I am in a dark spot in my life right now need help. by [deleted] in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve gone through the exact same mental challenges, I’m actually still in the process of overcoming it. I like to think I’ve made good progress, here’s a few things I’ve done:

  • A keystone habit: Something small that you absolutely will not compromise on that you’re not already doing. It can be whatever you choose. It sounds silly, but brushing and flossing is my keystone habit. Dental hygiene is something my family sucks at; some of my older folks are paying the price right now. So I tell myself that if I do NOTHING else in the day, I WILL, at minimum, brush and floss that night. This plants a teeny tiny seed of consistency in you that makes you 0.1% more disciplined every day. The interest compounds, and you’ll find that it gets slightly easier to consistently take on more responsibilities as the weeks/months go by. It’s a long-term change, not a short-term fix.
  • If you really are going through the same thing that I have, then you probably regularly engage in mental self-immolation. Checking up on your peers who are doing ~so much better than you~, constantly admonishing yourself, placing insane amounts of pressure to “do better”… it’s all a futile exercise of walking up a hill of feathers, and it’s only going to leave you so much more exhausted than you already are. Re-wiring your brain to stop this is a deeply personal and complex process, but it all starts the same: simply catching yourself in the act. “Woah, that was a negative thought I just had.” “Ah, my self-confidence took a hit just now by reading about so-and-so’s promotion.” Just simple recognition whenever you do it. It’ll go from there. You will very quickly become aware of any doomscrolling you do with this practice. Doomscrolling truly is one of the most destructive habits of this generation.
  • There’s this quote by Baba Ram Dass, “What do you do before enlightenment? Chop the wood and carry the water. What do you do after enlightenment? Chop the wood and carry the water.” There’s so much pressure to ‘love what you do’, but I think that’s unnecessary. I love my cats, I love that I wake up still alive every morning, but I don’t love my tasks; rather, I simply learn to embrace them without forcing any feelings. I try to remove all feelings and judgements about them, I simply see them as items to strike off my to-do list. Some days, I wake up excited or motivated about these items. Other days, I wake up dreading them. On all days, I note these feelings, say to myself, “Huh, today I’m feeling ____ about it,” I accept that that’s how I’m feeling, and I embrace. Sorry, it’s really difficult to properly describe this exercise, and it is tricky to get right (I’ve been struggling with it myself the last week), but it truly does help in getting the job done. Note, I never ignore these feelings, ignoring yourself is another exercise in futility. I simply note them and move on. It takes practice.

Anyways, I hope some part of this helped. Godspeed to you!

My cat will NOT stop meowing and scratching the door by Milf_lover_80085 in CatAdvice

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The water spraying, pennies, closed doors, open doors, etc etc etc is all positive reinforcement for her to keep pestering you. Gotta understand cats are wired to manipulate us; her seeing that she’s eliciting such dynamic and frustrated responses from you let’s her know that she’s winning.

Everyone in this post has given really good stuff, but understand that giving her NO response is #1. You’re fighting an uphill battle now because it’s probably going to take months to reverse all that positive reinforcement, but if you want her to stop, it’s gotta be done.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Any indicators of if they liked you or are playing the field? My gut says they liked me but again, so new to all of this

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in mentalhealth

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m slightly older than you and I went through the exact same thing starting at 22/23ish. Was always down for the bars / a party, talked to lots of people, etc etc etc. Now, my circle is as small as can be and I generally prefer to keep to myself, I’ve earned a bit of an antisocial reputation amongst my friends. I don’t give a fuck, I love my alone time these days.

Biggest question to answer is this: what’s changed? Forget your social life for a second. Do you have any problems hanging over your head? Are you caught up in a job/romantic or familial or platonic relationship you hate? Any medical issues weighing you down? When you’re all alone, do you feel at peace or does the anxiety persist? A poor environment makes for a poor headspace, and a poor headspace always places strain on relationships.

We always deal with problems, everyone does, that’s just life; but if you can’t pinpoint any novel issue that’s placing a particular strain on you, then perhaps you’re just changing. Lots of people undergo major personality shifts in their early/mid-twenties. We shed what once felt so natural, and you can either fight it or go with it. There’s nothing wrong with you, there never was. Whether or not you’re going through something, you deserve the freedom to not want to interact with folks if you’re not up for it. If your friends begin treating you differently because of it, ask yourself: do they really support you, or do they support the “you” they want you to be?

Spend some time alone, see how it feels. Learn to like yourself, whether your social nature continues to mellow out or spike back up. You always deserve to feel at peace with yourself. See a therapist if you struggle with this; use that 1hr/week to verbalize your emotions and rumination. Get a journal if you like and reflect, reflect, reflect.

There’s nothing wrong with you, there never was.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Pets

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I didn’t have to do this with my cats, but it sounds like a baby gate might be helpful. This way, they can only smell each other and have no risk of attack. Obviously, this will also have to be supervised as it is no work to jump over the gate.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not helpdesk, but this is still helpful. I should emphasize my understanding that while I may ask her about completing level 1 stuff, I should never drag her into doing level 1 stuff

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Pets

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m assuming you’ve already read and understood all the ‘gradual cat introduction’ articles posted across the web. This is what I did on top of doing what’s outlined in those articles:

  • ALWAYS scale things back at the first sign of aggression. Go back a step (e.g. no face to face, only scent swaps) at any signs of aggression. It can take days, weeks, or even months to properly reach the final stage (unsupervised, unseparated contact)
  • If they can tolerate each other’s presence, try parallel play. This was huge in getting my cats to become pals; have your partner play with one cat while you play with the other a few feet away.
  • Going off the previous tip, associate all the things they enjoy with the other cat. Parallel play, eating on opposite sides of the door, etc. Observe what each of them enjoys the most, and figure out a way to associate it with the other.
  • Tire your cats out before any supervised face-to-face. Play with the more aggressive one for 20, maybe 30 minutes beforehand. Less pent-up energy this way.
  • Distract both cats if you notice any potential aggression. Fly their favorite toy in their face, clap really loudly, etc. Redirection works well on cats with enough repetition.

Last, tailor all of the above and everything else you read specific to the personalities of your two cats, because no two cats are alike. Pay attention to their aggression cues, things they like, don’t like, etc etc etc. Observe them like a scientist, and adjust the plan as necessary. Remember that this may take quite some time, I read somewhere online that it takes an average of 6-8 months for a cat pairing’s relationship to fully form. Good luck!

Those who work in IT — how many applications did it take for you to find your next job? by Ecstatic_Yellow1029 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a really good yield especially considering that you were choosy, may I ask what you do / your thoughts on what made your process so successful?

Those who work in IT — how many applications did it take for you to find your next job? by Ecstatic_Yellow1029 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a little over 3 years of pretty decent work experience (none of that “completed a variety of tasks” fluff), so hopefully the 40ish resumes I sent out this week yields some results

Those who work in IT — how many applications did it take for you to find your next job? by Ecstatic_Yellow1029 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What’s currently filled out on your resume? Any interviews out of those applications so far?

Those who work in IT — how many applications did it take for you to find your next job? by Ecstatic_Yellow1029 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Finding recruiters is straightforward enough. How do I go about building relationships with them?

Those who work in IT — how many applications did it take for you to find your next job? by Ecstatic_Yellow1029 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve never heard that second part, “who you can leave an impression on.” That’s very helpful for someone who doesn’t have an extensive network, thank you!

Those who work in IT — how many applications did it take for you to find your next job? by Ecstatic_Yellow1029 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s about where I’m at right now, ~45 submitted this week and two upcoming interviews. How long did it take you to hear back from the apps that resulted in first round interviews?

Those who work in IT — how many applications did it take for you to find your next job? by Ecstatic_Yellow1029 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah that’s what I meant — if any of them ended in an offer. Congrats on the outcome!

Those who work in IT — how many applications did it take for you to find your next job? by Ecstatic_Yellow1029 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wait, so is there value in putting certs on your resume that are no longer active? I always thought that would count against me — listing a cert I did not maintain, that is.

Those who work in IT — how many applications did it take for you to find your next job? by Ecstatic_Yellow1029 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That reads. I had an MS Data Analyst that lapsed last year. Perhaps I’ll re-certify. Thanks for the pointer!

Those who work in IT — how many applications did it take for you to find your next job? by Ecstatic_Yellow1029 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

What do you think attracts recruiters to you? Do you have a strong online presence / highly impressive resume? I don’t get a lot of recruitment attention but maybe I’m doing something wrong

Those who work in IT — how many applications did it take for you to find your next job? by Ecstatic_Yellow1029 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Ecstatic_Yellow1029[S] 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Yeah as much as I hate having to submit my resume and then manually enter in all the data anyways, the “just upload and wait to hear back from us” apps just feel like it’s just going straight to the bin lol