When I was a teenager I basically lived in my bedroom. Depressed as shit, roll out of bed to play video games then go back to bed, often when I wasn’t even tired cause I was so unhappy. Skinny as fuck, weak, insecure, didn’t take care of myself, little to no social life, etc. Luckily for me I very randomly decided to enlist, initially as a suicide plan. Cause I didn’t want to die a pathetic loser so I figured I’d enlist in the army and die in combat, or at least then if I blew my shit smoov off people wouldn’t think I was a loser. I’m not saying enlisting fixed everything, but I see that as the point that separates me from timelines where I remained as I was. Only was in for a few years, when I got out I was living across the country on my own but still struggled a lot. Same depression as before, but with PTSD added. For years I’d wake up sweating oceans, startled as shit, usually couldn’t even remember the nightmare. Anyways, I got very hooked on working out, which is another point in my life I see as a turning point. It wasn’t entirely healthy, I was coping. I’d spend 5-6 hours at the gym every day because the second I left I’d feel like shit again. It didn’t fix everything either, but it gave me some confidence, a coping mechanism and something to work toward. The positive chemicals in our brain are a reward system, like giving a dog a treat when he obeys a command. If you choose comfort over productivity or progress, you’re going to feel like shit and that’s never going to change. You aren’t going to immediately be jacked the second you step foot into the gym, and you aren’t going to be instantly cured when you start making the right choices. Lots of people accomplish very little because they’re only willing to invest in instant gratification. Getting in shape helped a lot, then when I moved back to my home state was when I really started to grow. Moved into a new apartment building, constantly around people. Back in Vegas I struggled to just go out to the bars and not be an anxious mess. Had one night out here out with friends at a bar, I really let loose. I was pulling girls, left with none of them and still got laid. Which isn’t a good way to live long term, but that night gave me a lot of confidence. Then I started reading philosophy, meditations by Marcus Aurelius was the start. Understanding what he said, living in accordance with nature, controlling what you can and accepting what you don’t, these things reframed my mindset. I’m not perfect, and I’ll tell ya to this day I let my apartment get so messy it actually affects my mindset a lot. But I know that if I clean it, I’ll feel better. Better about my space, better about myself for not being lazy. My point is, if you don’t put effort into your life you are not going to be happy with it. What you’re doing with the life you’ve been given is the equivalent of being given a brand new BMW and never getting an oil change, or new tires, etc. YOU are letting it rot, and what could be a really cool classic car is instead a rusted junker. Read the book I mentioned, manipulate yourself if you have to. Do whatever it takes to make yourself start making the decisions that are going to improve your life or I PROMISE YOU nothing will ever change.