A lot of people answering this struggle to understand what highly-specific means. I’m looking to, for the sake of experiment, highly-specific advice that gives a reader clear understanding of what they should do. Unlike the vague advice, on the contrary, that may be too abstract to get implementing it right away.

Inspired by this post but I wanted to change the question a bit to avoid the really vague answers as well as lower the age bar of target audience for the advice.

I’ll start with a bunch myself, to give a better example of what I’m talking about:

  1. Read The Art of War by Sun Tzu. Ironically, because this is a post about specific advice, dude wrote a book with vague rules on how to do war, but the way it is worded is ridiculously good. If you take your time to think about the advice, you can find their appliances in the most unexpected fields.

I, for example, have improved my skill in videogames, out of all places, after reading the book. Sun Tzu said “If it is not advantageous, do not move”. Instead of rushing into combat, I now consider whether my position, current health, location of health packs etc. work to my advantage. Sun Tzu made me realise team-based PvP shooters give you room to avoid and disengage combat, you can make more impact for the team if you choose your battle and have everything work for your advantage.

  1. Exercises are not just about a lot of dedication, long commutes to the gym, expensive memberships and the fear of being judged by other gym members. 7 minute workout is a thing and it will give you all the benefits at your own home without the need for equipment, and it won’t take much time either.

  2. Buy an old used Kindle. For dirt cheap, you will get a device with a good e-ink screen that works without Internet connection, still has decent battery, is light and small. A new thing that makes reading so comfortable will trick you into reading more and books still happen a good medium for sharing information.

    • PlexSheep@feddit.de
      1·
      9 months ago

      Good you say it. Smoking really drives people away. I’m a non smoker and never will, I’m seeking distance whenever someone in my proximity smokes.

      That includes smoking 2: electric boogaloo (vaping) too, even though it doesn’t smell as bad.

  • Io Sapsai 🌱@lemm.ee
    9·
    9 months ago

    As an eastern European nearing their 30s in a situation much less extreme than yours - do not fall for “patriotism”. I do not mean the “go and fight for your people” type. That takes guts and mentality I do not possess.

    I mean the “doing X is unpatriotic” type. Usually comes from “patriotic” formations who follow a certain narrative and work for the interests of other countries. Look for buzzwords like traditional values, us vs them, targeting a group of people as a whole, claiming to get back “what is ours” (territory lost centuries ago, not currently occupied land). Big social media presence coupled with self-produced “reports” and “news articles” (bonus points if they have their own mass media channels) are also a giveaway.

    Thank you but I won’t let your aggressor, through puppet parties, dictate what about my attitude and views is patriotic and what isn’t.

  • phanto@lemmy.ca
    9·
    9 months ago

    Save 15%. Even if it absolutely sucks to do so. If you have to dip in to the 15%, it better be for life or death. Skip meals to save that 15%.

    1$ saved at 20 is like 20$ saved at 40.

    Also, don’t cash advance from a credit card, ever, for any reason. I once bought a 6$ taco at age 18 on cash advance, and once I finally cleared it off, that taco had cost me almost 500$. I did the math.

    • KevonLooney@lemm.ee
      4·
      9 months ago

      If you make less than $20K, there’s no real way to save up. 15% of 0 is 0. But if you can afford some extras, definitely send an automatic 10% to 20% of your paycheck to your 401k plan or whatever. You will genuinely not notice it.

      Use this calculator to see how saving for the future will benefit you:

      https://www.bankrate.com/retirement/retirement-plan-calculator/

      Starting at 22 saving 15% of 35K will get you $1.8 million by age 62.

  • hades@lemm.ee
    7·
    9 months ago

    Install GnuCash, learn accounting, and start tracking your money and use proper financial language. There is a lot of good financial advice out there (budgeting, investments, debt reduction), and all of that is much more efficient if a) you know where your money goes and where it comes from, b) you are proficient with financial software, and c) you can talk to the banks in their own language.

    • moreeni@lemm.eeOP
      2·
      9 months ago

      Dude, finally someone gave a highly specific advice that I was asking for. I love you. Other replies are decently specific at best, with some being vague, despite my efforts to explain that this was not that I asked for.

  • Blizzard@lemmy.zipEnglish
    7·
    9 months ago

    Get a good, ergonomic mattress, don’t spare expenses. It will pay off in a decade when you’d otherwise start getting back pains.

  • intensely_human@lemm.ee
    61·
    9 months ago

    You should do 10 minutes of metta meditation per day.

    Set the timer, sit up straight, bring your hands together, then think to yourself (one thought per exhalation)

    • May I be protected and safe
    • May I be free from sickness and suffering
    • May I be peaceful and happy
    • May I be free from troubles and worry
    • May I be healthy and strong
    • May there always be kindness and friendship in my life
    • May I take care of myself with ease and joy

    Once that’s finished - seven breaths - pick someone else and say these things to them (silently in your own head), again one breath at a time.

    Pick someone whom it’s easy to wish well upon.

    Once that’s finished, pick someone of medium difficulty to feel good about. Maybe someone neutral.

    Once that’s finished, pick someone who’s hard to feel good about. Maybe an enemy, or someone who disgusts you.

    Then medium.

    Then easy again.

    Follow the pattern easy-medium-hard-medium-easy-medium-hard-medium-easy-… until the timer goes off.

    Normally I recommend starting a meditation practice with 5 minutes per day, but with 5 minutes and slow breaths you barely get through one person this way.

  • Roldyclark@literature.cafe
    4·
    9 months ago

    Gardening. Start with a cherry tomato plant. There’s nothing better than picking food you grew, and tending to a garden is a joy.

    • Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      2·
      9 months ago

      My plant of choice are strawberries.
      Easy to grow and offshoots can be planted again. No need to buy new ones.
      Bonus: They are way sweeter than the ones from the store and may be only beat (barely) by farmer markets.
      Nothing beats a fresh plucked sun warmed strawberry.

  • driving_crooner@lemmy.eco.br
    51·
    9 months ago

    Go to party every day. Fuck everyone you can. Use all the drugs. You’re going to miss this time when your body could take it all without problems.

  • Chahk@beehaw.org
    3·
    9 months ago

    Open a 401k account, and start contributing to it. Funds permitting, try to max out your yearly contributions as much as current rules allow. Doubly so if your employer does any sort of matching. It’s pre-tax, and you won’t feel it per paycheck, but it adds up over the years.

  • Derrick@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    3·
    9 months ago

    Make note of your friends phone numbers, emails and addresses (not just via social media), especially the ones from earlier years, and keep track of them with regular calls, notes or visits. Forty or fifty years from now, after the cycles of graduations, weddings, babies, moves, etc. you’ll have some golden relationships.

  • 0xtero@beehaw.org
    3·
    9 months ago

    Mimimize social media usage.
    Start a pension fund.
    Study. Get a higher education or professional qualifications.
    Exercise regularly.
    Take care of your dental hygiene. It’s costly to fix.
    Find a companion to share your life. Human or animal. Having to make compromises because you have someone depending on you is great.

    Don’t be a selfish prick. Show compassion and caring to your near and dear.

    • moreeni@lemm.eeOP
      8·
      9 months ago

      I live in Ukraine and most males 18-60 here are banned from crossing the country’s border 💀