u/JustMeAidenB

It doesn’t matter who you are or where you live, we all face adversity at some point in our lives.

Whether it’s dealing with bullies and feeling like an outcast, struggling to feel like you can find somewhere to belong, or any other number of social or personal conditions. We’ve all faced our own battles.

Over the past five years of rebuilding my life from the ground up, there’s one simple question that repeatedly comes up for me that I believe can help anyone searching for a meaningful path.

The question, as best put as possible, is: “who could I become and what could I learn/pursue to best help the younger version of me?”

The truth of our reality is that if you’ve faced it, it’s very likely others are facing it, too. We all aren’t that different, honestly.

To become the version of yourself that your younger self most needed is to become the type of person the world most needs.

This path pushes you towards meaning, purpose, and becoming someone who truly brings value to others.

So whenever you’re stuck, just take a moment and ask yourself.. “am I being who the younger me most needed, and if not, what can I do differently?”

This question has helped me significantly, both to push myself, but also humble myself. Cause it often makes me realize I’m not as far along as I think myself to be 😆.

Good luck, everyone! Keep striving. The world needs it. And don’t hesitate to reach out if you resonate and feel like these words just “get you”. I love helping, and I love finding ways to use my adversity to support others.

Cheers!

I’ve been helping people on this sub for a few months now and a recurring theme that comes up is “I’m *x* years old and feel like my life is over”.

Quick backstory: when I was 25, I got let go from a studio job - a job that I thought was the epitome of everything I’d desired in life. It turned out that the long hours, the crappy bosses, and the decent pay weren’t enough to keep me happy. After asking for a week off at the end of my contract due to burnout, they chose not to renew.

I was left feeling angry and uncertain about my life and my future.

Five years later, 30 now, I’ve spent time getting clear on what brings me an actual sense of peace and joy. I’d like to share some ideas that may enlighten your path.

1. It’s not the work itself, but the value you feel it brings that’s important. We are made for work, and for service. In a tribal culture, this makes sense. In societies of millions, this loses its clarity. Unfortunately, our systems designed for millions are not designed to bring the most out of us, they are designed to keep the factory running. Get clear on what you enjoy and how you enjoy making others feel, and pursue that feeling. Work, make money, but with purpose and vision, that work and money will mean something.

2. You are unique, and so is your path. While someone can help guide you towards clarity, only you can take the steps that bring your gifts to light.

3. Knowledge without action means nothing. If you know you should do something but you don’t do it, eventually, it’s no longer a question of clarity and it becomes a question of capacity to do things that scare you. Getting stuck sucks, I go there constantly. But it’s the little actions that keep us moving.

4. Develop a vision based on your unique sense of self, build goas that help you achieve the vision, and take action. Creation is a simple, repeatable process, but not necessarily easy.

Lastly, I recognize that 25 is fairly young. People may make excuses about age and belittle my post for me not saying I started at 30, or 40, or 50. But the central themes still stand. We can decide to pursue meaning and purpose at any age. The willingness to make a choice and honour yourself and your path is, what I’ve noticed as, the key difference between a life worth living and a life being wasted away.

Hope this helps someone. Happy to chat.

Hey self improvers. I wanted to share a set of steps I’ve been uncovering as I’ve walked my own path of self-improvement. Hopefully this helps a self-improver improve more quickly. 😄

Step 1) Imagination is where it all begins. If you can imagine it, you can quite possibly create it. We all have dreams, we all imagine ourselves in greater realities. That’s the spark that gets the fire going. Practice imagining your greatest life. See it. Live it. Feel it. The more clearly you can get the vision in your mind, the better.

Step 2) Set goals based around your vision. If you want to be the greatest version of yourself, you need a clear vision of who that is. At the very least, make it as clear as possible, and if it’s not totally clear, get a sense of how it feels. If you’re jacked, then start setting goals around diet and the gym. If you’re well educated and respected, set goals around the education you would like to obtain and the position you would like to achieve.

Step 3) Take action. Imagination and goals are nothing without action. Everything exists in your mind until you bring it to life with your body. The mind is infinite, but doesn’t act upon itself. The body grounds it into reality.

Simply put: Use your imagination to envision the life you desire -> set achievable goals to bring it to reality -> act upon said goals -> repeat.

Trauma & Resistance will get in your way. That’s a part of becoming your greatest you. Work on those things and you will continue to get stronger.

Ask questions if you’d like.

Best of luck ☺️.

Hi! Decade long songwriter here, dealt with the emotional and mental distress of trying to share music online as well as working in studios. Somewhat needless to say, the experiences have been difficult. Between trying to receive supportive feedback, praying for meaningful connection, and wanting to feel like what I'm sharing brings value, finding spaces on the internet where this comes to fruition has felt hopeless.

My goal is to build the sort of environment that supports artists into becoming their greatest selves as well as making their greatest art. I'm here just doing research as to what type of artist the community best serves, as well as what the general consensus is amongst fellow songwriters.

Would be grateful to hear anything you have to share! It all helps.

Cheers, y'all.