I am 25M living in the SF Bay Area. I have been focusing on personal improvement and growth, and that includes financial, mental and physical growth as well.

Going to gym has been paying off. The progress is slow, but its there, so no issues in that area.

I really want to elevate my fashion sense and wardrobe and would really appreciate any and all help I can get in that aspect.

Thanks!

We're all great storytellers. We construct elaborate plots in our minds to make sense of this crazy ride we call life. These stories are based on our insecurities, biases, hopes, and dreams.

Most people go through life believing in stories that severely limit their experiences — stories about why they can't succeed, why they're not worthy, or why their circumstances are uniquely difficult.

These narratives become self-fulfilling prophecies, creating the very limitations they describe.

Your thoughts define your actions, and your actions shape your reality.

This is why your internal monologue matters more than any external circumstance.

Here are common stories I hear and how to reframe them:

• Victim Story: "I'm too old to start something new."

  • Hero Story: "My experience gives me advantages others don't have."

• Victim Story: “The economy is terrible for starting a business.”

  • Hero Story: "Difficult times create unique opportunities for those willing to adapt."

• Victim Story: "I don't have enough time to build a side business."

  • Hero Story: "Having only 2 hours a day forces me to focus on what truly matters."

Breaking free starts with a simple truth: you are the author of your story. Every day, you choose to write yourself as the victim of circumstances or the hero who overcomes them. Your narrative isn't fixed — it's a continuous choice.

The story you tell yourself today becomes your reality tomorrow. The choice, as always, is yours.

Hey Reddit,

I'm an introvert who tends to consume a lot of information but rarely puts anything out there. I've been feeling this inner drive to be more creative and finally decided to take the plunge.

Today marks the beginning of my journey to channel this energy. I'm planning to:

• Start a daily journal: To reflect on my thoughts and experiences.
• Learn to sketch: To reconnect with a long-lost passion.
• Explore music creation: Specifically, I'm interested in learning beat-making.
• Possibly delve into fiction writing: I have a vivid imagination, and I'm curious to see where that takes me.

I'm excited, nervous, and a little overwhelmed, but I'm determined to make this happen.

Wish me luck!

P.S. Any tips or encouragement from fellow creatives would be greatly appreciated!

✨ Make 2025 Your Best Year Yet! ✨

Are you ready to level up and make this year your most productive and fulfilling one yet? 🚀 Here are 6 life-changing habits that will transform the way you approach goals, productivity, and well-being:

🔑 Habit 1: Forget about Annual Goals and why focusing on the now is all you need!

📅 Habit 2: The Weekly Review – your secret weapon to stay on track.

🌅 Habit 3: Kickstart your day with a powerful Morning Manifesto.

📝 Habit 4: Track your progress with Focus Logs to stay in control.

🎉 Habit 5: How to create a routine of Standing Order Social Events to maintain your balance.

🔄 Habit 6: Master Multimodality Multitasking for efficient, results-driven work.

Don't wait for New Year’s resolutions to fade out—make these habits stick and watch your year transform! 💥

👇 Tap the link below to watch the full video and start your journey to success today!

https://youtu.be/QPD3HS24GDw

#2025Goals #NewYearNewMe #ProductivityHacks #SelfImprovement #PersonalGrowth #Focus #MorningRoutine #LifeGoals

So I just stumbled across this really honest piece called “Burnout & Breakthrough / Heartbreak & Hope,” and it somehow put words to everything I’ve been feeling lately—like the words broke into my own head. It’s a personal reflection on juggling work, family pressures, and a broken heart, all while trying to stay sane and true to yourself. It talks about how real love isn’t just an emotion but an action, and how sometimes we push ourselves to the point where we lose sight of who we are in the process.

What hit me hardest was on “burnout not being a badge of honor.” I’ve been there—thinking that the more stressed or overworked I am, the more accomplished I seem. But this person's point about reconnecting with “why” you started in the first place really resonated with me. Sometimes, we chase goals so aggressively we forget what drove us in the first place.

And the heartbreak part? I sighed heavily in sympathy. My 2024 was difficult. "It’s a mirror" forcing you to come to terms with who you really are and what you want. This gave me a hopeful reminder that even if everything feels like it’s falling apart, it can also be an opening for deeper growth.

If you’ve been struggling with burnout, relationship issues, or just feeling adrift, I can’t recommend this piece enough. It’s raw, it’s personal, and it might just make you think differently about where you’re headed. I’m super curious to see if it resonates with others here as much as it did with me.

Comment below if you’ve read anything similar that you’d recommend. Sometimes the best breakthroughs come from sharing the real stuff. Stay strong, everyone!

I am certain that I am not reaching my potential. I have consistently outperformed my peers in highly skilled and competitive environments, such as startups in Silicon Valley and Ivy League schools, without exerting much efforts. (Please don't think I'm bragging. I'm just trying to show the potential I see in myself.).

This has led me wonder what would happen if I truly gave my. To test this, I removed myself from these environments and began working on my own project. I believe that if it succeeds, it will genuinely benefit society, create numerous jobs, kickstart innovation in my sector, and make me and those around me wealthy and influential.

However, my natural advantage has never made me consider my work ethic. Now, after two years, I am struggling to gain momentum. My peers have begun to overtake me in terms of professional achievements. Although this is not my definition of success, it serves as a crude heuristic gauging my performance compared to the average.

I need help. I am unable to maintain focus, calm my mind. I recently gave up my social media addictions and started working out, but that has not been enough to overcome my inertia. I have miraculously replaced my old addictions with new ones and forget about what I am trying to do and achieve in those weak moments.

As the new year approaches, many are setting goals for personal growth and self-improvement. What strategies will shape your journey in 2025?

i'm not sure if it is actual self-sabotage or just attention seeking behaviour but whenever someone close to me expresses emotions of sadness, l immediately feel like my feelings don't matter and that they don't care about me, even if i'm okay. I am not a total bitch, I comfort them and let them know they can talk to me etc but deep inside, I feel jealous. why? I have no idea. I just think if they are focusing on their issues, they won't care about me so I try to create situations that hurt me so they can care about me. when I was a child, this was expressed through me trying to break my bones intentionally, or lying about things so people could care about me. I'm already aware I have emotional neglect but why do I do this? and how do I stop it? I feel so selfish for feeling this way because I know not everything is about me, but when it comes to this, it feels like the end of the world.. I always daydream about bad things happening to me and imagining the reactions of those who are close to me, and it makes me feel comforted. why do I do this and how do I become a better person, i've had enough.

Im a 29 years old M. I failed in the college, and basically in everything I tried in my life. My brothers are living their lives, my friends are progressing in their professional careers. I'm feel stuck in a no future job, still living with my parents and I don't know what I'm supposed to do.

When I (25M) was younger, my father was not ever really around, was always working, at the bar, bowling and was out cheating and beating on my mother. Nasty divorce but that’s something else. I turned to my grandfather after the divorce when I was 11 and he had an unexpected heart attack when I was 16. Back to square one. Then my father came back into my life around 18 and the years were good. I joined the military and created a life and then in 2021 he went and got himself 3 years in prison. Back to square one year again. The only time I’ve ever had any way to not feel like I didn’t have much of a father figure is when I was in the military, that’s when I felt most empowered. I have since gotten out of the military and am back to square one. I really need help and don’t know what to do.

I always considered myself to be open minded and listen to advice but seems like when someone critiques something I do, I get slightly irritated. Is this normal? I feel like sometimes the older one gets, the harder it is to be open-minded. You heard the saying, you cant teach an old dog new tricks?

For example, if I miss a shot in pool during league my teammate suggests i couldve done something else as a friendly advice. But i feel a bit attacked.

Any suggestions to fix this?

Hey guys Since i was a kid i loved math and programming and even i imagined myself to be a politician and recently i took an interest in finance and trading. A year ago i started to watch courses about web pentest and reverse engineering and i love them but i want to know the other fields.

I'm 18 and is it normal or maybe I'm just too emotional about them and maybe if i try them I'll get tired.

Hello everyone ,

Just like most reddit user i am a loner . I used to have friends but I had to move to study abroad .

I recently moved to Madrid , and I know nothing about this place everything seems scary and strange . Do you guys have any ideas to make some friends besides school my class mates are jerks

Lately, I've been noticing that no matter how much progress I make in certain areas of my life, I somehow end up falling back into the same habits and mindsets that hold me back. It’s like I’m taking two steps forward and one step back, over and over again. I’ve tried different strategies to break free from these patterns, but it feels like there’s something deeper that I just can’t figure out.

Have any of you experienced this? How did you break out of cycles that felt like they were repeating?

i’ve been experiencing some discontentment with in myself. i feel i’ve had a hard time adapting to a college school setting and i fear that i’ve become resistant to knowledge. i’m looking to challenge myself and improve my competency. i know i am capable of doing hard things but finding the will power takes guts. i feel as if my thoughts grow distant and leads to gaps in my ability to speak. it takes me a larger amount of time to select words that i feel would effectively describe things. i don’t know what actions can best resolve my issues. i try to pace myself but still end up feeling overwhelmed and hopeless. im still doing well in my courses but not to the degree where i retain all the important information. i’m still working on how to effectively take notes and condense information. i want to feel confident in all of my words without having the urge to refer to higher intelligence. does anyone else feel like this? is it a matter of repetition? am i trying to be perfect in everything i do? what can i sacrifice so that i can actually become self sufficient? does it all even matter in the end?

So back in the days when I studied Business Administration at a certain Uni, as a part of our communications class we were taught about logical fallacies . I want to know what field do such complex(to me at least) systems fit in, what do you even call those and where should I look if I were to embark on learning something similar? Looking forward to your recommendations Thank you

Lately i discovered i'm too dependent on other people when it comes to an emotional level. I felt like i want to start enjoying my own company more and embrace solitude as an opportunity to know myself better and cultivate inner strenght. Right now i do have a couple of friends, not close ones, but i do have them. For the longest time i've been terrified to be left alone (abandonment trauma) and i want to overcome this fear now. Hence the question: is it really possible to live/survive/thrive even with no friends around you? If so, how do you do that? I'm looking for insights and tips :)

After my graduation my life was on the uptick. After several failed relationships I met a guy I thought was really the person for me and who I could have an incredible life with. We met while I was in a program in D.C. and decided to go long distance. And our relationship has been rocky. He’s the guy who forced himself to improve, is financially responsible, and overall very successful and built a really good life for himself. Did I mention he’s 4-5 years older than me? However, he lied to me about his past, while it’s not anything direct it’s more so he lied to me he was in a relationship with someone when the reality is he really liked her but the never dated. He told me they dated for two years but in reality it didn’t happen. This caused me to constantly bring up the lying and why it made me hard to trust him. Regardless of it I still wanted to stay. To me he’s this amazing being and I am so much less than him. I decided to move out to D.C particularly because I like the walkable area and weather but also because I wanted to be near him. Now it is ending. We are one a break because he’s deciding whether he wants to stay or not. I realize after just recently graduating while he’s near his 30s I’m in my early twenties and I have so much to figure out that he’s known. I don’t understand personal finance. I don’t understand what it means to be a responsible adult. I can’t drive. Haven’t built the life that allows me to keep busy in healthy way. And I’m losing someone who has all of that. I’m scared that this heart break is gonna end me. I want to grow and become a person who is happy with themselves. Financially responsible. And the girl that could help myself. He was my best friend and was teaching me and helping me through life so much. Now it’s gone and I don’t know how to fend for myself. In a weird way I feel as if I am trying to become him because he’s the few people I know in my life who’s achieved all those things. I want this to be my own journey. What can I tell myself to make it that? All I’m thinking in my head is “become financially stable, build a routine activities that are healthy, have friends, be healthy; you’re trying to become him” it’s like he’s trademarked these monumental achievements in my heart. Please anyone give me guide or encouragement I’m all alone in new city never had a budget or paid rent or filed taxes. What can I do and is the world really still my oyster?

Occassionally, I muse about taking my life in a new direction. Starting a new job, taking up school anew, or even beginning a new big hobby venture. Being the thorough and careful person that I am, I always read up on it first. And there is one thing that I always find in my research, a red thread if you will, that binds all these things together:

Whatever you do, you have to feel passionate about it.

For example: I’m pretty interested in plants and animals. Maybe I should study biology? I thought the other day. I Googled ”should I study biology?”, read around a bit, video-watched around a bit, and then read around a bit more; what I found was: The important thing about studying biology is that you’re deeply passionate about it.

Welp, can’t say that applies to me. So it’s a no from me, dawg.

And I keep noticing the same over and over. Wanna become a carpenter? Gotta be passionate about it! Wanna do this, that or the other? Need passion!

Hell, at this point I’m starting to doubt if I should ever go to the bathroom again, because I’m not passionate about pooping.

Is there anything you’re ”allowed” to do in life even if you’re not passionate about it?

Join the army? Work in a factory? Watch Netflix?

My bestfriend has cut me off. Its been a month and I have been focusing on myself well. I have been reading,going out,and will start to hit the gym next week but I still find myself hurt knowing that he’s now getting along with a new friend. I have found out recently that they’re are hitting the gym together and has invited his new friend to go out shopping. Simple things but still hurts. I also cant seem to not focus on what he does. I dont think about him all day but I do think about him everyday.

I have been reaching out, not to be friends again, i have no hope that well be friends again, but to atleast have an explanation. A clear reason why he suddenly decided to completely cut me off.

Any advice as to what to do or just any opinion on the matter? I think I just need to know that I am not alone in this.

1. Physical win : have you done anything that’s beneficial to your physical health?
2. Mental win: have you looked after your mental health?
3. Spiritual win: have you nurtured your soul?

Credit to Jun Yuh

We’ve all been there — staring at our phones for the hundredth time, scrolling mindlessly through social media, and feeling like we’re wasting our day away. But here’s the thing: boredom doesn’t have to be killing off the time doing nothing. With a bit of creativity, you can turn those “I’m so bored” moments into opportunities for personal growth.

Here are 30 ideas to get you started:

Learn investing

Investing isn’t just for big shots. Learn the basics — it could be your starting point to financial freedom down the road.

Sit for skill development (and impress your friends)

Always wanted to learn how to knit? Or maybe you’ve been eyeing that piano in the corner. Pick up a new skill — you might surprise yourself with how quickly you progress!

Find a mentor

Reach out to someone you admire in your field. Set up a coffee chat to get to know them. Get some advice for your career, self-improvement, working towards success, or whatever you aspire to achieve.

Become a student again

Sign up for an online course about something you’re curious about. Let’s say you have always wanted to understand philosophy. There’s probably a free course for that. Find it out!

Get a handle on your finances

Yes, yes…budgeting doesn’t sound as boring as watching paint dry. But trust me, taking control of your money situation can be surprisingly fulfilling.

Read a book

Remember that novel collecting dust on your bookshelf? Now’s the perfect time to dust off. Whether it’s an intriguing thriller or a self-improvement book you’ve been meaning to read, losing yourself in a story can be entertaining and enlightening.

Start a journal (It’s like texting yourself)

Write down your thoughts, dreams, or even just what you had for breakfast. It’s surprisingly therapeutic, and you’ll love looking back on it later.

Sign up for an industry-related event

Look for upcoming conferences or workshops in your area. Register for one that catches your eye and block it off in your calendar.

Listen podcasts

Find some podcasts that match your interests. They’re perfect for multitasking — you can learn new things while doing chores or commuting.

Explore TED talks

TED Talks are a goldmine of inspiration and knowledge. With topics ranging from science to art, you might stumble upon something that sparks a new passion.

Freelance

Browse job boards for small gigs in your expertise. Take on a project to earn extra cash and expand your portfolio.

Catch up on what’s happening

Spend a few minutes browsing your favourite news site. It’s good to stay in the loop, plus you’ll have something interesting to chat about later.

Plan smart

Where do you see yourself in a year? Five years? Jot down some goals, big and small. It’s like creating a roadmap for your life.

Lend a hand

Ever thought about volunteering? There are loads of ways to help out, both locally and online. It feels good to serve, and you might make some new friends, too.

Get moving

Put on your favourite playlist and have a dance party in your living room. Or try that YouTube yoga video you’ve been putting off. Simply get off your couch.

Meditate

Close your eyes and spend a few minutes meditating. It might feel awkward at first, but stick with it. You’ll be amazed at how refreshed you feel afterwards.

Declutter your space

We all have that one drawer (or closet… or room) that’s a total mess. Organise and set it up! Future you will be so grateful when you can actually find what you’re looking for.

Let the chef in you out

Try making that complicated recipe you’ve always been intimidated by. Who knows? You might discover you’re a culinary genius.

Plan your week like a pro

Make a to-do list or schedule for the upcoming week. It’s satisfying as if you have partially completed tasks for the next week, and you’ll feel much more organised.

Touch up on your resume

When was the last time you updated your LinkedIn? A little tweaking now could open doors later.

Pick up a new language

Ever thought about giving Duolingo a go? Learning a new language can be fun and might even open doors to new cultures and job opportunities.

Have a quick read

Spend some time reading interesting articles or blog posts online. It’s an easy way to learn something new or just entertain yourself for a while.

Improve your social connections

Why not reach out to some old colleagues or friends on LinkedIn? You never know where a casual chat might lead — maybe a new opportunity or collaboration is just around the corner.

Netflix and learn

Pick a documentary on a topic you know nothing about. It’s like travelling the world or time-travelling from your couch!

Try your hand at DIY projects

Got an old piece of furniture lying around? Why not give it a makeover? DIY projects are a great way to flex your creative muscles and feel productive.

Create a vision board

Channel your inner creativity and put together a vision board. It’s a fun way to visualise your goals and keep yourself motivated.

Digital declutter

Tackle that mess of files on your computer. A tidy digital space can work wonders for your productivity and peace of mind.

Fix stuff around the house

Ever tried fixing that wobbly chair or leaky faucet? It’s oddly satisfying, plus you’ll save some cash. Win-win!

Do a meal prep

Spending an hour or two cooking up some tasty meals for the week. It’s a game-changer for busy days!

Garden get your hands muddy

Plant some herbs on your windowsill or start a small garden. There’s some pleasure in watching something grow because of your care.

So I hold grudges against people that have done my family wrong or me personally wrong. And I can’t seem to get over some of it, and I don’t know where it stems from specifically. Most of my life I lived with my mother, but my father was not absent. He moved to our families home country to work at a very good job. Without having any legal binding, he paid large amount to us to help us out with paying utilities and even my schooling. Now that I’ve gotten between 16 and 21( currently 21) we’ve been able to have a LOT more contact.

My dad and his side don’t speak to each other at all and most of their lives they spent having grudges against each other for various minor things. I don’t know if I’m take I don’t know if i’ve taken all the apparent genetic trait of grudge holding from my dad. But I have a similar difficulty letting things go even after almost 10 years.

My mother and my hyper religious aunt(the whole family is atheist but her) were arguing and my aunt hit some pretty hard jobs at my mom and she started crying. And almost 10 years ago I cannot forgive my aunt making my mom cry.

And even my old colleagues, almost 3 years ago didn’t pay me back for something, very very small amount <20$ and I can’t let it go either.

What should I do? I try my best but it’s so hard, bc they broke my trust or hurt my family.

I'm super weak to the point where i can barely do one push-up but today I did a plank for 1:20 seconds! I'm super hyped up. even though its average but who cares.

Update: ok so I've never been able to like actually touch my toes (not sure if its because my legs are long or what) but I've been doing yoga and i finally was able to! im super hyped.

For me, it was The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. The book starts off rather depressing, to be honest, but absolutely captivated me within a couple of chapters and I finished it the day I started it.

I can’t get it out of my mind, more than a week later, and I feel like it lit a fire in me to step up and do better.

Anyone else have a similar experience with another book or other type of content?

When I was little, I’ve always been extremely shy and socially awkward. I don’t know if it’s because I’m autistic, but I’ve ALWAYS had trouble reading social situations and reacting to them. I mean I’m not terrible at socializing, but I’m not that good at it either.

However, when I was in 9th grade, that’s when I really started to question why I was like this. Also, during this time, my dad was drinking heavily, parents fighting, dad cheating, and we were going broke, so I started getting serious about my Catholic faith to cope with it (since I was raised Catholic).

Although the church doesn’t try to teach us to hate others just because they do not believe in God, I truly believed that everyone who didn’t believe deserved to go to hell. And by the way, that’s like less than 70% of the global population that doesn’t believe in Christianity let alone the Catholic faith, so I genuinely thought that 70% of humanity would end up there.

On top of that, because my mom is from Vietnam and she didn’t have much experience dating american men (since she only dated one which was my dad) now that she’s stuck in this nightmare of a marriage with my dad she copes with it by praying to God. Because of her experience, she isolated herself from the world and she believes that everyone out there is bad and always out to get her because of the evilness in their hearts.

I believed her especially because during the pandemic I only saw my family and that’s it. Plus, I didn’t have many friends, so I thought that the reason for that was because I was one of the 30% that would make it to Heaven so even if I wanted to connect with others, it just wouldn’t be possible since I’m “good” and they’re ”bad”.

However, once I had to start going back to school in person again, I actually met a goof handful of people my age that were actually more mature and empathetic than me.

It baffles me now that I was actually baffled that people were better than me. Because I thought since only a few people were destined for Heaven, and I was hopefully one of them, then it should theoretically by hard to find people with good personalities and goals in life.

Before listening to the things my teachers had to say, I would first take it as blasphemous to God. Which even today I can argue that some of the stuff they said were kind of considered blasphemous, but really I was so sensitive to everything just because I believed that everyone was out to attack me and the church (though the church does get attacked a lot technically but that’s a discussion for another time lol).

Anyways long story short, I’m a senior in high school now and I’m actually going to gradudate tomorrow. However, even though I’m still extremely socially anxious and I don’t have any close friends because I want to work on myself before getting any, I’ve met so many nice and supportive people that truly want the best for me and everyone. Yes, there will always be those kids that only party and bully people who are uglier than them, but that doesn’t mean that the rest of the world sucks.

I personally am not Catholic anymore temporarily because I don’t believe that most of the world is bad and will end up in a bad place simply because they don’t believe in God. And unfortunately, my mom is still close minded and believes that everyone is evil. Although there isn’t much I can do to help my mom except help her cope and get out of this marriage and financial situation, I am really grateful that I got out of the hole of believing everyone is bad