Removed almost all advertising from my life. About the only stuff i see now is just bill boards.

Meeting my partner. We met quite young, very formative years. I definitely wouldn’t be the person I am now if it weren’t for her and I am relatively certain I would have been worse.

Oh yeah also marxism radically altered my perception of the world. I can’t say I enjoy it but I am glad it happened.

Taking out loans to finish my last year of college

Taking psychedelics

The most major were moving far from where I grew up, taking a job that was hybrid physical labor and office work, meeting my now fiancé, and reading Marxist theory.

The first forced me to grow up.

The second helped my sympathize with the trades, physical laborers, and other people that office-workers are normally out of contact with.

The third dramatically improved my life and opened my horizons.

The fourth helped me make sense of our crumbling systems and know what needs to be done.

I have a desk job. The combination of a rowing machine and sit-stand desk has been a game changer for my spine health

Finding a great trauma informed therapist. After many attempts and being scalped, I finally found her and she has been the most compassionate, understanding and to the point therapist I could ever ask for.

Finding a great doctor who actually listens and has helped me tons with my condition.

I just I didn’t have to pay so much money to access these professionals, not that they don’t deserve it, they do!

Giving up eating meat. Not sure if it was cause or effect, but I got so much more interested in cooking food properly and looking after myself. Food and cooking became one of my favourite hobbies and 7 years later is still my go-to healthy wind-down activity that helps me relax after a long day at work. Knock-on effects have meant I’m happier and healthier than I ever had been in my life.

I took up smoking. No, not the lung cancer one. Cooking is one of the best things to keep me positive since I got divorced several years ago: treating it as a hobby I can be enthusiastic about, rather than something to do when I’m hungry. This spring I bought a smoker and had great fun learning new cooking techniques, new meal combinations, and enjoyed some excellent food. Previously I tried to do a meal from a different cuisine every week, before that I learned to use cast iron

Started a savings account

#1 - quitting drinking. I’d have been long dead by now the way I was going. #2 - starting meditation. I’m still not sure how I went 30-someodd years in this body prior with all that noise in my head.