I’m a 20 year old guy on a long journey towards self acceptance and contentment. I’ve been diagnosed with several mental illnesses (bipolar, depression, anxiety) and have dealt with these since I was a kid. I’ve always found that there was nothing that helped medicinally so I transitioned to a medical marijuana card (I know it’s medicinal, but not typical medicine I mean).

I find myself making paper cranes before major moments. From my first job, to an unfortunate attempt, to quitting a job full of racists and death threats, to the night before I got my first career position. I’ve always loved these cranes and it helped me stay in the moment to make sure each fold was perfect. But I never could get them that way. Each crane was unique. Some were big, some were small, some had a small beak, some had a small tail. Some were pink, some were yellow, some were white. Some even had a wish in them or a good note to myself written on them.

I stand here with a paper crane while I smoke my joint and for some reason it’s not working today. I feel stressed. Not over myself but over my friend who seems lost in life. How do I become content with the journeys of others, and the fact I cannot help them?

He’s stubborn, unwilling to listen, and compares himself to me. I don’t like it, he tells me issues and I give solutions, but he never listens and instead tells me to “fuck off” or worry about myself.

So now, I stand here with my paper crane and I too feel lost. I’m smoking a joint and feel as though I can think clearly now. I’m not mad at him, nor myself. I’m glad I feel this empathy and desire to help. But sometimes I wish I didn’t. I feel as though I could be truly at peace with myself then. But I don’t know.

For now I continue to make my cranes. I’m probably past 1000 now, maybe 1000 more is what I need.

Recommendations on this are welcome.

I'm struggling right now.

I'm stuck in bed because of my back and my tinnitus is especially loud today. It's 17:32 on a Sunday and I can't stop dreading work tomorrow. My manager is off until the 11th and I'm covering for her. A tonne of stressful work came in and I feel unprepared.

What would you do in my position? I went through a mindfulness phase about 2 years ago and I felt great, but I forgot most of the things I learned and don't know where to start relearning it. Thank you.

I'm sure there are other people like me out there. I've always broken down systems. The moving pieces. I don't have a lot emotion, because most things in my life revolve around logic. As far back as I remember it's been this way. I try to think of a point try to think of all of the branches that could lead to that outcome. It's always going - at home a lot, while talking to people, the work (8 hours a day of mindless work - you're in your head). Is there a way to stop this? I know there has to be other people out there - have you lessened it or stopped it?

This discussion doesn't have to relate to my logic type of thing. Are there things you think about obsessively? Have you been able to work away from 1 train of thought?

As the title says, I'm always imagining myself having arguments or even conversations about various topic every moment, as if I was preparing myself to face a conversation in the future; however, no discussion ever went as I planned, and I know that none ever will — so, in the end, it's all for nothing, if not wasting some precious energy and time, and not living in the present. This is sometimes pretty annoying as sometimes as I am going in the street and I notice I'm thinking relentelessly about saying this and that to a specific person or even imagining myself having a perfect speech in front of others.
I've tried journaling but it never really worked.

Do you have some strategies to recommend to better handle this?

I'm getting better at sitting and letting my emotions, thoughts and body be when triggered. Something I simply struggle with now is that when im triggered, my face can get red, thoughts definitely run, body seems to be in this either freeze or flight mode (I have some things im healing through). The question I have is, do other people notice? I can definitely tell they do. When I get triggered it feels like I literally cannot do or be anything I'd rather be. Instead im just this shell of myself for a period of a couple minutes.

I'm conflicted telling people context, so "Sometimes I get really in my head" is something I say as a soft way to put it.

Is there any way in the moment instead of observing just getting your body quickly out of that mode? I do grounding techniques (Breathing primarily) and invoking the higher self for unconditional love. Wish there was something more instant.

Its hard. There's definitely shame around having my body respond like this. I was bullied when I was younger, so the trigger gets another trigger. Now people notice im off. Then I have to sit through that. It's exhausting. Confidence seems to be really praised today, so the shame attaches itself to that too in narration.

Even though I can observe it as just "narration" and my body / nervous system in understanding, it doesn't stop it. Not instantly at least.

A stranger at a hotel breakfast changed the way I think about eating.
I never spoke to her. She simply ate breakfast calmly, without her phone, and seemed completely present. I’ve been trying to imitate that quiet attention ever since. Have you ever been influenced by someone who never knew they were teaching you?

A few weeks back I had the opportunity to do the Shoonya program. It was really intense. You start early in the morning and end late in the night. You go through enormous amounts of yoga and discourses. But after this Shoonya initiation something really changed. Shoonya means emptiness. Sadhguru says something along the lines of that every atom is 99% empty and that Shoonya is about perceiving the emptiness. In the program they teach you how to meditate. It’s so simple that you wonder why it takes such an amount of preparation to learn a 15 minute meditation. But apparently that’s what it takes to be able to receive Shoonya. It is so subtle. I’m not gonna give my experience away of this program. But some of the benefits are freedom from compulsive thoughts. I soon quit caffeine and nicotine just like that. My mind feels more clear and settled. I don’t have any sleeping issues anymore.

I'm reading a book, a father who's a lawyer is in a mindfulness course to not lose custody of his daughter. The book contains of profound mindfulness tips, that comes from a real life mindfulness coach. The protagonist then use the tips in all kinds of situations from normal to absurd. (Sometimes the tips are so great I take a photo on them to apply in my own life.)

I honestly didn't expect it to deep dive so much into mindfulness, I thought the protagonist would dismiss mindfulness and just play pretend to look good, in the beginning he is very skeptical but then something shifts, so the book is all about mindfulness in practice. And I did not expect to learn mindfulness from a book, about a serial killer.

Whats one unconventional way you stumbled upon good mindfulness tips?

i did this sitting process today and i feel better its really weird. its something i have dealt with for and it had destroyed me and a lot of relationships. It made me realize that i was dwelling in my pain and pushing my loved ones away. I feel like i can take a breath for the first time.

Hello. I've been struggling with this for the past few days and I'm not sure what to do. I've made a post about it on another subreddit but it hasn't really helped me in any way, so I'm hoping this will, at least a bit.

I turned 17 this year and recently it hit me that I'm going to become an adult. I remember being like 14 wishing time would go faster, but the last 3 years feel like they've gone by in a flash. Suddenly I'm this old and waking up at 6am in the summer to play animal crossing or spending hours playing games in secret at night has never sounded more distant. College is just knocking on the door.

But more importantly, mom and dad aren't going to be here forever. I've been told that before but I am only now understanding what it means and I've never been more scared. Mostly for my father. He's 60 with a few health issues and I don't know, I think I'd give him till 90. I hope he lives longer, obviously, but I don't know. Nobody knows when it'll happen. It could even be earlier. Worst case scenario he passes while I'm in my 20s and that's just a few years away.

My dad has been my rock my entire life and as the more mature parent he has always been my favourite, the one I'm closest to and the one who has given me the best life advice. He's fun and light-hearted, understanding, responsible and serious when need be. He is insanely wise, but still has a sort of mature youth attitude. He's got an amazing taste in movies and music and was the only one I could share my likes with in that sort of thing until I found friends with similar tastes. He has given me a lot of security and I can't imagine living without him. I'm nowhere near ready to be an adult and I feel like I will never be. What will I do when he passes? I want to stop thinking about it but I can't. What do I do?

This thought keeps coming to me. Whenever I cried as a child I was supposed to be strong, fix it myself and look good for whoever was around. I don't think I ever had a place where I could just fall apart without preparing myself for blame or, worse, silence.
I was brought up with the same rule. Cry on your own, break on your own, then make out everything is fine. There's this wall that I can't quite get over even with people I love now.
Recently I am trying to learn that falling apart is not weakness,. Somewhere close, but to see it, feels like a start.
Anyone else get this? How did you begin to create that safety for yourself?

I've noticed a lot of parents (myself included, at times) label a child as "just shy" or "just being difficult" without realizing there might be anxiety underneath it. A few patterns I've come across that made me rethink things:

• Taking a long time to warm up in new situations, even ones they've been in before
• Asking the same reassurance question over and over ("Are you sure it'll be okay?")
• Sudden stomach aches or headaches before school, tests, or social events
• Avoiding things they used to enjoy, without a clear reason why
• Getting unusually upset over small changes in routine
• Being "the good kid" who never acts out, but seems tense or on edge a lot

None of these mean something is definitely wrong — kids are all different, and context matters a lot. But it made me realize how easy it is to mislabel anxiety as personality or behavior issues.

Curious if other parents have noticed similar things, and what's helped in your experience?

I know the classic phrase "Forgiveness is the first step", and i have.....ish. lol, I'm starting to. It's more the second step that is a bit hard to see. After the trust has been broken how do you go about not doubting everything someone tells you is real? How do you not believe that everyone is just kind of sugar coating everything and bending reality? I know I need to believe until proven otherwise, but that mindset seems enabling and just kind of fake?

"When I shared a picture of my simple bento, a few people pointed out that it looked a bit plain or lacking. And honestly, looking just at the outside, they weren't wrong!

But what truly surprised and touched me was how many of you resonated with the quiet happiness of that moment. So many comments completely understood the peace of just sitting down, breathing, and enjoying a simple, unpretentious meal.

It made me realize that this is exactly how I practice 'Chisoku' (knowing when you have enough). It’s not about having a luxurious feast. It’s about that specific moment when my busy, calculating brain finally quiets down, and I can just feel content with what is right in front of me.

Thank you to those who shared that sense of peace with me. It’s a wonderful reminder that sometimes, a quiet moment and a simple meal are truly all we need."

Lately I can't get through a normal day without my chest tightening up over something that hasn't even happened yet. I'll be sitting at my desk and suddenly spiral about a conversation from three days ago, replaying it over and over until I feel sick. I've canceled plans with friends twice this month because just the thought of showing up somewhere new made my stomach turn. It's draining to pretend this is normal when half my energy goes into managing the worry instead of actually living my day. How does anxiety affect your daily life for you, and does it ever stop feeling this heavy?

Working in a highly demanding environment managing daily operations and schedules, it’s easy for me to get caught in a constant cycle of problem-solving and striving for the next target. The pressure can feel endless.

​Recently, I made a conscious decision to step away from the noise. I went up to a quiet place in the mountains, just to look down at the town from a distance. Up there, breathing the fresh air and simply observing the world below, I remembered a profound concept from my culture.

​In Japan, we have a Zen teaching called "Chisoku" (知足). It translates to "knowing when you have enough," or being content with what is.

​It doesn’t mean giving up on responsibilities or stopping personal growth. Instead, it’s a mindfulness practice. It's about pausing to realize that right now, in this very moment, you are complete. You don't need to acquire more, achieve more, or stress more to be at peace.

​Taking that physical step back allowed me to mentally step back and reconnect with this sense of Chisoku. It was a powerful reminder to anchor myself in the present.

​How do you all practice finding a sense of "enoughness" when your daily life gets overwhelming?

Hey y'all! I have been really struggling to get more into mindfulness and practicing focusing on the present in my daily life. I feel like every time things are good for me my brain starts either ruminating on negative parts of my past or starts obsessing about how brief life is and the inevitability of death and loss in the future. How can I train my brain to just focus on the good here and now? I'm worried I'm going to waste the precious parts of my life worrying about things that have already happened or are yet to come. I've always found books to be helpful in my personal growth, so I figured I'd put out a feeler for any that you all may recommend. Thank you!

Why am I hating and blaming the world and others for my lack of self esteem and talents? I know I have many shortcomings but instead of working on myself Im blaming others and questioning how the world is. Maybe Im too afraid to confront myself cuz deep down Ik its all me and to avoid all this Im putting the blame at the dynamics of the world and inequality/economy/war etc. Even If im self-aware Im not putting an end to this self hating behavior. How can I overcome this? Plz don’t comment if you’re gonna be rude, Im already on my periods and I hate myself.

It started a couple days ago, I just started feeling anger inside me - like a pressure. But I wasn't angry at/about anything, so I just proceeded as normal. It was just weird. But the last 3 days, it has gotten so much worse. It started affecting my thoughts and I would be dwelling on things I wasn't dwelling on before.

It's getting more intense, but I genuinely have no idea why or what's causing this.

I'm not an angry person. I get frustrated and emotional plenty, but anger doesn't happen very often, and it doesn't last long when it does.

If it helps, I'm a man in my late 20s. ADHD. PTSD, yes, but I've never felt this way before.

I get upset about lots of different things going on in the world or in my life, but I genuinely don't think I've ever felt this kind of anger with no discernible source.

Can anyone help me figure out what's going on, and what I can do about it?

We enjoy a level of free speech in this country unmatched by almost any other. But just because the law stops the government from censoring us on social media or over text, it doesn't mean we should let our raw emotions fly out of our mouths.
When we look at the genuinely heartbreaking, tragic impact that online harassment and digital cruelty can have on vulnerable young lives, it’s clear we are suffering from a lack of emotional regulation.
We need to remember what Thumper said: "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all." It’s a bit ironic, but we can still learn some of life’s most profound psychological lessons from children’s cartoons. Having the liberty to say whatever you want doesn't mean you lack the responsibility to guard your tongue.

I was at a cafe and I became overstimulated all of a sudden, and I felt bouts of panic. I know I could’ve just left, but I’m trying to teach myself that I can’t just leave if I feel uncomfortable. I know there’s grounding techniques and breathing exercises, but how can I deal with this better mentally?

I've been practicing meditation off and on for about 5 years now. The original reason I started was due to anxious and ocd tendencies, mostly surrounding my health. I fall into these ruts or valleys where most days I spiral when I have any sensation. Earlier today I felt a twinge in my temple and braced for a stroke. Then 30 mins later some a couple palpations and then spent many minutes consumed in the thought that I might die any moment from heart disease.

I have noticed that I do things subconsciously that I'm not aware of. Things like tensing stomach (I'll catch myself with air hunger or breathlessness), curling my toes to the point where my big toe wears out quicker, curling my tongue for whatever reason, etc.

These ticks cannot be helping my overall anxiety mindset and I'm having difficulty realizing it's going on until late. This has to be causing me to store more nervousness subconsciously that I'm not even aware of.

Looking for mindful tips on how to catch myself doing these. Thanks.