Hey Pandas, What Improved Your Quality Of Life So Much, You Wish You Did It Sooner?

Letting go of the thought that 'what others will think'. This was constantly bogging me down. Also, life got easier when I started reminding myself 'everything is not my problem'.

Losing weight and getting into shape. I got depressed and eating was my coping mechanism. I ate my way to obesity with a BMI of 36. I looked terrible and felt terrible. Now I'm 77 pounds lighter, exercise at least 5 days a week, and feel 20 years younger.

Adopting a cat, I didn't know that a cat can return love like that and be so gentle and attached to a human being.

Letting go of toxic friendships.

Quitting social media. It became so toxic, particularly after the 2024 US election. I never realized how much it was contributing to my anxiety and frustration, nor how much time I was wasting on it. Since quitting, I've completed several household projects I "didn't have time for" before! Second would be limiting my news to non-hysterical, unbiased sources, and only checking it once a day.

Drinking more water. It reduced my headaches, improved my sleep, decreased my pain levels.

Quitting drinking alcohol. Five years now. I'm seventy and drank heavily for the previous twenty years before quitting. Feels like a new life. BTW, no 12-steps, no religion, no rehab, just decided to quit and did.

Decluttering my closet so I actually wear what I own.

Moved to live beside the sea. Very peaceful a d love to hear the waves. Lived in cities before thus and can't believe the difference in lifestyles less than 50 miles

Weed. It's been legal where I live for years. When I was in the military I had a security clearance and would never do anything to jeopardize it or my career. Now being a civilian and pretty much in pain every day I have some in the evening, only at home while relaxing and not planning on going anywhere. It has greatly improved the quality of my life.

Breast reduction surgery.

Having big breasts is a genetic feature for women in my family; they remain voluminous no matter how much weight you lose.

I used to have permanent cervical and back pain, postural issues, and skin allergies during summer. I was unable to move or run properly (as a gym enthusiast, this was a setback).
Finding suitable clothes was a challenge (even though I have normal weight): I usually bought dresses in extra large sizes, then narrowed them in the lower part.
Additionally, I was subject to bullying, catcalling and even sexual harassment for decades (since I was 12).

Before the intervention (which was much easier than I had thought), my doctor told me: "You'll wish you did it sooner".
My, was she right.

Quitting smoking. I smoked for twenty years, but in 2023 I suffered a stroke. I lucked out — it was the smallest type of stroke I could have, with very little damage. It scared me though, I had just published my first novel earlier that year, and my second was due out in 2024, and it's a five book series on top of all that. I want to see it completed.
Of course last month I was diagnosed with stage three cancer; tumor on my bile duct. Maybe caused by the smoking, maybe not. But I finished drafting all five books, even started a new trilogy, and I have more energy. I'm in the best shape of my life, and I don't smell like the floor of a NY dive bar anymore. I'm gonna keep kicking, until I can't.

I know it's corny, but - meeting my wife. She has made my life for the past 25 years. It's not been perfect by any means, but my life was going nowhere well into my 30s, and it has been worthwhile ever since. We met when we were 37 - it would have been great to have met 10 years earlier.

Installing air conditioning in my bedroom.

block counting and loud music!

I have road rage, now instead of getting upset at bad drivers, do a quick block counting exercise and turn up the beat.

when I fetch my kids from school, they get onto Spotify and we all sing along to (read: SCREAM) to Smells like Teen Spirit, Zombie and Notorious B.I.G - when we get home, all the days nonsense is gone, since doing this, we noticed that they were more willing to get homework and chores done. Over weekends, we don't watch TV, we just jam out all day.

Cataract surgery. I wore glasses for 60 + years. Now I only need them for reading and driving. The world is clear.

Therapy. Understanding your own mental health is a path to coping, or moving past the past. Knowing you are feeling terrible today, but that doesn't make your whole life worthless, nor does it make the entire world terrible. You just feel terrible about it today.

Getting diagnosed. When I started meds for my depression my mood improvement was noticed by those around me. When it was confirmed I had ADHD I saw the difference in what I could do with the right assistance.

I realize this is not popular, but chiropractic care for me is and will continue to be a game changer. I can't say that my pain is completely gone, but the pain has lessen a great deal in my neck and almost non existent in my hip.
As with anything else, research to get a good doctor.

Getting a dog. Love my Zoe so much.

Reading. I read a ton when I was younger but then life got busy and screens got everywhere and I was only reading a couple books per year in spurts. In an attempt to reduce my screen time I committed to reading a half hour a day. Its been a couple years now and although I don't read every single day I do most days generally finishing a book every other week. I've read so many fantastic books and it really does improve the brain's functions like memory, vocabulary and focus.