Favorite non-fitness way you've "leveled up your life"?

[timbarber142]

Mine is having learned how to make and break habits - they're foundational to the way we do things, so being able to work on them and make progress in the right directions is a great thing to be able to do - as hard as it still is.

 

What about you guys?

[DerekP]

One of my weight-loss tools has been going low-carb. It's had a monumental effect on my depression, which has allowed me to change all sorts of habits and be aware of how my state of mind has effected my perception and performance. Total game changer for me.

[tmorg334]

Becoming more confident with my abilities in the kitchen has been one of the best investments of time and money I've made!

[Vella]

It sounds a bit weird, but the best non-fitness way I've leveled up recently was cancelling things. I just canceled half my social commitments per week, even at the risk of upsetting some friends that I need way more space from. And it's amazing how much difference it's made! I have free time to pursue the hobbies I always regret not having time for, my house is clean, and my stress levels are halved. I actually have time to do exercise again, where before I was having so much trouble fitting everything in that I just didn't get any exercise for the last three months. Now I feel like I finally have a bit of control back!

[timbarber142]

Wow, that's a REALLY good one.

Saying no is a skill that a lot of people don't recognize as a good thing to cultivate - but saying no to the stuff that doesn't matter, or to the people that aren't an important part of your life allows you to say yes to the stuff that is actually going to move the needle in life. That is such a good one!

[Vella]

Thanks It's a bit of a shame because a couple of them were tabletop games (which I love running) and anime nights where I was introducing my friends to the best of a genre they hadn't previously tried and watching their expressions

But there just aren't enough hours in the day for everything, and choosing where to spend them rather than having it chosen for you is kind of necessary in the end.

[timbarber142]

Yep. We are so prone to letting the good become the enemy of the best.

[Nightside]

To stop wanting things for the sake of having them not needing them.

[Yellowjacket]

Getting a DMA in Music Composition.  My composition level is OVER NINE THOUSAND!!  (sorry, I had to)

[Grifball]

I've spent the past year or so really intently studying personal finance. It's made a huge difference in how I manage and utilize the money I have, as well as my perspective on making more money.

 

Now that I've got a solid foundation in that, I'm moving forward with leadership and soft skills and making that the focus of my study so that I can advance my career more quickly and feed more into my money machine.

[PixieKitten]

I broke up with my controlling boyfriend and went to london for the day by myself in June, something I've never considered possible before. The world is my oyster now!!

[TankGrrl]

I started a law degree at night school (I graduate this year!)

I bought a house

I adopted a rescue dog from a shelter

I bought a slow cooker and learned how to slow roast meat (yum!)

I bought a fitbit

I applied for and got a promotion

Too many to list!!

Don't sit and wish, just get up and do something about it ;-)

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD which may explain a lot

[Vella]

PixieKitten - Well done! That's awesome levelling up

TankGrrl - That is an excellent life philosophy and seems to be working really well if that sample list is any indication.

 

Grifball - I think I need to do that as my next project ... personal finances just seem to escape me right now.

[MissoulaSquatch]

Uhh..I just submitted my first college application yesterday?

This one counts, right?

[Grifball]

PixieKitten - Well done! That's awesome levelling up

TankGrrl - That is an excellent life philosophy and seems to be working really well if that sample list is any indication.

 

Grifball - I think I need to do that as my next project ... personal finances just seem to escape me right now.

 

I've been lurking reddit.com/r/personalfinance and reading blogs like mrmoneymustache.com in addition to reading through some other packages and books like the Financial Fitness Program through Life Leadership. All good stuff. Feel free to pass along any questions and I'll do my best to see if I have answers.

 

 

Uhh..I just submitted my first college application yesterday?

This one counts, right?

 

Absolutely counts! Upward and onward!

[insanity]

Favorite... Getting my degree in electrical engineering. That was almost a year ago and I'm still in recovery from all the work I did. :-)

 

The next one is opening a business, gonna try and turn my recycling hobby into a official thing. Got the paperwork, just gotta settle on a name.

[Vella]

Grifball - I'll check those out! Thanks I may shoot you a question or two once I start earning a real paycheck again next week.

[Rurik Harrgath]

At first I started small, introducing life quests like balancing my budget or cleaning my apartment once a week.  Building on that, I've now graduated to full on skill quests.  A focus on bushcraft, camping, and survival has been my latest detour.

[Thrillho]

In four days, I take my final, final, final exam... and will have completed my Bachelor's Degree in Engineering Technology Management. 

[HailGenocide!]

 Purchased a block of land about 6 weeks ago and will soon build my first house

[Vella]

Congrats, Thrillho, and best of luck on your exam!

 

HailGenocide! - That's so awesome. One day, that is my goal - when I have "disposable income". What size block of land? 

 

For me, I just got another one: Recognised that I'm not happy living where I am now, particularly in my current social circle, and have decided to move back to my childhood home city with my friends from primary school. I've figured out all the logistics, how to make it happen. I've also decided not to move until I have found a stable job that pays me what my skills are worth, and a unit I'll be happy living in. Because I don't want to move from one place where my living arrangements are good, but I don't like the city and don't get to see the people I'd like to spend most of my time with often just to not have enough money to live with, or a place I'll be unsatisfied in. I want to eliminate my problems, not reverse them!

[HailGenocide!]

 Hey Vella, thanks for the kind words! It's 17m across and 32m deep so 544sqm, not sure what that is in feet though haha. But it's nice, about 25 minutes drive out of Melbourne, Australia, two beaches within a 10 minute drive and a pretty chilled out area.

[Vella]

It's OK, I'm an Aussie, too, so sqm is just fine by me. I'm actually returning to Melbourne as the childhood home city myself! Are you out near Werribee, or Mornington Peninsula way?

[Aena]

Gah. Its something I have so much difficulty admitting to and still feel a lot of shame about, but I'm going to go ahead and say it. I had a severe eating disorder. I used to love the thrill of exercise but after a bit of a trauma I ended up spiralling downwards, working myself to self-destruction and exercise became a utensil in, essentially, destroying myself bit-by-bit. Having always been borderline underweight just naturally (speedy metabolism amongst genetics), it put a lot of strain on my body to further lose more weight.

 

Wow, that sounds so depressing. Well, I'm glad to say this; I recovered! Quite a long time ago, too. It really doesn't effect me anymore and is no longer even a miniscule factor in my day-to-day life. Its long in the past. Its a beast long-slayed. So, when I decided to get back into the exercise that I've always loved, I figured that Nerd Fitness would be a great place to regain what was once mine! I sometimes like to think of it as my little redemption mission. The quest for the endorphin-high. 

 

So, obviously, I decided to ease into this first challenge by making sure that none of my goals were fitness-oriented. Not for any specific reason. But more so that I could take it slowly (I'm definitely the kind of girl who jumps into the deep end of the pool - and thrives on that), and really get to optimize my life in other ways. Turns out that this challenge has been amazing! I'd totally recommend it if you can squeeze in another quest or two. 

 

So I'm taking all of my multivitamins, I'm brushing up on my Japanese - its really levelling up my life! As a very happy-go-lucky person anyways I didn't think that it could make me more happy - but hey presto, proven wrong! Not to mention that, despite them not being quests in this current challenge, I've already began yoga and swimming again, as well as some more intensive exercises simply for the kicks! And man does it feel good. I just love that rush that you get after an amazing dirt-path bike-ride. Or a surf in choppy seas. Or just at being able to push my body to the limit; doing the splits, putting my legs behind my head - those chemicals feel pretty sweet.

 

Meh, I began to ramble there. But bottom line; I think that levelling up my life in ways other than fitness is just as meaningful as fitness-oriented quests. I'll definitely stick to a life quest or two in future challenges. Learning languages, taking care of myself, feeding my body the fuel it needs and doing things that are so relaxing and comforting are my favourite things to level up.

 

So *coughs*, um, thanks for reading.

[TheOtherScott]

I've given myself permission to abandon hobbies when I stop enjoying them.  To say "no" with peace rather than "yes" with dread is a very life-giving thing.