Yes, and I apologise if I veer off topic a bit, but I find all of these things below inter-related.
I've found that creating more space in my brain (I am prone to suffering anxiety) removes the friction I have in starting tasks and increases the enjoyment I get out of them.
Not only have goals become easier to progress on, but I've found that I can take on more.
All of this is a work in progress though, some days/weeks/months are easier than others - but equally the more I learn the more tools I have to deal with setbacks.
For me the things that have had a huge positive impact besides just changing my mind set are:
Wim Hof Method - I felt this would be worth trying to improve my asthma, but I've found it taught me how to meditate too - using this as a spring board I'm exploring other and further meditation techniques.
CBD Oil - this absolutely slayed my baseline anxiety, even if it turns out just to be a placebo, I place high weight on this simple act changing a lot for me.
Exercise (also a goal) - towards the end of last year I was around ~90kg @ 182cm, I'm now around ~75kg with some decent muscle definition - I've focused mostly on bodybuilding, watching the change in the mirror and taking a few minutes to appreciate the changes and my own hard work have been hugely rewarding for me. Also the enordphine rush from some of the workouts is great too.
Closely related to exercise is diet - this is something I am constantly paying attention to now (before I just didn't have the capacity and would happily chow down on McD's multiple times a week despite knowing how bad it was) changes in this impact not just my waist line but also my mood.
Jewelry - I discovered that while it's unusual for most men to do so that wearing jewelery makes me happy, so I disregard what anyone else may think and now wear quite a bit on a daily basis. Might seem a bit off-beat, but it's been a recent personal discovery and I think borne out of focusing just a bit more on being "me" not some ideal projection of myself.
Music (also a goal!), I've started to play the guitar again, I've had abortive attempts at this in the past but simply being able to say to myself "hey, I suck at this and it's OK because I enjoy it" has made it so much easier!
Now, of course there are goals that I am still failing at - learning Mandarin for instance - but seeing the progress on the others and by applying strategies I've learned from one goal or area of self improvement I am hopeful that I will eventually crack it.
Sorry if this diverted and went off topic, but I hope my experiences and rambling helps some people!
Your comment was very helpful. Some questions if your comfortable answering:
How did you change your mindset? Books, articles, techniques?
I currently employ THC to help with my baseline anxiety but that has been going downhill for me recently. May give CBD oil a shot. Do you just vape it?
When you say Wim Hof Method, do you include the cold therapy or just the breathing?
I wonder how much does lack of healthy relationships (romantic or otherwise) plays a role? That has been my biggest problem.
Unfortunately changing my mindset has just been a slow process (and I still think I have a lot further to go!) no real technique - I just try to invert negative thoughts and be grateful for what I have. I do not always succeed.
CBD oil I just use a tincture that I apply under my tongue - I'll also occasionally add edible capsules if I feel a day is going to be particularly stressful. From my experiments with THC as a teenager, we didn't mix well - I also used nicotine for a very long time, I wouldn't recommend it though!
For WHM I also do cold showers - I wasn't a fan at first, but now most of my showers are cold. I will note that I live in a fairly tropical climate so "cold" here isn't exactly freezing - I'm interested to see what the experience will be like towards winter as the water temperature will gradually drop. I do find I get the most out of it during periods of breath holding as it really let's me empty my mind.
Lack of healthy relationships can be huge - due to expatriating and people I knew leaving the country I am in I don't have a great deal of close friends who live in the same country as me - I am however happily married.
None of these are absolutes and it has taken me a long time to get to where I am.
I will also readily admit that in many areas I have been exceedingly fortunate and as a result there are many things I don't have to worry about that others do, this naturally makes some things easier - all our paths are unique.
