Reddit is a gold mine of solid life advice from people who’ve lived it. While scrolling through my favorite sub, R/Askreddit, I found an insightful question: What improved your quality of life so much that you wish you would have done it sooner?
Some responses provide simple hacks anyone can do, while others take more effort but are infinitely worth it.
Read on to see if you can improve your life by following some of the advice found in the thread!
Break Up
Sometimes relationships run their course, but we hold on far longer than we should. Though breaking up is never easy, sometimes it works wonders for enhancing our quality of life.
“My ex was a good person – I would not say a bad word about her,” said one user. “but I stayed in the relationship way longer than I should have despite not having anything in common and not being happy just because I didn’t think I could attract anyone else,” they admitted.
Others admit they were trapped in abusive relationships, and getting out significantly improved their mental health. “My sense of normal was so warped. My ex had me believing I wasn’t good enough to deserve anything more,” said one user, adding that although leaving was hard, “afterwards my life got so much better.”
Read Next: Female Breadwinners Beware! Here’s How to Avoid Getting Taken Advantage of
A Better Job
“Moving into a steady paced job that respects work/life balance,” said one user. “I was at a cut-throat tech company who was running a million miles an hour to grow as fast as possible. The strain it took on my mental health surprised me,” they added.
America’s toxic work culture often has employees working unfathomable hours for paltry pay; for some reason, we all accept it as normal. Finding a job that respects your right to downtime works wonders for improving your life.
Getting Sober
One user earned gold by simply remarking, “getting sober.” Others jumped in to discuss their sobriety journeys, including the triumphs and challenges.
Addiction is tough to beat. We applaud anyone who overcame it and offer support for those on their way to recovery. If you need help, contact the addiction hotline run by the US Department of Health and Human Services at 1800-662-4357.
Advocating for Yourself
Self-advocacy can be challenging, but one user was glad they didn’t give up. “Pushing my doctor to keep investigating why I was losing hair,” they commented, explaining their life-long struggle with hair loss. “Had many tests and many expensive visits to specialists with no answers. My doctor ended up giving me a referral to a dermatologist as a last resort, and was diagnosed with alopecia.”
The user went on to explain that after diagnosis, they received treatment, and their hair started growing back. “I was able to have my first hair cut in two years, not gonna lie, it was a very emotional time and I cried.”
Drinking Water
“Drinking more water and replacing late night soda with tea.” said one user. Soda explodes with empty calories and sugar, making it extremely unhealthy.
“Honestly, once you go a few weeks without soda you will wonder why you liked the stuff in the first place,” offered another Redditor.
Losing Weight
“Weight loss. It’s not an exaggeration to say it improves every single aspect of your life.” explained one user.
Many others agreed. “It really does change everything,” said one. “Glad I got to counting my calories. After that, it was only a matter of time,” they added.
Also See: 10 New Habits that Will Make a Massive Impact on Your Life
Understanding Emotional Responsibility
“Realizing that in most instances, the feelings of others are not my responsibility, and I don’t have to carry that burden,” said one user.
We often blame ourselves for the outbursts of others, feeling guilty when they’re angry, at fault when they’re sad, and overall responsibility for how others feel. Learning that you’re only responsible for your own emotions, not those of others, is a huge relief.
“My happiness is my responsibility. And therefore, other’s happiness is THEIR responsibility.” added another user.
Exercise
“I wish I had started in my early teens,” admitted one user.
Working out had many benefits. Not only can you lose weight, but you get more energy, and it releases endorphins, which help make you happier overall.
Meditation
Meditation is “Absolutely annoying at first but changes everything,” said one user.
Another described their experience with meditation’s deep breathing techniques after a workout class. “I became much calmer, I could express my thoughts clearly, and stopped caring about things,” they said.
The Power of No
“Learning to say no,” offered one user, adding that “No is a complete sentence.”
We often feel the need to explain why we don’t want to do something or give in to pressure and do things we don’t want to do. Learning to stand up for ourselves and our boundaries will improve our mental health and free up time for the things we really want to do.
Improve Your Quality of Life
The responses in this thread may be complicated or challenging, but most will significantly improve your quality of life if you stick to them. It’s worth the effort.