non-physical things that actually made a difference?
: ĢĢā Beautifying my voice and cultivating confident speech was one of the first things I worked on and it changed so much.
People compliment me on my voice all the time and I think that years of working in customer service really helped me to develop a very relaxing, pleasant voice.Ā I used to have this habit of raising my pitch at the end of sentences, making everything sound like a question. I started to speak from my diaphragm instead of my throat, to slow down and use pauses intentionally. I also practiced reading aloud every day, poetry and old books and news articles, just to hear my own voice and record my voice to get comfortable with it.
: ĢĢā Learning languages has been such a huge part of my life and I'm always working on adding more.Ā
I love speaking multiple languages and I think it's so important to always work on your languages because it keeps your mind sharp and opens so many doors for you socially and professionally. Each language opens up a whole new world of books and movies and music and people. You can't fully understand a culture without its language, and being able to move between them has been a huge part of my life. It's a challenging process but very rewarding and so worth it.
: ĢĢā Broadening my horizon through books and movies and art is something I'm so intentional about.Ā
I have a reading goal every year. I make sure to read books from different countries, different time periods, different perspectives. I read classics and contemporary, fiction and non-fiction, poetry and philosophy. I keep a note where I write down quotes and ideas and questions that inspire me. For movies, I keep a list on Letterboxd. Everything teaches you something about how people think and feel and live. Art is empathy practice, it's learning to see the world through other eyes, and that makes you more interesting and more compassionate and more human.
: ĢĢā Being well-travelled, but it is more than just collecting passport stamps.
I learn about the history before I go, I do tons of research, and I learn enough of the language to get by. When I'm there, I wander without a plan, I talk to old people in cafes, I go to the grocery stores and the parks and the neighborhoods where real people live. I take notes about what I notice, what surprises me, what I love. I love traveling, it's so much fun and the fastest way to connect with someone is through shared experiences.
: ĢĢā Getting properly medicated and finding the right supplement routine changed my brain completely.Ā
I have ADHD and for years I tried to just manage it with willpower and systems and beating myself up for not being able to focus. Getting on the right medication was like someone turned the lights on in a dark room. I could suddenly do things without fighting myself every step of the way. And supplements filled in the gaps, the magnesium glycinate for sleep, the vitamin D for mood, the omega-3s for brain function, and other supplements I use for energy, focus, and beauty purposes.
: ĢĢā Learning to dress for my body and my coloring, not just follow trends.Ā
I had a color analysis done and learned which shades make me glow and which make me look tired. I had a stylist help me understand my body shape and which cuts work best. Now when I shop, I don't waste money on things that look good on the hanger but wrong on me and I don't have to try things on to know they won't suit me, I can immediately tell. Everything in my closet works, everything makes me feel like the best version of myself, and getting dressed in the morning has become so much easier.
: ĢĢā Understanding my own psychology, my patterns and triggers and wounds.Ā
I've done so much therapy and reading and reflecting, and I know myself. I know why I react certain ways, what situations are hard for me, what I need when I'm struggling. That self-knowledge means I can take care of myself instead of waiting for someone else to do it, and I can communicate my needs clearly instead of hoping people guess.
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