#Every activity that is self-improving/fun gives me a point

[eddis-not-eeddis]

I got an hourly planner and instead of planning out my day, I just write in it if I’ve done something that I’m proud of or that I enjoy, and it’s amazing how much I’ve gotten done lately and how much fun I’ve had now that I’m trying to impress myself.

[p-oisn]

let's get positive ! (⁠ʃ⁠ƪ⁠＾⁠3⁠＾⁠）

(the content below the cut contains mentions of sensitive topics such as implied su*cide & sh so pls scroll if you're uncomfortable w those !)

this is a long rant about life basically .. 💩💩

i was going to make a post like this sometime later anyways bc i felt .. like a nice person ... but i made it a bit earlier than i expected bc i saw a post from oomf that really made me think .. so here u go

this comes from my own PERSONAL experiences and this is js my point of view yk !!! im no expert on any topic HSHSJ this is js the way i cope plz dont come for me in my asks ... i am aware that it isn't the same for everyone but , i hope this message can be helpful to some extent </3

if you feel like like life is leading nowhere n you feel like giving up I PROMISE it will get better bc i felt the same for two whole years n i will say that i have improved a LOT since . yes , it took me longer than i expected but i didn't give up and you shouldn't either ! it was hard n there were times i felt like i wasn't making any progress / improvement but in the end , it still got better

be kinder (to yourself, first) ☆

i think the first step to loving yourself is to forgive yourself .. its okay to try over n over again , you're still human n i think ppl tend to forget that often bc they're so tough on theirselves . let's not forget that your body is actively trying it's best to keep u alive , your WBCs for example ! (let's appreciate these little guys for trying their best 🎉🎉) your body too , deserves to be loved back , for fighting so hard just for YOU! so pls don't hurt yourself in any way </3

appreciate yourself for achieving even the smallest of tasks because even if it wasn't something big , YOU DID IT ANYWAYS ! every small achievement of yours deserves to be appreciated . even if it's momentary happiness , appreciate yourself while it lasts . i understand that sometimes even small things could be such a hassle but you can always reward yourself later ! i personally like to buy donuts everytime i finish something (this could come in handy when you're really craving something if you get what im saying ..)

It's okay if you're going at a slower pace than other people , what matters in the end is that you get it done ! everyone is not the same so it's unfair to put yourself down for such things .. also applies to comparing yourself to someone because in the end you'll still be you .. even if you don't like it .. that makes you unique ofcourse , there's only one of you in this world so embrace yourself for that !! you're one of a kind (⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ⁠•⁠◍⁠)

oh, but, life's the same, it's boring ... ☆

yes , a lot of days could end up being the exact same because like , there are 365 days in a year so you can except most of them to be similar .. but as a new year starts , ofc many things change without you even noticing it , you grow older ofcourse , and you could be starting a new year in school , you meet new people and so on ! if you compare your life from a year ago or even a few months ago to now , you'll surely notice a few differences atleast so .. life is not reaaaaally the same right .... everyday is a new experience ! literally anything and i mean anything could happen the next day , you could even win the lottery who knows 🤫

when i felt like everyday was the same , i tried changing my patterns .. (my current favourite thing to do is go on a walk ! sometimes i take my dog w me , it's super fun) i would do small things that i dont usually do like sketch ! or i attempt cooking something new .. but obviously there were a LOT of days where i did nothing , sometimes even weeks , and that's okay ! we all deserve days where we do nothing ESPECIALLY if you're someone who is working or js in school / college everyday .. you deserve that break

i think a big factor is being unproductive ? don't get me wrong , i still am my same unproductive self at times unfortunately , n sometimes they do get so bad that they lead to a terrible burnout .. n i went through a rly bad burnout not long ago n trust me you do not want to get this far :( how do i deal with this ? (let's take studying as an example here) well i always start off with small portions , even if it's just a page or two . n then i slowly keep increasing the amount of pages i read .. n yes ofc , i understand how brutal burnouts can get sometimes n that's why it's important to not overwhelm yourself by attempting to finish a big portion of your studies in one go .. just take it easy , let the information marinate in your head for a bit before you move on to the next topic .. so basically what im trying to say here is don't overwhelm yourself with big tasks especially when you're already burntout

friends .. they're great ☆

the thing that honestly improved my life by a mile is getting good friends .. I've had my fair share of bad friend groups so trust me when I say this , it's better to be alone than with people who drain you mentally because . you deserve someone who treats you the way you actually want to be treated .

"but it's hard to make friends" i completely get this because i am a very shy person myself </3 but i think you could start by trying to make friends online ! its easy to find someone with similar interests on the internet .. so when you feel down atleast you know that there's someone on the other side of the world who cares for you ..

but this doesn't change the fact that solitude is AMAZING too (tbh i could go on for a really long time on how i love being by myself but this is already getting super lengthy ...) you can be your own friend too ! (okay see now this seems insane but if it makes you happy WHO CARES AMIRITE) i personally enjoy my own company like omg .. she can get a good laugh out of me sometimes ... you can do whatever you want when you're alone ! you can dance to your favourite playlist or experiment with a bunch of stuff ! if you get bored you can watch your favourite movie or consume your favourite piece of media that no one gets like you 🤫 so , as much as making friends sounds great , let's appreciate solitude too !!

ah, life can be beautiful sometimes? ☆

one of the biggest reasons i go on walks almost regularly is to remind myself how beautiful the world can be sometimes .. (atp half of this is me convincing you all to go on walks) i live in a beautiful neighbourhood n there are a lot of different flowers and fruits that grow here and that makes me really happy . going on early morning walks especially is soo fun , the world is so quiet then and you can even watch the sunrise 🥹

another thing is buying myself things i like ... especially clothes ... if you think you would look good in something then js go ahead and buy it ! don't mind what other people think because like ... YOU are wearing it and if people around you have a problem with that then i think they should close their damn eyes and not look at you if it bothers them that much 🤦 you deserve to feel confident and comfortable in your own skin , you deserve to dress the way you want to ! so if you feel like dressing a particular way would make you feel better .. GO FOR IT !!! this applies to other things you like, maybe accessories, merch or stationary that look cute .. it's okay even if people judge you for your style because in the end they're the ones who are boring and miserable because they spend soo much time hating on others 😒

life is soo much more fun when you take care of yourself trust me ... you deserve to be taken care of !! so spoil yourself once in a while i promise it's okay as long as it makes you happy <3

to sum it all up .. yes , good times don't last forever but so don't bad times , and you and i both can get through a bad day because life is still going on (⁠*⁠˘⁠︶⁠˘⁠*⁠)⁠.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ bad times too , will pass . so please believe in yourself and hold on !! i love you

again, this is all how*I* like to cheer myself up so pls don't take anything here in a bad way 😖 all of this was made with good intentions and im so sorry if i still ended up hurting anyone in any way ..

[modern-inheritance]

It’s probably me being salty and emotionally fuckywucky but honestly, guys, I know I said it before, but I’m tired.

I say it every time but I put my whole fucking self into these stories. They’re literally the only thing I do besides YouTube, work, dnd, chatting with my Norwegian friend, and walking my dog.

I got to talk with someone from AO3 side of things asking how to increase views and get more feedback. Because yeah, internet dopamine is great. I’m not going to lie, I write because I like to AND because I get dopamine from other people enjoying it and being vocal about it! I love to learn and improve and discuss how I can make MIC better.

I’m bc grateful for the feedback! It also confirmed what I suspected for the last 3-4 years and that’s that MIC will probably never really be popular in the fandom. This isn’t their words, they were nothing but kind and honest, which is exactly was I asked for.

The reason for the lack of interest from the fandom is of course complex and multifaceted, but one of the heaviest and main points is that it’s because a majority of the stories are Arya focused.

People dislike canon Arya so fucking much that they have a tendency to scroll past and exclude stories featuring or including her simply because she is in them.

And from the bottom of my heart I am seriously considering chucking this entire fucking thing and giving up. I don’t want to, but it is so sickening to put so much of myself into this and my AU version of a world and enjoy this so much and then get nutshot every time because I center my stories around Arya. To not even be given a chance to show that MIC!Arya is not her canon counterpart without going directly to random individuals and shoving files and snippets into their DMs makes me feel like shit and I’m getting tired of it.

Making a world or crafting one out of the bones of someone else’s and trying to get others to come and check out your cool little corner of the universe, finding no one wants to because you named put a new city where fucking Detroit or some shit is in their world and them refusing to come and even check out the other places and things you made because ‘Ew, Detroit’s a broken shitty city, gross.’ Would be pretty fucked up, huh?

Also, haha, I’m going to lose even more people with this, but my resentment has reached the point where I find myself actively resenting Murtagh. So there’s that!

Anyway, imma log off for a while. I needed to vent this. I’ll see what the future holds. I’d hate to stop writing, and I know I probably can’t, but I don’t know how much longer I can do this. “Just put yourself out there!” Why yes, Sharon! I did! And I’d rather be vocally shit on than be met with snide indifference! 😁 I’m a 27 year old fucking adult and I am having a fucking hissy fit over fanfiction and being an attention whore! Fun fucking times!

[spookygingerr]

Art Tag

thanks so much for tagging me Doshi, @doshiart, this was really fun to do!

How did you start drawing? What year was it that you became seriously and consciously interested in it?

i have always loved drawing and i can’t even remember how or when i started. i tarted practising consistently and with clear direction and goals just last year, 2023.

When did you start sharing drawings on social media?

this year :) i was scared to become active in the fandom at first but i started by asking Willow, @ian-galagher, and question and was so reassured by how kind they are that it gave me the courage to get involved and interact with the rest of the fandom.

Your first drawing. And first fanart. What were your impressions of it then, and what are they now?

i don’t have my first drawing but i do have a notebook filled of with drawings like these. the second drawing is inspired by stardoll so that is probably my first fanart. at the time i thought i was a fashion icon, now not so much.

First gallavich fanart

i am a serial deleter of old art i don’t like anymore but these are some i kept.

On bad days where things don’t work out, what kept you inspired?

similar for Doshi! some days i’m just not feeling it so i just take a break

An old piece you strongly dislike and why?

this is the that old! i just think i could have done better, there’s ones i dislike even more but they are long gone in the digital trash can. bodies are hard but i do think im started to see improvement now …

Show me an old piece you really like and why. What’s the difference?

this is from a similar time as the gallavich one but i did way better on the arms and the rendering.

An old piece you were proud of back then

this is one of first drawings i did completely free hand and i still think i did an amazing job.

Do you do any practise sketches or warm ups?

no but i should and i’m gonna start today

Sketch vs final

Your most recent drawing

it’s for secret santa so no showing

Give yourself some praise:

i have come a long way from starting with a traced outline and meticulously copying every highlight and shadow of a photograph to now free handing from start to finish with references as guides.

Any advice you’d give to your earlier self?

don’t be afraid to make ‘bad’ art, if you were already ‘perfect’ there’d be no point in practising (i still need to listen to my own advice)

Set a goal for the coming year:

just keep consistently practising and studying

[notalakelurk]

I think I'm reaching that point in my life where I realize just how daunting being transgender, lesbian, and vaguely asexual is. Like, I've spent my life knowing that I'm not what I "am" and I'm finally gaining the courage and words to tell myself what that means, but I'm also growing smart enough to understand how hard it's going to be for me.

In the past, my parents have told me that they would "not allow any of their children to be trans." Every time I've expressed any sort of trans desire it's played like a sick joke. "Haha, look, our son is wearing women's clothes, isn't that funny and weird and disappointing to you?!" Heck, I remember when my parents said it wouldn't be okay to be gay (/lesbian), that's a core memory right there!

It doesn't help that my parents actively ignore me when I promote any talk of trans/LGBTQ+ issues (especially regarding a specific president-elect who totally "does not dislike LGBTQ+ people at all," and "in no way opposes people's rights.")

Do I think that my parents would actually hate me for transitioning? No, but it heavily pains and hurts me that they would only care about LGBTQ+ issues when it impacts them (via me). And, no small part of me doubts that they would approach my identity with any validity. It's hard not to worry that everyone's gonna think I'm just "going through a phase" when I've known I'm this way for as long as I can remember.

My birthday is coming up really soon, and my mother has been asking me what I want. This is the first birthday where I've actually been able to tell her some things that I want (in no small part because of my newfound understanding of myself and self-recognition). But it still breaks me when she pushes me to keep telling her what to buy and I know I can't tell her that I want skirts and dresses and makeup and women's clothes and cute things and to be a girl and, most of all, to be affirmed, to be told that it's okay to be me. The closest I've gotten to any of that is asking for a nail file =|:'(

Luckily, I've never been one to give up easily! There ain't nobody in the world that can get me to stop finding satisfaction in being and knowing myself, no matter how much I have to hide or fight. As a result of my upbringing, I often have a really hard time feeling any emotions anyway, there's just a plodding desire to get through life until we can be ourselves and have fun again, no matter what. Try to kill that >:]

If need be, I'll wait until I'm so old my transgenderism looks like a deterioration of my identity, lmao, WHAT A GREAT COVER UP! Be on the lookout, descendants!

p.s. It's amazingly wonderful how much better writing a blog post can make you feel. I guess I've always understood that journals/diaries are good for you, but that's never been an option for me because of snooping parents, so I'm just now getting to this at the ripe age of almost-17, lol. Anyway, I understand that this post is pretty rambly in the middle; I'll try and be a better writer next time =|;)=; So far my only experience with this at all has been the few tumblr posts that I've made here, so there's a lot of room for improvement, which is great!

[katscatnip]

Listening to one song on repeat

My experience with listening to a certain sound or song on repeat for long periods of time.

Shown below all this text is my most recent streams on Spotify. as you can see,, there is just one song listed, and that's because It's all I've listened to for the past 2 days or so.

I have done this kinda thing sing as long as I recall having personal access and control over what I listen to. my earliest memories of it being the time my mom let me chose the song we play on the sound system (the song in question was Rock the Nation by Michael Franti) and i would constantly ask her to "play it again!" until she couldn't handle it anymore. Next it was when we bought the Curious George movie on CD and in the bonus features, there was a music video for the song played earlier in the movie Upsidedown by Jack Johnson (again was eventually asked to stop playing it over and over lmao.

Next was when i was old enough to stay for the "after school program" it essentially let the kids get into fun toys and boardgames and such and what I would do every single time is find one of the three sony CD walkmen in the electronics box, put in the Shrek soundtrack cd and set SmashMouth's allstar to loop, then proceed to walk up and down the gym's left wall gliding my fingers against the textured grout for the next hour and a half to three hours depending if it was an extended day.

Next was another walkman, my older sibling's bf at the time would bring one over with him when he visited along with his latest playlist burned to a cd and would let me borrow it. this is when I heard the oh-so-familiar and desired FireFlies by Owlcity (my current fav song at the time that I could only hear on the car radio when going into town) where I would proceed to lie on my upper bunk bed in complete darkness and imagine I was in space.

Another time was when a different friend would bring over their iPod and I would loop a couple greenday and Metallica songs over and over (I don't remember the song names now lmao)

Fast forward to my teen years im actively annoying my siblings after playing a song 7 times too many. yada yada ya-

I am aware of that now,,

my friends have been pointing out traits that were worth looking into for a while and I finally did and ya. when I went in they said it was not hard to notice and identify it from the moment I walked in the door.

Anyway, this post isnt about that its actually about how self-aware and insecure I've become from having others perceive this part of me. I've never really had any bad experiences aside from the occasional family member shout at me to "stop playing the same song" which is whatever.

The real issue for me is things like Spotify Wrapped and the idea that what I listen to as an auditory stim is perceived as my "taste" in music and such. i guess its rooted in maintaining a kind of character in the social aspect, and feeling like I have to make what I listen to look palatable to peers and that means having a high listen count and knowledge of artists whose music has meaning and depth while also not being caught listening to the opposite (breakcore, hyperpop, noise, goofy nonsensical hip-hopy stuff, etc)(?)

Which I'm finding to be stackingly exhausting and I think I've trying this year and lastyear to give myself the grace of being me and not conforming to the shape I feel pressured to fit into.

I hear and read a lot of peer's takes or reviews on music and such (which I think is important to have ofc) but it kinda feels to cliquey for me to feel fully comfortable being in those circle's conversations.

sometimes i just like the noises and vibration pattern coming from a specific artist's stuff and don't take in or care about the meaning or depth of a song's lyrics,, anyways yeah. here's some of the semi-recent past loops: (noise warning on some!🔊) 757, Hollywood baby, Improved mashcore, kickback, 3 o'clock things, Being so normal, Uncanny long arms, Leg room, Stuck Inside

below is my current song backslide by 21 Pilots. the tapeworm synth and silly bass drops itch the itch good :+)

[firespirited]

About yesterday's cry for connection, several things happened at once, as they do. On top of the seasonal despresh hitting it's lows and teasing brief moments of clarity.

Small on the richter scale: The gmail app once again failed to block dad's email which was a seemingly anodyne "happy birthday did you get my ecard (i did and promptly put my emails on their 'do not send' list) , did you do anything special with your friends for the big 4.0?" 1- He's acting like we're buddies, I haven't spoken to him in a decade 2- He's either forgotten or in denial about his complete failure at being a decent human being in November which led to sis finally giving up on him. 3- One of his fave digs was my lack of solid friends (he moved us every three years so that's partly on him) and inability to do milestone stuff like an 18th or 21st birthday bash. It's very on brand to be able to break me in two nice sentences. But it's not so much him per se but the friends who turned out to be anti vaxx or anti mask so I expressed sadness and haven't tried to rebuild. I'm not sure there is any thing to rebuild when folks are explicit their beliefs exclude you.

Bigger on the richter scale: I've injured my pectorals several times in march doing abdominal building exercises and having to catch myself when my hip give out from pain. It's very painful and sets me right back. I need to work on all the muscles around the hips before I can start work on my atrophied lower back. It's at least 3 more months added to the rehabilitation process. Realistically I don't think I'll be rerooting or doing any handicrafts over 40 minutes long per week until 2024. And then it won't be commissions.

It's been 3 full months of rehab work, there is real visible progress but it's very slow and disappointingly small.

I also have to whittle down the project dolls I've kept and get it all out of the house even at a loss (oof) along with a serious re-evaluation of what I buy (double oof). Project dolls are only fun if you can actually *do* the project not just know the exact steps you *would* do. That means other types of treats and finding other things to do when I've got some free time and am itching to make something. The ones that will stay need hairstyles, maybe quick decoden hair and wigs so I won't be reminded until I'm ready, plastic is patient but I am not! (That'll actually be fun to do)

In good news, the anemia has improved and my eyebrows are growing back brown (4mm of brown, 6 of white lol) , I'm on a more solid treatment for GI candida and hope to heal my sore half taste-broken tongue.

I've resolved to purchase anti-mosquito summer clothes for walks if needed as a necessary health expense. Ties into the money insecurities mentioned before with a mental 'fix'.

Tiny on the richter scale but these things add up :

The whiplash of seeing dolltwt acting like they're the nice place for nice people or "it's only funny when it's us, it's malicious if you're someone who can't sit with us". Can't believe I got sucked into that nonsense. Stupid rabbithole to go down.

A youtuber getting too parasocially needy and setting off all my alarm bells.

Way more youtubers who *were* interesting and educational on certain subjects but lately have got lost in navel gazing about whether they're making the mind changing art/activism they dreamed of. It's part film grad, part evangelical need to have convert notches on your belt instead seeing the value in rebuilding broken things, paying someone's bills, prevention not miracles.

You could be educating for education's sake (teacher isn't a lesser job) and doing art for art's sake. I can handle a certain amount of self indulgence and there is always a place for self congratulation on a hard job but the performative is winning out over the active work and I just don't have much grace left to spare right now. I'd rather hear a well made liberal journalistic podcast on a subject than watch a radical leftist who'll derail the point with the implication that it's a sacrifice to be talking about this subject instead of being a 'proper' film maker.

Doesn’t sound like much but when you've carved out your hour of listening and that's not happening because it's become messy then there's a hole and it's really hard to find the right balance of interesting but no cliffhangers or nihilism, no toxic positivity no false promises. With my current desperation for routines and extreme pickyness: You see the problem right?

So, in a nutshell I need to find new treats, new entertainment, more courage to get rid of items I'm attached to, find rerooters in the EU so I can just refer all queries without having to explain that my back is rekt and the rest of me is rekt so healing will be stupid long, set a goal of acceptable hip pain while exercising and a goal of how much hip pain to aim for that won't mess with ab and dorsal work. Wait til enough emotional balance to donate recycle clothes that look rough. Dare to open up and make new friends knowing that heartbreak is inevitable. Cool cool cool. We'll start small.

❤️❤️❤️

[dez-wade]

(This is all in character I can’t be bothered to add q! every time)

I’m ngl at least between the brazilian characters and gringo characters I feel like you are just not allowed to criticize anyone from either side lol. Like I personally find it valid to not let go of some memories or events, even if it’s months old. Examples being foolish arresting pac and mike, Jaiden finding the way stone, forever hitting leo etc. because these were big emotional rp moments and it just feels like disservice for them to not have any lasting impact. And if characters forgive each other, we get the satisfaction of growing character development and relationships

From MY PERSPECTIVE viewers of pretty much any character are always going to lean into self-victimizing angst and idk what can even be done about it lul. Like no character or storyline in IMPROV rp is gonna be perfect or even have perfect reasoning (also instead of viewers using “sillyness” as a reasoning I think it’s perfectly fine to just like…..conclude that maybe the cc thought that course of action would enable funner rp)

That ended up a bit too long, so there's me criticizing the fandom under cut.

I think the point of me being bothered about people not forgetting some actions, is that they don't do it in a constructive way. For example, I think the Bobby Fields should be remembered because it shapes Jaiden's mistrust and paranoia and also has great moments with Forever paralleling Jaiden, including a lot of foreshadowing that would pay off in Forever's arc. But when people just go about mindless hate or just to twist a character into what they aren't just to justify to keep talking badly about them months after the fact, it's no fun. Especially because a lot of it was also hate to the CC.

The Leo incident could have been amazing but the CC got SO much hate that he almost dropped QSMP and to this day he barely talks about it because it reminds him of the hate he got. It wasn't just qForever hate. He dropped an entire villain arc because of that. He apologized multiple times to cc!Foolish because of guilt.

I feel like there were very few CCs that were so harshly "criticized" as he was.

And what bothers me is also not "they're being silly" it's the hypocrisy of the fandom, I usually don't mind what the characters do. How you're complaining about Foolish not being taken seriously ever by his peers, but when he betrayed his friends and arrested them it's because "it's funny" or "just a joke". The selectiveness of what should be taken seriously or not is only when it benefits the characters.

I think it's fine if the characters do it because they're "silly" or "just a little guy", some characters ARE like that (actually, most of them.) But also some people are allowed to not like when they screw over a character they like because of sillyness. It doesn't erase the character's feelings.

I don't think things will get better though because since the characters share the name with the CCs, and the CCs are very active on Twitter, no matter if people are using Q or not before the name it's always gonna have people complaining and mistaking it as hate. So a lot of people walk around eggshells when this happens. But I usually don't see that happening with some characters who are freely criticized. So people end up getting mad at the double standards.

The Jaiden situation for example, breaking into the Fear room, I particularly didn't give a shit about it and I even felt disappointed the codebreakers weren't working. I actually wanted her to read the files. But people defending her immediately brought Forever up to talk about how what he did to her was way worse, even though Forever is not even involved in that situation and it's about Jaiden and Cellbit, the guy who even defended her from Forever about the Bobby Fields. Other people brought him up to say how unfair it was the massive hate Forever got for doing something similar, while Jaiden got it easy. It's not that people want her to be hated, but it does sting seeing the same people who complained the most about qForever can brush it off when another CC does it.

So the double standards do exist, for me most people would appreciate the drama the characters create. I think it's funny to criticize because it's a story after all, but you can't help but feel annoyed at how some characters have it worse than others for similar actions.

Another great example is when people defended Foolish for arresting Tazercraft saying how it was just a joke, but when they tricked him into believing they killed Leo then revealed that it was a prank and started laughing, these same people were criticizing Tazercraft saying it wasn't a funny joke. That they thought it was cruel. Even though that was the lesson they wanted Foolish to learn, that what might be funny to you, might not be so funny for the others. And he understood that! His chat didn't, and for them Foolish was the sole victim.

So in the end, what bothers me is mostly the fandom lol

I don't dislike any character, despite having been displeased with a lot of multiple characters' actions. But some people can make the character more annoying just by how they try to defend them. But it's always important to try to separate them to the max.

[escape-rock-bottom]

Burning Out

I have a feeling every living human being will (and has) experienced burnout on some level at some point in their lives. It’s that feeling of being absolutely drained of energy even though you haven’t been doing much for a while. It’s the feeling that you’re at your wit’s end when it comes to work, socializing, or personal care.

It’s almost similar to depression, but lacks the feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and despair that accompany depression. Basically, you just don’t have it in you to do any more. It’s a state that you can come out of, but the time you spend there will vary on how overworked you were.

Burnout is caused by intense stress of some sort. The stress could be physical, relationship based, work based, or even just caused by your own thoughts and emotions. Depending on how much stress you come under, the burnout can be more severe and even chronic.

Chronic cases seem to affect people under constant stress over a long duration of time with little breaks, and severe cases seem to affect those who are under more severe stress. Regardless, your mileage may vary — What causes me burnout may not affect another in the slightest and the duration of my burnout may not match that of yours.

What’s important here is to understand what causes you burnout and what helps you recover quickly and effectively. What’s also important to understand is how vital it is to your success, mental health, and general wellbeing to avoid completely running yourself into the ground.

Do the people who are always constantly under stress look happy to you? Do you feel they’re heading for their own rock bottom eventually? Do you think that their dreams and passion will die out the longer they push past their limits? Don’t get me wrong, there’s good stress and pushing past your comfort zone is the way to improve, but there is a DANGER! RED ZONE! when it comes to how much you push your boundaries.

Here’s a list of all the fun and wonderful things burnout can cause if you decide to ignore your needs!

Depression, anxiety, chronic stress, irritability, and a variety of mood disorders

Dwindling relationships and a lack of sociability

A constant feeling of dread when it comes to doing anything

Loss of momentum in work, school, self improvement

Loss of interest and effort put into work, school, relationships, or even your own family

Lack of self-care and hygiene

Mental and physical fatigue and a lack of energy

Okay, so how do you recover from or avoid burnout altogether? I hate to say it but the answer is not that simple since the exact methods will vary from person to person, but here’s a general small list of things you can try to avoid burnout:

Pace yourself and don’t take on more than you can possibly handle at once

Learn to prioritize and optimize your time. Some tasks will take more energy than others, so try to narrow down the most important ones and the easiest ones. Some people benefit from doing the smaller tasks first before moving on to the bigger ones. Some find doing the big ones first helps more. Then, there’s the option of breaking up the big task with smaller ones.

Avoid “busy work”, focus on “important work”. Busy work can be a distraction from what’s really important, and can cause you to feel too busy (because you kind of are)

Allow yourself mindfulness and self care time every workday, and wind down on your off days. Try not to pack your weekends full of things to do if you can avoid it!

Try giving yourself “do nothing” time at least once a week. Yep, you have nothing to do at that time. You can fill that time with hobbies, fun family activities, exercise routines, or anything that can help alleviate stress.

If you begin to feel overwhelmed, take a quick break. Recollect your thoughts, journal, or practice mindfulness to get yourself back together before you jump back in

As for recovery, it looks pretty similar to the avoidance tactics. Recovery will require a longer period of time to yourself in which you do not have any particular work to get done. It will also require that you focus on mindfulness, relaxation, and stress management. However, if you can avoid it, you wouldn’t have to worry about taking a bunch of time away from work!

Burnout is no joke. It’s a thing we all experience, yet no one really talks about it. We live in a time where working hard and pushing constantly is heavily rewarded and admired but we are not machines. We are flawed and limited human beings who need a dang break every once in a while.

Heck, if we were machines capable of 24/7 work with no negative psychological or physical effects, I’d say go for the hustle culture! However, we’re not (yet?). Keep that in mind next time you want to load your schedule with tasks that don’t matter or can be handled by someone else. Once again, hard work is good, but too much of a good thing is often bad.

[astromechs]

I read through your breakdown of comic related ideas that could have been used in Gamora's post Endgame arc and they were really good! All the details you hit on were smart and logical. I most loved how you pointed out that Gamora's arc/story didn't end at the hands of Thanos in the comics and it didn't have to end that way in the films either.

I think the main thing that keeps me from having vol 3 be at the top of my faves list with 1&2 is that every writing move for Gamora after IW turned out to be more in favor of making sure what Thanos did stood out than it was about making sure Gamora's own arc stood out. Her being a guardian wasn't a cute little subplot in a larger story. It was the story. Her relationships and things she accomplished weren't fun little bonuses, they were huge gains after years of serving Thanos and only having his vision for her life count towards her identity. Taking these away from her first through her murder and then through the time travel wasn't a small roadblock. It was no different than taking the history of Iron Man building his suit, or the significance of Captain America's shield. In vol 1 Rocket talked about how they all had dead people and the poignancy was that even though they all had those tragedies in the past, once they found eachother they got to move forward. Gamora's death turned her into another tragedy in the past and also another poor dead lady at the hands of an abuser power hungry God like Meredith and Lylla. Worse though is that we never got to explore what that tragedy really meant to Gamora either through redirecting back onto her life through a funeral or by having her past self get to reflect on it and work through those feelings. It was obvious in Endgame that 2014 Gamora had a lot to process between being in the future, finding out she was killed and realizing she had a family. She wasn't unaffected or emotionless about everything. Even if she decided to make different choices all of this was something major to mentally work out. We never got to see her go through much of the process and as such it kind of made Gamora less of an active participant in the aftermath of a story very much linked to her. It also impacted an important relationship for Nebula too which was the most central relationship between women in the story.

My other problem is that they stayed cleverly away from humanizing her death. It was like how in real life when people want to water down a heinous crime they will say tragic event or unfortunate incident instead of murder, mass shooting, assault etc. But the reason you need to use the actual words is because it gives a raw look at what happened. It makes it real. It's why using a victims name is so important too. It brings back the humanity. Peter is the only one who sort of touched on the reality of what happened and what Gamora meant to the entire existence of the team. That's not enough though. If they were going to do what they did there should have been more ownership of it.

I did love how they handled the arc between Peter and Gamora and in many ways it was a creative and moving take on a love story and finding your way back to someone. I don't want to ignore this or overlook the good. It's just that there was so much more to Gamora's story and it feels like they put a band-aid on the wound rather than cleaning it out and really examining the damage so there could be more thorough healing on Gamora's end.

i'm right there with you, and that's why gamora's arc in vol 3 left something to be desired, for me; the writing tried to both sweep the death under the rug and also sometimes acknowledge it, and then not exploring this gamora's experience about it in much depth. i wish the film had done this, because ultimately some of the issues i had with it would've been improved. it's like you said — gamora's overall story being overshadowed for the benefit of thanos, and then not much ground there being made up for.

all things considered, though, even with the issues i have regarding how gamora as a character specifically was handled, i really like how the arc was handled between gamora and peter in vol 3. it was really poignant and beautiful, and had a lot of hope for them finding their way back to each other after that tragedy. it ended exactly where it needed to, canonically — and i'm excited to take it from here and explore it in some of my own future writing.

(and thank you so much! 💙)

[pazodetrasalba]

Game Theory

Dear Caroline:

I'd guess this kind of criticism would come from either people who are more ruthlessly utilitarian than you, or from people who really enjoy, as you say, 'the object level of their life'. In the first case, I would suspect they are taking their principles too far, to the point that they become robotic slaves of Optimization, perfect +EV machines, which to me feels slightly inhuman and undesirable. At the same time, though, there might be this very EA disdain for fame, glory, recognition and doing intellectually stimulating things, which are meant to be sacrificed on the altar of Utility. After all, EA's stereotypical heroes are people who went into neglected areas and got high impact but little to no public recognition, like Stanislav Petrov and Victor Zhdanov. It seems to include an ethical distaste for conventional rewards in status, fun and pleasure.

As for the second type of objectors, I can find it easier to agree a bit with them, but am still more in your camp here than theirs. You are an incredibly smart and sophisticated person, which matches well with those meta levels of enjoyment that you mention. To a certain point, I suspect this is true of everyone: we are actually hardwired to enjoy the good things in life much less than how we suffer their lack and the bad things in life -an evil but effective motivator of sorts. Even if actual experiences are pleasurable, I would concur that imagining their realization, and turning the into levels passed in some ever-going Game of Life is much more inherently satisfying.

Complex aesthetic and intellectual self-cultivation tends to work for me better than the activities that society generally considers high-status, but I've probably pushed in this direction to a fault. In my socio-economic background, work was inherently tough, unpleasant, dull - each and every coin drenched in the sweat of mostly mindless and physically extenuating activity, which probably communicated the wrong message to my teenage self: strictly search for a job that is intellectually satisfying and that gives you enormous amounts of free time for learning and reading. But I am aware that this might be too egoistic and self-serving, and that one should also cultivate a moral inclination to improving the world and other people's lives, even if not maximally. And I feel that in some people, helping others through sacrificing some of your own appetites is its own, weird source of pleasure and happiness.

Quote:

I agree that it’s good for my job to be optimized for effectiveness and stuff. But I think a lot of my leisure time should be optimized for what I enjoy, and it so happens that signaling is one of my favorite leisure activities.

Caroline Ellison

[theavscout]

Hmm.. I don’t know why but my hashtag says

#animalcrossing now I am sitting here with a bit of bewilderment.. which animal is crossing. Not going to lie since I have lived here I have seen more coyotes then I have ever seen in my life. When I was younger my father would take us to Phoenix, Arizona every summer. My father had a business trip and my mother would take us adventuring, site seeing and giving us lessons on the culture in that specifics state environments. Anyways at the water park hotel they had a kids club there that the kids could join if their parents were in their own clubs. Which I feel like my dad was in all the social light “clubs” the first class airline private lodges etc..

VIP rewards first in line, free lodging between flights.. you pay into these clubs or you get a certain amount of points. I really do feel like I am running out of time. So I hardly relax now a days but I do feel like when I am in peaceful environments like the beach in Hawaii or it could be a local one all my worries drift away with the sounds of the sea. I really am sleepy but in the Phoenix kids club there was sick games we would play. We also had to learn vapid information in and out Arizona and the desert. Of course basic survival skills how to live in the desert, horseback riding and other fun activities and of course Indians!! I love learning about Indians they are super bad ass. My grandmother Marlene growing up had a nice time share in arizona that we would stay in. It was one of my favorites because the decor was very Pablo house and made of clay rocks vibe and then we had the Indians turquoise everything, but my favorite about the spot was the golf course, the pool, and the in house ms Pac-Man that I would play none stop. I learned how to golf at the la Quinta and ever since there age 6yrs old I fell in love with it. I have played at a local course almost every place I have been too. Man it feels good to let my self free write it has been so long since I have had the chance to do this. I really which I had a man in my bed right now to cuddle with I am so lonely.

Back to the airport clubs: All the free snacks perks etc.. it was a good time networking with all the major players in the field. My favorite beyond favorite was the take your daughter to work day. He had been training me as his personal assistant since I was a small baby, teaching me how the proper way to answer the phone is. Having me always record the family messages, learning to take notes and how to carry out quality customer service skills.

I know my grammar is trash but I know it will only improve in time. I truly am my worst critic, I just can’t help myself I have been tough on myself like this my whole life. I hold myself to the high standards I hold others that doesn’t mean I always oblige either. Right now I am wondering how safe it is for me right here. And when I die am I going from natural causes? Is my husband going to murder me but really we both go live in another country happy ever after. I was always hoping my hero would come save me. Take me away for 6mths to a year and learn about another country while I am alway. I do i do i do speak it into reality I know my dreams matter and I know they can in fact come true.

Body check: my hips and neck have been a highlight of pain today. We all know a body in motion stays in motions.. however I was having a tough time today. I got rid of my dads old bed it was gross and we needed to do that long over due. I was happy to also cut up old furniture that smelled like dog piss because the wood had been saturated in the dog urine for so long. I was so happy to see it burn it had a funky smell to it though and my chimney through off a high alert to everyone during the day they are pain in the ass complaining about my chimney smoke. Whatever, right now I am in bed and I am so happy to be. I don’t know how comfortable I feel with the bed on the floor but I do.

Man I really wish someone who enjoys hanging out with me would come back over. Sweet dreams, may God bless your life tonight and may we all get the rest we need. Amen.

[mavstudentvoice]

How Working Out Changed My Life (and Why You Should Start Doing It Too): 5 Tips to Get You Started

Why I Started 

I used to hate working out and did not ever even have the desire to go. I was content with my life at the time and didn't really feel the need to. But I got to a very dark point in my life and did not even want to do anything but sit at home. So one day I decided I was sick of that and wanted to do something about it. My friend Orin talked about how working out is fun and beneficial for yourself, so I decided to try it.

For the first months, I was not very comfortable and felt embarrassed. I was comparing myself to others and that was not helpful at all. The only person you should compare yourself to is you from yesterday.

So over time, I started to realize that I was changing. When I looked in the mirror and saw changes to my body it made me feel substantially better and made me want to go to work out a lot. Eventually when I got to college is when I started to see a real big change—I lost 40 lbs. and was now devoted to going. 

The Benefits of Working Out

According to Mayo Clinic Health System, “Up to 44% of college students reported having symptoms of depression and anxiety.” Exercise is a strong strategy for managing the symptoms of depression, along with many other benefits to exercising:

Regular exercise lowers the chance of developing chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.

Regular exercise helps maintain a healthy weight.

It enhances mental health by lowering anxiety and stress.

Sleep patterns, which depression can disturb, can be improved with regular exercise.

Regular exercise has been found to increase the production of endorphins, which are brain chemicals that act as natural mood enhancers.

Regular exercise can also increase energy and raise self-esteem, enhancing general well-being.

Exercise can help people shift their attention away from negative emotions and thoughts and give them a sense of success when they reach a goal. In general, frequent exercise is a crucial part of living a healthy lifestyle.

Simple Steps to Start

1. Set realistic goals. Start by setting small, achievable goals and make sure you have the tools and resources to achieve them. 

2. Find a workout friend. Having someone to exercise with can make going to the gym more enjoyable and help keep you motivated. 

3. Track your progress. Track your progress by keeping a journal or using an app to help you stay organized. This can help you stay motivated and see your progress over time. 

4. Choose activities you enjoy. If you do not enjoy the activities you're doing, you're more likely to give up. Choose activities that are enjoyable and motivating so you are more likely to stick with them. 

5. Reward yourself. Reward yourself with small treats when you reach certain goals. This can help keep you motivated and remind you of the progress you are making.

I wanted to share my personal experience about how working out has made a significant impact on my life that I could not have had if I had never started. I still have a long way to reach the goals I have set, but working out (as dumb as it might sound) made me optimistic in life and gave me something to look forward to every day. I highly recommend you just start even if you have no desire to go as you may understand why I feel like this, and many other people do too. So just start, you might as well try. If I can do it, anyone can!

-Tyler 

[suns-sword]

Sure I’ll try. The conditions you listed in the tags are fair enough (and I do like both ships anyway).

I will say that a lot of what I have to say will be from the light novels as just about every character other than yumiella and Alicia lost a lot of characterization in the manga and anime. I’ll try to keep the points and moments in chronological order for convenience .

The first moment when I felt like the ship had legs was in the Patrick intermission chapter, when we saw him grinding his level and reminiscing about his thoughts on yumiella. He takes the time and really puts in the effort to understand her. Catching himself when he thinks about her in anyway other than the reality that he has experienced. Neither idealized or villainized.  To me that is one of the first and simplistic foundations of love. It’s also the scene I think about when people call him boring. Yeah he doesn’t have any major character quirks, but he takes the time to try and understand the world and people around him. He isn’t calm because he is just chill like that, he stays calm because he wants to be dependable.

This dependable nature also comes to show that he puts in effort not just to improve himself but to actively make up for yumiella which we first see when he convinces the edwin that she is just a regular (if very strange) girl. This more or less becomes his default job to help her, and it very noticeably makes her feel less lonely to not be hated or feared for reasons she can’t really understand. Also worth noting that it’s also the only reason yumiella survives Alicia’s back stabbing event (not talking about the protection amulet since that’s just anything a concerned significant other would ask of her in that verse). His efforts were the only reason she didn’t die alone and betrayed.

Then after the demon lord fight he comforts her by telling her that he has complete faith him her to make the best choices she can when it matters. That even if she made a mistake or just plainly made the wrong choice, he will still be there, still loving her. It from bother their perspectives means so much. Yumiella because she thought she would never even gain so much as a friend, and Patrick because we know it’s not blind love (as mentioned before).

That’s the main moments from the first book, and I’ll admit it’s very sparse. The first book was defiantly more about setting up yumiella’s character than anything else in the world.

I’m the second novel we are not much better in terms of quantity, but we see even more clearly that their love isn’t just a passing phase or puppy love, that both sides are working hard to make each other happy. Both of them are facing difficulties fitting together in a more permanent setting. Patric because of self doubt and anxiety on whether he is just projecting his own feelings on her, and yumiella because of how weak to embossment she is making it near impossible to express her feelings towards him. Neither of them gives up even when they both can tell it’s not going perfectly. It might be a bit of projection on my end but the idea of someone putting in that kinda effort, not just when it’s fun or convenient is what you want most after you feel unlovable or absolutely alone for years of your life. This effort even gets to manifest in the climax in the form of Patrick covering her biggest weakness so this time everyone gets to live through the end of the book. He is strong where she is weak and weak where she is strong, when together their strength is greater than its sum.

It’s late here so I’ll leave it there. Sorry for any typing inconstancy, on Mobil and it’s hard to proof read.

i genuinely wonder if someone could EVER successfully sell me on patrieumi

[bella-studyblr]

Task Management:

Creating + Maintaining a Schoolwork Schedule

Key elements

Your schedule suits your individual time/task management preferences.

It is flexible enough to accommodate sudden changes, plus fluctuating energy levels, states of concentration, symptoms and moods.

Daily tasks are not over-whelming; they are small enough that they are achievable.

You do not get “burned out.”

It allows you to be consistent.

Steps to create your schedule

Decide if you want your planner to be paper or digital

Find an “order” that’s logical and achievable for you (more on this later)

Refer to your addendum/syllabus and write down all the assignments, tests and other events taking place that week/month (and their due-dates).

Then break these down, assigning tasks to each day of the week (more on this later).

Break down your tasks even further (more on this later).

Decide if you want to follow a simple daily to-do list or a timed schedule (more on this later).

Find your “order(s)”

Mandatory: Schedule assignments around other commitments (work, social, hobbies, etc.).

Do the hardest task first to get it out of the way (so that the rest of your tasks are less daunting, and because your smaller tasks require less energy therefore can be done even after completing the hard task).

Do the easiest task first to build momentum (give yourself a feeling of accomplishment which will motivate you to continue, and boost your self-confidence early in the day to establish a positive mindset for the rest of the day).

Do the task that’s due first to minimize deadline stress, and so your assignments don’t fall through the cracks (causing you to get discouraged and lose momentum).

Plan according to your energy level throughout the day and week: Do you have Pilates once a week? Maybe you can reserve that day for easier assignments. If you know you’re going to be tired for whatever reason, account for that in your planning.

Consider your state of concentration: If you know you’re too groggy or spaced out for the first hour of your day, you can either schedule easy tasks in that time, or none at all. If you take a medication in the afternoon/evening that makes you tired, schedule easier tasks or none, and get harder tasks done earlier/later in the day. If you have ADHD and crowded places mess with your concentration, but you like studying at a café, go when it’s not busy.

Be mindful of your emotions and symptoms: If you have depression, or are prone to depressive episodes, you’ll need to consider that when scheduling. You might have to rework your entire schedule when you get into a depressive episode (like adding lots of breaks). If suddenly you’re going through a big life event (like a breakup), you need to account for that when scheduling. For instance, if you can’t stand to be alone, maybe you can go out instead of staying in, and if your motivation is low, you may need to up your reward-system or break down your tasks even more.

Break down this week/month’s tasks

Refer to your addendum/syllabus and write down all your due dates for the time period you’re scheduling for.

Based on due dates, outside commitments, predictions of energy/mood/symptoms, assign assignments to the days of the week/month that make most sense for you.

Break down daily tasks into sub-tasks

You can do this (in advance) for your full week/month’s assignments, or do it every morning/evening.

Generally, your assignments will follow a variation of this formula: brainstorm, create an outline, research, write rough draft, edit and revise. Test/exam prep will look something like: check to see what the test is based on, pinpoint important sections, review to see how well you know the material, create a list of items to study, rewrite select notes, make flash cards, study topic 1, study topic 2, etc.

What are the individual components of these steps? Here are some examples. Brainstorm: what should my topic be, what should my thesis be, what points can support my thesis, what do I need to research, what questions do I need to ask my prof? Outline: topic, thesis, points, conclusion. Research: write down all the important parts from each source (separately), then sift through to sort into Supporting Point 1, Supporting Point 2, etc. Rough draft: opening statement(s), intro, point 1, point 2, etc., conclusion, closing statement(s). Edit/revise: read and check for grammar only, then read again and check for spelling only, read again and check for cohesiveness only, etc. Topic 1: Part A, Part B, etc.

Each of these small components can be individual items on your to-do list. Big tasks like, “write essay” are too big for most people. Even “write rough draft” is daunting. If you start with something specific and small like brainstorming, and work your way up, it’s a lot easier to approach. Plus, being able to check off tasks more often and more easily will boost your confidence and your sense of competence, thus building momentum.

Here is a sample to-do list: Research X for Point 1 of Literary Essay, create outline for History Essay, Edit/Revise Assignment 1, study Topic 1 and Topic 2 for Test 1.

To-do list or time-based schedule?

To do list: Write down all your assignments for the day. Put them in the order you want to do them, or go through them intuitively (based on what you feel like doing, or what’s most practical at the time/place you’re at).

Timed-based: Write down all your assignments, then write down the time you’re going to do each of them. You could set reminders or alarms if you want, or simply refer to the list. There’s an awesome app I recommend if this is your thing. It’s called Structured (iOS only).

Curate your study environment for maximum focus

Eliminate distractions such as uncomfortable clothing, sounds (or silence), phone and computer notifications, clutter in the room and on your desk, people who may try to talk to you (shut your door and/or inform them that you’re busy).

Designate a space to doing homework only and avoid spaces that you associate with other things (do not study in bed, as you will want to relax or sleep, and/or you will mess with your sleep by weakening the bed’s association with sleep).

Build associations: Incorporate other events and items into your study/homework routine that you only use while doing that, so that you associate those things with studying/homework (examples: specific playlists, pencils/pens, cups/bottles, scents, rituals, decor, etc.).

Ensure good lighting (preferably including daylight).

Get dressed in clothes that make you feel good about yourself. They don’t have to be “professional” and they should definitely be comfortable. Do not stay in your pyjamas. Believe me, I know this can be hard, and I love PJ’s. But they are not good for productivity.

Don’t “multi-task.” It may feel like you’re getting more done this way, but by splitting your focus, not only do tasks take longer, they also diminish in quality. Commit to the task you’re doing.

Meditate: You can even meditate for just 1-5 mins right before studying, homework and/or classes.

Practice self care (daily!)

Sleep (enough, well, and regularly).

Daylight: Get outside, work by windows, use a light therapy box. These can help regulate your sleep, improve and maintain mental health, and boost energy.

Fresh air: Getting outside even for a couple minutes can help you refresh and reset, and feel good about yourself and your life. Fresh oxygen can help you wake up and is great for your health. Even just opening your window can do a lot for your mood, energy and motivation.

Movement: Try to move at least once per day. The benefits of exercise are numerous and immense.

Healthy and consistent eating: Avoid spikes in insulin levels by eating regularly so you don’t have extreme dips in your energy level. Also, brain power uses calories too, so make sure you’re eating consistently, and try to eat healthy. There are so many other reasons eating consistently is good for your health (and by extension, your productivity).

Relaxation and leisure: Make time for fun and socializing, as well as intentional relaxation. Hobbies, movies/tv, time with friends/family, meditation, baths, progressive muscle relaxation, etc.

Therapy: Your therapy sessions are not daily, but you can do 5 minutes of inner-work per day based on what you and your therapist are currently working on. Working with a therapist is a great way to stay on track with your goals, and develop the skills and positive mindset required for success in school.

Reward yourself

Track progress: Reflect on all the assignments you’ve completed and your grades to remind yourself that you’re capable!

Completing to-do lists daily maintains a sense of accomplishment which keeps your momentum going. Check those items off! Or give yourself gold stars! ⭐️

Treat yourself with non-food rewards: Tie completed school work with fun tasks like video games, or take yourself out for coffee, or some other small (non-food) outing. What I’m trying to do right now is not do my leisure activities until my daily tasks are done.

Develop a positive mindset

Take promises you make to yourself seriously. The more you break promises to yourself, the easier it will get to continue breaking promises. You will lose respect for yourself which lowers motivation, and you will lose trust in yourself which can become debilitating as well. The more you keep promises, the easier it will get, the more motivated you’ll become, and the more you’ll trust and respect yourself. Your confidence will improve, and you’ll feel better about yourself. Productivity is choosing yourself. Discipline is choosing what’s best for you instead of what you feel like doing in the moment. Discipline is a muscle, and like any muscle, it can be strengthened, and it can atrophy.

Remember your “why.” What is the end goal of being in school? What’s your career path, and why did you choose it? What will your life be like when you have that career? What would your life be like if you gave up and didn’t make it to your goal? Aiming for your dream while running from your nightmare is a great strategy for maintaining motivation. Lighting a fire under your *** can be a huge motivator.

Remember how good you feel when you get schoolwork done, and let this motivate you to stay consistent. You can also remember how you feel when you don’t get work done, but definitely focus more on the positive!

Go to therapy and/or hire a coach. There are SO many benefits to therapy and I’d honestly need a whole other post to get into it. You don’t need to be depressed or mentally ill at all in order to benefit from talking to a therapist. They can even help you with time management, procrastination, motivation and more! If you can afford it, please do it. It’s such a worthwhile investment.

Be consistent

No “zero days.” Do at least a bit of homework or studying every day so you don’t slip into vacation mode. Make schoolwork a daily part of your life, so it just becomes the norm.

Build productivity momentum (track progress, check items off your to-do list daily, treat yourself, keep promises to yourself, remember your “why,” remember how success feels).

Stay on top of projects. Your assignments are made up of smaller tasks you assign yourself across time. “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.” - Robert Collier

Avoid burnout (more on this later).

Keep it interesting (more on this later).

Avoid burnout

Self-care: shower and/or bathe regularly, maintain proper sleep habits, stay hydrated, take care of your skin, do relaxation activities like meditation and reading, do fun activities, pamper yourself every now and then with face masks or foot baths, take your meds as prescribed, eat well and regularly, get outside often, move daily, etc.

Break up study/homework sessions into small, manageable chunks of time, with constructive (refreshing) breaks in between.

Break assignments down into even smaller tasks so that you aren’t over-working yourself during the course of a day, and so that you don’t overwhelm yourself (the stress can lead to burnout).

School-life balance: Keep up with your social life as best as you can, make time for your hobbies, maintain self-care, say no to things that don’t serve you, etc. Try to follow through with scheduled schoolwork 100% of the time, but know that you won’t. Sometimes you’ll need to prioritize mental health over schoolwork (be careful though, this is a very fine line, and a slippery slope). Sometimes things will come up and it’ll be out of your control. But more than anything else, there will be times when you just decide to prioritize something else like fun and socializing over schoolwork. This is why your schedule needs to be flexible: to accommodate sudden invites to hang out and random decisions to skip a homework/study session, but more importantly, flexibility will reduce the odds that you’ll skip in the first place. If your schedule includes hobbies and socializing, and anything else that’s important to you, then you won’t feel deprived. If you have school-life balance, you’ll have more of yourself to devote to schoolwork when it’s time to.

Keep it interesting

Romanticize your life by putting effort into making all of your daily tasks a special occasion.

Make meals and drinks special by using your favourite dinnerware and cutlery. Perhaps even incorporate extra elements such as: a beautiful tablecloth, napkins, candles and/or dim lighting, music, wearing your favourite clothing, etc.

Pretend you’re the main character in a movie about a successful, productive student (because you are the main character in your life).

Make games out of studying if this is something that interests you (the Forest app comes to mind).

Use lots of colours in your notes and buy colourful stationary! 🌈

Vary your approach/methods if needed to avoid boredom.

Study with friends (online or in person).

Reward yourself often.

Remember your “why.”

[thespoonisvictory]

Top Ten Most Wilbur Streams Ever:

rules: no dsmp lore streams, no music streams. I also tried to pick one from each ‘category’ of wilbur streams.

10. ‘If Niki Laughs the Stream Ends’ - feat. Niki

I showed extreme self-restraint in not adding more Niki-Wilbur solo streams. Anyway, this is the most enjoyable Wilbur ylyl vod, and one of the best of the Niki-Wilbur chill content genre. Besides their great chemistry, the Shawty bit is one of my favorites from the chat, and Niki losing it at the dumbest videos is just really enjoyable.

9. ‘mcc 12 - How long can I go without saying 'Gogy' ‘- feat. TapL, Phil, George

This team got first place four games in a row, had everyone in the top ten at one point, and looked great doing it. Wilbur’s chemistry with TapL and George despite having not made much content with them is off the charts, and it’s generally just such a fun vod to watch. Not only that, but their complete dominance and ease in so many games make this a really satisfying pov to watch, making this a rare vod where the gameplay and jokes are both at the top of their game. their communication and morale and skills and insane battle box comeback make this vod my favorite mcc team for Wilbur.

8. ‘Ultimate Chicken Horse (Post-nap stream)’ - feat. Niki, Fundy, Phil, and Tommy

Just a good time. Peak early dream smp content groups where people were just trying different dynamics out. Fundy shrieking when he died, everyone doing so poorly. They spend twenty minutes at the beginning trying to get Tommy to leave so Niki can play, some random dude accidentally joins. Cinema.

7. ‘Text-To-Speech Mediashare’ - feat. Phil’s assistance

Chaotic energy in the year of our lord 2020. The premise is simple: typing in chat activates a voice command, such as the word “clap” producing a clapping sound. This, as you can imagine, goes horribly, and breaks several times, while generally being overwhelming. At one point, Wilbur thinks he broke the entirety of twitch. This is where the clip of him reacting to the pigeon’s head coming off is from, it’s top tier.

6. ‘Minecraft 100 Player Lab Rat Experiment’ - feat. Technoblade

Definitely the best 100p in stream format, although I prefer the edited videos of some others, which is what keeps the moles and birds stream off this list. This is peak techbur content, what more can I say. uhhhh the techno burning his hand story makes me laugh every time I hear it, give it a watch.

5. ‘drunk geoguessr and minecraft with Niki, Fundy’ - feat. Fundy, Tubbo, Niki, Jack

Literally does “drunk christmas eve stream with dream smp gang” need more explanation? Drunk mamma mia!! Drunk geoguessr! Wilbur gives a giant sappy rant about how he loves his audience! Tubbo accidentally making Wilbur and Jack chug a ton of vodka is a highlight, but the whole stream just has a bubbly chaotic energy that really bottled the late 2020 dream smp vibes. 

4. 'It's time for monopoly‘- feat. Niki, Minx

It is a three-hour vod of actually playing monopoly and it is the funniest gameplay of it I’ve seen in my life. Minx doesn’t know how to play monopoly and struggles the entire time, yet somehow, she’s winning for a majority of it. It’s the most shit-talky we’ve ever seen Wilbur be. featuring bits such as ‘Pussy so good gotta put it in jail- uh’, ‘it’s free parking you stupid bitch’, Minx taking so long on her turns that Wilbur starts timing them, and Minx trying to think of warm places to go and only being able to think of Spain. Wilbur comes from behind to win the whole thing through psychological warfare, Minx loses her shit. Iconic. It’s one of those streams where the full three-hour experience is needed to feel the relief when Wilbur wins, and yet it doesn’t drag at all.

3. LAST HOUSE STREAM Short fun improv n that with Jack and Tommy - feat. Jack, Tommy

This is Wilbur’s funniest stream. Ever. I’ve watched it like five times and it still makes me laugh hysterically, it’s the peak of crimeboys humor. While everyone has their favorite bits, there’s really not a bad one, but finding out that Tommy does a great Karen accent and Jack and Wilbur rping distraught girlfriends are highlights. It’s just. So funny. Watch it.

2. skyblock randomizer finale - feat. my tears

I don’t think the vod even exists anymore, but the edited video does. It’s notorious for making people cry, and for good reason. I talk about it more here, but what made this series so unique was Wilbur’s ability to carry a story entirely solo, in such a solitary and empty environment. It shows how simple it is for people to get attached to things, for them to build a home and find things to love, and it’s all over a pixelated fish.

1. Quackity Wine Stream - feat. Quackity, George

It’s all fresh in our minds, so I’m sure I don’t have to recap too much, but this is easily the best of the “Wilbur is rambling freely about whatever topic comes to mind” streams that actually exist on Wilbur’s channel. Wilbur and Quackity have amazing chemistry and just have really candid conversations about their friendship and content creation as a whole, once they get started there’s not really a moment of uninteresting discussion. Plus, the fact that they’re getting progressively more drunk is an added bonus, also Wilbur’s beret is really cute. Who knows if it’ll stay my favorite as time passes but it is rn