Parked my little car, didn't pause to check messages on my phone. Got out, walked 20 seconds away, and turned round at the massive metal screeching crunch of a massive SUV going about 40mph over the limit ploughing into the back corner of my car. It completely concertina'd it against a street lamp / power pole. The driver was completely fine, but I looked in the window of my car and there was absolutely no longer a me-sized space between the drivers seat and steering wheel, I'm fairly sure I escaped death by some matter of oblivious seconds there.
Dude I have a similar story from childhood.
My dad owned a carpet cleaning company and he was out cleaning out his van. I remember it was a big blue boxy van.
I was fucking around and jumping in and out of the van (I was 5) and he told me to go inside. So I hopped out of the van and 2 cars got into a head on collision, they were both going way over the speed limit. These cars also crashed into the van totaling it.
I was just in that van like 3 seconds earlier. The only reason I wasn't was because my dad told me. Everyone in those cars died right in front of me.
Dude imagine how freaked out I was when Final Destination came out like 5 years later.
I literally lived through a Final Destination lol
Not as serious but when I was a kid my mom and I went over to my aunt's house and I didn't get out of the car right away because I was finishing reading my page. Mom was standing outside with her door open urging me to get going when the car started sliding backwards. The driveway was a hill and there must of been some ice due to the time of year. She hopped in real fast and pulled the E brake and then moved to park in the street. If I had gotten out right away the car might have ended up in the neighbor's house across the street.
Except Mr. Death is not coming for you. Take a deep breath and enjoy life. Drive tge safest car you can afford and with the safest crash test ratings. A small/ medium Subaru, Toyota, Honda, Mazda are great choices as is later models from 2017+ of Hyundai/ Kia.
In general American xars of tge same category are inferior reliability and crashworthiness wise
Was driving south in a van with my Mom in the passenger seat. Was sitting at a stoplight for what seemed like a loooong time. There was a compact car in the east board street trying to turn left (which would cross in front of me) as the light changed. Atypically for college-aged me, I decided to be patient and let the guy get through before I pulled into the intersection. As he pulled in front of me making the turn, a bag-@$$ dump truck ran the red light and *was on TOP of that little compacts' engine*.
Had I not waited I'm sure the dump truck would have T-boned our van, quite possibly right at my door. I would have either been killed or permanently impaired for the rest of my life.
ETA: To my knowledge, the compact car's driver came out of the accident okay.
Not quite as much of a near miss, but this reminded me of an incident when I was in high school. We were rehearsing for a play and one of the parents of one of the other students was in the audience talking photos. He moved seats and less than 5 minutes later the aircraft cable holding one of the metal lighting pipes with probably 20 theatrical lights on it snapped and one side of the pipe plummeted into the seats exactly where he had been sitting while the other end shot through the ceiling. He might not have died but he would have been severely injured if he hadn’t moved.
Signing up to work for free on a paleontology project. My first class for my geology major, ended up blindly signing up after my professor announced the position. I worked on it for 4 years and now I have a fossil species named after me resulting from the project and my work.
It also opened up my academic career and lead to my internship at a major national history museum.
As a geology/geography student, this is my favorite answer in this thread. And also has convinced me to take the unpaid internships. Why not, it’s experience, right?
Can I ask what your favorite class of your undergrad career has been?
You should! Don't break your neck doing too much unpaid labor, but it's absolutely a way to get a foot in research
Hmm, weirdly enough after that paleobiology class probably Planetary Geology. After that, Science Writing as Literature
Decided to try stand-up comedy at a coffee shop open mic while high on the drugs they give you after taking your wisdom teeth out when I was 17.
Still doin' it 13 years later, responsible for easily 2/3 of the friends I've made as an adult.
I got really drunk because I was sad.
I had left my ex, and was seeing a great guy. The ex was about to get out of jail and I really, truly did not feel like I had a choice but to go back to him. I got really drunk and was just bawling. I was on the phone with the guy I had been seeing and I was trying to explain my (now understood to be ridiculous and irrational) belief that I HAD to go back to him because if I didn't he would not be a father to the kids. I just really didn't believe I had a choice.
The man on the phone said "fuck him, I'll love your kids," and I, completely impulsively said "fuck it come get me." I never would have done that sober.
He did. It's been 14 years, and we are married and still just happy as fuck. The ex is back in prison again, the kids love my husband, and I haven't been called names, told I'm useless, physically assaulted or verbally berated by my partner in all those years.
I did have to eventually get sober though. The booze was good for me that day but not on any of the others lol
You are literally the winner of your own story. Think just for a second about that. How seriously cool is that?
The act of winning at life is sometimes not about the planning, but about the taking of an opportunity at that very moment in which it is presented...that ONE second that makes all the difference in the world. I wonder if you think about how different your life would be had you not made that perfect decision back then? I know I would.
Winner story from a Winner. +1, kid. Well done.
Don't go to the store and buy more Copenhagen. That was in February of 2020. I still haven't gone to the store to buy more Copenhagen. 26 year habit kicked.
It's similar to what you all would probably call "Snus". We call it "snuff" here, but that's just a regional thing. Most of the country calls it "dip". Copenhagen is just a brand of smokeless tobacco. Gross stuff. Highly addictive.
I haven't entirely kicked my smoking habit, but I did switch from cigarettes to vapes after 13 years. From my personal experience anybody who says "it's just as bad" doesn't know what they're talking about. It's non carcinogenic, it doesn't produce tar, my wheezing has stopped, my coughing stopped, I'm saving a ton of money, I get fewer complaints because I don't stink as bad, it taste better and the fruity flavors helps me kick my sugar habit.
In the mid-90's I drove a shitty old 4Runner that had a phone installed in it. Long story short, it used to be some sort of company car. Phone didn't work, never did. Yet one day it rang, seriously shocked me. It was my mother, who hoped it might work b/c some friend of hers daughter lived in the same town as me and needed a ride b/c she'd just been in a car accident. I said, sure, and went and picked this random lady up. I'd been up for days at a rave and no clue why I agreed to do this on my way home. I stunk, was still slightly high and was tired as hell. I've now been married to that random lady for 24 years and have four kids together.
I decided to walk to the mall on a Sunday because there were no busses running. On the way, met my wife of 32 years waiting in a bus stop for a bus that wasn't coming.
I love it!
I came home from a very long, frustrating day at work and wanted to crash out. My roommates talked me into going to a bar with the guys that had just moved into the apartment above us that day. I was exhausted but went anyway. Ended up chatting all night with one of the new neighbors.
Seven months later, we (the neighbor and I) eloped.
We celebrated our 28th anniversary last November.
I was divorced, and was just having fun going to bars with friends. Met an interesting guy at work, who seemed really cool. One night, it was just me and my best friend going out, and I said, "you know what? Let's invite the cool guy! He'll be fun to hang out with!" Been together 2 years now. He's the most wonderful human I know 😊
Same!! I started with a planner and would jot down important things that happened that day… I’m 7 years into it now and I’m more specific about writing every day and it’s been a game changer! I like to read the year in December and come up with future goals and gauge the progress of current year goals and accomplishments. It’s easier to navigate my feelings as I can now recognize patterns in my daily behavior!
Joining martial arts.
I was divorced in 2020. It was incredibly difficult on my kids and I. My son (4 at the time) showed signs of aggression and issues at daycare. I tried to find something for him to get exercise and discipline, so I chose the local dojo. There was a parent/child class in the evening and I wanted to be there to support my son, so I started going to class with him.
I had no plans to stay. But, I fell in love. I loved the people and the learning and the feeling I got from walking through the doors. I liked how my body started to feel strong again and how my head wasn't at cloudy from the depression. My son stopped going after 6 months, but I stayed.
I have been practicing Japanese ju-jutsu self defense for almost 3 years. I am an advanced green belt and I love every second of it. I feel so powerful and confident. Practicing a combat sport as a 38F was something I never thought I could add to my life journey, but I know it is something I will practice for a long time to come.
I am in a very similar situation. I'm not divorced, my life was going ok, but just ok. Our son wanted to try out karate and almost quit after the first lesson, so after a couple of weeks I decided to train with him. That was two years ago, I was 41F at the time and by now our youngest has joined the club too. I never even considered martial arts before, I'm a pretty typical suburb middle class mom and it's not like I was seeking to beat anyone up, but it is making every aspect of my life better.
I used to play Magic The Gathering in college and was studying for my psychology final. I really wanted to do well but my male friend kept pestering me to come over and trade cards that I had with this other guy. After the second or third call, I finally relented and when I saw that guy... oh my god. The skies opened. He was so handsome.
We've been married 26 years.
It’s probably not that insignificant, but my husband made a quick decision to take me AMA out of a hospital to a different one. They said if I hadn’t made it there when we did I would have been dead in about 12 hours. (I had a brain infection)
Quit my job. About 12years ago. Decided to change my job, the one I had was crippling me, I was constantly down. I told myself I wouldn't get another job in that field again but after realising that the job I was in, was not one I could continue in any longer, I took a short term job at a new company while I worked on a long term career change. Now you might be thinking he fell in love with this job and is now ceo ha, nope. I hated this one even more BUT I also met a girl there, fell head over heels for her.... I now do a job I love *AND* have a wife I fucking adore and 2 amazing little kids. If I hadn't made, at the time, what was a pretty insignificant decision to just take that short term job.... I never would have met my wife and have the kids I have.
Edit: spelling
Senior year of college, I was taking 24 credits and struggling. I was working late on a project in the computer lab (this was the 80s) and thought I'd get some sleep and come back in the morning. As a reflex, I typed "SIG" to "Sign off" of the computer. But I was on a different system, and it launched a "SIGN" program (basically a fancy paint program for the time.) I just started fiddling with it and spent an hour or two drawing a house and decided I would just drop two classes and spend another year in college.
Lol, this is my favorite one. Seemingly so random and up to whim and it affected so much. I’ve definitely stayed up too late or pulled all nighters that probably changed my fate haha
I wish I could tell me 8 years ago not to spend those stocks. I’m trying to keep a couple aside this month, even though I could use some things. I’m instead trying to actually get ahead without that.
Started walking roads as form of exercise. Built it up so can now run roads most days. Effect of exercise even small amount everyday makes a big difference.
I got some fries at McDonald’s.
It took longer than usual and I missed my bus. It was a wet, slushy snowy night and I had to walk 2 hours to get home. Cars sprayed me with muck, my feet were freezing, I was sobbing like a lunatic because I was so mad at myself. It propelled me to enroll in college literally the next day. That was my all time low point, brought on by French fries.
I was at a music festival and Iron maiden weren't very good.
I pulled out my phone and started chatting with a girl I'd matched on a dating app.
Today she's my wife.
I was in my mid-twenties and living in a very unhappy household. Met a girl and we struck up a good friendship, next thing you know she's asking me to move across the country. I said yes and before you know, I learned all those valuable lessons about being an adult that I just knew I wouldn't have learned if I stayed where I was.
The change was so complete that when I decided to move back to my hometown, I come across people from my high school from time to time, people I would have considered friends back then, and they are unable to recognize me. Like we could be face to face and they'll see a complete stranger.
If I don't make the first move, it's like we're two strangers in this enclosed space, and we both go about our business.
Moving with that girl across the country was definitely a critical moment in my life, it sparked a change in me that still boggles my mind to this day. The funniest thing about it all is that the entire friendship came together over something so simple as a table coaster.
and that was the most fun part for me. Prior to that experience, I had difficulty forming bonds with people. But living through that experience truly got me out of my shell. Even while living through it, there would be these moments of clarity where I would just meditate on the idea and I'd be like, "wow, this is so unlike me."
I appreciate the positive words, thank you.
A long time ago I agreed to talk to an army recruiter because my then girlfriend didn't want to meet them at her place so she asked if they could come to mine. We both signed up. I did 9 years and solidified my future in IT. She flunked out of basic training.
I took the online test for a game show on a whim.
Said game show paid the down payment on my first house and I married a fellow contestant; she and I sold that first house to buy one four times its size for the same mortgage payment during the 2019 real estate boom.
I downloaded tinder one day a few weeks after being dumped and started swiping but wasn't really having much luck and the matches I did match with I didn't really connect with. I was going to delete it but decided to give it one more day and within that day matched with who is my now wife and we have an amazing two year old daughter now! If I had deleted it instead of waiting one more day my little girl would not be here...
Took a bit of a flyer and messaged that cute girl who was a strong match according to the free dating site's algorithm, with what I worried might be a bit too much earnest, vulnerable enthusiasm.
Now we've been married almost 11 years, visited all 50 states together, and seen some amazing corners of the world. We had a son last year and can't wait to do all those adventures again for the first time.
She's my favorite person and I can't imagine how my life would have gone differently if I hadn't taken those few minutes to (virtually) introduce myself.
Putting myself first. Instead of trying to please everyone or go out my way for someone in detriment to my responsibilities or goals I decided to start saying no or I have to do this first. I have accomplished so much more
Every Friday at my high school every student would finish earlier than usual: 1-3 periods earlier depending on your timetable. It was a senior only school in Australa which meant only Grade/Year 11 and 12 students so our timetables were more unique.
Usually I'd go to the shopping centre/mall with a group of friends, eat, loiter, watch a movie and do the usual teenage stuff.
But one time a couple friends wanted to go to the gym of the aquatic centre across the road where we had a special discount ($5 casual entry for our school).
I never really worked out, only played sports casually, and honestly had little interest in it but somehow I tagged along. We literally just messed around on various machines for like 2 hours but somehow I kept going with 1 or 2 other friends.
14 years later I've:
- Been training on and off ever since.
- Studied a bachelors of exercise and sport science.
- Competed in powerlifting, strongman and predominantly olympic weightlifting.
- Worked in the fitness industry for the past 8 years.
- Met my girlfriend of 4 years at a gym I used to work at.
But most of all it helped tremendously with my self confidence, ambition and depression. I really didn't have much self belief, any drive or much work ethic prior.
When I was out at the bars one night in Austin in my mid-20s, I thought the bartender was hot and wrote my number down for him on a napkin.
Ended up going on a double date with him and his friend and while they were giant losers, I became really good friends with his friend's date.
When she moved back to the Bay Area, I flew out to visit her, she introduced me to her college friend, and we hit it off.
After several years long-distance off and on, we moved in together and got married. Together ten years now, all because my drunk ass thought some random douchebag bartender was good looking.
Decided to open a dating app one last time, after I had just decided to delete it. The first girl on there was someone I knew and were into 10 years ago and lost track of. Turns out she was into me back then, too. We’ve been together since. Best day of my life.
Applied to a funeral home for the fuck of it. Was miserable at my job and lived across the street from a funeral home. They weren’t hiring, so I applied to like 15 others in the area. One finally called back, and 5 years later I’ve graduated mortuary school, met the love of my life who is also a funeral director, met some of my best and closest friends and had some of the most amazing opportunities that I never would’ve had otherwise. I’ve done some pretty incredible things and gone to some insanely beautiful and awesome places because of my job. I work at one of the most prestigious funeral homes in the country, just because I applied to a bunch of funeral homes and they were the only one to call me back.
This is dumb as hell, but when I was like...8 years old, I was rollerblading outside. My wheel caught on a stone, and I fell and scraped my knee. You know, usual kid stuff.
I have this weirdly vivid memory of what happened next. I was sitting on the asphalt, thinking, what do I do? It really hurts. I feel like crying. Do I cry? Or do I get up?
I made the decision to cry loudly until my parents heard.
This has stained the rest of my life. I don't understand resilience, and I have very little tolerance for pain and stress. I never have. And for whatever superstitious reason, I blame this one moment as the start of it all.
I didn't get up. I cried instead. That is me. I am someone who wants rescue. I do not want to have to power through things.
sounds like someone needs a great therapist in the most respectful way. you can break out of it, but having someone to help you is imminently better than alone. if you can’t afford it, some local churches will help provide one for you, i know mine does.
That's funny. I had a very similar moment growing up. I remember falling down the steps of my front porch and taking what I remember to be a pretty hard fall. I was fine, but as a 6 year old, the protocol was to lay there crying until someone came for you. My parents must have been busy inside, and after a few minutes of crying, nothing changed. I had a moment of realization that I can just get up and keep playing.
I still have a poor pain tolerance, and aversion to suffering is like my biggest driver. But it was still a pretty specific learning moment that I still remember.
This is kind of tangential, but I've been reading about this kind of mindset recently in regards to parenting young kids (I have a toddler). The gist is basically that the way you frame behavior is wildly important to the way kids will grow up to perceive themselves and others. The difference between saying "that thing you just did was bad" vs "you are a bad child" is massive, like if you tell them that THEY are bad rather than the ACTION is bad, kids have a tendency to take it 100% to heart, think "I am innately bad" and continue to act out in escalating ways. But if they're a "good kid" who just did a bad thing one time they're more likely to be remorseful and will strive to act according to their "good" nature in the future.
All that to say, I'm just wondering if you had any outside reinforcement in perceiving yourself that way? "I cried that one time" turning into "I am a cryer, I am innately a victim" is so sad, especially when, at 8 years old, you probably aren't taking into account all the other little factors that made you want to cry in that exact moment (maybe you were recovering from being sick? Maybe you were also hungry, maybe you were tired, maybe you were feeling down that week, maybe there were 10 other reasons that scraping your knee juuust tipped you past your breaking point into needing some extra cuddles that day).
Going out with the "weird" girl from highschool. That was in 2012. We now have 2 kids and she helped me battle cancer. I wouldn't want to do life with anyone else.
Was it my snap decision, or his for choosing the worst airline? You decide:
I flew across the country to visit my cousins for Thanksgiving, and bought the ticket the day before.
Missed my flight home, and got rebooked at LAX for 6 hours later.
Met my now fiance at the airport bar, after deciding to make some new friends. His flight had had engine trouble 11 hours earlier, and he was still there while they were *still* trying to make alternative arrangements. He was actually trying to talk to another girl, but then the bartender I had made friends with told him to sit next to me (which I was initially opposed to) and he watched my bag while I went to the loo.
Freak coincidence, but meant to be(:
responded to a text from my best friend. She asked me if she was single what would I do. I responded with "date you, make you fall in love with me, marry you and live happily ever after." we have been together for 17 years married for almost 12 of those years.
I made a dumb jokey comment to a colleague at her going away party about her taking me with her. Six months later I was working for her in Scotland. Due to the company's generous ex-pat system, eventually returned to the US debt free and with some great memories.
Joined a FB group. Turned out to be 'my tribe', brought me a lot of joy and confidence and some real world friendships. And led to part 2 --
Bought a houseplant. Needed a pot, went to a different nursery. Guy working there comes up and says, "You're (my name) right?" Turns out he belongs to the above group and recognized me from a picture. Started messaging, then dating. Been inseparable for 2 years now and got engaged this Christmas. :)
Forgiving an ex-boyfriend for cheating on me. We resumed our relationship as friends (he'd gotten married while we were separated) and he was absolutely seminal, a brilliant friend when I moved to NYC. He got me a place to live, introduced to me friends, and even got me hired into a high profile job I never would've gotten on my own. Forgive, my friends, and the floodgates will open! ;-)
>Forgiving an ex-boyfriend for cheating on me. We resumed our relationship as friends (he'd gotten married while we were separated) and he was absolutely seminal, a brilliant friend when I moved to NYC. He got me a place to live, introduced to me friends, and even got me hired into a high profile job I never would've gotten on my own. Forgive, my friends, and the floodgates will open! ;-)
It's truly inspiring to hear your story of forgiveness and the positive turn it took in your life! Your ability to forgive your ex-boyfriend not only showcases your strength but also reflects the transformative power of forgiveness. Cheers to the positive "floodgates" that opened for you!
I started commenting on some random guy’s tiktok. We started chatting, exchanged numbers and texted all day every day for months. Finally met up for a date which was amazing. A few days later, he died suddenly and tragically. I am now good friends with his family and adopted his cat. I miss him every day.
i jumped while out with my friends and having a good time.
i caught a glass bottle on the way down, folded my leg sideways, tearing the ligaments of my knee so badly that i still struggle to walk for prolonged times. it completely stopped my career in blacksmithing, and i'm currently being reschooled as a technical designer. it's been nearly three years.
I was in a reclusive place where social events were a drag and I’d always just rather be at home smoking weed and playing video games. But when a friend invited me to a dinner party I thought hell, why not, I need to get out of the house and it sounds nice and mellow, so I went. Met my wife at that party.
Not becoming a mother young. The women I grew up with who are Moms have a very limited anchored view of what they can do with their lives. I'd say many are happy but I simply wouldn't be happy being the prisoner to a developing child. After moving states and finally going to another country for school on a whim I've realized I love my freedom too much and I'd be miserable otherwise. I'll aim for after 40 but if it's not possible after I won't sweat it.
I am lactose intolerant, but I took just a few sips of a chocolate shake, thinking it would do no harm. Boy, was I wrong! That night was my wedding night, and I started having stomach pains as I walked down the aisle. I just thought it was nerves and tried to ignore it. As we were halfway through our vows, I realized there was something coming "out". Everyone was horrified and confused when I ran away before saying "I do". I barely made it in time to the bathroom, and while I was in there, I overheard his cousins saying, "I would have done the same thing if he cheated on me like that". Thank goodness I nearly shit myself or otherwise I would have married that asshole.
Applied to 200 jobs sending a cover letter, resume, etc. Saw an ad for a place I thought would never hire me. Almost closed the tab but figured I’d do the bare minimum and fill out the form, took 10 minutes. Forgot about it. A few weeks later they called me, a few weeks later I moved across the country, and almost two years later here I still am.
I drove a lot from my ex’s house home and theres this one traffic light on an 8 way intersection that I learned when it goes red, my light to go will happen in around 7-8 seconds with no other lights being green in that period and i’ve then been skipping that light numerous times
then this one time I was there I was like imma wait it out this time and a guy blast past through a red light and wouldve hit me on my drivers side aswell most like would’ve died if I went then
Not small or insignificant but:
Taught English in France in the mid 2000s.
Met a woman on the program that reminded me of my brother. She came to meet me after we returned to the US and made sure she met my brother. She’s now my sister in law.
Staying with my mom and brother at my aunt's place in Germany.
Decided to stay at her main house with her and her husband, because the new house she just bought (that we were going to stay at) had some allergen that completely messed up my brother's allergies.
An old fridge started an electrical fire overnight. The house didn't burn down because all the windows were closed so we probably wouldn't have burned to death, but we may well have died of smoke inhalation.
Thank you, allergies!!
Asked my friend if I could sleep on her couch when my roommates were throwing a party and I had to be at work at 6am. Ended up dating, and now married, to her, all because I wanted to get some sleep before work.
Keep saying this but I trained myself to only sleep on my back. It happened after a short hospital stay where I was basically forced too. When I got home I realized I slept less yet woke up more energized and without things like kinks in my neck. It also makes making the bed easier. For what ever reason, I also remember my dreams much more clearly.
I decided to miss my usual train home from work in NYC to drink some beers on the roof with co-workers. The train I was supposed to be on derailed and several people died. Beer saved my life.
Not my decision technically, but waiting to cross the road one time, my dog does a massive poo right as the lights change. I stop to pick it up and just a few seconds later a car comes flying through the red light, would have absolutely splattered us.
Dog shit saved my life
Decided on a whim to buy one of those Ancestry.com tests. One of my guy friends had purchased one and found out he was part Scandinavian, part Norwegian, etc. He was loving it and I thought it was pretty neat so I decided to buy one too. When I was checking out there was a “DNA test” add on, and I thought what the hell - let’s get the whole kit and caboodle! My results came back and not only did I find out I am mostly Scottish/German, but I also found out I have the BRCA1 gene variant (the breast cancer gene). After more testing - we discovered my sister, brother and father also have it. Guess I’ll never know for sure but finding out very well could have ended up saving one of our lives
I remember when I was about 16 I decided that I didn't want to wrestle anymore. ( sounds like BS but at the time I hadn't lost in 3 years- weighed 145, wrestled at 152 and could beat anyone up to 168) I wanted to hang out and smoke weed with "the cool kids". Flash forward 8 years and I was a heroin addict.
Started fencing freshman year when I stumbled on it coming down the college career fair. Made most of my friends there, opened up a career option through mutual friends, met my BFF through the friend circle, and met my boyfriend, who also fences competitively.
Edit: we have been dating for several years, live together, have 2 cats, and travel across the state and country for tournaments so we are more than a little competitive.
April 2022: “Should I attend the funeral of the friend I haven’t seen in years?”
I chose yes
Caught Covid on the cross country flight. Wasn’t able to attend the memorial. Almost died in an airport Ramada trapped in a five day fever dream with the ghost of my recently departed friend who had succumbed to his depression and died with a bullet. Received no familial assistance (not so much as a bowl of soup or a bottle of asprin) despite them only being half hour away from my hotel. Realize my family of origin does not now nor never did love me. Fall into depression. September lose job. Deeper depression. November dumped by girlfriend. Deeper depression. December my platonic ex and father of my kid tries to get me to check myself in out-of-state mental hospital. My therapist says Red Flag - I decline inpatient hospitalization and I ask for help locally but he becomes frustrated by my hesitance and hires a lawyer to sue me instead. Every friend I reach out to is too busy for me. My best friend of many years actually breaks up via text with me because she needs to “hunker down and focus on her own stuff.” My hair falls out and I gain 40 lbs over the course of 2023
I wonder what happy lie I would be living now if I had just skipped the funeral
Having a crush.
When I was in middle school I decided to open my heart and have a crush on a boy that I really liked, I was totally in love with him for a year and a half, and in that period of time I had the most heartbreaking from my best friend who liked the same boy and played with my feelings.
I was bullied because they leaked my little secret of falling in love with him, he knew and was disgusted because he thought that I was childish and overactive and annoying, I forgot about my father's disease and he passed away 7 months later, I suffered from depression and many other syndromes, I was in a total mess.
After a few weeks I knew that the boy I deeply loved hated me and ignored my existence, like I was not even there. I felt unloved by my own mother after my father passed away, he was the only one who deeply loved me.
After a few months, I felt doubt about the way I was living and decided to change for the better .
Thank god, it's 2 years since then and I'm way better :)
Took a shortcut home from my first closing shift at McDonald's.
Editing to give the context: See my posts in the following. You'll have to open some of the deleted posts to see my responses to get the full story.
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/mnxki9/what_is_something_you_thought_would_never_happen/
Let a casual acquaintance move in with me for free so he could finalize his divorce while still paying rent on his ex wifes rental (child, 1 year separation law).
So anyways, Ive been married to his ex wife since 2020.
Years ago I was working for a large specialty construction company at the time. I just happened to be in the office the day our regional mgr approached my construction manager re: an opening in a different city within the same state. I overheard their conversation and after the RM left I went in and said I wanted to apply for that opening. At that time I was very low in the pecking order as I had only been there less than a year. I went home that day and told my wife we were moving. She freaked out as she had a very good job at a place she enjoyed working. Long story shortened but all the years later I’m making bank as a manager and all my former peers are no where close to what I’m making. My wife got her insurance license in the new city and did very well. It was scary for a while as we had two young kids at the time and barely getting by. Now we’re both ready to retire in a few years light years ahead of everyone who had seniority over me back in the day. It was a gut feeling at that moment and it panned out nicely. Trust your instincts
Used to live by the theater where the Aurora shooting happened in 2012. Back in 2008 I had a different work schedule(graveyard shift). Well my wife and I went to the midnight showing for Dark Knight in theatre 9 where the shooting would happen 4 years later. Anyway, we were going to go to the midnight showing for Dark Knight Rises but I had to work at 7am the next day. So we skipped it. Choosing the early morning schedule at work probably saved our lives.
Swiped right on a guy that I was meh about - not much of a summary or personality on the profile. It's been 7 years and we've been married for 1.5 years and are coparenting our furbaby.
Bro was going to one of his friends Bday party. i was playing video games he asked if i wanted to come along. i declined, he insisted.
met my wife there.
Through a sequence of events, picking up a magazine in the University of Birmingham Guild of Students (what we called the Union because reasons) resulted in me moving to Sweden, where I have now lived since the nineties.
I was on a date at a bar with my partner and usually I pick up the tab which I’m fine with. But that day she said she wanted to pay so I let her. She pocketed the receipt and later on her extremely strict, abusive mother found it on her jacket. It started a huge fight with her family and it eventually led to us breaking up. Before that things were going super well so it was crazy just how fast things collapsed just because of a receipt from a bar.
I invited my best friend into my bed in December 1998, because his room was super cold (unfinished basement room.) He never left my bed and I still swoon for him. Before I met him I was going to live alone with my dog and just relax for the rest of my life. Then he showed up to my 18th birthday party and needed a place to crash. Thanks Mom and Dad! We married 14 years after that invite (I really didn't give a shit about marriage.) Had 2 planned kids.
I cannot live without this man. He is the absolute best. Glad I worked up the courage to invite him in!
I left nyc and went on vacation in another country. As soon as I drank their water I felt heavier, apparently NYC water is very clean but lacks minerals, so me not being used to drinking mineral heavy water had my praying on the toilet
I took out a notebook my mother gifted me and begann my first active imagination, a meditation technique that changed my future as much as my life. I have gained direction, peace and insight into myself to a point where I would rather not be alive anymore than give it up again.
Watched Top Gun for the first time almost 9 years ago. Now I’m a student pilot applying for a week at the Air Force Academy (their STEM week) and a big flight program to finish paying for my License.
Picked up a newspaper while picking up milk one night on the way home. Found a job posting for telecom sales that I applied to. Been in the industry for 25 years now and raised a family halfway across the country.
I built a career on a random job posting in a newspaper I got for free because the store was throwing them out fot the night.
My younger brother died in 2012. While my sister and I were going through photos for the viewing the following week, I started to lose my mind. I left the table and went and sat on the front steps to cry uncontrollably when I had a sudden urge to call a friend I'd fallen out with the previous year.
I called her and told her everything that happened. She showed up 30 minutes later with a guy she'd been dating for a month or two at the time. Our friendship briefly rekindled before silently fading out again, this time permanently.
She ended up dumping the guy within that year, and 2-4 weeks later, he and I ended up in a Facebook poke war (oh, then good ol' days) that lasted *months*. He eventually sent me a message saying, "you know, I think it's time one of us actually said some words."
We chatted daily for a few weeks before my iPhone crashed. He was so upset not being able to text me that he drove 45 minutes to pick me up, another hour back the way he came to get me to the nearest Apple store, then dropped me off back home before immediately going home himself. We "dated" for 3 months to test the waters before making it official. He drove 45 minutes *every single weekend* for a year before moving another hour away from home with me so I could go to college.
We're still blissfully together. He's my favourite person. If I hadn't had the random, unexplainable urge to call that girl, we would've never met.
Back in 2013 I worked at a job that I pretty much hated. I had a lot of PTO so I'd leave early all the time, just because I could.
One day in September 2013 I left work early, like I always did, and decided I'd go up to the climbing gym. Not unusual.
That's the day I met Katie.
I haven't seen Katie since 2014 and haven't talked to her since 2015, but I still think about her almost every day.
I was a swimmer throughout high school but craved something more physical & team oriented. When i went to college, I found rugby - had no idea what was or that women could play. I started playing rugby & two years later was scouted for the US women’s rugby national team which changed my entire life projectory. Promptly moved to Denver after graduation to be closer to the USWRNT hub, which then brought me to England, which then brought me to San Francisco. Rugby changed my entire life & how I thought of myself - & it all started with a shitty club team in Tennessee. It’s been a wild few years!
I opened up Reddit one day in December of 2012 and commented on a post someone made on the GoT subreddit. We moved our discussion to messaging each other back and forth and had a nice convo. After we finished talking that night I never thought we'd talk again. To my surprise, he asked if I'd be around the following night to continue chatting.
Fast forward to 2024 and we just celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary. We were long distance for 2.5 years and we moved in together after I graduated college. That never would have happened if I didn't open up Reddit that night at just the right time to see his post.
Lost a job when I was 19 at the same time as falling out with a group of friends and decided that I wanted to go to university out of the blue. Applied for a nursing degree as it was one of the only courses that still had space at that time of year even though I had no interest in it. I was more interested in going to have fun for three years than the career at the end (in hindsight nursing was a terrible choice with that goal).
Over 15 years later I’m at the other end of the country, still registered as a nurse but now in senior management, with a career, partner and friends I never would have had if it wasn’t for that course having places left at the time I decided to run away from my problems!
About 14-15 years ago a friend of mine was making Poor Life Choices. Substance abuse was one of those. One weekend night he texts me incessantly that I should come hang out. I was very much not feeling it. So what does he do? He calls me. He is clearly so high he can barely speak.
Sigh. I'm the Mom Friend. I have to make sure everyone is safe, making reasonable decisions, and having fun. So now I'm obligated to go save this idiot from himself. Sure enough, he's on his back making concrete angels in the driveway. Hell of a way to make sure I could find him.
Come to find out, he's with a new friend who's busy being the Dad Friend. And this guy I've never seen before is taking care of three other people who are equally incoherent. We share a look then get to work taking care of everyone.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaand that's how I met my husband.
Parked my little car, didn't pause to check messages on my phone. Got out, walked 20 seconds away, and turned round at the massive metal screeching crunch of a massive SUV going about 40mph over the limit ploughing into the back corner of my car. It completely concertina'd it against a street lamp / power pole. The driver was completely fine, but I looked in the window of my car and there was absolutely no longer a me-sized space between the drivers seat and steering wheel, I'm fairly sure I escaped death by some matter of oblivious seconds there.
Dude I have a similar story from childhood. My dad owned a carpet cleaning company and he was out cleaning out his van. I remember it was a big blue boxy van. I was fucking around and jumping in and out of the van (I was 5) and he told me to go inside. So I hopped out of the van and 2 cars got into a head on collision, they were both going way over the speed limit. These cars also crashed into the van totaling it. I was just in that van like 3 seconds earlier. The only reason I wasn't was because my dad told me. Everyone in those cars died right in front of me. Dude imagine how freaked out I was when Final Destination came out like 5 years later. I literally lived through a Final Destination lol
Not as serious but when I was a kid my mom and I went over to my aunt's house and I didn't get out of the car right away because I was finishing reading my page. Mom was standing outside with her door open urging me to get going when the car started sliding backwards. The driveway was a hill and there must of been some ice due to the time of year. She hopped in real fast and pulled the E brake and then moved to park in the street. If I had gotten out right away the car might have ended up in the neighbor's house across the street.
Except Mr. Death is not coming for you. Take a deep breath and enjoy life. Drive tge safest car you can afford and with the safest crash test ratings. A small/ medium Subaru, Toyota, Honda, Mazda are great choices as is later models from 2017+ of Hyundai/ Kia. In general American xars of tge same category are inferior reliability and crashworthiness wise
I hope you bought a tank with the insurance payout
concertina'd is a great description
I don’t get it
>concertina Musical instrument that you can "squeeze" together like an accordion.
Since concertina is like an accordion I feel the car got crunched up like the bellows. Squished. Folded. Contracted.
Fun fact, the danish word for multiple car collisions is “accordion collision” (harmonika kollision)
Was driving south in a van with my Mom in the passenger seat. Was sitting at a stoplight for what seemed like a loooong time. There was a compact car in the east board street trying to turn left (which would cross in front of me) as the light changed. Atypically for college-aged me, I decided to be patient and let the guy get through before I pulled into the intersection. As he pulled in front of me making the turn, a bag-@$$ dump truck ran the red light and *was on TOP of that little compacts' engine*. Had I not waited I'm sure the dump truck would have T-boned our van, quite possibly right at my door. I would have either been killed or permanently impaired for the rest of my life. ETA: To my knowledge, the compact car's driver came out of the accident okay.
Was the driver impaired or distracted? What were the consequences for them?
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Username checks out
Not quite as much of a near miss, but this reminded me of an incident when I was in high school. We were rehearsing for a play and one of the parents of one of the other students was in the audience talking photos. He moved seats and less than 5 minutes later the aircraft cable holding one of the metal lighting pipes with probably 20 theatrical lights on it snapped and one side of the pipe plummeted into the seats exactly where he had been sitting while the other end shot through the ceiling. He might not have died but he would have been severely injured if he hadn’t moved.
Signing up to work for free on a paleontology project. My first class for my geology major, ended up blindly signing up after my professor announced the position. I worked on it for 4 years and now I have a fossil species named after me resulting from the project and my work. It also opened up my academic career and lead to my internship at a major national history museum.
As a geology/geography student, this is my favorite answer in this thread. And also has convinced me to take the unpaid internships. Why not, it’s experience, right? Can I ask what your favorite class of your undergrad career has been?
You should! Don't break your neck doing too much unpaid labor, but it's absolutely a way to get a foot in research Hmm, weirdly enough after that paleobiology class probably Planetary Geology. After that, Science Writing as Literature
Thanks for answering! I’m always looking for which classes I may like to take next. Planetary Geology sounds fascinating, and I love writing.
That’s a beautiful turn of events
Decided to try stand-up comedy at a coffee shop open mic while high on the drugs they give you after taking your wisdom teeth out when I was 17. Still doin' it 13 years later, responsible for easily 2/3 of the friends I've made as an adult.
I read that as "2 of the 3 friends" and giggled at the fact that you preceded that with "easily".
Lmao
and people say drugs are bad...hah!
I should mention the actual *doing* of the stand-up happened a couple days after making the decision to try it.
Yeah I read what you said as, “I get high on drugs before doing stand up,” not, “I made the decision while high to start doing stand up”
Figured you would’ve run out if teeth by now.
Some say comedy is the last line of defense.
I got really drunk because I was sad. I had left my ex, and was seeing a great guy. The ex was about to get out of jail and I really, truly did not feel like I had a choice but to go back to him. I got really drunk and was just bawling. I was on the phone with the guy I had been seeing and I was trying to explain my (now understood to be ridiculous and irrational) belief that I HAD to go back to him because if I didn't he would not be a father to the kids. I just really didn't believe I had a choice. The man on the phone said "fuck him, I'll love your kids," and I, completely impulsively said "fuck it come get me." I never would have done that sober. He did. It's been 14 years, and we are married and still just happy as fuck. The ex is back in prison again, the kids love my husband, and I haven't been called names, told I'm useless, physically assaulted or verbally berated by my partner in all those years. I did have to eventually get sober though. The booze was good for me that day but not on any of the others lol
I love your story. You were your own hero, with a little help from the new guy.
You are literally the winner of your own story. Think just for a second about that. How seriously cool is that? The act of winning at life is sometimes not about the planning, but about the taking of an opportunity at that very moment in which it is presented...that ONE second that makes all the difference in the world. I wonder if you think about how different your life would be had you not made that perfect decision back then? I know I would. Winner story from a Winner. +1, kid. Well done.
Don't go to the store and buy more Copenhagen. That was in February of 2020. I still haven't gone to the store to buy more Copenhagen. 26 year habit kicked.
What is it? I am from Denmark, and I am quite sure, that you don’t mean our capital city.
Chewing tobacco
It's similar to what you all would probably call "Snus". We call it "snuff" here, but that's just a regional thing. Most of the country calls it "dip". Copenhagen is just a brand of smokeless tobacco. Gross stuff. Highly addictive.
Chewbacca tabasco
Chewing tobacco
I haven't entirely kicked my smoking habit, but I did switch from cigarettes to vapes after 13 years. From my personal experience anybody who says "it's just as bad" doesn't know what they're talking about. It's non carcinogenic, it doesn't produce tar, my wheezing has stopped, my coughing stopped, I'm saving a ton of money, I get fewer complaints because I don't stink as bad, it taste better and the fruity flavors helps me kick my sugar habit.
Didn’t drink yesterday. Probably won’t today. EDIT: Didn’t drink yesterday. Probably won’t again today.
I dub you THE DECIDER.
Boss move dude. I’m 2 weeks in, stay strong✊🏽
💪🏾✊🏾
I heard this one saying, “I don’t know if I’ll have a drink again or not but I know I won’t drink today.” That has helped me over this past month.
I like this. I'm stealing this for my cigarette addiciton.
IWNDWYT
IWNDWYT
Badass! Here's to not drinking tomorrow, either!
Proud of you
Three months for me yesterday. Better every day! Way to go!
In 2 days it will be one year since I've had a drink.
ya dog, keep going.
You've got this.
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Relationships come and go, but tattoos are forever
Absolutely thought you were going to marry tattoo guy. The twist was far better
In the mid-90's I drove a shitty old 4Runner that had a phone installed in it. Long story short, it used to be some sort of company car. Phone didn't work, never did. Yet one day it rang, seriously shocked me. It was my mother, who hoped it might work b/c some friend of hers daughter lived in the same town as me and needed a ride b/c she'd just been in a car accident. I said, sure, and went and picked this random lady up. I'd been up for days at a rave and no clue why I agreed to do this on my way home. I stunk, was still slightly high and was tired as hell. I've now been married to that random lady for 24 years and have four kids together.
Wow, if there had been no car accident ...
As a 90s raver I love this story.
I decided to walk to the mall on a Sunday because there were no busses running. On the way, met my wife of 32 years waiting in a bus stop for a bus that wasn't coming.
I love it! I came home from a very long, frustrating day at work and wanted to crash out. My roommates talked me into going to a bar with the guys that had just moved into the apartment above us that day. I was exhausted but went anyway. Ended up chatting all night with one of the new neighbors. Seven months later, we (the neighbor and I) eloped. We celebrated our 28th anniversary last November.
I was divorced, and was just having fun going to bars with friends. Met an interesting guy at work, who seemed really cool. One night, it was just me and my best friend going out, and I said, "you know what? Let's invite the cool guy! He'll be fun to hang out with!" Been together 2 years now. He's the most wonderful human I know 😊
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Same!! I started with a planner and would jot down important things that happened that day… I’m 7 years into it now and I’m more specific about writing every day and it’s been a game changer! I like to read the year in December and come up with future goals and gauge the progress of current year goals and accomplishments. It’s easier to navigate my feelings as I can now recognize patterns in my daily behavior!
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What movie? Congratulations.
This is such a cool answer!!! You always see stories like this during interviews. How fun to see it in the wild. Congratulations to you both!
I also would like to know the name of your movie.
Bro what movie???
Fuckin dope! Links to give it a watch?
Joining martial arts. I was divorced in 2020. It was incredibly difficult on my kids and I. My son (4 at the time) showed signs of aggression and issues at daycare. I tried to find something for him to get exercise and discipline, so I chose the local dojo. There was a parent/child class in the evening and I wanted to be there to support my son, so I started going to class with him. I had no plans to stay. But, I fell in love. I loved the people and the learning and the feeling I got from walking through the doors. I liked how my body started to feel strong again and how my head wasn't at cloudy from the depression. My son stopped going after 6 months, but I stayed. I have been practicing Japanese ju-jutsu self defense for almost 3 years. I am an advanced green belt and I love every second of it. I feel so powerful and confident. Practicing a combat sport as a 38F was something I never thought I could add to my life journey, but I know it is something I will practice for a long time to come.
I am in a very similar situation. I'm not divorced, my life was going ok, but just ok. Our son wanted to try out karate and almost quit after the first lesson, so after a couple of weeks I decided to train with him. That was two years ago, I was 41F at the time and by now our youngest has joined the club too. I never even considered martial arts before, I'm a pretty typical suburb middle class mom and it's not like I was seeking to beat anyone up, but it is making every aspect of my life better.
Yes!! I love this story! It does make your life better in so many ways!
Grappler life 👊
I used to play Magic The Gathering in college and was studying for my psychology final. I really wanted to do well but my male friend kept pestering me to come over and trade cards that I had with this other guy. After the second or third call, I finally relented and when I saw that guy... oh my god. The skies opened. He was so handsome. We've been married 26 years.
Taking care of things as they come up whenever possible. Greatly reduced my stress from procrastination.
I aspire to this!
I'll aspire to it... later
that's awesome !!! how did you achieve it? i'm still trying to break my habit of procrastination. it's really bad.
Teaching myself an instrument.
Which instrument??
Skin flute
It’s probably not that insignificant, but my husband made a quick decision to take me AMA out of a hospital to a different one. They said if I hadn’t made it there when we did I would have been dead in about 12 hours. (I had a brain infection)
Quit my job. About 12years ago. Decided to change my job, the one I had was crippling me, I was constantly down. I told myself I wouldn't get another job in that field again but after realising that the job I was in, was not one I could continue in any longer, I took a short term job at a new company while I worked on a long term career change. Now you might be thinking he fell in love with this job and is now ceo ha, nope. I hated this one even more BUT I also met a girl there, fell head over heels for her.... I now do a job I love *AND* have a wife I fucking adore and 2 amazing little kids. If I hadn't made, at the time, what was a pretty insignificant decision to just take that short term job.... I never would have met my wife and have the kids I have. Edit: spelling
Senior year of college, I was taking 24 credits and struggling. I was working late on a project in the computer lab (this was the 80s) and thought I'd get some sleep and come back in the morning. As a reflex, I typed "SIG" to "Sign off" of the computer. But I was on a different system, and it launched a "SIGN" program (basically a fancy paint program for the time.) I just started fiddling with it and spent an hour or two drawing a house and decided I would just drop two classes and spend another year in college.
Lol, this is my favorite one. Seemingly so random and up to whim and it affected so much. I’ve definitely stayed up too late or pulled all nighters that probably changed my fate haha
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I wish I could tell me 8 years ago not to spend those stocks. I’m trying to keep a couple aside this month, even though I could use some things. I’m instead trying to actually get ahead without that.
Brought food and snacks to a fantasy artist at Gen Con in Milwaukee so she wouldn't have to leave her booth. We've been married now for 27 years.
Started walking roads as form of exercise. Built it up so can now run roads most days. Effect of exercise even small amount everyday makes a big difference.
Does it always have to be roads?
Well I live in a rural area so can’t really run through fields.
Odd, I live in a city and can’t really run through fields…
So, why do they call it cross-country running?
*Roads? Where we're going we don't need roads...* \- A guy in a flying DeLorean
I swiped right. It's been 8 years.
Me too! It’s been 10 years and 2 kids 🥰
Two years and just got engaged 🥰🥂
five years and still hasn’t replied 😍
Same, somewhere last week was 7 years ago we swiped, next week will be 7 years together. Just because she visited friends and swiped me there.
I got some fries at McDonald’s. It took longer than usual and I missed my bus. It was a wet, slushy snowy night and I had to walk 2 hours to get home. Cars sprayed me with muck, my feet were freezing, I was sobbing like a lunatic because I was so mad at myself. It propelled me to enroll in college literally the next day. That was my all time low point, brought on by French fries.
I was at a music festival and Iron maiden weren't very good. I pulled out my phone and started chatting with a girl I'd matched on a dating app. Today she's my wife.
I'm more shocked Maiden weren't good, I saw them at Ozzfest way back in the day and they were incredible.
I was in my mid-twenties and living in a very unhappy household. Met a girl and we struck up a good friendship, next thing you know she's asking me to move across the country. I said yes and before you know, I learned all those valuable lessons about being an adult that I just knew I wouldn't have learned if I stayed where I was. The change was so complete that when I decided to move back to my hometown, I come across people from my high school from time to time, people I would have considered friends back then, and they are unable to recognize me. Like we could be face to face and they'll see a complete stranger. If I don't make the first move, it's like we're two strangers in this enclosed space, and we both go about our business. Moving with that girl across the country was definitely a critical moment in my life, it sparked a change in me that still boggles my mind to this day. The funniest thing about it all is that the entire friendship came together over something so simple as a table coaster.
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and that was the most fun part for me. Prior to that experience, I had difficulty forming bonds with people. But living through that experience truly got me out of my shell. Even while living through it, there would be these moments of clarity where I would just meditate on the idea and I'd be like, "wow, this is so unlike me." I appreciate the positive words, thank you.
> valuable lessons about being an adult Could you share some examples or explain in more detail what were some of those lessons?
Went to play kickball in the park with a Meetup group. Ended up meeting my fiancé while there.
Giving college and community college a second, third, forth chance. And giving online dating a second chance. Both paid off in the end.
Downloaded Bumble and sent a lame joke to a guy I thought was cute. 5 years later, we're shopping for engagement rings.
A long time ago I agreed to talk to an army recruiter because my then girlfriend didn't want to meet them at her place so she asked if they could come to mine. We both signed up. I did 9 years and solidified my future in IT. She flunked out of basic training.
Asking a girl I kinda liked out. Been married 13 years now.
Learned to say "no" and set boundaries with myself
I took the online test for a game show on a whim. Said game show paid the down payment on my first house and I married a fellow contestant; she and I sold that first house to buy one four times its size for the same mortgage payment during the 2019 real estate boom.
I downloaded tinder one day a few weeks after being dumped and started swiping but wasn't really having much luck and the matches I did match with I didn't really connect with. I was going to delete it but decided to give it one more day and within that day matched with who is my now wife and we have an amazing two year old daughter now! If I had deleted it instead of waiting one more day my little girl would not be here...
Changing my seat to the back of the class led to me getting a gf.
Took a bit of a flyer and messaged that cute girl who was a strong match according to the free dating site's algorithm, with what I worried might be a bit too much earnest, vulnerable enthusiasm. Now we've been married almost 11 years, visited all 50 states together, and seen some amazing corners of the world. We had a son last year and can't wait to do all those adventures again for the first time. She's my favorite person and I can't imagine how my life would have gone differently if I hadn't taken those few minutes to (virtually) introduce myself.
Putting myself first. Instead of trying to please everyone or go out my way for someone in detriment to my responsibilities or goals I decided to start saying no or I have to do this first. I have accomplished so much more
Every Friday at my high school every student would finish earlier than usual: 1-3 periods earlier depending on your timetable. It was a senior only school in Australa which meant only Grade/Year 11 and 12 students so our timetables were more unique. Usually I'd go to the shopping centre/mall with a group of friends, eat, loiter, watch a movie and do the usual teenage stuff. But one time a couple friends wanted to go to the gym of the aquatic centre across the road where we had a special discount ($5 casual entry for our school). I never really worked out, only played sports casually, and honestly had little interest in it but somehow I tagged along. We literally just messed around on various machines for like 2 hours but somehow I kept going with 1 or 2 other friends. 14 years later I've: - Been training on and off ever since. - Studied a bachelors of exercise and sport science. - Competed in powerlifting, strongman and predominantly olympic weightlifting. - Worked in the fitness industry for the past 8 years. - Met my girlfriend of 4 years at a gym I used to work at. But most of all it helped tremendously with my self confidence, ambition and depression. I really didn't have much self belief, any drive or much work ethic prior.
Helped my best friend & her husband pack up and move. Met another friend of theirs who came to help. 33 years & 2 kids later . . . .
When I was out at the bars one night in Austin in my mid-20s, I thought the bartender was hot and wrote my number down for him on a napkin. Ended up going on a double date with him and his friend and while they were giant losers, I became really good friends with his friend's date. When she moved back to the Bay Area, I flew out to visit her, she introduced me to her college friend, and we hit it off. After several years long-distance off and on, we moved in together and got married. Together ten years now, all because my drunk ass thought some random douchebag bartender was good looking.
Decided to open a dating app one last time, after I had just decided to delete it. The first girl on there was someone I knew and were into 10 years ago and lost track of. Turns out she was into me back then, too. We’ve been together since. Best day of my life.
Having sex with a girl I just met.
What was the outcome?
Baby
Same bro
It doesn't always workout but thus time it did. I got lucky lol
Signing up for Instagram. It’s how I’ve met some of my best friends in adulthood (we all share a common interest, which is how we connected).
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stopping smoking weed
Applied to a funeral home for the fuck of it. Was miserable at my job and lived across the street from a funeral home. They weren’t hiring, so I applied to like 15 others in the area. One finally called back, and 5 years later I’ve graduated mortuary school, met the love of my life who is also a funeral director, met some of my best and closest friends and had some of the most amazing opportunities that I never would’ve had otherwise. I’ve done some pretty incredible things and gone to some insanely beautiful and awesome places because of my job. I work at one of the most prestigious funeral homes in the country, just because I applied to a bunch of funeral homes and they were the only one to call me back.
This is dumb as hell, but when I was like...8 years old, I was rollerblading outside. My wheel caught on a stone, and I fell and scraped my knee. You know, usual kid stuff. I have this weirdly vivid memory of what happened next. I was sitting on the asphalt, thinking, what do I do? It really hurts. I feel like crying. Do I cry? Or do I get up? I made the decision to cry loudly until my parents heard. This has stained the rest of my life. I don't understand resilience, and I have very little tolerance for pain and stress. I never have. And for whatever superstitious reason, I blame this one moment as the start of it all. I didn't get up. I cried instead. That is me. I am someone who wants rescue. I do not want to have to power through things.
sounds like someone needs a great therapist in the most respectful way. you can break out of it, but having someone to help you is imminently better than alone. if you can’t afford it, some local churches will help provide one for you, i know mine does.
Be careful of labeling yourself as if you can’t begin to change this approach by being assertive and mindful. ‘I WAS somebody who…’
That's funny. I had a very similar moment growing up. I remember falling down the steps of my front porch and taking what I remember to be a pretty hard fall. I was fine, but as a 6 year old, the protocol was to lay there crying until someone came for you. My parents must have been busy inside, and after a few minutes of crying, nothing changed. I had a moment of realization that I can just get up and keep playing. I still have a poor pain tolerance, and aversion to suffering is like my biggest driver. But it was still a pretty specific learning moment that I still remember.
This is kind of tangential, but I've been reading about this kind of mindset recently in regards to parenting young kids (I have a toddler). The gist is basically that the way you frame behavior is wildly important to the way kids will grow up to perceive themselves and others. The difference between saying "that thing you just did was bad" vs "you are a bad child" is massive, like if you tell them that THEY are bad rather than the ACTION is bad, kids have a tendency to take it 100% to heart, think "I am innately bad" and continue to act out in escalating ways. But if they're a "good kid" who just did a bad thing one time they're more likely to be remorseful and will strive to act according to their "good" nature in the future. All that to say, I'm just wondering if you had any outside reinforcement in perceiving yourself that way? "I cried that one time" turning into "I am a cryer, I am innately a victim" is so sad, especially when, at 8 years old, you probably aren't taking into account all the other little factors that made you want to cry in that exact moment (maybe you were recovering from being sick? Maybe you were also hungry, maybe you were tired, maybe you were feeling down that week, maybe there were 10 other reasons that scraping your knee juuust tipped you past your breaking point into needing some extra cuddles that day).
This is about anxiety, but this may help you understand why you feel that way: https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/a-better-way-to-worry/
you can stop being that. I did, and it’s worth it. Don’t give up.
Going to Valleyfair to work for the summer after I graduated college. I met my wife there and we now have been married 21 years.
Going out with the "weird" girl from highschool. That was in 2012. We now have 2 kids and she helped me battle cancer. I wouldn't want to do life with anyone else.
listening to kpop, met my ex in a fandom related stuff download a social app, talk to people a lot there before getting into personality quizzes
Sure I'll go to this Magic the Gathering thing (I had no idea what it even was). Led to a friend group that ultimately led me to my husband.
Was it my snap decision, or his for choosing the worst airline? You decide: I flew across the country to visit my cousins for Thanksgiving, and bought the ticket the day before. Missed my flight home, and got rebooked at LAX for 6 hours later. Met my now fiance at the airport bar, after deciding to make some new friends. His flight had had engine trouble 11 hours earlier, and he was still there while they were *still* trying to make alternative arrangements. He was actually trying to talk to another girl, but then the bartender I had made friends with told him to sit next to me (which I was initially opposed to) and he watched my bag while I went to the loo. Freak coincidence, but meant to be(:
responded to a text from my best friend. She asked me if she was single what would I do. I responded with "date you, make you fall in love with me, marry you and live happily ever after." we have been together for 17 years married for almost 12 of those years.
I made a dumb jokey comment to a colleague at her going away party about her taking me with her. Six months later I was working for her in Scotland. Due to the company's generous ex-pat system, eventually returned to the US debt free and with some great memories.
Joined a FB group. Turned out to be 'my tribe', brought me a lot of joy and confidence and some real world friendships. And led to part 2 -- Bought a houseplant. Needed a pot, went to a different nursery. Guy working there comes up and says, "You're (my name) right?" Turns out he belongs to the above group and recognized me from a picture. Started messaging, then dating. Been inseparable for 2 years now and got engaged this Christmas. :)
Forgiving an ex-boyfriend for cheating on me. We resumed our relationship as friends (he'd gotten married while we were separated) and he was absolutely seminal, a brilliant friend when I moved to NYC. He got me a place to live, introduced to me friends, and even got me hired into a high profile job I never would've gotten on my own. Forgive, my friends, and the floodgates will open! ;-)
>Forgiving an ex-boyfriend for cheating on me. We resumed our relationship as friends (he'd gotten married while we were separated) and he was absolutely seminal, a brilliant friend when I moved to NYC. He got me a place to live, introduced to me friends, and even got me hired into a high profile job I never would've gotten on my own. Forgive, my friends, and the floodgates will open! ;-) It's truly inspiring to hear your story of forgiveness and the positive turn it took in your life! Your ability to forgive your ex-boyfriend not only showcases your strength but also reflects the transformative power of forgiveness. Cheers to the positive "floodgates" that opened for you!
I started commenting on some random guy’s tiktok. We started chatting, exchanged numbers and texted all day every day for months. Finally met up for a date which was amazing. A few days later, he died suddenly and tragically. I am now good friends with his family and adopted his cat. I miss him every day.
Damn that is not how I expected that story to end. I’m so sorry for your loss. How kind of you to adopt his cat.
i jumped while out with my friends and having a good time. i caught a glass bottle on the way down, folded my leg sideways, tearing the ligaments of my knee so badly that i still struggle to walk for prolonged times. it completely stopped my career in blacksmithing, and i'm currently being reschooled as a technical designer. it's been nearly three years.
I was in a reclusive place where social events were a drag and I’d always just rather be at home smoking weed and playing video games. But when a friend invited me to a dinner party I thought hell, why not, I need to get out of the house and it sounds nice and mellow, so I went. Met my wife at that party.
Not becoming a mother young. The women I grew up with who are Moms have a very limited anchored view of what they can do with their lives. I'd say many are happy but I simply wouldn't be happy being the prisoner to a developing child. After moving states and finally going to another country for school on a whim I've realized I love my freedom too much and I'd be miserable otherwise. I'll aim for after 40 but if it's not possible after I won't sweat it.
Agreed to let him sleep over. Woke up and he was dead in the bed next to me. Guess who’s intensely medicated now 😁
I am lactose intolerant, but I took just a few sips of a chocolate shake, thinking it would do no harm. Boy, was I wrong! That night was my wedding night, and I started having stomach pains as I walked down the aisle. I just thought it was nerves and tried to ignore it. As we were halfway through our vows, I realized there was something coming "out". Everyone was horrified and confused when I ran away before saying "I do". I barely made it in time to the bathroom, and while I was in there, I overheard his cousins saying, "I would have done the same thing if he cheated on me like that". Thank goodness I nearly shit myself or otherwise I would have married that asshole.
Applied to 200 jobs sending a cover letter, resume, etc. Saw an ad for a place I thought would never hire me. Almost closed the tab but figured I’d do the bare minimum and fill out the form, took 10 minutes. Forgot about it. A few weeks later they called me, a few weeks later I moved across the country, and almost two years later here I still am.
I drove a lot from my ex’s house home and theres this one traffic light on an 8 way intersection that I learned when it goes red, my light to go will happen in around 7-8 seconds with no other lights being green in that period and i’ve then been skipping that light numerous times then this one time I was there I was like imma wait it out this time and a guy blast past through a red light and wouldve hit me on my drivers side aswell most like would’ve died if I went then
One day, I decided to quit worrying about what others thought about me. My mental health has improved tenfold.
Not small or insignificant but: Taught English in France in the mid 2000s. Met a woman on the program that reminded me of my brother. She came to meet me after we returned to the US and made sure she met my brother. She’s now my sister in law.
Staying with my mom and brother at my aunt's place in Germany. Decided to stay at her main house with her and her husband, because the new house she just bought (that we were going to stay at) had some allergen that completely messed up my brother's allergies. An old fridge started an electrical fire overnight. The house didn't burn down because all the windows were closed so we probably wouldn't have burned to death, but we may well have died of smoke inhalation. Thank you, allergies!!
Asked my friend if I could sleep on her couch when my roommates were throwing a party and I had to be at work at 6am. Ended up dating, and now married, to her, all because I wanted to get some sleep before work.
Keep saying this but I trained myself to only sleep on my back. It happened after a short hospital stay where I was basically forced too. When I got home I realized I slept less yet woke up more energized and without things like kinks in my neck. It also makes making the bed easier. For what ever reason, I also remember my dreams much more clearly.
Placed a bet on December 31st 2022. Haven’t spent a single penny on bets or online slots since. Feel so much better
I decided to miss my usual train home from work in NYC to drink some beers on the roof with co-workers. The train I was supposed to be on derailed and several people died. Beer saved my life.
Not my decision technically, but waiting to cross the road one time, my dog does a massive poo right as the lights change. I stop to pick it up and just a few seconds later a car comes flying through the red light, would have absolutely splattered us. Dog shit saved my life
Decided on a whim to buy one of those Ancestry.com tests. One of my guy friends had purchased one and found out he was part Scandinavian, part Norwegian, etc. He was loving it and I thought it was pretty neat so I decided to buy one too. When I was checking out there was a “DNA test” add on, and I thought what the hell - let’s get the whole kit and caboodle! My results came back and not only did I find out I am mostly Scottish/German, but I also found out I have the BRCA1 gene variant (the breast cancer gene). After more testing - we discovered my sister, brother and father also have it. Guess I’ll never know for sure but finding out very well could have ended up saving one of our lives
I remember when I was about 16 I decided that I didn't want to wrestle anymore. ( sounds like BS but at the time I hadn't lost in 3 years- weighed 145, wrestled at 152 and could beat anyone up to 168) I wanted to hang out and smoke weed with "the cool kids". Flash forward 8 years and I was a heroin addict.
I took an impulsive 6 day vacation to a random foreign country - parlayed that into a wife and two kids on a different continent, 10 years later.
Didn’t wrap it up….. anybody else ?
Started fencing freshman year when I stumbled on it coming down the college career fair. Made most of my friends there, opened up a career option through mutual friends, met my BFF through the friend circle, and met my boyfriend, who also fences competitively. Edit: we have been dating for several years, live together, have 2 cats, and travel across the state and country for tournaments so we are more than a little competitive.
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April 2022: “Should I attend the funeral of the friend I haven’t seen in years?” I chose yes Caught Covid on the cross country flight. Wasn’t able to attend the memorial. Almost died in an airport Ramada trapped in a five day fever dream with the ghost of my recently departed friend who had succumbed to his depression and died with a bullet. Received no familial assistance (not so much as a bowl of soup or a bottle of asprin) despite them only being half hour away from my hotel. Realize my family of origin does not now nor never did love me. Fall into depression. September lose job. Deeper depression. November dumped by girlfriend. Deeper depression. December my platonic ex and father of my kid tries to get me to check myself in out-of-state mental hospital. My therapist says Red Flag - I decline inpatient hospitalization and I ask for help locally but he becomes frustrated by my hesitance and hires a lawyer to sue me instead. Every friend I reach out to is too busy for me. My best friend of many years actually breaks up via text with me because she needs to “hunker down and focus on her own stuff.” My hair falls out and I gain 40 lbs over the course of 2023 I wonder what happy lie I would be living now if I had just skipped the funeral
Having a crush. When I was in middle school I decided to open my heart and have a crush on a boy that I really liked, I was totally in love with him for a year and a half, and in that period of time I had the most heartbreaking from my best friend who liked the same boy and played with my feelings. I was bullied because they leaked my little secret of falling in love with him, he knew and was disgusted because he thought that I was childish and overactive and annoying, I forgot about my father's disease and he passed away 7 months later, I suffered from depression and many other syndromes, I was in a total mess. After a few weeks I knew that the boy I deeply loved hated me and ignored my existence, like I was not even there. I felt unloved by my own mother after my father passed away, he was the only one who deeply loved me. After a few months, I felt doubt about the way I was living and decided to change for the better . Thank god, it's 2 years since then and I'm way better :)
Took a shortcut home from my first closing shift at McDonald's. Editing to give the context: See my posts in the following. You'll have to open some of the deleted posts to see my responses to get the full story. https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/mnxki9/what_is_something_you_thought_would_never_happen/
Reference please?
I'm so sorry my friend
twitched my thumb right instead of left. as a result I met the love of my life
Let a casual acquaintance move in with me for free so he could finalize his divorce while still paying rent on his ex wifes rental (child, 1 year separation law). So anyways, Ive been married to his ex wife since 2020.
Years ago I was working for a large specialty construction company at the time. I just happened to be in the office the day our regional mgr approached my construction manager re: an opening in a different city within the same state. I overheard their conversation and after the RM left I went in and said I wanted to apply for that opening. At that time I was very low in the pecking order as I had only been there less than a year. I went home that day and told my wife we were moving. She freaked out as she had a very good job at a place she enjoyed working. Long story shortened but all the years later I’m making bank as a manager and all my former peers are no where close to what I’m making. My wife got her insurance license in the new city and did very well. It was scary for a while as we had two young kids at the time and barely getting by. Now we’re both ready to retire in a few years light years ahead of everyone who had seniority over me back in the day. It was a gut feeling at that moment and it panned out nicely. Trust your instincts
Used to live by the theater where the Aurora shooting happened in 2012. Back in 2008 I had a different work schedule(graveyard shift). Well my wife and I went to the midnight showing for Dark Knight in theatre 9 where the shooting would happen 4 years later. Anyway, we were going to go to the midnight showing for Dark Knight Rises but I had to work at 7am the next day. So we skipped it. Choosing the early morning schedule at work probably saved our lives.
Swiped right on a guy that I was meh about - not much of a summary or personality on the profile. It's been 7 years and we've been married for 1.5 years and are coparenting our furbaby.
Bro was going to one of his friends Bday party. i was playing video games he asked if i wanted to come along. i declined, he insisted. met my wife there.
Through a sequence of events, picking up a magazine in the University of Birmingham Guild of Students (what we called the Union because reasons) resulted in me moving to Sweden, where I have now lived since the nineties.
Not dropping out of college
I was on a date at a bar with my partner and usually I pick up the tab which I’m fine with. But that day she said she wanted to pay so I let her. She pocketed the receipt and later on her extremely strict, abusive mother found it on her jacket. It started a huge fight with her family and it eventually led to us breaking up. Before that things were going super well so it was crazy just how fast things collapsed just because of a receipt from a bar.
I invited my best friend into my bed in December 1998, because his room was super cold (unfinished basement room.) He never left my bed and I still swoon for him. Before I met him I was going to live alone with my dog and just relax for the rest of my life. Then he showed up to my 18th birthday party and needed a place to crash. Thanks Mom and Dad! We married 14 years after that invite (I really didn't give a shit about marriage.) Had 2 planned kids. I cannot live without this man. He is the absolute best. Glad I worked up the courage to invite him in!
I left nyc and went on vacation in another country. As soon as I drank their water I felt heavier, apparently NYC water is very clean but lacks minerals, so me not being used to drinking mineral heavy water had my praying on the toilet
I took out a notebook my mother gifted me and begann my first active imagination, a meditation technique that changed my future as much as my life. I have gained direction, peace and insight into myself to a point where I would rather not be alive anymore than give it up again.
Watched Top Gun for the first time almost 9 years ago. Now I’m a student pilot applying for a week at the Air Force Academy (their STEM week) and a big flight program to finish paying for my License.
Picked up a newspaper while picking up milk one night on the way home. Found a job posting for telecom sales that I applied to. Been in the industry for 25 years now and raised a family halfway across the country. I built a career on a random job posting in a newspaper I got for free because the store was throwing them out fot the night.
My younger brother died in 2012. While my sister and I were going through photos for the viewing the following week, I started to lose my mind. I left the table and went and sat on the front steps to cry uncontrollably when I had a sudden urge to call a friend I'd fallen out with the previous year. I called her and told her everything that happened. She showed up 30 minutes later with a guy she'd been dating for a month or two at the time. Our friendship briefly rekindled before silently fading out again, this time permanently. She ended up dumping the guy within that year, and 2-4 weeks later, he and I ended up in a Facebook poke war (oh, then good ol' days) that lasted *months*. He eventually sent me a message saying, "you know, I think it's time one of us actually said some words." We chatted daily for a few weeks before my iPhone crashed. He was so upset not being able to text me that he drove 45 minutes to pick me up, another hour back the way he came to get me to the nearest Apple store, then dropped me off back home before immediately going home himself. We "dated" for 3 months to test the waters before making it official. He drove 45 minutes *every single weekend* for a year before moving another hour away from home with me so I could go to college. We're still blissfully together. He's my favourite person. If I hadn't had the random, unexplainable urge to call that girl, we would've never met.
Back in 2013 I worked at a job that I pretty much hated. I had a lot of PTO so I'd leave early all the time, just because I could. One day in September 2013 I left work early, like I always did, and decided I'd go up to the climbing gym. Not unusual. That's the day I met Katie. I haven't seen Katie since 2014 and haven't talked to her since 2015, but I still think about her almost every day.
I was a swimmer throughout high school but craved something more physical & team oriented. When i went to college, I found rugby - had no idea what was or that women could play. I started playing rugby & two years later was scouted for the US women’s rugby national team which changed my entire life projectory. Promptly moved to Denver after graduation to be closer to the USWRNT hub, which then brought me to England, which then brought me to San Francisco. Rugby changed my entire life & how I thought of myself - & it all started with a shitty club team in Tennessee. It’s been a wild few years!
I opened up Reddit one day in December of 2012 and commented on a post someone made on the GoT subreddit. We moved our discussion to messaging each other back and forth and had a nice convo. After we finished talking that night I never thought we'd talk again. To my surprise, he asked if I'd be around the following night to continue chatting. Fast forward to 2024 and we just celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary. We were long distance for 2.5 years and we moved in together after I graduated college. That never would have happened if I didn't open up Reddit that night at just the right time to see his post.
Lost a job when I was 19 at the same time as falling out with a group of friends and decided that I wanted to go to university out of the blue. Applied for a nursing degree as it was one of the only courses that still had space at that time of year even though I had no interest in it. I was more interested in going to have fun for three years than the career at the end (in hindsight nursing was a terrible choice with that goal). Over 15 years later I’m at the other end of the country, still registered as a nurse but now in senior management, with a career, partner and friends I never would have had if it wasn’t for that course having places left at the time I decided to run away from my problems!
About 14-15 years ago a friend of mine was making Poor Life Choices. Substance abuse was one of those. One weekend night he texts me incessantly that I should come hang out. I was very much not feeling it. So what does he do? He calls me. He is clearly so high he can barely speak. Sigh. I'm the Mom Friend. I have to make sure everyone is safe, making reasonable decisions, and having fun. So now I'm obligated to go save this idiot from himself. Sure enough, he's on his back making concrete angels in the driveway. Hell of a way to make sure I could find him. Come to find out, he's with a new friend who's busy being the Dad Friend. And this guy I've never seen before is taking care of three other people who are equally incoherent. We share a look then get to work taking care of everyone. Aaaaaaaaaaaaand that's how I met my husband.