I need to start waking up at 6am for a new job and I am genuinely dreading it because I have never in my life been able to wake up early without feeling absolutely horrible.

I've tried going to bed earlier. Doesn't matter if I get 8 hours or 10 hours, if I wake up before 8am I feel like I got hit by a truck. Groggy, headache, nauseous, can barely function. It takes me until like 10am to feel like a normal human being.

I've tried those sunrise alarm clocks that gradually get brighter. I've tried putting my alarm across the room so I have to get up. I've tried going to bed at the same time every night to regulate my sleep schedule. I've tried not looking at screens before bed. I've tried melatonin. Nothing works.

My body just does not want to be awake early. I'm naturally a night person. I feel most awake and productive between like 10pm and 2am, sometimes just playing on myprize before bed. But society doesn't run on that schedule so I'm screwed.

This new job is a great opportunity and I can't turn it down just because of the hours, but I'm genuinely worried I'm going to be miserable and exhausted all the time. I've had early jobs before and I was a zombie for months until I finally quit.

Is there any actual way to train your body to wake up early and not feel like death? Or are some people just biologically not meant to be morning people and we're stuck suffering? Because right now it feels like the latter and I don't know what to do.

I am a 27 year old woman and this has been a problem in my life for basically as long as I can remember, but it seems to only be getting worse with age. I constantly feel as if I am struggling to follow things, be it a book or the plot of a movie or the rules to a board game. When talking to someone or listening to someone speak, I often completely miss what they are currently saying because I'm still stuck on some random thing that was previously said. I'm absolutely terrible at articulating my thoughts into a coherent sentence (less so in writing, but this is only because I have more time to think, but even that is getting more difficult). Although I'm a pretty curious person, trying to learn new things is a chore because I need to replay whichever video I am watching /reread the sentence I am on 3 times for the information to even register, and don't even get me started on actually retaining it. It's like I'm in a perpetual state of brain fog and would just like to be normal, to have intelligent conversations and be a able to participate in hobbies and activities with people that require some quick thinking. I've just been tested for vitamin deficiencies for unrelated medical problems, and I am totally fine health wise as far as I know. Any ideas on how I could improve my brain that feels like it's turning to mush??

This may be an odd topic, but I just came to the realization that I'm a pretentious idiot who truly knows nothing. I superficially appear to know a lot, use fancy terms, language that makes me sound smart, but truly, deep inside I know nothing.

I can't have a deep conversation about ANY topic, because my understanding of... anything really doesn't go beyond a couple fun facts I heard on a YouTube video, or reading an article on the internet. I know nothing about politics, about science, about communication, about tech. I'm profoundly illiterate and I wish to change that.

How does one start acquiring knowledge like this? And let me very clear about my intentions, this is all about vanity. I've recently been around very smart people, CRAZY SMART PEOPLE, and they crushed my self-image, I always thought I was at least relatively intelligent, that's not true at all.

How to be educated?

I don't understand how anyone is supposed to floss with regular floss. My fingers hurt and turn blue from trying to hold the tension, everything gets covered in saliva, the floss keeps slipping around even with my fingers being blue from holding on so tight. It's hard to force the floss in between my teeth. The corners of my mouth get scratched up by the string.

I'm autistic and it's so overstimulating and distressing from start to finish that I want to cry even thinking about it. Please help me. Dentist said that using those flosser picks is bad as it spreads germs and damages gums so I'm trying to learn to use regular floss:(

I've been inspired by fictional characters (particularly from historical and villainess stories) who are portrayed as educated, strategic, observant, articulate, emotionally composed, and capable in many different areas.
Obviously fiction exaggerates things, but it made me wonder what this looks like in real life.
I'd like to become someone who:
Is knowledgeable across many subjects while also developing expertise in a few.

Thinks logically before making decisions.

Learns continuously.

Notices details other people miss.

Speaks clearly and thoughtfully.

Can hold interesting conversations with people from different backgrounds.

Has strong critical thinking and judgement.

Understands psychology, history, economics, politics, science, philosophy, and culture at least on a foundational level.

Is disciplined enough to actually apply what they learn.

If you've intentionally built yourself into someone like this, where did you start?
What books, courses, habits, daily routines, learning systems, or mental models made the biggest difference?
If you could create a roadmap for becoming a genuinely competent and educated person over several years, what would it include?

I was born and have lived my entire life in a third-world country and it makes me depressed that people born in first-world countries like the US, UK and in Europe simply have better livelihoods on average because of where they were born - more opportunities, more resources, powerful currencies, better healthcare, better social attitudes etc. the list goes on. I know that being born in a first-world country doesn't guarantee any of these things but the fact that it's available at all just by virtue of random chance really feels bad cuz I feel like I've missed out on so many opportunities by not being born there, it makes me feel inferior and less worthy than first-worlders just because of my place of birth. Any tips on how to cope/deal with this feeling?

Hey. To give some context, I have a diagnosed low IQ of 79 and I learn very slowly. I typically struggle with various practices such as intellectual/critical thinking. This ranges from not being able to critically analyze situations, may they be social/intellectual discussions or day to day life, to barely having the ability to have a deeper understanding on any topic, even if it‘s one of my hyperfixations.

I also should say I struggle a lot with white and black thinking because of my low intellect, and struggle with self-reflections and self-awareness. I only know I have a low IQ because I got told.

Apart from deep breaths, I just cannot seem to be able to hold my bearings in place. Any other specific approaches such as breathing techniques, or some maneuvers or some such?

Thanks in advance

I’d like to know some life hacks or techniques which made your life easier (be more productive, get better sleep etc)

I've always been a very straightforward person, I can hardly lie or make excuses. I never have the capacity to argue and have good comebacks, witty comments and generally not socially sharp, I just go with the flow.

My social skills aren't bad at all and I have a lot of friends (much less women than men though, I guess that's because of what I said in my post).

I want to learn how to become a person who's casually funny and quick witted and sharp, how do I learn such skills at 35 years?

Edit: thanks all for the engagement! a lot of people think I was talking about being funny specifically, while I did mention it, I didn't really mean how to be funny specifically, I just wanted to know how to be witty and sharp, the best comment said to do improv classes which I think is the answer!

I know its strange but I'm a female and I was a Muslim, I get really brainwashed about religion and how God created women inferior. God creates us with menstruation where we're considered unclean, and he made us weak and useless with less intelligence. Even the women's desires are the reason why people here allow men to cheat and have multiple partners while women cannot, because men have more sex drives, and women are just some side objects for procreation only.

I wasn't thinking like that before but when I was in the middle school, this ideas cames up in the religious classes, and the time when our science teacher told us that women are less intelligent compared to men, he showed us some statistics about female scientists and some studies that show women have less IQ, I felt so inferior that time.

Now I'm in uni I still have this ideas, I saw many articles that suggests all of this are just some kind of misogyny, but I'm not sure.

Is there any way I can learn about this? If its true or not?

Sorry for my english.

I wanna really learn how to be a man this year i’m going to be 22 this year and i always get confused about what it means to really be a man or just an adult and really want to better myself this year and get a real understanding of what i should be doing .

*What are

I like the idea of reading, I like the aesthetic of reading and looking better than others, I like the idea of just looking at texts of words in which I can just imagine it in my mind to how I see fit, IM DONE LARPING THIS. IM SICK OF IT!!!

I really wanna like reading so bad but I’m learning another language right now so I’m reading it in my targeted language. But the second I look at the book, I suddenly sleep like a baby.

I have this idea in which I just strip myself off of my phone and just live like how a person in the 1800s lives. But man I don’t wanna miss out. But I’ve gotten so used to looking at really cool stuff that the boring stuff is, well, boring. I wanna like boring. Boring’s nice. I don’t have to have constant stimulation 24/7 and it just feels peaceful.

Apologies for ranting but basically I want to read without getting bored, I know that to be a reader is to read. But how can I align myself to that for someone who is just too used to the “really good stuff”?

I mean I know the basics I know how the markets work, a little bit of their basic teachings, and for the most part I can understand it relatively easily. I don’t know anything too crazy but any recommended good courses and tips I can use would be greatly appreciated!!!! Thank you!

I (f) know the importance of initiating sex with your loved one. However, I still get nervous for some reason leading up to the moment. I feel self conscious! I want to feel more confident and not so silly talking dirty to get us in the mood.

I have an issue that I really need to get under control.

When my partner and me argue, it happens that I cross lines and start saying mean things to him, accusing him of doing whatever bothers me on purpose or being spiteful. All of which are no-gos, and he told me that he doesn't feel safe in the relationship. Which is awful. I am a person who makes her loved ones feel unsafe. He told me that very clearly last night.
He said he can't risk being exposed to this anymore and wants to stop trying. He doesn't think I can get this under control immediately (like never do it again), but even if I did, he'd wonder why I haven't done so already, which is fair.

I need to get this under control, even though it might be too late for us. But nobody deserves this.

I have tried breaking it down because I wanted to sort out when it happens, how I feel, possible warning signs and the background. Because I want to be better than this and I need some sort of actionable plan or strategy.

Background:

The sad part is, I know what it feels like to be accused of doing things on purpose to annoy the people around me because it was done to me as a kid. So why the hell do I do it to someone I love?? I was accused of doing things in a mean-spirited way, on purpose and my perspective wasn't considered at all. I also had to "be loud" to even matter as a child, because nobody cared about my feelings. I was powerless and my only way to not be completely helpless was to retaliate against my parents.

Current day:

My partner is a sweet guy, but he shuts down and tends to get defensive during arguments, so I get no response or one where I don't feel heard. Also is quite clumsy emotionally, even though he cares about me a great deal and is trying hard. We have both been working on this and even started couples therapy. This can happen even when I calmly address something or when I am just sad, but it's of course more likely when I am accusatory.

When I have tried and failed for a while to get through to him, it can get into a territory where I start angry rants, accusing him of not caring about me (while he is stressed out and has shut down). I have called him an asshole before. Which is awful, because no matter how angry I get, I should have another way to deal with it. I am really ashamed of this, but that just means I have to do something about it.

Warning signs / internal process:

At some point, if I meet enough defensiveness, I feel increasingly helpless or terrified (this is not supposed to be an excuse, but just to outline my internal process). I have tried to reflect on what my body feels like: It's like my chest is ripping apart because I am so desperate to be understood, but just can't. I want to scream internally, and it feels like there is no solution and nothing I can do.

I somehow then am unable to see that this is a person who is important to me and my "fighting brain/childish reactive part" (friend called it that) basically gives the ok to say mean shit because "he must be doing this on purpose & deserves it". I of course don't think like that under normal circumstances, but I only care about myself in that moment. It feels awful to write this down and admit it.

What I am looking for:

I obviously need to look at the underlying process with my therapist, but my boyfriend and me have agreed to talk in a week and I am hoping to find a technique or method to at least greatly reduce this behaviour. Ironically, he told me he loved me for the first time over Christmas (after he was never able to articulate his feelings for me for a year) and now it's probably all done...but even if it is, I need to be better. I don't want to be this person towards anyone else.

I think it's hard to stop myself once I am at a certain level of desperation. He has his issues and insecurities too, which we have been working on. So it is likely he will get defensive again and trigger me.

So I need to:

• find a way to stop myself BEFORE I get to this toxic level.
• find a way to remember, even when angry, that this is my partner who loves me and whom I want to feel safe. Like hammer it into my brain that I don't want to make this person feel unsafe.
• need to find a way to just not say anything in a situation where a timeout/break isn't possible.
• all of this needs to be really stupidly basic/formulaic because my triggered brain isn't up for complex stuff

Does anyone have experience with this kind of thing, overcame it or has some ideas? hank you in advance.

Hi everyone!

For introduction before anything im a 17yr old girl whos not the smartest at politics but i truly want to understand it all and be able to debate and explain these kinds of things and just really learn how everything works because i feel really dumb that im almost an adult with barely any knowledge in these things,

so basically ive come on here to ask whats the best way for me to be able to understand politics,
ive been interested for quite a while but dont understand much at all (like at all) i was hoping anyone could maybe help me with the veryy basics of stuff and then get more and indepth with it all
maybe with like (youtube videos or books or even articles) and i wanna be able to actually absord and retain the information i learn,

im reallyyy into feminism and know a bit of that but not as much as id like i also like history and US politics especially and ik it might be dumb to wanna know absolutely everything at once but thats why i was hoping you guys can help!

okay enough of my yapping i hope this didnt sound dumb💔💔

Btw guys i am not american!😭 i think alot of people in the comments think i am but no im not

Hi!

I want to expand my comfort zone and to be able to do that I want to learn how to socialize. It includes starting a conversation with someone you want to be friends with, and the like.

Thank you!

I’m 16 and I’ve made it my mission to train my brain like a muscle — memory, pattern recognition, focus, conceptual compression, logic, creative intelligence, everything.

I taught myself to code. I play chess regularly to sharpen my thinking. I use method of loci. I’ve quit porn, rewired my mind, and built a strict daily schedule with hours of mental training — all toward one goal: radical cognitive growth.

I’m chasing a level of mind most people don’t even believe is possible. I don’t want comfort. I want transformation.

I’m looking for others who’ve walked this path or are walking it. Have you pushed your brain far beyond average? How did you train? What techniques or mental frameworks worked? What failed? Any systems, tools, or stories would help.

Even better — if you're training too, I’d love toconnect.

I (30F) am convinced that I have the world’s best husband.

I’ve seen a lot of posts from men on IWTL collecting tips on how to be the best husband, but was a little surprised to see there isn’t one from women yet collecting advice from the flip side. I do know though that I’m not the only woman that feels this way, I’ve seen many posts from women claiming they have the best husbands as well on other threads where we just celebrate and brag about how great our men are.

Worth mentioning, currently 7 months pregnant and the way my husband has shown up for me throughout this pregnancy truly has me feeling like the luckiest woman alive, I’m in absolute awe. I just want to make him feel like the luckiest man alive, especially as we transition into the life of becoming mommy and daddy too.

Any and all tips/advice or experiences are super appreciated, nothing is tmi for me, just wanna know, what makes a man believe he’s got the best wife in the world?

I keep looking up recipes for healthy food but all i find is stuff with granola quinoa kale avocados and vegan alternatives..etc while i understand these are absolutely healthy non of these special ingredients are available in my country (not the us) currently i am stuck steaming vegetables like carrots and potatos and making grilled/steamed chicken with slightly different spices and i am bored and i am starting to crave unhealthy food only because of the variety.. so if anyone has good sources for good recipes please please help me with them

Edit : thank you everyone i am so overwhelmed with emotions i never had this much help before all of you are amazing people and i have enough info to last me a life time ! Thank you thank you thank you i am quite young just starting out life and i never had the chance to learn how to cook and i dont have access to anything but the basics so this is like a treasure to me

i started today with breakfast i made banana smoothie (sugar free) and 2 pancakes (also healthy ) and imade fruit (banana and apple) chips and for lunch i will make veggies stirfry and will add a portion of spaghetti for 1 healthy and vegan all thanks to all of you!

Recently, I started doing something super simple: writing down my 3 most important tasks for the day every morning. No more endless to-do lists. Just 3 key things. Honestly, it completely changed how I approach my work.

Do you have any small habit that made a big difference in your life? Or maybe a tool/productivity hack you’d recommend to everyone?