Brand, thing, behavior, method, advice, mantra, etc.

I swear by Blackwing pencils.

Also, the ‘two minute rule’, which has really improved my life: “if it takes two minutes or less to do, just do it now; if it takes longer, schedule it.” I’ve got untreated attention issues and it’s very easy for me to notice something needing done, and overlook or procrastinate it because it seems inconvenient in the moment. Having a totally painless rule that forces me to acknowledge that thing I should pick up, that trash bag I should change, etc, or, to at least put on my calendar anything I mustn’t forget in the long run has been great for me.

  • Navarian@lemm.ee
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    uBlock Origin forever and always. I’ve recently reinstalled Windows within the last 30 days and thus have a fresh installation of my browser and uBlock Origin – I have already blocked 609,521 ads, wild.

    https://ublockorigin.com/ (Platform links at the bottom)

    • kucing@lemmy.ml
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      2 years ago

      I fucking love ublock origin. It really pains me that I cannot use it on my ipad.

      • BlitzKrieg2552@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        Try using Safari and an extension called “AdGuard”

        It’s not the exact same, but it’s better than nothing.

        • Synthead@lemmy.world
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          Apple has some insane policy where every browser on their mobile devices (iPhone and iPad) must run Safari’s Webkit browser engine. So even though desktop and Android Firefox runs Quantum (including Mac OS), it’s actually running Safari Webkit on iOS devices. The Safari Webkit engine doesn’t have the option of running add-ons, much like your Safari browser.

          Feel a little violated? I would feel that way, too. It’s just one of the many fabulous ways Apple decides which angles of freedom you’re allowed to have. If you don’t want this, vote with your wallet on your next device. Money is the only motivating factor for Apple, it seems like.

          • Azura@lemmy.world
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            2 years ago

            While I agree that forcing an engine is really terrible, as a browser dev you do get the ability to do things with the web view. So in theory your browser could support addons. I think. Also isn’t the EU kinda talking about this? Or am I misremembering

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      I remember hearings about this few years back when AdBlock started getting shady. Haven’t looked back

    • simple@lemm.ee
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      2 years ago

      Amen. I occasionally use other people’s phones or laptops and browsing the internet without an adblocker is an abysmal experience. I was surprised to see how many ads YouTube is pushing now. It’s a shame they aren’t accepting any donations.

    • rm_dash_r_star@lemm.ee
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      2 years ago

      uBlock Origin forever and always.

      Haha, most important program on my computer. My browser is a uBO support system.

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      600K in a month sounds about right. I have an install that’s above 13 million, which is a little over 1 year of daily usage.

      I also insta-install it when I see an ad and then remove it if it’s not my device. The modern internet is shockingly bad without adblocking.

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    Learn to be curious. Don’t know that word, define it. Never heard of that person. Wikipedia. Ever wonder how a combustion engine works. Look it up. I grew up when I had to write things down and go the library. We live in an age of wonder with unlimited knowledge at your fingertips. There is no excuse for ignorance today. You’re just being indolent. Learn to be curious 🧐

    Also. Admit when you are wrong and apologize.

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        Autocorrect. I should’ve added not to be pedantic because you’re insecure about your intelligence.

        Edit: That was mean. I’m sorry.

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      I say a variation of this to my kids almost every week. It boggles the mind how, with such an easy access to all the information in the world, they don’t know something and just shrug it off instead of searching for information (90% of times a simple google search would do). I imagine myself at their age with such resources at my disposal: I’d have been a much happier (and knowledgeable) kid!

    • DebianGuy@lemmy.ml
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      2 years ago

      Yes, yes. This is me. I also love a quote adjacent to curiousity.

      Be curious, not judgemental - From Ted Lasso, originally by Walt Whitman

    • FredericChopin_@feddit.uk
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      2 years ago

      Can people actually learn to be curious?

      It seems rare m, particularly in my circle. I seem to be the only curious one, they just plod along.

      • TokenBoomer@lemmy.world
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        It’s a choice. It’s best instilled with kids. As an adult, not so easy. I guess it would be best to lead by example. If others see how it helps you, they may try to emulate. It becomes a habit. It gets easier the more you do it.

  • TrismegistusMx@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    Don’t ever, for any reason, do anything to anyone for any reason ever, no matter what, no matter where, or who, or who you are with, or where you are going, or where you’ve been… ever, for any reason whatsoever…

  • NirodhaAvidya@lemmy.world
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    “You are under no obligation to be the same person you were 5 minutes ago” - Alan Watts

    This one is a bit hard-won for me. You see I used to be an asshole. It was my brand. I thought “it’s just in my nature”.

    Fortunately, I was also a student of religion (mostly because I was a militant atheist. Know your enemy and all that). Studying Buddhism, I began to observe the nature of self. I found enough distance from it to see its transient nature.

    I realized being an asshole was a choice and I could just as easily choose otherwise. Soon I began to discover this was true of most character traits.

    I’m not saying you don’t have consistent patterns of behavior. I’ll hopefully always be curious and analytical. But for the most part, the way you conduct yourself and where you focus your attention is a choice.

    So, if you’re not happy with who you are maybe don’t be so attached to the idea of 'who you are". And if that seems hard, observe what you pay your attention to and try to find the distance between observation and behavior. In that gap lies the choice you make, consciously or not, to be “you”.

    • erogenouswarzone@lemmy.ml
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      No offense, brother, but this is a great example of my swear-by.

      Don’t write a “wall of text.” Even if a reader is interested, it’s hard to read the whole thing.

      Separate your wall into smaller sections, use bullet points (esp at work) if it helps.

      Use small sentences. Forget what they told you about keeping similar ideas in one paragraph. You’re not Salinger, and no one is expecting you to be.

      This is a digital age, and our job as not-salinger is to convey information.

      • NirodhaAvidya@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago
        • No offense taken

        • These are salient points

        • I edited my post

        • I hope it’s easier to digest now

        • Thank you for the constructive criticism

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    2 years ago

    When it comes to food: Try everything once. You never know if you like it if you never try it.

    I’m not talking get a whole plate of the food, but just try a small bite.

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      I had an ex who wouldn’t try anything, it was infuriating. I asked him once whether he liked a vegetable, he said no, I asked how it had been cooked when he had it as maybe he’d like it if it was done a different way, and he said he’d never tried it. The only vegetable he’d eat was broccoli. He got upset when I said he had the eating habits of a toddler but I stand by that.

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    A few years ago I read a post about self improvement where someone wrote about the concept of no-zero-days to form habits. It basically means you just need to do something meaningful every day to make it count, even if it’s something very small. Read one page in a book - no zero day, do 10k steps - no zero day…

    Of all the things I read and tried in the past to change my behavior, get more active, learn new things etc, this by far worked the best for me and basically changed my life.

    Right now I have 18 different habits I’m tracking on my phone. Things like reading, learning Spanish, doing chores, solving a puzzle on lichess, taking a cold shower, learning something about world affairs/history, taking care of my finances, meditating etc…

    I don’t need to do all of them, one is enough. But because they require so little effort I quickly started to do more and developed habits I don’t need to force myself to do.

    Now I have a 1500+ day streak on Duolingo and do 2-5 minutes of Spanish lessons every day. For more than 4 freaking years. This eventually ended up in visiting a language school in Spain last summer. One of my best vacations ever.

    I read almost daily and found interest in new genres. I get enough exercise at least a few times a week. I educated myself about finances and now I don’t live paycheck to paycheck, paid off my debt and started to save something.

    I later read about this concept in the book Atomic Habits and found variations of it in songs like Little Acorns by the White Stripes. In the end it’s about breaking things up into small, easy pieces so you don’t get overwhelmed or give up before you even start.

    If anyone asks me what I swear by it’s this. It’s like magic.

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    2 years ago

    Don’t skimp on anything that separates you from the ground: shoes, tires, mattress, etc. Your body will thank you later

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    I read a story on Reddit one time that some of you probably remember.

    “Today you. Tomorrow me.”

    I think about that often and try to be a generally helpful and kind person to anyone in need. I guess that’s a mantra that I swear by.

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    Never piss off the people who make your food, cut your hair, or work on your teeth.

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      Adding to this, consider a second opinion on any dental work. One quoted me for a big job, but because of circumstances, I ended up going to a different dentist and they didn’t see anything wrong with my mouth. Been a number of years since and there’s been no problems without any work being done.

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    The journey is the destination.

    I have a problem with rushing through things. This has helped me slow down and appreciate what I’m doing. I’m not doing something so I can enjoy it after it’s done, I’m doing it to enjoy what I’m doing.

    • BromSwolligans@lemmy.worldOP
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      Any wisdom to share about how to be successful slowing down in this way? I’m a major rusher through. I even got a tattoo to remind me to slow down. But I often forget.

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        It’s not easy.

        When I feel myself rushing I try to think about why I’m in a rush and what I’ll actually gain. Like maybe rushing through a task will let me play a video game or something, but what does that do? Let’s me relax? Why not relax now and try to enjoy what I’m doing, or at least avoid having to do it twice.

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    2 years ago

    Sugaring.

    I’ll never understand why people continue to wax when sugar is an option. Wax is heated up to an extreme degree, which is why people can get burned. It sticks to your skin and rips off the top layer, which is why infections are common amd why its so goddamn painful. Wax requires multiple single-use paper strips, which is waistful.

    Sugar never gets that hot so you’ll never get burned. It only sticks to your hair, not your skin, so infection risk is much lower and it’s not nearly as painful. No paper strips required, and only one glob of sugar is used.

    Overall, all around, sugaring is far superior to waxing.

    • IdleSheep@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      2 years ago

      I just learned about this. Does this work well for men? The material I see online is all focused on women.

      I struggle a lot with body hair and mostly rely on hair removal creams because everything else has too many annoying drawbacks. Would he nice to have a more long-lasting option that doesn’t hurt my skin (and until I save enough to get laser removal)

      • OceanSoap@lemmy.ml
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        2 years ago

        Yes! If there’s an option to do so in your area, definitely give it a try! I don’t think you’ll ever go back to using those creams.