Quick n Dirty Guide: How to get your life together(ish)

Ayrat Murtazin
August 21, 2024

Documents/Administration:

Insurance (car insurance, health insurance, dental insurance, homeowner, pet, etc.)
Figure your finances out (learn basics; credit cards, 401(k), savings, rrsp, etc.)
Medical appointments (optometrist, dentist, psychologist, yearly checkup etc.)
A plan for debt (there is good debt and bad debt but debt is debt, nevertheless. Plan to get out, even if its a baby step ahead).
Taxes (check on your taxes, make sure everything is correct and keep on top of it)
Have an income (even if its a cashier job- it’s still an income. Never underestimate a step forward)
Check your document expirees (passports, licenses, credit cards, etc.)
Put all important documents split in specific locations (specifically: passports, licenses, social security, birth certificate, marriage license, tax returns, registration, finance records). Suggest putting these in TWO different places, in case of a robbery or some unseen event. If something happened to one batch of documents, the second set is there to validate your identity.
Go make copies of all those documents and put these physical copies in a third location.
Appoint someone you trust with your passwords. If your computer has a lock, give a physical copy in case something happens to you, so they have access to these types of information.
If there is something very important you need to tell someone before you pass away, write it down and put it aside just incase.

Floss. Nothing makes you feel like you have your life as put together, then flossing. You can buy the stick applicators that are way better. If you’re doing that, you may as well get mouthwash.
If you’re flossing and doing mouthwash, may as well wear your retainer.
Make your bed everyday.
Buy a tool to measure your personal activity (an app, fitness watch, etc.)- wear it constantly.
For those sleep deprived: blackout curtains, ear plugs, satin pillows, weighted blankets, stuffed animals, white noise, asmr, no technology 1 hour before bed, reading before bed or natural supplements can help a lot. If you’re getting tired after you’re eating: this is often a symptom of a food allergy, food insensitivity or overindulgence.
Make a skincare routine.
Buy new socks and underwear.
Put a counsellor/psychologist on your yearly checkup list

Have an income
Make a huge goal within reasonable limits (huge goal does not mean being a CEO- it’s what’s meaningful to you).
Make smaller goals to get there
Make smaller goals for you to personally enjoy
Write down the things that would impress you, if you achieved. Pin it physically to a board.
Get a whiteboard/corkboard or something you can physically see items written down everyday
Mentioned above, make a plan for your income. Even if its 1$ saved a week- that’s still 365$

Get your phone out and put your loved ones birthday in your calendars. Add important events.
Add in your phone a once a month reminder to check in with loved ones to see how they’re doing
In that calendar, make a note if one of your friends is going through a hard time, set a reminder to check in on them.
Figure out what you want in life, especially dating. If you don’t figure out what you want, you make yourself vulnerable to being used or being misguided.
Identify (or try) your Achilles heel. What are you bad at? Just keep this in mind for later development.

Donate the pieces in your wardrobe that aren’t you anymore. Start getting pieces that are. Think about where those items are also coming from; consider secondhand.
Start reading, get a bookshelf and begin to fill it with things you love.
Do what you want with your appearance as long as it’s in alignment with your goals/vision for yourself.
Volunteer even if its just 3–4 hours a week. Retirement homes and aging populations, are some of the most valuable connections you can have.
Go to the gym, watch what you eat, do all the advice reddit prescribes.
Go out of your way to teach someone something, even if its just a tutorial. This will help you grow confidence in your own knowledge, sharpen communication and help connect to others.

The 15 things you are afraid of list. Great, now go do most of them.
The 3 things you should have done but ignored, list. Great, now go do them.
The 3 things you wanted to do this year but haven’t got around too (make sure they’re fun).
Not a checkbox: The last 4 years of bad decisions you made and beside them, why you made it. Sit with that uncomfortable feeling for awhile and accept responsibility. If you do not learn, the universe will try to teach you again.
When you’re done with those lists, print out a monthly calender and jot down some important things you need to do. After you do that for awhile, make a weekly to-do list, eventually a daily one should result. Checkboxes are your friend and give you dopamine.

Always attend the wake and/or funeral. People die once. Stop being selfish and think of others. You will never regret going.
Give more than you take.
When you fail to make a decision, the universe will make it for you. It may be the wrong one, still. When you are too indecisive and finally make a decision last minute, the weight of that decision will often come back to you, like a slap in the face. It’s okay to be wrong and make mistakes.
Hold yourself to a high standard and if no one is telling you that you can do better, I am.

Unplug preferably from social media. If not, limit to 30 minutes.
Quit ideally daydreaming, moreso when you have other things you should do or work towards
Stop applying all your time to something that has little feedback (videogames- add another hobby)
Stop staying up late at night
Quit feeling sorry for yourself and if you can’t stop (we’ve all been there), go listen to someone else for awhile.
Failing to think/check in/consider other people on a frequent basis
Running away from your problems through travelling, instagram, netflix, drugs, booze, dating etc. Stop turning your brain off all the time. You have good ideas up there.
Monitor your recreation
Being bad with finances (this is not the same as poverty)
Comparing yourself to others.

Go learn basic history- especially go learn basic history of the last 75 years
Have a basic knowledge of finances, housekeeping, driving, changing tires, etc.
Have a basic knowledge of common mental illnesses (depression, anxiety, bipolar, narcissism etc.)
Ask your parents things you wanted to know; record a message from them, even if its something small.