Sometimes when we finally add a new habit or 'self-care' trick into our daily routine, it can alter our life in a profound and positive way. So when I saw Reddit user u/TheSun3-21 ask: "What improved your quality of life so much, you wish you did it sooner?", I thought it would be helpful to share their answers just in case you're looking for a little life update. Here's what they had to say below:
1. "Dumped all the toxic people I knew."
2. "Getting a regular amount of sleep and trying to get exercise daily."
"A regular schedule matters even more than the amount. Yes, seven-plus hours for adults is ideal but going to bed and waking up at the same time is better than irregular sleeping.
Sleep items: Ostrichpillow Eye Mask ($45), Loop Earplugs ($24.95)
Exercise items: Triggerpoint foam roller ($27.97) TOSAMC wrist and ankle weights ($32.96)
3. "Drink more water. Instead of having a glass of soda, just change it to a glass of water. Also, not having a large dinner after 6:00 p.m."
4. "Recognizing when a negative emotion or a distracting mental habit was entering my mind and taking proper control of it rather than having it control me."
5. "Listening to positive affirmations first thing in the morning. Not being on social media, especially the first 15 minutes of waking up or the last hour before bed."
6. "I stopped responding to people who would only call or text when they needed something from me. I thought they were friends. I, however, realized that these relationships should work both ways and they obviously weren’t. So I just stopped responding to them. It’s amazing how many people are around you only when they need things from you."
"Yup, I did that, too. I stopped responding to their need, waited for them to reach out, and after a year, I deleted them everywhere. If they can go a whole year without so much as a 'Hi, how are you?', they are not really friends."
7. "Adopted a dog. She's helped me develop a stable routine, get physically active, get me out of bed even when I don't want to face the day, make me take care of myself so I can care for her better, and bring so much joy to everyone she meets. I'm very much a dog person and always had a pet dog growing up, but this is my first pup who belongs solely to me. I was scared I wouldn't be mentally stable and physically well enough to give a dog a good life, and there have been a couple of days when her walks were very short or her dinner was late. But our bond is so strong, she trusts me completely and I love her like she's my child, we enrich each other's lives to the fullest."
8. "Started Invisalign. I immediately stopped getting headaches. Turns out, they were caused by grinding my teeth at night."
Teeth items: Quip Perfect Pick Bundle ($33) Cocofloss ($10) Boka Tongue Scraper ($7)
9. "Not reading the news every day. Sometimes I'll read the headline instead of the entire article."
10. "Treating 'No.' Like the complete sentence it is. I still fall into over-explaining when triggered sometimes, but nowhere near like I used to. It wasn't important what I was saying, my abusers simply valued the output and energy wasted. It kept me exhaustedly compliant for years. Never. Again."
"I had to work on letting the silence fill the space instead of my words. It was really uncomfortable, but once I started doing this in person, I did so online, too. That includes when people try to accuse me of lying about health issues and stuff like that. I simply block them. I don't owe some rando, on the internet, or real life, an explanation of why I exist and how I manage to do it.
It's also why I will ignore/confront passive-aggressive remarks because I'm not doing another adult's emotional regulating for them. I did that a lot for my parents.
Now, instead of being triggered to over-explain to these people, I see them as a sort of energy vampire, and I'm nobody's fucking meal. I have better things to do than explain myself to some dude who tried and failed to tell me to smile, or some woman who tries to imply my hair color isn't 'something she would do.' I'm glad I'm not either of these people frankly."
11. "Finding anxiety medicine that worked for me. I had no idea how anxious I was until that first week of taking it. Who knew waking up anxious and on edge all the time wasn’t normal? I can actually get sleep too now! I definitely wish I found help sooner but I’m so happy I’m in a better place now."
12. "Therapy. So many things have changed for me because of starting therapy, and for once in my life, I've found hope. Shit sucks — but it's worth it to finally find peace."
Self-care items: Slow Down Journal ($35.00), Sloomoo Head in the Clouds slime ($16.00), Stress Relief coloring book ($8.84)
13. "Mobility aids, and recognizing my limits."
14. "I actually went to the doctor and got a physical after ten years or so at 53. I found out I had sleep apnea so severe that I had stage four heart failure. Apparently, it's curable. On the road to being healthy. I've now controlled my type 2 diabetes and lost 45 pounds. I feel like I'm in my 20s again. Like the fountain of youth. I could barely make it up the stairs, now I can run. See your doctor once a year.
15. "Bidet."
16. "Prioritize my job less. Invest in myself with new clothes and a few hobby purchases. Sounds basic writing it out. I went deep into working all the time for a couple of years and let it take over my life too much."
Hobby items: 7 Days of Mindfulness Puzzle Set ($25.00), Xbox Series S – Starter Bundle ($239.99), Book of the Month Subscription ($59.99)
17. "Prioritizing sleep over late-night arguments with my husband. The phrase ‘never go to bed angry’ doesn’t work for me. A good night's sleep gives me a much clearer head and it’s so much easier to solve the problem."
