Hi everyone,
I originally found this board about six months ago via PUA stuff - yeah, I know
. A lot of it was b.s. but I did take away some good things from it (dressing better, gaining confidence, etc). Some of it was helpful to internalize, but I was turned off by how absurd some of it was. I'm never going to go to a bar and do magic tricks to try to impress women, for example.
What I found here meshed with me. Some of it was a hard pill to swallow, of course, but I read all that I could and started internalizing it too. Visiting this site went on the backburner for a few months as I got a post-college career, my own place, money, and a girlfriend. We recently split and I'm single again. Now it's time to start participating here. These two things may be related.
My life overall is excellent: I have a high-value career ahead of me, I'm financially independent and secure, and I'm attractive and healthy. One might say that my marquee value is higher than a typical person my age (early 20's). I was lucky to be blessed with a good family and good genes, but I've also worked extremely hard to do as much as I can with my good fortune; now it's time to reap the benefits.
By participating here, it is my goal to further know myself (internal work) and to gain insight into dealing with other people (external work). I am already familiar with many of the ideas discussed here, and am excited about applying them to my life.
Edit - The Matrix has always been one of my favorite movies, but after reading here, I've gained a whole new appreciation for it.