Skills
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
If your main hand is injured or hurting, try operating the mouse with your other hand.
This may stop arm discomfort and boost work output; one user reported feeling at ease after roughly two weeks.
- Avoid reversing button functions during the transition, as it can cause confusion when switching back.
3 people, independently
Find a difficult but enjoyable selfish skill and spend an hour a day practicing it for ten years, even if you are bad at it initially.
It arms you with pride and reduces stress while increasing well-being.
one person who lived it
Aim to reach the top 5% level in a chosen skill or hobby.
It makes you more interesting and helps you meet more people.
one person who lived it
Read a book out loud every day for 30 minutes or more.
It helps with your vocabulary and trains your voice.
one person who lived it
Acknowledge that left-handed people frequently develop ambidexterity out of necessity in a right-handed society.
They often have to adapt to right-handed norms and use their less dominant hand for various activities.
8 people, independently
hand, hands, practice, time19
Practice wiping with your non-dominant hand to prepare for potential injury to your dominant arm.
Use your time actively rather than wasting it.
Most people are unhappy because they waste time, not because they lack it.
one person who lived it
Practice wiping with your non-dominant hand to prepare for potential injury to your dominant arm.
It helps if you mess up your dominant hand or arm.
- Some find it difficult to wipe effectively with the non-dominant hand.
5 people, independently
Practice cutting with your nondominant hand, starting with small things.
It allows you to learn the technique correctly.
one person who lived it
Stand up slightly while wiping to open the area for better cleaning, particularly if sitting causes pain due to injury.
Leaning forward while sitting can shift bones and muscles in ways that cause pain; standing opens the area.
- This advice stems from experiences with arm injuries and personal preference.
one person who lived it
15 more on this
Swap some masturbation time for playing guitar to become skilled over the years.
over the years you'll be so good
one person who lived it
When you want to give up, remind yourself of the pain and anger you have already endured to justify continuing.
Continuing through this internal resistance can make the task become fun.
one person who lived it
Practice slowly to avoid strengthening bad habits.
Bad habits are harder to unlearn later if rushed.
one person who lived it
Perform regular maintenance to extend the life of your possessions and reduce the frequency of professional repair costs.
It makes things last longer so you don't spend money as often when they break or need professional help.
one person who lived it
Avoid injuring yourself as you age.
It is brutally painful.
one person who lived it
Ensure your tone matches the emotion you describe without overdoing it.
To prevent listeners from freaking out.
one person who lived it
When you have time, use your off-hand for basic chores like applying shampoo or pressing microwave keys.
5 people, independently
If you struggle with illegible handwriting, practice slowing down and studying calligraphy techniques.
This approach can make your writing incredibly legible over time.
one person who lived it
Use your non-dominant hand for unlocking and locking boxes or games if you are not rushing.
one person who lived it
Play games against yourself using opposite hands to balance skill levels.
One person reported this made the outcome of games more balanced despite one hand remaining weaker.
one person who lived it
Improve home insulation to lower A/C bills by applying weatherstripping, putting semireflective film on windows, covering windows with shrink-plastic, and using insulated curtains.
windows are the devil
one person who lived it
Switch hands when using hair tools like dryers and brushes to become ambidextrous.
one person who lived it
Learn armwrestling.
It is very technical, requires specialized training, and is super fun.
one person who lived it
Try using your weaker hand to click through websites or control the computer pointer.
3 people, independently
Take up gardening to practice using both hands simultaneously.
It generally requires bilateral hand usage.
one person who lived it
skills, learn, skill, improve35
Accept that you will be bad at new skills initially, as sucking is a necessary part of the learning process.
Hone your public speaking and presentation abilities.
Presenting with confidence adds value to your work and can set you apart from nearly all colleagues, provided you have at least moderate competence.
3 people, independently
Improve writing skills to turn ideas into buildable things.
Investing significant time (e.g., 10,000 hours) turns having an idea into the ability to actually build it.
one person who lived it
Watch YouTube channels like 'Dad, How Do I?' to learn practical skills you are unsure about.
It is amazingly useful for resolving doubts about specific tasks.
3 people, independently
If you want to feel more capable, learn small practical skills over a few weeks.
One person reported feeling like they could handle things better after doing so.
one person who lived it
30 more on this
Listen without interrupting to build influence and win friends.
It is a lesson from 'How to Win Friends and Influence People'.
one person who lived it
Write for thirty minutes every day about any topic to improve your writing skills over time.
Writing is a skill that improves with daily practice.
one person who lived it
Join Toastmasters or learn public speaking to build self-confidence in public.
One person found it did wonders for their self-confidence.
one person who lived it
Get very good at a specific skill to stay viable and valued.
Upper-level professionals will use AI to assist them rather than be replaced by it.
one person who lived it
Learn to play guitar by mastering the D, A, and G chords.
Knowing these three chords allows you to play many songs.
one person who lived it
Use pauses and silence to build suspense and delay revealing details.
To make people want to know more.
one person who lived it
Accept that you will be bad at new skills initially, as sucking is a necessary part of the learning process.
Being incompetent is a required stage before achieving proficiency; it is an inherent element of learning.
4 people, independently
Practice putting yourself in another's place and considering things from their perspective.
It is described as a secret to success.
one person who lived it
Practice specific football skills alone for 20-30 minutes daily instead of just playing generally.
Skill work compounds fast.
one person who lived it
Ask people to teach you quick lessons by approaching them as a novice rather than a know-it-all.
Most people do not mind teaching if approached with humility.
one person who lived it
Develop parenting skills through books such as The Whole-Brain Child or How to Talk So Kids Will Listen.
one person who lived it
Learn a new language, preferably a difficult one like Mandarin or Turkish.
You'll thank me later!
one person who lived it
Spend time hanging out with mates without trying to get anything.
Memories from these simpler times increase in personal value over time.
one person who lived it
Aim to learn a new skill, such as a language, artistic skill, sign language, or makeup application.
Learning skill sets can set you apart from others in a good way
one person who lived it
Add new objects like rings and clubs to your juggling repertoire to improve skills in other areas.
Different objects require different throws and catches.
one person who lived it
Focus on one task at a time, such as practicing driving with a trusted person, to manage overwhelm.
It might be helpful.
one person who lived it
Improve public speaking skills.
It builds confidence and helps in situations like the workplace or social gatherings.
one person who lived it
Learn useful, in-demand skills such as coding, writing, designing, selling, or creating.
Otherwise, you remain just one of millions.
one person who lived it
Learn minor household repair skills.
Most useful thing I've ever learned.
one person who lived it
- Master basic house maintenance, DIY carpentry, cooking, conversation/storytelling, finance/budgeting/investing, and scheduling/discipline.1
Learn basic sewing skills such as reattaching buttons, hemming jeans, slimming shirts, repairing tears, and adjusting waistbands.
These skills are incredibly useful, come in clutch, and allow for minor repairs or making cool clothes from old items.
one person who lived it
Learn only the absolute basic shortcuts of a complex tool initially, then look up specific commands as needed to aid memory.
Looking things up when needed helps reinforce memory.
one person who lived it
Practice money management and budgeting, especially when you are newly an adult and unsure what to spend on.
it is difficult to know what to spend on when fresh as an adult
one person who lived it
Improve relationship skills by studying Nonviolent Communication or The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work.
One person found Nonviolent Communication life-changing.
one person who lived it
Learn basic home maintenance skills like unclogging drains, changing tires, and using tools via online resources.
Incompetence is expensive.
one person who lived it
Record yourself performing a skill periodically to track improvement.
Watching old recordings when unmotivated helps visualize progress and boosts morale.
2 people, independently
Read A Short History of Nearly Everything to understand humanity’s current scientific knowledge.
It provides a fantastic summary of science and its fields.
one person who lived it
Pick a topic that engages you and practice it consistently until it becomes a mastered skill.
3 people, independently
Master Microsoft Office products, particularly Excel, by using a book to learn their full capabilities.
it will make you indispensable in many places because most people do not realize how powerful these tools are
one person who lived it
Learn sales skills systematically, including finding leads, using digital tools, contacting leads, following up, and distinguishing warm from cold leads.
Sales is a transferable skill needed across industries with high demand for successful practitioners.
one person who lived it
Assume that perceived natural ability is actually the result of early exposure and practice in related areas.
one person who lived it