Related Recs

👩

treating everything like an experiment

(specifically behavioural experiment — really putting my psych degree into good use huh?) i don't know man but this really helps me get unstuck from an all-or-nothing mindset and the insane analysis paralysis from even doing the most menial of tasks look just set it from a random number of days and put a random thing to focus on and see what happens i don't even have to stick to it — this isn't even a "serious/legitimate" experiment at all — i give myself the grace to fail at this "experiment" completely and i try to take as much emotional weight from it as possible the whole of point me doing this in the first place is ripping off the band-aid: any action is good action at this point, i don't want to ruminate anymore and i want to build momentum (even if it seems embarrassingly insignificant) if it works out: good!! if it doesn't work out: also good!! the whole point of this is trial and error and honestly just bridging the gap between idea and execution and getting rid of friction between tasks as much as possible... we can always change the hypothesis and the experiment... back to the drawing board we go!!!

@karyllecr

Mar 27, 2025

🌪

i got curious, changed my mindset, and worked hard

To be upfront, there are two things about myself that I love: 1. I'm tenacious AF 2. I am generally a positive person. I can handle almost any situtation, and I've had to learn to actually ask/demand more, so it's not always great. With that being said, I've wanted to die many times. I've experienced a lot of trauma. I have PTSD for years. Things got to a point where I knew if I didn't make really drastic changes I was going to die in some way- I simply could not go on how I was. The only thing that started to change things is when I started to learn more about myself and my reasons for doing things, being with certain people, getting into certain relationships. Part of my whole issue was that I had major trauma from childhood that I was actively avoiding. So many things happen to us as children, big and small, that we don't have the capacticy to deal with at the time. But as adults, we do. I remember the moment where things started shifting for me. It unlocked a hunger in me to dig more and more to why I was the way I was, and why I made the choices I did, in a really deep way. I became more action oriented in facing my shit, healing it, and discovering what I was like without it. It definitely wasn't easy, and it wasn't fun most of the time, but in reality the years I spent doing that are small compared to the life I have ahead of me. I'm a whole new person, but the parts of me that are true are the same. I became a more mature, loving, responsible version of myself. Hating your life is a sign something is not working. If you're unsure what that is, go inward. If you don't know where to start, think about the very next step. That's all you need to do. You're never locked in where you're at now forever. Don't know what you want to do for a career? Switch gears and do a completely different job. There is no timeline. You can literally do whatever you want. When I was doing a lot of the stressful inner work, I worked at animal shelters because I needed something so low stress. And I was mid 20's!!! No career goals in sight!!! Not even anywhere in my brain!!! If you're straight up hating something that is taking up most of your time... just quit it. Life is too short. Success to me is ease and grace. I want a peaceful, joyful life (most of the time). Sometimes to figure out what you need to do, you gotta take a giant step back. Or a step to the left. Or take a big roundabout. Or maybe a quest needs to be taken...

@mossyelfie

Dec 4, 2024

💜

I don’t think there is one

This will be a long one, sorry in advance. Coincidentally, I was recently going through all of my bookshelves to sort what I’m keeping and what I’m giving away. I found some older journals of mine; I’m historically very bad at keeping journals but I always try and usually manage a few to even several months of some years. Looking back at them was bittersweet because I was in the same boat, severely depressed most years and wondering what the point of anything was. But at the same time, I got to see things like old bucket lists I made myself and all of the things I’ve checked off. It was an interesting moment of considering what my younger self would be thinking of me and what I’ve done in the years since whichever year it each book was from. While I wouldn’t say time makes everything better, I will say that when you just keep pushing through eventually there comes a point where you’re more at peace than ever and you don’t even realize it at first. I don’t think there’s one universal “Meaning of life,” but I do think the human experience is so complex and we have to teach ourselves to give our self some grace.   A few years ago I was at an all time high for stress, I have an autoimmune disease and the flare ups were only worsened by the stress, anxiety, and depression I was feeling, I felt burnt out and like I had put my whole life on hold for other people. I’ve since learned that while it sounds funny on the internet, free will is a beautiful thing. Choosing where and with who you spend your energy, doing things just for the love of doing them, traveling even if it’s by yourself, taking yourself out to dinner or cooking for one. I’ve learned that there’s no point feeling embarrassment or anxiety about doing things by myself because really no one is paying that much attention or judging in the first place, but I also tell myself things like “you’ll never see these people again anyway, who cares,” lol. A big one for me personally was learning boundaries and gray rocking— don’t let other people’s emotions, moods, and manipulative behaviors dictate the way you’re feeling. But all of these little, seemingly inconsequential in the grand scheme of things (especially when you’re depressed), things that I was teaching myself along the way really helped me learn to start living for myself rather than for other people or any huge existential purpose.  So, while your question was ‘what’s the meaning life’ and I don’t think anyone has a concrete answer, my unsolicited advice is that you have to keep learning yourself. How do you want to spend your time? What things spark joy for you? What things make you feel worse? Try new foods and experience new places, learn, go to museums. Pick up a new hobby. Go out in nature more, sometimes sitting in the sunshine really does wonders. Alright, I’ll stop my little tangent now, but wishing the best🫶🏻

@saylor

Apr 10, 2025

Top Recs from @theeyah

🐦

birdwatching

i don't think anyone ever intends to become a recreational ornithologist. but i've noticed that it definitely creeps up on you slowly in your mid-twenties. it starts with noticing how funny pigeons are, then learning pigeon lore, and suddenly you're feeding your neighbourhood birds every morning and buying books on birds. as a child i idolised the pigeon lady in home alone 2, and i woke up this morning and realised — i AM the pigeon lady 🐦

@theeyah

Mar 6, 2025

📖

Reading for 60-90mins a day

reading is a habit of building and developing your empathy and critical thinking skills. you’re forced to sit with an idea for however long you are reading it and forced to contextualise it and comprehend it within your own life and perspective. You can’t just scroll away or pause or put it on 2x speed. you have to sit with it. it’s super underrated, but genuinely I’ve made this a habit for the last year and feel like a totally different person. also you come out of it having learned something new or seeing the world in a slightly new way. I literally do not see any downsides to reading. make reading cool again! also you don’t have to do it in one big block, you can space it out — 15 mins here, 45 there — whatever works for you!

@theeyah

Dec 9, 2024

🪞

not trying to be cool

our cultural obsession with being perceived as cool is a disease. its peak capitalistic/consumerist propaganda. fuck being cool. like what you like and who cares if it's cool or not. it's tiresome and we need to leave it in 2024. literally nothing gives me the ick more than people who betray themselves in an attempt to be perceived as cool by the masses. be yourself — even if it means you're 'uncool'.

@theeyah

Jan 3, 2025