General Self-Improvement Thread

[IdiotsOpposite]

Start with running. It's a relatively low maintenance activity that's good for building discipline. I'm regularly running half marathons these days and it's been making me feel much better about myself. I used to have a sedentary lifestyle so if I can do it I'm sure you can (I am also naturally skinny and athletically built, though).

Hm, I'll have to try this. My sister's a cross country and track and field captain, so maybe I can convince her to help me out a bit on the motivation front. Even I can do running.

 

[Kozmos]

- Set up a regular exercise schedule. I have one but it is too vulnerable to other obligations, academic and otherwise.
- Learn 4 new languages or at least 2. (French, Russian, German and Spanish)
- Cut down on smoking and increase meditation.
- Study math, physics, chemistry and biology for fun and personal benefit in regards to my Comp. Sci focus.
- Learn to play the piano.

All I lack is time, willpower and money.

 

[Flying Pig]

- Set up a regular exercise schedule. I have one but it is too vulnerable to other obligations, academic and otherwise.
- Learn 4 new languages or at least 2. (French, Russian, German and Spanish)
- Cut down on smoking and increase meditation.
- Study math, physics, chemistry and biology for fun and personal benefit in regards to my Comp. Sci focus.
- Learn to play the piano.

All I lack is time, willpower and money.

The big thing I was told with regard to New Years' Resolutions, which I think applies to everything, is that anything to the tune of 'do more ____' is doomed to fail unless you currently spend an hour of your day staring at a wall. If you want to add time doing one thing, you need to cut it doing something else.

 

[Borachio]

How about if you start with Time Management? Wouldn't that free up some extra time?

 

[LucyDuke]

Regarding the working out, the only motivational issue I have is, seriously, putting my shoes on. Once I've taken that first step, it's pretty easy to "just do it".

The big thing I was told with regard to New Years' Resolutions, which I think applies to everything, is that anything to the tune of 'do more ____' is doomed to fail unless you currently spend an hour of your day staring at a wall. If you want to add time doing one thing, you need to cut it doing something else.

Staring at a glowing rectangle isn't usually a whole lot better than staring at a wall, and I'd bet an awful lot that most everyone reading this spends a solid chunk of their day staring at a glowing rectangle.

 

[GenMarshall]

I'm already in the process of rebuilding my life before the global economic recession hit me. After *knocks on wood* getting a job, I'll eventually start Karate again as well as start dating once again.

 

[sophie]

New Year's Resolutions:

Go to the gym 3 times a week: check

Don't procrastinate on school work: Nope

Read for an hour every day: Nope

Learn to play guitar: In progress

Acquire London internship: Check

I'm getting there. It mostly a matter of me getting myself to the library every day. If I can do that, I'll get the last two things.

 

[Kozmos]

Staring at a glowing rectangle isn't usually a whole lot better than staring at a wall, and I'd bet an awful lot that most everyone reading this spends a solid chunk of their day staring at a glowing rectangle.

Well staring at a glowing rectangle is kind of necessary for Comp. Science. The sucky part is that I have to do the same when I get home to access all my learning materials because everything has been digitized. So yaaaay, progress!

The big thing I was told with regard to New Years' Resolutions, which I think applies to everything, is that anything to the tune of 'do more ____' is doomed to fail unless you currently spend an hour of your day staring at a wall. If you want to add time doing one thing, you need to cut it doing something else.

The way I do it now is make at least 15 mins for it. So I am trying to keep stuff diverse and making progress, minimal as it may be until summer hits and I have more time to devote to it.

 

[Borachio]

I woke up very suddenly, with the idea of a perfect line to post here. Now I find I can't remember what it was. Not a shred of it. 'Slight, I could spit, sometimes!

 

[Eat_Up_Martha]

I've been meaning to learn a second language for a long time now. I waffle between focusing on French or Russian.

 

[Borachio]

I struggled really hard to learn French for over 10 years. Finally gave up when I realized I probably wouldn't be going to France ever again. Learned a lot though, about how having a different language gives you a different point of view.

 

[Zelig]

I'm working on improving my proprioception.

 

[Borachio]

That has always got to be worthwhile! I myself suffer from an incurable condition that makes me oblivious to the world around me.

 

[madviking]

I've been meaning to learn a second language for a long time now. I waffle between focusing on French or Russian.

I've always wondered how people learn foreign languages outside of school and cheezy software programs.

 

[Borachio]

Try going for it in a major way. Visit the country. Watch their television. Read all their classical literature. Read their newspapers. Take classes. Take exams. Wail and gnash your teeth at night. Start dreaming in the foreign language.

Do this and still fail.

Mind you, I don't even know my maternal tongue all that well.

 

[IdiotsOpposite]

Question: I took four years of German in high school, and still remember the grammar and syntax, but the vocabulary escapes me. What's the best way to re-expand my vocabulary?

 

[Borachio]

Continuous practice.

 

[Mr. Dictator]

Question: I took four years of German in high school, and still remember the grammar and syntax, but the vocabulary escapes me. What's the best way to re-expand my vocabulary?

There's a website that explained a good method for this. I'll link you to it when I'm back home.

 

[Terxpahseyton]

Recently I have been studying the secrets of butterflies. Once I learn their secrets I will be unstoppable. Nobody ever suspects the butterfly.

So what are those secrets? Profound ugliness beyond those wings?

 

[Borachio]

An insect, sir, is a thing of beauty for ever. (I don't know what I mean either. What do you mean?)