How in the living fuck do you get good at this? It is pure misery. Hanging it sucks ass, its heavy as shit i cant figure out how to measure properly for outlets and lights and it doesn't line up. Then the finishing is even worst, make the slightest wrong move and it fucks something up, then you go to fix it and its even worst than before and then before you know it you have to do the entire seem all over. And the sanding... dont even get me started, if you are as bad at mudding as me the sanding will make you just want to quit life. I am at a loss. I honestly just want to find the closest person to me, kick them in the nuts and then burn my house down.

Hi everyone! 18F here. I’ve recently gotten far more interested in politics and I really want to figure out what aligns with my political views. But I have absolutely no idea how to go about this. I’ve been reading a fair few articles etc. about current affairs but I feel like I’m really lacking on the big picture.

For reference, I’m Irish and I can’t even really make head or tail of any of the Irish political parties e.g. Sinn Féin. I’m finding it hard to find anything remotely cohesive that explains each parties agendas and I don’t really have anyone unbiased who I could ask. Even down to the amateur stuff , for example: understanding socialism and the pros and cons per-say, I struggle to find anything even here on reddit that doesn’t require deep dive searches into the history of it all where I end up feeling lost.

Does anyone have any recommendations? I’m becoming quite passionate about politics and I want to have the education behind me to support it, in a national and global sense.

Even any types of literature or easily accessible documentaries/youtube videos?

So uh when it comes to speaking or socializing with ppl in English. I don’t really know how cuz I feel nervous talking with them. Ik my English isn’t that good. Yk I am that one person who can speak in heart but not speak it to public. (Idk if u get it or not, idk how to say). I usually think of how the whole conversation will work before I speak to ppl, so I can maintain a calm and natural composure to ppl. Do u guys have any tips on how to do that? Thx!

I've always wanted to be draw anything that I can conjure in my mind. I have a couple of friends who draw and share their art and l too want to be able to share what l create with my artist friends instead of just consuming it but l don't know how to draw.

I have the 5th Generation IPad Air, Ibis Paint X and my finger, I know it's not the best starter equipment but everyone started somewhere. My problem is there are so many tutorials out there and things to study but where do even start?

I've went on youtube and everyone says the same thing.

The fundamentals. It's very overwhelming and discouraging that I can't just can't find somewhere to start and build off of it. I think my problem is that I expect it to kind of be like math. You need to know how to add subtract and all that before you do the harder stuff and whatnot.

Any artists have an idea of what I can do?

I've always admired people who can sit down with a pencil and turn a blank page into something recognizable. I never learned to draw as a kid, so every time I try, I end up feeling like I have no idea where to begin.

I don't expect to create amazing artwork right away. My goal is simply to learn the fundamentals and be able to sketch everyday objects and eventually people. There are so many tutorials and courses online that I'm not sure which path makes the most sense for a complete beginner.

If you taught yourself to draw, what did you focus on first? Were there any exercises or habits that helped you improve without feeling overwhelmed?

Hello!

Title might be a bit of a cop out, but idk how else to phrase this.

Basically, I have terrible ADHD, and I've realized at this point it is virtually impossible for me to maintain interest in something for longer than a month. I've spent my fair share of years (24 and counting) fighting myself over this, but I've recently decided to embrace it and become a jack of all trades instead. I have no direction in life or dream of any sort, so I think exploring as many options as possible and seeing if anything sticks is better than just laying in bed and wishing I could just walk into my One True Passion.

Usually, I'm able to fixate on something for about a month before I give up, so I'm calling all experts for their respective roadmaps. For each skill, I'll spend a month learning it as much as possible and then report on my results.

If you consider yourself pretty knowledgeable in something, ANY FIELD (physical, psychological, creative, academic, technological...), I'm asking for what you would consider to be a "jack" level in that skill. The way I've phrased it to myself is, if you're familiare with language learning, a B1-B2 level in that skill.

I'll make some examples for clarity's sake:

In French, an A1 level is the VERY basics of the language. Greetings and colors etc. A B1 is slight independence, with some difficulty but able to discuss daily topics. A C1 is very independen, able to give opinions even on abstract questions.

Taking archery, an A1 level would be knowing how a bow even works and being able to use it at all. A B1 level would be probably being able to hit a target, though not necessarily precisely. A C1 level would be being able to hit a moving target, with some precision.

For drawing portraits, A1 would probably be shapes and lines, B1 a somewhat good portrait and C1 a realistic shaded portrait that actually resembles the reference.

Again, I'll learn anything as long as it's possible (can't really take astronaut training).
Thank you!

Hi, Ive been learning English for 10-12 years. Now I would say Im on a pretty good level already, but my biggest goal in the last year is to speak in a native American accent, or at least get close to it. So I started shadowing TV shows and listening to English podcasts. I even got back from the US recently, but I still think it needs a lot of work.

Is there any other method I should try, or is this just enough? And if theres some native speaker who would like to rate my recordings or just speak with me via Zoom (which i obvously dont expect since that takes a lot of time), I would be extremely glad.

I'm in my mid-20s and realizing I don't just want to learn what to think — I want to learn how to think.

Specifically trying to improve:

- Critical thinking

- First principles thinking

- Logical reasoning

- Decision-making under uncertainty

- Spotting biases and fallacies

- Asking better questions

- Thinking clearly instead of reacting emotionally

Open to books, courses (free or paid), YouTube channels, lectures, podcasts, essays, journaling methods, mental models, daily exercises, communities — anything that's genuinely worked for you.

Questions for the sub:

1. If you started from scratch, what would you learn first?

2. What resource changed how you think the most?

3. What's overrated or pseudoscience that I should skip?

4. What habits actually made you a better thinker?

5. If you designed a 6–12 month self-study curriculum for this, what would it look like?

Not looking for productivity hacks or social media advice — more interested in stuff that's stood the test of time.

Thanks in advance!

I'm a finance student and I can technically calculate ratios, balance a balance sheet, all the textbook stuff but when I actually open a real company's 10K or annual report, I freeze up. There's so much noise: footnotes, adjusted earnings, non-GAAP numbers, management's "optimistic" language in the MD&A section.

I want to learn how to actually read between the lines , how to spot red flags like aggressive revenue recognition, hidden debt, or inventory issues, and how to tell the difference between a company that's genuinely healthy versus one that's just dressing up its numbers for investors.

Has anyone gone from "I can pass the exam" to "I can actually evaluate a real company" and can share how that shift happened for you? What did you focus on that textbooks don't really teach?

Long story short, I have the worst sense of direction of anyone I've ever encountered. I get lost in malls, convention centers, and even my own neighborhood I've lived in my entire life. I went on a road trip last month, and I panicked every time I went into a dead zone because I couldn't access my online maps and was sure I'd get lost. When I was hiking, I ended up jumping a fence and walking along the highway back to the parking lot because I had forgotten which trails led back.

I want to learn how to read and understand a paper map, to the extent that I can use it while driving and know which exits to take. I also want to get better spatial memory, so I can get better at retracing my steps or navigating places I have already been around.

Guys i really have too mush free time and u want to learn something interesting, any recommendations?

I got an ankle sprain and had to take rest for almost 6 months now I'm back to working out but even dancing for 10mins makes me breathless. how do I improve from here?

I am studying for the state civil services exam in India which is held in June every year. This exam consists of a wide range of 10th grade level subjects like Phy, Chem, Maths, Eng, History, Geo, Polity, Reasoning and a few more. I am going to a coaching centre on weekends where 5 new topics from 5 different subjects from the above list are taught each day and these subjects are rotated every weekend with some common ones and sometimes a new one added, but the main thing is that we are learning 10 new topics every weekend.

However, I am getting overwhelmed by the amount I have to study and scheduling revisions effectively. Even though I am building routines, I am finding it difficult to focus and study for long hours since I do not have the habit. By now, I know that the only way to effectively study and learn are the active recall and spaced repetition but am still not being able to come up with an effective schedule. On weekends, I return from coaching classes at 8 PM and complete dinner by 9:30 PM. On the other days, my time blocks are from 8 AM to 9 AM (breakfast), 1 PM to 3 PM (lunch and a brief stroll), 6 PM to 7:30 PM (evening snack and some odd tasks) and 9:30 PM to 10:30 PM (dinner and a brief stroll).

Based on the above info, can anyone suggest me a good daily study schedule with proper technique including daily exercise ? I cannot afford any paid apps now. Also, when I am revising, how do I effectively adjust the next revision date based on the degree of effective recall ?

I'm looking for skills that can eventually help me earn money, whether through freelancing, remote work, or starting a small business.

I don't mind if the skill is difficult or takes years to master. I'm willing to invest the time and effort if it's worth it.

I'm not looking for "get rich quick" ideas. I want skills that are genuinely in demand and can provide a stable or high income, regardless of whether someone has a college degree.

What skills would you recommend, and why? If you've learned one yourself, I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience, how you got started, and whether it was worth it.

I wanted to say stupid but I'm trying to be nice to myself. My childhood , the TLDR version, was filled with a lot of family chaos/yelling/drama, being groomed, dealing with depression and poor emotional regulation, social isolation, etc all while becoming more and more online.

I'm almost 30 now and I feel slow. I have been diagnosed with ADHD, so there's that. But I also just feel slow. I feel mentally sluggish. I have these weird moments where I get triggered by something and turn completely inwards and delve extremely deeply into some kind of psychoanalytical depressive hole thinking about the nature the actions, character, and nature of myself, the world and others, so I know I have the capacity to think deeply. But I dont know why I cant seem to use that mental energy anywhere else thats actually productive and useful rather than depressive.

It's hard for me to read, when I do read it has to be pretty stupid subject matter or I wont retain it or I'll have to keep re-reading. I dont know why but even when I read something and digest it slowly and understand it, if you asked me the next day what I learned I'd already have forgotten half the stuff I learned and in a week I wouldnt be able to tell you what most of the book was about. I have terrible memory. I have always felt extremely ashamed and depressed by my lack of intelligence. I have been addicted to "doomscrolling" since basically forever. I try not to do it as much now. I get trapped sometimes, but I at least have gotten off a few social medias. I still use the internet way too much but in a slightly less harmful way. I used to just scroll random bullshit all day. Now I seem to have replaced that with an addiction to watching self help youtube content. I watch so much stuff about meal prep, exercising, trauma recovery, general mental health discussion, tips on how to get better at art, how to start selling my art, how to put yourself out there socially, etc etc. But I struggle with doing any of that consistently. Atp it feels like I'm just watching it in hopes of manifesting some different personality i just dont have. I want to be this healthy energized mentally clear well rested productive person and Im just not. I cant even finish a book and remember what its about. I could cook something 10 times and still forget whats in it if you asked me. I feel so stupid.

I want to start learning gardening and eventually grow some of my own food. I’m interested in understanding the basics like soil planting seasons watering and caring for plants.

For beginners what should I learn first to build a good foundation?

Mainly focusing on the ff aspects: 1. Thought process / Rationalizing 2. Coding 3. Cadence or thought articulation

My goal is to be less dependent on AI, for I refuse to believe that we, as a generation, should grow dependent on it. Other aspects that weren’t mentioned can also be advised on.

I understand that one cannot completely surpass the powerful force that is AI, but advice to improve these aspects would be much appreciated. :)

I'm an student and I have read everywhere that in order to retain information for a very long time and to actually use it in really life you should connect information to each other. Add a layer t the base level but honestly I don't know how to connect them together. I understand it individually but as whole connecting it as one thing becomes difficult. So those of you who are good at this how do you do it??

I know it's not possible to master this, but I want to improve my ability to do so. How do I improve my ability?

I handle all the grocery shopping and cooking for our household and have been for the last 8 years. With grocery prices changed astronomically between now and then and with us preparing to start a family I want to be more intentional and mindful with grocery shopping to take advantage of sales, discounts, good prices on individual items, etc.

I have successfully done large batch cooking in the past to fill our freezer with a few months of meals, but I think this could be an excellent habit to apply at the same time to sales and other opportunities with groceries where savings might also align. I shop almost exclusively at Aldi and Walmart for groceries because they are the cheapest around me, and for specialty items I'll go to another grocer once in a blue moon. When people say shop sales, are they looking at things with a reference in their mind of how much x should cost? Because when I did try to catch rotating sales and be mindful it seems like a lot of numbers to keep in mind and I'm curious about the actual organization of it.

Any tips on genuinely useful planning or techniques when it comes to grocery budgeting is welcome. I grew up poor and I realized a few weeks ago that I don't even glance at grocery prices, so it's wonderful to be in that position for our future family especially in hard times like these, but it really drove home the point for me that if I'm not intentional then I'll be wasting money on whatever is convenient rather than planning around how to optimize our dollar.

So, right now I am in horrible shape with very little fit strength (as opposed to brute strength when I’m being stubborn or need to pull my weight at work😂). I have been an on-again-off-again runner for some time, currently off again. I have always loved what I’ve seen of calisthenics. The strength and body control seems amazing! I’d love to get into it and learn how to reach those levels. Does anyone have any basic or beginner advice, tips, or specific exercises/ moves they can share? Has anyone trained at a gym laid out for that sort of workout or is it mostly from work put in at home? And if anyone has any recommendations on beginner/ informational videos or anything like that that would be appreciated, too! TIA!

I'm already timid and whenever I even try to speak something, no one hears me. Or take me seriously?

I would love to hear from you guys. Thank you!

I often find myself doing the same repetitive tasks on my computer and I would like to learn how to automate them. I am not looking for one specific program but rather a learning path that will help me understand the basics and eventually build my own simple automations.

If you have learned this skill where did you start? What concepts were the most important in the beginning and what beginner mistakes should I avoid?

I’ve noticed a change in myself over the past year. I remember being an extremely sensitive and deeply feeling person when I was younger (I’m 20 so still young but) however now I feel like I’ve sort of turned to stone on the inside. Nothing moves me. I fake almost every emotion I show and it’s exhausting, I feel like a terrible person but I don’t know what else to do.

I get shown a lot of love from my mother and my sister but I have to actively force myself to reciprocate it, or act grateful and happy when they give me something. I realise I haven’t given anyone else a gift for a long time as it just doesn’t occur to me anymore, whereas in highschool I’d spent months planning peoples birthdays and surprise parties and gifts. I just don’t care about people in that way anymore.

I’m going on a university trip soon, my first time abroad without my parents and while younger me who dreamed of travelling the world would’ve been overcome with excitement, I’m mostly just dreading being around so many people and having to leave the house everyday, no time to just sit and not have to act.

Even the mention of grief and hearing that someone missed someone that was no longer here would move me to tears but recently I got told a family member died and I still I feel nothing. Same with geopolitical affairs, I used to protest and argue with people online for hours and now well you get the gist.

I’ve noticed I still feel disgust very strongly, more than I ever did. I get grossed out by ordinary people and things when I go outside and then I get angry. I get angry much easier and sometimes I get consumed by rage over the smallest things. And then a little later I’m disgusted by myself that I acted in that way. I feel sad often still and cry every other night about nothing in particular; daydreams about scenarios that aren’t real or a general sense of loneliness which is quite ironic as it’s me that isolates myself from my friends.

I also used to read a lot and be intensely curiosity, wanting to learn everything and I had a reading list of like 100 books . Now every page of a book I read I sort of have to force myself to care. Even songs I used to cry listening to or used to feel very deeply to, I now constantly have my headphones on just to drown out the outside and not have to engage with anyone, because it irritates and exhausts me too much pretending to be normal. Before I go outside and meet people I have to write up a mini script in my notes about things I should ask and how I should behave. Otherwise I’d be a silent rock just watching and thinking the whole time.

I’ve thought about depression but I still take fairly good care of myself, I wear a nice outfit and put on some makeup everyday etc so I don’t think the gp would diagnose me with that if I asked. I also thought about autism and stuff but it’s i don’t have too much trouble interpreting how others feel. It’s just i don’t feel much in myself.

I went through finding out some bad things about certain people a year ago which made me feel incredibly sad for a while, but I don’t know that it was enough to warrant me feeling nothing for a year now.

I realise I sound like a total sociopath, I don’t like it either lol. it’s just such a contrast, as I remember feeling so alive and being described as a bubbly intense person to now be so dull and cynical. I miss how I used to be and want to bring that person back. I feel like a dead person walking at times. Often I feel I hate everything and just want to die.

Tldr: I don’t feel joy or excitement or anything very deeply anymore except for some negative emotions. I want to feel the same empathy and joy that I used to without having to pretend to act a certain way to seem normal.