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Successful People Share The Small Things You Can Do To Have A Better Year

Successful People Share The Small Things You Can Do To Have A Better Year

Successful People Share The Small Things You Can Do To Have A Better Year

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Making changes in your life can seem like an almost impossible task. It's easy to find yourself overwhelmed with daunting thoughts like "I have to lose 100 lbs" or "I have to get out of debt". But what might happen if we tackle smaller changes over longer periods of time? Reddit users shared their favorite small changes that make a big impact over a year, and now we're sharing some of our top picks with you.

What small habit, if done everyday over the course of a year, can lead to the biggest personal improvement/ gain?

1. Just Put It Away

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Wise words from my mates grandma "Don't put it down, put it away".

So much of the mess around my apartment was down to me leaving things out instead of taking the extra minute to put them away in their correct place.

I'm not perfect but it has helped!!

2. Write It Out

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I just read about a couple of studies where they had subjects do expressive writing about traumatic experiences. This is writing about their deepest feelings about these things, rather than the objective facts of what happened. And I recall one group only did this for 15 minutes of the day, and they found a boosted immunity and people taking more positive action. One group was a bunch of people laid off without warning and over half found jobs pretty quickly where only around 20% of the control group did.

3. Just Thirty Minutes

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For us heavier people, quit drinking soda and walk half an hour a day. Watch what happens.

Man, I feel hypocritical just typing that.

4. Change For Change

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Put all your spare change in a jar

5. Make A List

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Plan the next day before going to bed at night and write a 'to do list'. The next day before repeating the process review your to-do list. Sounds really simple, but it's a real procrastination buster.

6. So, No More Netflix Til Dawn?

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Try to go to sleep at the same time everyday and wake up at the same time as well

7. Don't Stop Moving

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I'm a serial procrastinator, habitually late, and easily crippled by indecision.

But a while ago when my ex and I broke up (through things that had nothing to do with any of those things), I decided to hit the gym (as people do after break ups) and felt like going in the morning made the most sense.

So before I got to bed, I check the weather for the next day, review my calendar on what I'm doing the next day, and I pre-pack my gym bag with work clothes, and layout my gym clothes, as well as whatever lunch or breakfast I've pre-made, and go to bed.

Then when I wake up the next morning, I get up and don't stop moving.

Get up, make coffee, don't even turn the fucking tv on or open FB or Reddit, shotgun a protein bar, toss on gym clothes and grab my gym bag and I'm out the door walking to the subway.

I really wake up while stretching at the gym and by the time the coffee and preworkout kicks in, I'm killing it.

Hit the shower, walk another two blocks to work, and instead of walking in the door at 8:10am half asleep, I fucking kick the door to my office in at 7:50am with my brain firing on all cylinders and ready to kick ass and take names.

I'm in better shape and far more productive than I've ever been, so long as I plan and plan and plan before going to bed.

Changed my life.

8. Walk The Dog

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Walk your dog. Stop just letting it go outside and come back in. Two walks a day, morning and night. The exercise is great for people just starting to get into the groove. Your dog will love it and you for spending more time with it. They'll also enjoy the fresh air and new smells. Plus, you've picked up a great health habit for two or more individuals. Being your boyfriend/girlfriend and/or kids. You'll gain new appreciations for wildlife, too. Get yourself some comfortable cross training shoes, too. I recommend serpentine Sketchers.

9. Rejection Rules

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Try to get rejected once a day.

Not for anything in particular or even particularly important. You'll succeed less than you think.

Advice from an old professor. He was a photographer and would 'try to get rejected' getting into all kinds of cool places.

...he got into a lot of cool places.

10. The Idiot Test

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Following the words of fictional character Dwight Schrute:

"Whenever I'm about to do something, I think, 'Would an idiot do that?' And if they would, I do not do that thing."

Craving a cigarette? Ask yourself the question.

Want to ditch class and stay at home? Ask the question.

Procrastinating? Ask the question.

Worrying about things you cant control? Ask the question

Self-sabotaging? Ask the question.

If an idiot would do that thing, don't do that thing.

11. Get Cooking

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Each day follow a different recipe from a cookbook or online. Plan your meals weekly and shop for the right ingredients in one shop.

After a year you will be an amazing home cook.

12. Commit To Improvement

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I've seen many good small things, but I'm going to toss out an elaboration: incremental improvement, and a baseline task.

The baseline task is something you have to do every day. Sick as a dog? Get it done. Groggy waking up? Too bad. Slept late and will be late for work? ...do it as soon as you get home!

This can be anything. Making your bed, searching your room for clutter for 5-10 minutes, doing 30 minutes of yoga before work, etc. All it has to be is some small task, preferably at the start of the day that gets you up, thinking a little, and moving around. Set one alarm clock. Two for safety. Setting 10 only hurts you.

I chose to do the yoga, and it pays dividends. I'm up earlier than I would be otherwise, and more alert. I have the time to make breakfast afterward. I can spend the first 30 minutes at work alertly setting up the day instead of docking around while I wake up. If I happen to miss that days "real exercise" (and to be clear, I definitely saw some weight loss/strength gain from the yoga after ~6 weeks) I don't feel like it's a total bust.

From there, pick something else. Brush your teeth, twice, every day. Then pick up flossing. Then pick up using mouthwash. Maybe invest in a tongue brush. Make your bed. Go for a jog. Spend 30 minutes reading. Add one of these things every week or two, not all at once. Make one a habit, then build on it.

Some days, you'll be busy, or tired, or you'll want to binge watch Netflix instead while eating Doritos. And that's fine! Being a robot is a bad thing - you'll find that on those days maybe you missed your jog, you ate out dinner instead of cooking, and you played video games instead of reading...but you still made your bed, still did yoga, and still took care of your oral hygiene. Good job!

What I'd recommend that I'm sure you can find throughout the thread to add one thing every two weeks:

Do yoga for 30 minutes right when you wake up. Every. Single. Day.

Make your bed. As fancy as you want - I straighten the sheet and place my pillow properly.

Brush your teeth if you aren't already. At night, then in the morning.

Floss at night

Use mouthwash (enamel-safe, anti-cavity whitening is best) after breakfast and before bed

Go for a 30 minute to one hour bike ride every other day. Or a swim. I recommend these as they're non-impact cardio sports; get into running once you have the diligence and cardiovascular endurance.

Pick up some kind of 30 minute to one hour lifting routine to do 2-3 Times a week (I recommend starting strength or the reddit Recommended Routine).

Find a 10-minute chore to do, every day. You can watch Netflix while you do it. Vacuum the floor, get your clothes in the bin, wash those three dishes, etc.

Imagine where you'll be in six months. You'll have good hygiene, be more flexible, be in great shape, you'll have a clean living space, and god knows what else you've done!

Tl;Dr: Pick one good thing to do every day. Always do it. Pick another good thing to add next week. Repeat for three months, then hold onto them. Don't get discouraged.

13. Laughter Is The Best Medicine

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Find something to laugh and smile at everyday. It makes even a bad day better and improves your mood.

14. Comfort Is A Killer

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My dad recognized in me that I often avoided social gatherings/situations. He sat me down one day and said, "You can't always do what you're comfortable with. When you only do what you're comfortable with, you always end up in the same place. There's no room for progress."

Fast forward 15 years. I have a job that relies heavily on networking and social functions. Don't get me wrong - I still hate going to functions, and I still have to give myself a pep-talk before I go to them, but I go. And every time I do, I think about my Dad and that moment he showed me the way.

this can be applied to daily activities: do one thing per day that is out of your comfort zone. Talk to a stranger (within reason), try a new activity, visit a new area, etc. It broadens your horizons.

15. One Cigarette At A Time

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If you smoke, start smoking less and less every day. Like

Day 1: 35 cigarettes

Day 2: 34 cigarettes

Day 3: 33 cigarettes

And so on. My grandfathers friend did this, and quit smoking a while ago.

16. Get A Hobby

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Can be anything but practice a craft or hobby every single freakin day.

Can be playing an instrument, can be painting and so on. But spend time on it everyday and who knows where it can lead you!

17. Purposeful Positivity

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Think positive thoughts and be grateful for what you have. I started pinning millions of quotes on Pinterest because I am a Pinterest addict, and then I copy those quotes down onto colorful sticky notes and put them all over on the walls in my bedroom. That way, I can wake up each morning with a positive quote or saying. If I have a bad day, I can go into my bedroom and read all of the wonderful quotes I have. One positive quote can change someone's day. This makes me feel good about myself and life in general.

18. Music Makes A Difference

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Playlist your life:

I started doing this after watching 'Baby Driver' by Edgar Wright.

So let's say, with traffic, it takes me 30 min to get to school. I keep a curated Spotify playlist of songs to get me in the mood that adds up to 35-40 minutes.

Some of the effects I feel from doing this that I don't feel like killing myself as I walk into school in the morning, I've become more confident and carefree as I half-dance to my locker, and it creates a more casual environment among my classmates, which is always a plus.

Never underestimate the power of a good song!

19. Meal Planning

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Plan your meals for the week!

I never thought I might ever do this, but me and my partner recently started meal planning and it's working so well!

We made a list of all the meals that are easy to cook and we both like, and every Saturday we pick 5 of them and then shop for all the ingredients. We also take our own lunches to work.

Not only is this muuuuch cheaper, it also saves us from soggy supermarket sandwiches for lunch, lazy frozen pizzas every night, having to figure out what we want every night and having to go to the supermarket daily to get ingredients.

20. Multi-tasking

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As a kid helping my mom cook, I learned that cleaning WHILE you cook is the greatest feat. Every time I serve a meal I already have all the dishes done and am so thankful for this ability to multitask. There's always time when you're waiting for water to boil or oil to heat up, it's the best to finish eating and just have your plates to wash.

H/T: Reddit

People Explain What Caused Them To Finally Stop Giving A F**k

Reddit user 33-9 asked: 'What age did you stop giving a f**k and what situation triggered it?'

Woman at peace with her hand over her heart
Photo by Darius Bashar on Unsplash

Let's be honest: We're all human here, and we all have our limits for how much we can take.

At some point, something will happen where we'll say, "That's it! I'm out!" But for some people, there will be something that will happen that will lead them to feel that way about... everything.

Curious how others felt, Redditor 33-9 asked:

"What age did you stop giving a f**k, and what situation triggered it?"

An Eye-Opening Moment

"Age 56."

"I had a heart attack with greater than 95 percent blockage. I was a dead man walking."

"Every day is a gift now. I refuse to get stressed."

- graibeard

Putting Themselves First

"Age 37."

"I finally pulled my head out of my @ss and realized that I need to put me first, and not be concerned about what others think of the things I say or do."

"All relationships with others are voluntary and conditional, so don't sacrifice yourself to preserve any of them."

"For context, I am currently 37."

- Macbookaroniandchez

Life-Risking Priorities

"Age 16."

"I overdosed at a kickback, and nobody called for help because they were scared of getting in trouble, making it clear that, ultimately, nobody gives a f**k about you or anything you do! They only care about themselves!"

- angelicaaf

Never the Same Again

"Age 24."

"My dad died, and I stopped caring about anyone’s opinion of me and my life after he passed."

- littlegremlinsparky

No Growth Mindset

"The biggest thing for me is people seeing you in the same light forever despite any changes or personal growth. It makes it difficult to actually take their opinion seriously."

- avidpretender

No Work-Life Balance

"Age 24…"

"My boss at the time asked me if I was coming into work the day after I had an emergency major abdominal surgery."

"I quit the day I was released by doctors to come back."

- TheWhiteSheep3

A Very Sci-Fi Take

"I had the strange epiphany at 24 or 25 years old that everyone I encounter on a daily basis is just a meat suit that’s gonna die someday. Including mine. I drastically stopped giving a f**k about what people thought about me and my life after that."

- Ahungryhippopotamus

On the Bonus Level

"Age 58."

"I got the virus during the pandemic. I was in the hospital for 85 days. The doctors told my brother to prepare for my death."

"I'm living my bonus life. I did a lot of traveling the year after when I regained most of my health. I still get winded easily. I don't worry what strangers think when I dress like a slob. I don't let comments from strangers online bother me anymore."

"I'm direct with friends when they disrespect me rather than fret about it. I'm trying to be more kind and patient with others."

"A positive attitude helped me overcome that virus."

- Adventurous-Sell9358

Cannot Keep Up the Charade

"It's hard to pin down because it happened so gradually. I can say that I was in my 40s when I started losing my ability to pretend to give a f**k, though."

- Salarian_American

A Coping Mechanism

"Like, I don't know, maybe 10 or 11 years old."

"As soon as I moved on from primary school, my mom doubled down on controlling everything about me and forced me to do all this work and sign on for s**t I didn't want to participate in, and I used apathy as a coping mechanism and haven't looked back since."

"Since she punished me for everything I did, I might as well become immune to the punishment and everything else along with it."

- 4rtiphi5hal

Prioritizing the Baby's Happiness

​"When I had my baby."

"I’d never wear a one-piece because I thought I wouldn’t look nice, but then I took her swimming and wore it, and I didn’t give a s**t because the swimming made her happy."

"I didn’t smile too much before because of my teeth, but I do now constantly because my smiling makes her smile."

"A lot of things I used to be self-conscious about, I don’t have the time or worry for."

- MaccasDriveThru

Imposter Syndrome: Over

"Age 48."

"I gave a talk at a conference, and all my imposter syndrome evaporated. And since then, I have no f**ks left to give. Just doing my thing."

- flamingofast

Them Against the World

"Three days ago. I got married."

"I worried too much about the wedding and the people in it but in the middle of it, I was just focusing on my wife being happy, so I gave no f**ks about what other people thought."

"It was our day, and I'm keeping this mentality up forever. It's her and me. That's it."

- CaseVirtual

No F**ks From Birth

"I don't know if I ever gave a f**k. I’m a very no f**ks person."

"I think my mom tells this story when I was five, I said something like, 'Why does that matter? We all gonna die anyway.' She was kind of concerned that her five-year-old looked at life that way."

"However, life is too short to give any f**ks."

- MadamFutureWhatEver

Just Not Worth It

"Various points between ages 17 and 19."

"People around me would criticize me for the dumbest things and/or things they also did, and I realized that for all the things they do to make my life harder, I only bent further backward to avoid problems."

"I could use some restored faith in humanity. But for now, while I look for that, if someone wants to mess with me, they have proven themselves unworthy of my energy. Screw them and their screwed-up, self-centered worldviews."

"Maybe someday I’ll find some genuinely good people who don’t give me panic attacks or cross boundaries on purpose. They have to be out there. I hope I can find them."

- AutisticAcademic

We've all had those moments of feeling like, "I have no f**ks left to give," but in some cases, it can feel like that applies to literally everything.

We can totally understand how these Redditors saw these as turning moments, and for many of them, it was overwhelmingly for the better.

Have you ever had a similar epiphany? Let us know in the comments below.

People Share The Weirdest Thing They've Done With Their Brains On Autopilot
Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash

Having a routine makes life easier, plain and simple. Things becomes second nature like grabbing a coffee from the same shop at the same time in the morning and reaching for the soap without looking in the shower. But when we rely on habits too much, things can get messy. From accidentally throwing your phone in the trash to blurting out incomplete thoughts, these face palm moments will have you rolling in laughter.

Missing in Action

silver key on black carPhoto by Ivan Shemereko on Unsplash

I was looking all over my house for my keys. Like, flipping over furniture, full-on panic hunting for these keys. Finally thought that I might have left them in the car. So I went outside, and realized that my car was locked. Purely out of habit, I automatically pulled my keys out of my pocket, unlocked the door, opened the door, and realized that I was a complete idiot.

Permalink

Got Me Bobbing

I washed an apple at the sink, dried it with a paper towel, turned, tossed the apple in the trash, and stood there holding the paper towel like a dummy.

optcynsejo

Rub a Duh, Duh

When I was six or seven years old, I was getting ready for a bath. My parents had already filled the tub with water and bubble bath mix, and all I had to do was take off my clothes and put them in the basket of dirty laundry. I took everything off and promptly threw it all in the soapy tub, instead of the hamper. I stood there and just stared at what I had done for a solid thirty seconds.

DeepBreathing4Me

Can’t Forget to Say Bye

I had to take a bus to work every day at about 4 AM. My wife usually drove me to the stop so that I didn't have to leave my car there for 14 hours. My wife's friend was staying with us while she looked for a job and house in the area. She was getting up early anyways, so she decided she’d take me and let my wife sleep.

When we got to the stop, I just instinctively leaned over and kissed her goodbye. Then I felt this jolt of panic as I realized what I had done. My poor wife's friend had a dumbfounded look on her face, and I instantly turned red as I apologized profusely and said "Sorry, it was a habit." My wife poked fun at me for days for putting the moves on her friend.

LegendOfBobbyTables

Just Grazing By

When my daughter was very young, she loved trains. So, I'd take her on short train rides whenever I could. She couldn't get enough. Part of the routine was that, when we were on the train, we'd look out the windows and I'd point out the animals to her. I got some weird British alarmed looks that time I pointed out of the window and loudly said, "Look! Moo cows!" when I was on the train by myself.

MogadonMandy

Going Off Script

red and yellow love neon light signagePhoto by Eduardo Soares on Unsplash

I used to work for Comcast in their call center. I worked 3 PM-12 AM, so the only thing that was open when I would finish work was McDonald's. During the holidays, there’s unlimited overtime. I, being 19 and having no obligations at the time, decided to work non-stop until I fell down at my desk. One year, I worked three days straight.

I took my mandatory breaks every couple of hours and napped in the lunch room here and there. Finally, I decided I'd had enough at around 2 AM one morning. I stopped at the McDonald's drive thru because I wanted something hot to eat. Up to this point, I had subsisted on mints and packs of crackers from a vending machine.

The conversation at the window went something like this, “go ahead and order when you're ready,” the lady told me. I went, “Thanks for calling Comcast, home of the triple play. My name is so-and-so, how can I assist you today?” Then there was a very long, awkward pause. I ended up sleeping in the parking lot of that McDonalds.

I spent about the next 12 hours in my car. The manager eventually knocked on my window and asked me if I was homeless and if I needed to come in and warm up.

Not My Stop

I’m an ex-bus driver, and many times on my way home from work, I would go to pull into a bus stop in my car...

Tink_650

Not Even Close

I was meeting my brother's in-laws for the first time. They asked me what my name was. I said, "Pete." My name is Tiffani.

tiffaniac

Not the Sharpest

I was working the backline at an Arby's WAY back in the day. We used to get our sub buns by the foot, but all the subs we sold were six inches. One day, when I was really tired, I literally reached into the bag, grabbed a sub roll, cut it in half, then put the knife back in the bag, and tried to cut another sandwich with the sub bun. The manager laughed.

boyvsfood2

Is This How You Do It

I was signing for a parcel on one of those electronic machine things that delivery drivers use. On this particular day, I wasn't paying any attention and ended up staring at the screen, zoning out for a full minute, then instead of signing my name, I just drew a straight line on the screen and handing it back. The mailman was very confused.

b14nn

What Comes Out Must Go In

I was woken up at 3:30 in the morning for a random substance test for baseball last semester. After I peed in the cup, I was so tired and on such intense autopilot that I did something disgusting. I mindlessly drank my own pee cup. I don't know why, but I did it. Luckily, I was so tired that I didn't register the taste, and there was still enough in the cup to test.

7-car-pileup

Need for Safety

I went to the cinema to watch the new James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace. I was running a little late so I missed the previews and walked in to find that the movie had already begun. There was a furious car chase on screen when I arrived. After I found a seat and sat down, I instinctively tried to find my seatbelt so I could buckle up.

TocTheElder

Making It Fit

I poured milk into my baby's bottle then, since it was, like, four in the morning, I tried to hear the full milk carton in the microwave, instead of the bottle. The carton was way too big but instead of realizing I had the wrong thing, I just got angry that it wasn't fitting. I only stopped trying because my husband was there watching and he start laughing.

BananaVanillaLatte

All Good Things Come to an End

I woke up without an alarm, had breakfast, took a bath, and drove half hour to my work feeling great. I even thought to myself on the way, "Lucky me, the traffic is very nice today." Just when I arrived, the security greeted me with the worst words possible: "Good morning, sir, working even over the holiday?" I drove all the way home and had a nap.

kairosaevum

Catching Up

I’m always running to catch the subway after waiting at the crosswalk in front of the station. Once, I was casually walking with my friend in the same area and then started running when the cross sign lit up. He had no idea what was happening.

LosingLungs

I’m Home!

man sitting inside carPhoto by Ani Kolleshi on Unsplash

I drove home from Phoenix to Prescott. I got all the way to my old driveway before remembering that I had moved to Flagstaff about a month prior.

lunchladyshand

Everything Has Its Place

I tried to put the cat into the tool drawer and then almost put the poor thing into the fridge 30 seconds later.

psychgamer2014

Something’s Not Working

I stopped at a stop sign and waited at least a minute and a half for it to turn green.

Permalink

Just Gonna Take That

I went to the grocery store, packed everything in my backpack at the self check-out, and went home. As soon as I got home, I remembered that I never actually paid. When I made the realization that I hadn’t paid, I went back, swiped my card at the self check-out, and ended my transaction. Nobody had even noticed it happened.

YethFaru

Habits of an Old Man

I've worked as a caregiver for adults with mental and physical disabilities for over a decade. I do basic care helping adult men do daily activities like shaving, buttoning shirts, and so on. On a date, I was a bit buzzed, so I started to fix my date's shirt and told him he needed to look in the mirror to see if he wanted a shave.

parentaccount1143

I Know What That Means

dried leaves and stones on train tracksPhoto by @felipepelaquim on Unsplash

I work on a train. On the railroad, you can get verbal permission to pass a red signal or flag either from the dispatcher or the employee who’d put the red flag there. You cannot under any circumstances pass a blue light or flag because that protects employees working on/under/between rolling stock beyond the blue signal from any danger.

Driving home in the car late one night, I decided to take a shortcut through the local university. I went around a corner and saw a blue light marking a call station. My immediate conclusion was, “Shoot, can’t go that way.”

CatHerder237

Practicing Healthy Habits

I work with preschoolers, and we sing songs to help them wash their hands. I started singing the same song when I went out with some friends to a bar and needed to go to the bathroom. The other lady in the restroom gave me the weirdest look...

superpie5

Looks Right to Me

I was getting my car out of the parking lot and heading back home after a long day. Shortly after I started driving, I passed by a car that was identical to mine and thought, "Cool, I found my car." Nope. I was so wrong. I got out my car (which I had already found) and went to get into a stranger's car, thinking I'd discovered my own vehicle. Halfway through, I realized what I was doing and looked around hoping nobody saw.

xgonegiveit2ya

Day Droning

I was sitting in math class one day, and I was just humming to myself while the teacher was explaining something on the board. She went to turn off the projector, which was beside my desk. Then, still standing next to me, she gave me this strange look and asked me, "Is something wrong?" I had been very deep in thought.

So much so, that I had lost the tune but kept humming, so I was now just humming a long, low "hmm" without any change in pitch. So, yeah, that was embarrassing.

DeepBreathing4Me

Slack Jaws

Sometimes in the shower, I fill my mouth with water, and just let it pour out. One day, before work, I was brushing my teeth and standing in the bathroom fully dressed in my work clothes. But my brain thought I was in the shower, so I just let the toothpaste pour slowly out of my mouth and onto my outfit. Now my boyfriend warns me not to "drool toothpaste" all over myself.

Squeakies

Been Here, Done That

cooked foodPhoto by Eiliv Aceron on Unsplash

I lived in the same house for 16 years before I moved. Years later, I did a bit of summer work as a construction worker on the house where I used to live. When I came in the first day, it was like traveling back in time. I mindlessly did what I always did when I lived there. I waltzed into the kitchen during the family’s breakfast, opened the fridge, and looked for something to eat.

I came to myself and looked up. The family was staring at me with their jaws dropped. Like, the breakfast table forks were paused in mid-air at this unknown construction worker making himself right at home. I was so embarrassed. I backed out stammering the whole time and trying to have them understand, “I used to live here.” I was not allowed inside again.

supertucci

Worn Out

I went to the doctor's office, took off my sweater for a flu shot, and realized my t-shirt was on inside out. I got home, took off my t-shirt, and realized my bra was inside out.

Permalink

Which Is Which

I work with both a phone and radio at work and have answered my phone with, "base, go ahead," and my radio with, "Lincoln county Transit." I have also had my radio go off and picked up my to-go cup of coffee and used it to try and respond. I use a straw with my coffee, and in my half-awake mind, I thought it was the antenna.

welpreallynotsurenow

Losing the Scruff

I started to trim my beard and didn't see that the guard was off. A huge swath of beard was gone in one swipe. My two-year-old still refers to me during the beardless months as "Creepy Daddy." I am not allowed to shave it off again.

Polar_Ted

Excels in Observation

I have two kids and am in the habit of pointing out things I think they’ll like such as rainbows, the moon, nice dogs, and stuff like that. One day at work, I turned to a young male childless colleague and said, “Oh, look over there, a kitty cat!!” He gave me a weird look and stopped making small talk with me after that.

niapattenlooks

Two Strikes Against

five orange fruits and one black smartphone on waterPhoto by Khiet Tam on Unsplash

I put my phone under the faucet to fill up my water bottle. I recognized my mistake. And then I did it again.

Nobody_Likes_Shy_Guy

What Are You Yelling About?

I work as a housekeeper, and when we knock on doors, we yell, “Housekeeping,” and when we throw laundry down the chute, we yell, “Heads,” for those below to mind their heads. One day, I knocked on a door and loudly yelled, “Heads!” Later that day, the back of my mind remembered my mistake and made sure to “Correct it.” Unfortunately, I underestimated my own stupidity.

I over-corrected by stupidly yelling, “Housekeeping!" down the laundry chute.

Sadye_Lady

I Meant to Do That

Once, I ate pizza at a friend's house and, out of habit, threw the crust on the floor for the dog. Those friends didn't have a dog.

Catsrecliner1

Can’t Forget to Mention

"Here you go, if you need anything else, just let me know,” I said as I graciously put down the plate with food I cooked for the only person in the room. Me.

Permalink

Dude, Where’s My Car?

I got my license at age 25 after moving from the city to a tiny town. I was so used to walking everywhere that one day I drove somewhere, forgot I’d driven, and walked back to work. I finished work and thought, “Oh, my car’s not there, must have walked in today,” so I walked home. I got home, and the car was not there.

So, I thought, “Oh, must’ve left it at mom’s,” but it wasn’t there, nor was it at the shops or the pool. I was too embarrassed to ask anyone if they had seen it and had absolutely no idea where I’d left it, so I just kept walking everywhere for three or four days. Eventually, my housemate saw it and asked if I was ever picking it up.

indienial

Changing Behaviors

macro shot of yellow train hanging handlesPhoto by Jad Limcaco on Unsplash

I've been working with children for seven years. When I'm really distracted, I go into teacher mode. If I'm traveling with people, I'll count them on and off public transport, offer everyone water and snacks if I have them, and tell complete strangers to "use your walking feet/inside voice" if they're running or shouting.

Permalink

Why Did You Do That?

I was talking to my boyfriend while he was eating a sandwich. Mid-sentence, he ripped a piece off and threw it at my face. He looked stunned when I didn't open my mouth and catch it. We have a dog who begs for food at the table all the time. When we realized that my boyfriend had accidentally forgotten I was a human woman and not a dog, we both nearly peed laughing.

Bunnyjets

I Guess I’m Up Now

I woke up, automatically got out of bed, got dressed, brushed my teeth, packed up my backpack, headed out of my dorm, and happened to glance at the clock in the lounge. Then the other shoe dropped. It was 1:30 AM.

Permalink

Thrown to the Wolves

My dog's favorite part of the day is dinner time. I pull out her food and get a scoop of kibble; she starts wagging and doing the tippy-taps. One day, instead of going to her bowl, I dumped the full scoop into the trash can. She just looked at me with the saddest eyes. I felt so terrible, so she got extra food and pets.

ChaoticRift

Power Up

At the gym, there is an arm curl machine. Typically, I do a heavy amount, but that day I was tired and pretty brain fried. As I used the machine, I didn’t realize that there was no weight on it, and I tried curling it with effort as normal. I ended up slamming myself in the head with the bar. Everybody in the building saw.

Kiedgendary

No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service

people sitting on chair inside buildingPhoto by Phil Mosley on Unsplash

For this to make sense, you need to know that I always take my shirt off after my shoes when I get undressed. So, there I was at around 4:30 in the morning heading through security to fly across the country for a festival. I was nowhere close to awake and running on autopilot. I was throwing my stuff on the conveyor, taking my shoes off, and then automatically started to take my shirt off.

The very attractive TSA lady was like, "Slow down, sir, we just met." I didn't know they came with a sense of humor.

FragsturBait

Uncommon Phrases

I came into work at the front of house after several extended nights of profound insomnia. I was holding up ok until a gal walked in with a dog in her arms. I always chat with people about their dogs because people love to talk about their dogs and often tip a little more when they feel like they’ve connected with you. Looking back, this was a mistake.

I didn't have two neurons to rub together to break from the script of, "Hey, what can I get you,” “Here is your total,” and, “Would you like a receipt?" I leaned over the counter, locked my sleep-starved, unfocused, googly eyes on this poor woman, and blurted out, “Your dog. Who is he?" and then expectantly stared at her.

I stared like it was a normal and not at all insane thing that I just kind of word-vomited at her. She kind of stared at me and clutched her dog a little closer, and I think I probably went a little cross-eyed and tried to salvage the conversation by talking more. I don't remember what I said, but it was not an improvement.

SunOnTheInside

Don’t Throw the Baby Out with the Bath Water

I went to check the mail, grabbed my keys, and remembered, “Oh yeah! There’s garbage and recycling that needs to go out!” So I stopped at the mailbox, retrieved my mail, threw away the garbage, threw away the mail, and threw away my keys. A neighbor asked if I was going to need those. I kind of stopped, realized what I'd done, and mumbled, "Oh nooo."

SavageJeph

Getting Ready to Go

I started unbuttoning and unzipping my pants while I walked towards the toilet just like I do at home because I'm efficient like that. There was just one problem: I was not at home. I was at work. And I was walking through the shared office.

LadyGruntfuttock

Problems Saying Goodbye

This guy I had a HUGE crush on was leaving my apartment. He said something along the lines of, "All right, this was fun, I'll see you later on." I didn't feel capable of waving, so I did a weird circular motion with my arms, snapped both fingers into finger-pointers at him, and then winked. WHY?

comrade_julie

Did You Want Something?

group of person eating indoorsPhoto by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

As a teenager, I worked at McDonald's. My McDonald's was open 24 hours and, during the summer, I worked the overnight shift. My sleep schedule would get all messed up. My parents woke me up for dinner one evening. I zombie walked to the table and then sat there. My dad asked me to say grace. I bowed my head and tried my best.

I said, "Thank you for choosing McDonald's, may I take your order?"

arndta

Control Your Volume

I guess I listen to too many podcasts because I keep trying to pause work conference calls. I’ve also caught myself trying to increase my husband’s volume by pushing buttons on my phone while we’re in a room together having a conversation.

Janigiraffey

Are We Leaving Yet?

I had just finished getting my hair cut when I walked out of the salon to get into my car. I got into the back seat and sat there for a full minute before realizing that I drove myself there. Oh, but it gets worse. The salon had a glass storefront, and I was parked front and center. Everyone saw me have my epiphany moment and then humiliatingly get in the front seat to drive home.

jkotwa93

Official Protocol

I finally got a job as a consultant that I had been trying to get for years. It was just a position at our local grocery store, but the department was the best in town, so I was pumped. I was doing a great job and getting regulars at my tastings. One time, I hosted a tasting with a fairly expensive bottle of champagne.

I opened the bottle, and it started fizzing since it wasn't cooled enough yet, and my instant reaction was to start chugging it because that's what you do with soda. But this was not soda. It was much more expensive than soda, and I was chugging it in the middle of the sales floor while on the clock in a grocery store.

rshot

Here Come the Water Works

I had a deadline, and I was very sleep deprived. I drank a lot of coffee so I had to visit the washroom a lot. During one particular visit late at night, I went to wash my hands as usual but the tap wouldn't budge. I kept turning it, yet no water would come out. So, I did what other adults would do when that happens. I cried.

I called for someone to check it saying that I broke the tap in between gasps. My boyfriend walked to the sink and magically fixed the tap. I was turning it the wrong way.

ponyfart

Couple under the sheets
Womanizer Toys/Unsplash

Most people aim to have a perfect relationship.

But what does that exactly mean?

What is deemed "perfect" varies among couples. For some, it means a relationship is free of problems and that maintaining perpetual bliss is attainable if you're with the right person.

But there is one variable that can make or break relationships, and that is physical intimacy.

Curious to explore more about the significance of physical passion, Redditor iphonexmas asked:

"How important is sex for you in a relationship?"

It becomes a problem when it is a problem.

Perspective In Percentages

"If our sexlife is working well it’s 10% of the relationship. If it is not working it’s 90% of the relationships."

– Ingenja

"Good answer and very true in my experiences. When the sex is great and consistent, it's a non issue and something I don't even think of. It gets very apparent that something is wrong when it dies down considerably."

– NoEggplant6322

Contrasting Experiences

"I hadn't thought about it this way until now and it's incredibly true."

"I was in a relationship for 4 years where sex was a constant issue. I constantly craved and needed it. In a way I felt starved of intimacy and closeness with the woman I loved. I was beginning to wonder if she even found me attractive or if she even loved me at all. It really weighed on me in ways that I didn't expect. Sex became an all consuming thing in my life and eventually was part of what drove us apart."

"I'm now in a relationship where we have satisfying sex on a somewhat regular basis. We'll sometimes go several days without doing it but other days we can barely keep our hands off each other. In the end, I never feel unwanted or undesirable. Our sex life is a complete non-issue and I couldn't be happier. I don't obsess over it like I used to. I don't feel like I'm pressuring my partner and feel less disgusted with myself."

– itsthelittlethings69

Is It A "Me" Problem?

"I am literally going through exactly what youve described. It’s affected my mental health that much that I constantly go to the gym,eat as best as possible and even had a go on anabolics. My thoughts were She’ll find me attractive if I get in better shape,get bigger, more muscular."

"But no, nothing ever seemed to change,unfortunately that girl is just not attracted to me the same way as I am to her and it’s painful. What’s wrong with me?!🤷🏼♂️"

"I feel like I’ve got a Ferrari outside that I can’t drive. Yeah it’s nice to look at but the engine is missing."

"There’s only so many times over the years a man can hear the words 'no' before he gets fed up."

– beardedbateman

People like using metaphors.

Liquid Dreamz

"Well put. It's like water that way. If you're getting it regularly, then you can take it for granted. If you're not getting it regularly, then ... we have problems."

– Bizarre_Protuberance

Waiting To Exhale

"Sex is a lot like air. It's no big deal if you're getting it."

– MaximumZer0

"Sex is certainly not like sand."

– Nosferatatron

"I hate sand, it gets everywhere."

– luckylookinglurker

People learned from previous relationships where the lack of sex was an issue.

It's A Must

"Very important, my first relationship turned into a dead bedroom situation and for me that's a 'never again'."

– HotTortillaCheese

Realizing When It's Time To Move On

"Not OP, but I had the same situation. It was a 3 year relationship, and I started noticing it after the first year. It gradually got worse over the next 2 years."

"When I finally had sex again after the relationship, I was blown away. It was probably average sex, but it was just so bad in the prior relationship that it felt incredible."

"Both people need to actually enjoy getting the other person off. Once it becomes a chore, I don't think it can even be repaired. Sadly, you have to move on. But don't feel too bad. It's incredibly common. I was best friends with my ex. Everything seemed perfect. Well, almost everything. That's what made it so hard to have the conversation."

– HypnoticONE

Compatible In Every Other Way

"My partner is also my best friend and everything else is great. Like in every aspect of life we match so well except the bedroom. In the first year it was great but then not so much.. I'm so scared of ending this wonderful relationship solely because of the libido mismatch, but I feel like we've tried so much to save it and it isn't working sadly. Intensive therapy would be the last step."

"I fear I won't find somebody who is so compatible with me in every way ever again. Probably irrational but it's how I feel right now. So scared of letting this go."

"I've kind of lost the ability to look forward to sex? If you know what I mean. The rare time that it is about to happen, I just question it, eh it isn't going to happen or I cannot get into it. I feel like I'm somehow broken, my libido has gone down but I don't feel like it's natural, just a response to my partner's lower libido."

– StrawberryBuzz02

Mismatched Libido

"Sex in my marriage is down to maybe once or twice a month. This may be fine for my wife, but I’m a pretty horny guy. At the same time, at this point I’ve pretty much given up expecting sex. I just assume it’s not going to happen and maybe she’ll let me know when she wants it. The sex itself is pretty good, even if it’s usually nothing special in terms of how we do it."

"I recognize that giving birth to two kids and the stress of everyday life can play havoc on libido, so I don’t blame her (especially since she has chronic back problems). And for a year we also had houseguests that made sex even more difficult. Now they left. There’s just nothing I can do to my own libido, so I just satisfy myself privately when I can. Obviously not the same, but I’d rather get it over with than have my mind be filled with sex all day. It’s also difficult not to remember the early years of our relationship when we f'ked like rabbits. But I don’t want to bring it up and make her feel guilty"

– ChronoLegion2

For some, settling is better than separating.

Still In Love

"I've been married 20 years, the bedroom wasn't quite dead but I've remained HL while my spouse went from HL to LL gradually over a period of a decade or so. More recently, a mix of medical and other issues got in the way and we haven't had sex in nearly a year. Does it suck? Yes. Do we still love each other? Also yes."

"In my late 20s, I would have said I could never live in a committed, sexless relationship. But here I am, and while I'm not happy about that part of the relationship, I'm very happy with the person I picked."

– asmnqo

Based on the examples above, sex is very important and is key to having a fulfilling relationship.

If an individual is not feeling desirable or wanted by their significant other, it can be a motivator for them to seek satisfaction outside the relationship.

Also, the importance of sex in a relationship is just as important as communication. If neither party addresses the elephant in the room, it can breed resentment.

woman sitting on black chair in front of window with white curtains

Anthony Tran on Unsplash

*The following article contains discussion of suicide/self-harm.

There are a lot of old platitudes about familial bonds, mostly focused on preserving the relationship with relatives—especially immediate family—no matter what.

But public attitudes have shifted in part due to greater awareness of the harm caused by unhealthy relationships.

Now people discuss relationships with terms like gaslighting, toxic, emotional blackmail and going no/low contact.

The once taboo act of cutting family members out of your life has gained greater acceptance.

But what do the family members—especially parents—excised feel?

Keep reading...Show less