1. why Islam specifically?

2. Do you value more feeling good, or being more aligned with the truth state of the world so that you can accomplish your goals more effectively?

There is no better place to begin than the Five Pillars.

1. Syahadah, the testification of the Faith. The belief there is no God but Allah (the One True God) and that Muhammad is his Messenger.

2. The Five Obligatory Prayers. Subuh, Zuhur, Asr, Maghrib and Isya'. Observe them and the recitations. The surah, Al-Fatihah, alone is, I would say, the very essence of what Muslims are upon reading the translation.

3. Zakat. The giving of alms. A mandatory wealth tax upon all Muslims. This is wealth that is given to help the community, the destitute and poor, amongst other things.

4. Fasting. Ramadhan, The Holy Month where Muslims are commanded to fast from sunrise to sundown for every day up until the month is finished, which is about 28 to 29 days in the Islamic calender.

5. Haji, or pilgramage to Mecca, obligatory for those who are able; at least once in their lifetimes.

These are the basic and the ones expected of a Muslim to perform in their lifetimes. From there it branches out and you have the Sunnah (Complimentaries) that can be done to increase one's favour with Allah. I suggest you focus on studying these first as they cover a lot of what we do and their meaning.

I commend and praise you for your interest, and ask that you further seek reliable sources. Be careful in these times when disinformation is rampant and humans are more and more continuously driven by impulse and desire.

Above all, it is important to acknowledge the meaning behind the word Islam, which is utmost Submission to God, the Creator of All. We perform actions with permission, and also by asking for Guidance from Allah. We live our lives with patience and faith, and live knowing that the Day of Judgement is where all truths will come out.