ivory

For what it's worth, you remind me of myself 8 years ago. Basically what I learned is this. Be responsible and take calculated risks.

Relationships are the most important thing we can have in life. But it's important to be authentic. By that I mean you're not going to be friends with everybody. When people try to sell social skills it reeks of inauthenticity. Find the people who are like you and that share the same values. When you find your people no effort is required.

With roommates you get to develop interpersonal and conflict resolution skills not to mention work on a whole host of other fears. IMO, living with others fosters the most growth. Sometimes we crave long periods of solitude though, in which living alone would make the most sense. As long as you're not avoiding something, it doesn't matter what you do.

Great advice so far. I second "one thing at a time". You'll never get anywhere without focus. That said, if you are suffering deeply, it might help to get a therapist to keep you on track and offer guidance. I used to see one who specialized in self-esteem, life crisis' and depression. Good stuff.

This! It took me a long time to figure this out. Recently I cut out drinking and that's all that I'm focusing on now.

Same thing happened to me when I started meditating. It's gone away since but it lasted for a long time.

@Conscious life I think you used to pump energy into upholding false "macho" qualities. People only think you're weak if you aren't assertive or don't have integrity.

There are authentic desires, not all are egoic. Motives are what need to be examined. Love, joy, creativity, fulfillment, and curiosity come to mind.

I concur

In my experience it's not an effective strategy. The amount of time you spend practicing increases as time progresses. It happens naturally. Too much too soon and you'll have backlash or give up. Realistically, you can only only build one habit at at a time. So, keep that in mind. Start small and go from there.

The best thing you can do is start down a path and recorrect your course when you need be. If you don't know which way to go then experiment. May not be what you want to hear but this shit takes time.

Find out if you're an under-doer or an over-doer. Are you lazy or hyperactive? Learn to counteract whichever leads to your suffering. Also, find a balance between solitude and community.

Cool, I live in san diego. If I'm ever in LA I'll look you up.

Man, I've been in your shoes and I've seen plenty others go through this as well. It's pretty common in spiritual circles. Wishing you well on your journey. A word of advice, though, take caution in who you receive advice from.

I also struggle with becoming more alert in the morning. What works for me is to immediately start cleaning my room, showering, taking care of my hygiene, and then meditating. Usually I'm alert after all of that, but in the cases that I'm not, I may go on a brisk 5 minute walk. The other thing I would suggest is going to bed at the same time every evening and set an alarm, which studies have shown, is much more healthy than the alternative. In any case, I would suggest a strong morning routine of your choosing.

Wow tough situation. If I were you I'd try to find a way out. What if you were to drop one of your degrees? Would that make things more manageable for you? By the way, what are you studying?

If you live a full, balanced life. Otherwise, hell no

I mean, pop culture sucks and all, but where you're at is a trap. Enjoy life man

Cool, me and a friend are going to watch next week. Pretty excited about this one

Good for you. Keep practicing. Dark night has a tendency to return.

I'm thinking closer to 100ug. It's hard to get a feeling for anything lower than that

@fridjonk Well, you said "I AM GOD Lost in infinite PERFECTNESS". I'd like to hear a little more about that.

What was it like?

It's nice when a girl likes you. I get that. But what you experienced was a high. Life does no provide that all the time so it's not a good thing to rely on for your happiness. What you likely need is to ground yourself with a good group of supportive friends. Your mileage may vary, but I find this true for myself.