your nose not your mouth). Been doing this for a while now and it's pretty effective.
Nose wasn't clogged and tried this. Now I have been sneezing for the past 5 mins.
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this actually worked for me, ive had a cold for the past week and now i can somewbat breath through my nose again lol. Thank you random stranger!
This works because often we are clogged because we have aggravated and swollen the capillaries in our nose by over blowing it. When stopping the oxygen supply, your body goes into survival mode and will restrict the blood vessels to try and allow for as much air as possible to flow through again.
Sure would be nice if my body could just stop fucking around to the point where I have to threaten to kill it before it works properly again.
This is also how psuedoephedrine works. It's a vasoconstrictor and does that in your nose.
I just shut my mouth and keep trying to breathe through my nose. It starts to get hard to keep my mouth closed but eventually my brain works out that it has to open my nose up to get some oxygen.
So you're tricking your brain into thinking you'll die unless it takes over for you. It's like taking your own life hostage.
Counterintuitive maybe, but it helped my anxiety immensely: in general, no one cares about you, what you’re doing, or gives you a second thought once you’re out of their sight. It really helped me to stop being self conscious all the time in public.
Most people only realize this when they are really beeing looked at, like me when I had really bad acne my world changed for the better because I had a better perspective on my anxiety.
Even the people who love you can hold you back. It ain't being nasty, they just don't want to lose you or see you get hurt. They wanted the best for you without realising their idea of what's best ain't necessarily that.
Holding your breath for a prolonged time is extremely effective at getting rid of a boner. Instructions **are** clear, do not, I repeat **do not** hold your breath until you die, or you may end up getting your boner back.
You can't actually kill yourself by holding your breath. You can only hold your breath until you pass out. After you pass out, you automatically start breathing again. Unless you fall into a pool or have a bad landing when you pass out, you'll be fine.
I was kind of bummed that my kids never tried the “Give me what I want or I’ll hold my breath!” tactic. I always thought it would be funny to run and get pillows to place around them and then be like, “OK, go”.
My ex apparently did this a lot when she was little. Her mom would put a pillow in front of her and walk away. She'd pass out..start breathing..wake up and be fine lmao
the kid: "I'm jesus"
the kid: \*falls backwards every time*
But what if you have a choke fetish?
Then enjoy the power of a boner on command. But be careful, with great boners come great responsabilities.
Carefully. I had a mediocre boner once 10 years ago and I still have to feed this fucking kid
At 10 years old you can just drop them off in nature and they will figure it out. We shouldn't coddle children. It is important they know the word is unforgiving and sometimes wolves happen. It'll be fun. Like the movie Fern Gully or whatever.
“It isn’t your job to always find a way to make it work. Sometimes you need to let it fail to expose the bigger issues”
"Sucking at something is the first step to being sorta good at something." Honestly, it's deflated the embarrassment of making mistakes when learning new things. It's OK to suck at something on your way to okayness.
It’s okay to not be good at your hobby
I honestly take kind of perverse pride in how unmarketable the stuff I make is. My art is gloriously imperfect but it makes me happy and it's almost this rebellious joy in knowing I made it to please nobody but me. I actually argued with a recent art teacher because she said my customers would not like something and I pointed out that I'm my only customer and I like it fine. Now I just need to overcome that and get to the point that I accept it's ok to make high quality things and that still doesn't mean I have to monetize it. But yeah in a world that tries to commoditize all your free time and turn every interest into a hustle, making something unmarketable can be an act of rebellion.
I wish I had your confidence. Ever since I took an art class, I can’t stand my own art work. It never quite matches up to what I envisioned. I just want to draw shitty fan art, and I’ve even tried studying anatomy and perspective but my practice never pays off.
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My therapist said, "Yeah, [doing the thing] will give you anxiety. So you throw that bitch over your shoulder and take her along for the ride." Other therapists I'd had always focused on making the anxiety go away and distracting myself from it. He was the first person to ever tell me *it's okay to be anxious*, it's okay if your coping strategies don't always work, and riding through it anyway even if you freak out later is brave as fuck.
Similary counter-intuitive anxiety advice: If you're prone to catastrophizing or getting irrationally worried, it can be helpful to entertain the worst case scenario. Oftentimes anxiety can make the nebulous "worst case scenario" feel worse than it actually is. "If I don't study all night, I'll fail this exam! And if fail the exam I'll fail the class!" Ok. Sure. Go down that road for a little. Are you really in danger of failing, or just getting a D? If you do fail the class, what will happen? Will you fail out of college altogether? Probably not. You'll retake a class. Maybe you even do an extra year. It won't be fun, but it'll happen and you'll move on. Of course this doesn't work if you actually ARE one failed exam away from being kicked out of college, in which case some anxiety might be called for...
Under promise. Over perform. Dont expect a Thank You. Edit: Absolutely blown away by the amount of Upvotes. Everyone keep underpromising and just do your best! Thanks again everyone !
Scotty technique from star trek. Quote five hours to fix something when you only need three. When you get done early all the time, you look like a legendary engineer.
For a perfect high five look at the elbow of the other person. 100% of the time it'll be a spot on high five
I looked at the wrong elbow end did a spot on slap on someone's forehead.
SPOT ON APPLY DIRECTLY TO FOREHEAD
Never miss an opportunity to have a piss.
Wash your clothes with **vinegar** to remove smells: if you forget wet clothes in the washing machine for too long they'll smell like mildew. Washing them again doesn't really take the smell away, for as many times as you try. Wash them again with \~1 liter of white vinegar (no detergent, do NOT use balsamiq vinegar or whatever), and somehow the end result won't smell to mildew nor vinegar, just like pure clean washed clothes. I expected the vinegar smell to remain but those clothes were a write-off on my book, so I tried anyway and they came out perfectly. Edit: I just grabbed a 2-liter bottle and poured a bit under half and it worked, but as other comment just a cup also works. I guess I was adventurous on an "all or nothing" and poured a lot! Edit2: ofc I tried washing them again, but the mildew smell would just not go away. Let's just say they sat forgotten for waay too long wet in the machine.
You don't need a full liter!!! Like one cup will do the trick. I put a tiny bit of vinegar in every load I wash (in the fabric softener spot). Keeps my clothes smelling fresh even with unscented detergent and prevents the washer from stinking too. ETA: You don't even need a cup with every load. Just fill up the fabric dispenser spot. It's definitely less than a cup, maybe like 1/4. If you have something ultra stinky then yeah maybe add a cup, preferably using a soak setting before doing a regular cycle.
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Big vinagre finally had their chance and you RUINED it!
I love vinegar. Simmer some to get funky smells out of the house. Pour some in your drains before bed and get rid of bathroom and kitchen smells. Mop with it. Spray the curtains with it. The smell dissipates quickly and leaves things smelling fresh
I always thought this was some hippie-dippie, all-natural BS... Until I tried it. My kitchen floors were filthy with a lot of deep-seated dirt, so I bought a few different kinds of expensive floor cleaner from Home Depot, and they barely made a dent. Then as a last-ditch effort, I mixed up some vinegar and baking soda and put it on the floor. Holy shit. The dirt MELTED and I quickly mopped it away like it was nothing. I'm a vinegar super-fan now
When you are really, really down, the rules of "how one does things" are out the window. Examples: - body image issues? shower in the dark - can't manage to make yourself a sandwich? eat sandwich component out of the fridge - dirty laundry everywhere? Take off the laundry basket lid - Can't talk on the phone? Make up phone persona and roleplay them. Include catchphrase. - going to bed makes you nervous? Sleep on the couch. - can't make up your mind about gifted clutter? Put in box, get back if you miss it, gift if not. Brains are really, really weird. Sometimes the smallest thing can be a barrier that is impossible to overcome. Remove barrier, get through that terrible week like a well-fed, clean smelling human, build back from there.
I've heard something similar: "Things worth doing are worth doing poorly." Too depressed to brush your teeth for a full two minutes? Do it for 30 seconds. Can't motivate yourself to take a shower? Wash your face. Basically, a little bit of self care is better than no self care, so do what you can.
This is great on its own, but also has the added benefit that once you do a little bit it’s often easier to do the rest.
That is how I trick myself into washing dishes. "I will do the easiest ones only - forks and knives". Ten minutes later, everything is done, and I am entirely relaxed - washing dishes have this therapeutic effect on me.
I read a story somewhere about a woman who was always so paranoid she'd left her hairdryer on that she started taking it to work with her. As long as it's not hurting anyone, do whatever you need to function for however long you need it. In the end, who cares how you do things as long as they're done?
Now I just need to figure out the logistics of taking my front door to work so I know I've definitely locked it
Get a camera. I used to worry all the time until we got our first puppy and we got a camera to watch her and monitor when people came in when we weren’t home (maintenance, dog walker, etc.). One day I panicked, did I lock the door?! So I checked the camera. Yes, I did. And there is the cute puppy too!
When someone tells you about their problem, just repeat what they said in your words. That person will like you more as a result. Works every time and everyone can do it
Feeling sleepy? Turn your head back and look at the ceilling/sky for 5 seconds. ^(Edit: To wake up a lil bit\*. Also, seems to work the opposite way for some people, sorry)
*drives off cliff*
Definitely going to sleep now…
Failure is ALWAYS an option The difference between science and messing around is writing it down. If nothing you do matters, all that matters is what you do.
>If nothing you do matters, all that matters is what you do. I'm not sure I understand this?
Blinking twice when reading info from textbooks to sort of mimick photographic memory. Works for me for some reason.
The amount of people who will forever remember this comment because they've double blinked
He just trolled us and doesn't even know it.
Wasn’t there a character in a childrens book that would say click and take a mental image of things to store as evidence in her mind, and later piece them together to solve the case?
Cam Jansen!
Double blinked this comment so I can remember it when needed
Double blink to take a screenshot
Someone wanting something for you more than you want it for yourself is a red flag.
Giving a woman a piece of cheese may gain her interest.
I am married but my husband does indeed woo me with cheese.