We are in hard times right now. And we have been in hard times for a few too many years.
So when discussing life I always say first... "Don't be so hard on yourself. The world is collectively going through something."
That's not to say each of us isn't individually having a life crisis or a string of situations that make life difficult.
I'm just saying, try to not take on all the unhappiness as your fault.
We all have to unpack what in life has gotten us to where we are and why it may not be enough.
How do we fix it? Can we fix it? Are we too exhausted to fix it?
Redditor ososmo23 wanted everyone to have a chat and spill about why life isn't so fulfilling.
"What is currently causing you to live unhappy?"
I don't even know what happy means anymore.
Just trying to figure out what would complete me is exhausting.
So I just breathe.
It's all I've got.
For now... sometimes it's more than most.
Mistakes Happen
"Answering one question wrong on an application for the job I’ve been waiting for for years. My resume was thrown out because of that one question. Definitely my fault but I’m having a hard time accepting this dumb mistake of mine." ~ noshebetterdonot
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In the End
"My Mother recently dying and how much sister flipped right out." ~ Tom37241
"My Dad died in early November, the aftermath of everything I am dealing with is pretty much overwhelming. I feel what you are going through big time. One thing I learned is that when I am old and dying, I will make sure whatever my estate is will be really easy for my loved ones to deal with." ~ macmac360
Person 2 Person
"Lack of meaningful interpersonal relationships." ~ WasteApplication9
"I found a huge drop after leaving my early twenties. All of the friends that I see on a regular basis are from college.Now that covert is a little more under control at least people are more educated on how to handle it. We can start to work on ourselves again socially. Just do one person at a time."
"Don't make a big deal out of it but just make an extra effort to chit chat with that person to desks down from you or that works on the same shift. You get my point someone you see every day but tend to ignore as you're just going about your business." ~ urglingWaffle
people suck...
"Multiple sclerosis not giving me a damn break. Plus a bully at work." ~ ariellann
"Sorry about your bully. I’ve had to deal with stuff like this and because I’m a man and a bit big my bosses pretty much just laughed at me. I am pretty much a pacifist and have a hard time with causing discomfort to others, it pains me to. I cannot imagine how that can be while suffering from MS. Your coworker is lame and must hate themselves. So sorry you are dealing with this." ~ RickolPick
HELP!!
"My complete lack of motivation to do anything that would make me feel better physically, mentally, or financially." ~ waitinformyruca
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Motivation is a killer.
It's hard to keep going, but it's imperative we do.
You never know when things can change.
Farewell
"My cat passed away at the age 19. I really miss him. I got him as my 6th birthday present as a little kitten. He passed away 2 days ago. We had a really nice funeral for him yesterday." ~ General_Code6084
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Normal
"My face. I was born with deformities and while I’ve become the person I want, I told myself I would be finished with the surgeries before I went to college. Now I’m about to go to college and still at essentially square one, after over a dozen surgeries. I just want to look normal. People who aren’t deformed in some way can’t understand just how much it affects you. It consumes your identity." ~ hats2heck
Therapy didn't help...
"I have nothing I want to do in life. No goal. Nothing." ~ peppy-adventurer
"Same. Everyone is like 'you'll find it, try new things' or 'your dream is not dead yet, you can try again.' No, I don't want to try again. I'm not interested anymore. I am not interested in anything."
"I work all day and then play games on my phone. I do yoga and it's okay. I go for walks or hang out with my friends and it's okay as well. But I have no drive. Every day is the same. Therapy didn't help. I am just... Indifferent. It's been what, 2 years? 3 years? Maybe 4? I can't remember." ~ CarolynEarle
It's ALL Wrong
"Literally almost everything about myself. I can't live with my own thoughts anymore. I really don't like my face all that much, or my uneven body. Everyone thinks I'm just quiet, but I can't think about anything at all without contradicting it, so I just stay silent. I always regret every little thing I do, no matter what it is. And this is just all that I'm willing to reveal." ~ Verra_lol
Crushing Pain
"My dad dying of Covid. For once, a lot of things in my life is going right, but the depression is crushing me." ~ Jennajordanlemon
"I know how you feel. My mom recently passed away and I just feel so empty. Getting professional help does help a bit so I can definitely recommend it. You can get through this."
Parents Explain Why They Regret The Name They Gave Their Child | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Denmark has very strict laws to protect children from bizarre names. Parents must choose from a list of 7,000 pre-approved names. And if they choose a name o..."If you mean that he's currently suffering from it, then that sucks. My mom died of cancer within just a few weeks. Seeing her condition getting worse every day crushed me. Things will get better, even if your sorrow won't go away. Hope you're doing okay and watching after yourself. Sending love. <3"~ Feldbluse
Legion
"Internet addiction, among numerous personal problems I have no clue how to solve." ~ MrWeirdo12
"Hopefully you’re talking to someone. Not my business, but therapists and even groups are maybe a good idea. I do both. Please just remember - you aren’t alone. We are legion." ~ SweetGroverCleveland
Not your fault...
"My wife's bipolar. It's just so hard sometimes." ~ njoto
"Same here. Woke up this morning to getting yelled at because I went to bed really early last night. She was afraid to wake me up and knows I have problems sleeping with TV and noise but she refuses to even try sleeping without TV on. So instead she fell asleep on couch in living room then moved to bed and couldn't sleep all night. It's my fault of course :|."
"I even apologized a couple hours later just to make the craziness stop."
"Edit: yes I know it's not my fault. I meant that she has decided this in mania and no point in trying to convince her otherwise. You'd understand if you've dealt with this type of situation before." ~ supm8te
Body Breakdown
"Becoming disabled, losing 30+ years of working with animals training dogs and horses. Working with abused horses mostly. I miss riding and being the voice for those that have none. This past week my daughter, due to ex, isn't speaking to me. I've rarely seen her due to him." ~ fourleafclover13
Belly
"My big ole fat belly and trying to figure out my purpose in life and what career would make me happy. Did try applying for the fire service but got rejected and can reapply in a year. Think I'll be too old by then for progression and a decent pension." ~ cube1875
Custody
"Sharing custody of my kids. They are happy that they get to see both parents, so I know I should be happy that they are happy. And I am happy for them, but words fail to describe how much I miss them when they are gone." ~ Ragina_Falange
Doom!
"Separation after 10 years together. There is little to no joy in anything. I went from being someone with countless hobbies and who is talkative to someone who literally a shell of my former self. I was recently asked what I like to do. I honestly didn't have an answer and it took me way too long to just come up with a lie. Constant feeling of impending doom. Then I have to remind myself many are feeling the same thing and that I'm not alone." ~ Alex_c666
It's ok Nancy...
"I’ll be 39 Thursday and still live with my parents. I have PTSD, Borderline Personality Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder with frequent bouts of suicidal thoughts/attempts. I’m on disability, see a therapist and Psychiatrist, attend DBT and have ECT’s every other week. I will never actually live. Despite my dreams, this is most likely as good as it will get for me. Sorry for being negative Nancy." ~ dmbfan1216
Transitions...
"In the middle of a transition at work, will feel better once it’s kind of decided in a week or two. Going through a divorce. High Credit card balance. Stock accounts going down recently that make that worse. That all being said, I think I have a handle on most of it. Just kinda sucks for a bit." ~ x_driven_x
Before 30...
"Medical bills that went to collections. When I was unemployed due to debilitating panic attacks, I had to use my dad's corpse money I got after he died. When taxes came they wanted me to pay back a few grand, even though I had $3 in my bank. I’m not even 30 yet and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to pay them off. "
"I use to have amazing credit that I started building when I was a teen. Now it’s all effed. My mom thinks I should declare bankruptcy. I’m living pay check to paycheck, even monthly payments aren’t affordable and I can’t afford to hire help." ~ McBiggieWiggles
After reading this, at least we know we're not alone.
Take the time to breathe.
Reflect.
Think.
Who knows what can happen next.
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For many childhood memories are overrun by living nightmares.
Yes, children are resilient, but that doesn't mean that the things we see as babes don't follow us forever.
The horrors of the world are no stranger to the young.
Redditor -2sweetcaramel- wanted to see who was willing to share about the worst things we've seen as kids, so they asked:
"What’s the creepiest thing you saw as a kid?"
Serious Danger
"Me and my best friend would explore the drainage tunnels under the Vegas area where we grew up. These were miles long and it was always really cool down there so it was a good way to escape the heat of our scorching hot summers. We went into this one that goes under the Fiesta casino and found a camp with a bunch of homeless people."
"Mind you we are like 11 years old lol. And we just kept going like it was nothing. It wasn’t scary then but when I look back at it we could have been in some serious danger. Our parents had no idea we did this or where we were and we had no cellphones. We could have been kidnapped and never have been found."
oofboof2020
Waiting for Food
"I was at a portillos once when I was 12 and I was waiting with my little brother at a booth while my parents got our food. This guy was standing with his tray kind of watching me then after a couple of minutes he started to walk over really fast not breaking eye contact with me."
"He was 2 feet from the table and my dad came out of nowhere and scared the s**t out of him. He looked so surprised and just said he wanted to see if I’d get scared or not. He left his tray full of food near the door and left. My folks reported him but we never went to that location again since we found a better one closer to home."
nowhereboy1964
Captain Hobo to the Rescue
"When I was a pretty young teen, my friends and I were horsing around in San Francisco and started hanging out to smoke with some homeless guys. Another homeless dude came up and began aggressively trying to shake us down for anything (money, smokes, a ride, drugs- all of it) and wouldn’t take no for an answer."
"We got in over our heads and could tell this guy was now riling the other 2 guys up and they were acting like they wanted to jump us. Some grandfather-looking old homeless man appeared out of nowhere and yelled at us to get the f**k out of here- nice kids like us don’t belong down here at this hour!!"
"Captain Hobo saved our lives that night. My parents sincerely thought we were at a mall all day lol."
FartAttack911
Survival
tsunami GIF
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"I was 7 and survived the 2004 tsunami in Thailand. Witnessed the wave rise way above the already massive palm trees (approx. 40ft?) and my family and I watched/heard the wave crash into the ground from a rooftop."
faithfulpoo
These Tsunami stories are just tragic.
On the Sand
Scared The Launch GIF by CTV
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"We were a group of kids who went to swim in a local lake. And there was a dead body on the beach with their hands raised and their legs bent unnaturally that local police just took out of the same lake. I've never put my foot in these waters again."
oyloff
Be Clever
"I was walking to school and I was about 5 or 6 years old and some guy pulled up beside me in his car and asked if I would get in. He also offered me sweets to do so. I said no. The creepy bit was when he calmly said ‘clever boy’ to me, then drove off. I’ve never even told my parents or anyone else about this as it would most likely freak them out."
OstneyPiz
Bad Jokes
"Dad's side of the family pranked me by burying a fake body on our back property and had me dig it up to find valuables. Was only allowed to use a lantern for light. They stuffed old clothes with chicken bones. Sheetrock mud where the head was... Random fake jewelry as the treasures... I was like maybe 10 or 11.. I remember digging up the boot first and started gagging because it became real at that point."
Alegan239
YOU
Who Are You Reaction GIF by MOODMAN
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"Woke up to find my little brother staring at me in the dark, asking, Are you really you?"
PrettyLola2004
Siblings can really be a bunch of creepers.
No one should talk to others in the dark though.
Not all pet owners have the same relationship with their pets.
While anyone who decides to become a pet owner, or pet parent as some say, love their pets equally, some never ever let them leave their side.
Taking their pet with them to work, running errands, even on vacations.
Many pet parents even allow their pets to share their bed with them when going to sleep.
For others though, this is where a line is finally drawn.
Redditor Piggythelavasurfer was curious to hear whether pet owners allowed their pets to share their bed with them, as well as the reasons why they do/don't, leading them to ask:
"Do you let your pet sleep in your bed? Why/why not?"
The Tiny Issue Of Water...
"Absolutely not."
"I have fish."- Senior-Meal3649
Everyone Gets Lonely Eventually...
"I adopted an eleven year old cat the day before Halloween."
"She has mostly lived in my closet since I got her, and she hasn’t been too interested in coming out."
"Last night, she came out of my closet and jumped up on my bed, and crawled under my covers and curled up by my feet to sleep."
"I was so happy!"- YellowBeastJeep
The Comforting Reminder That You're Not Alone...
"I recently lost my Greyhound but I used to let him sleep on my bed with me."
"The company was nice and he was no trouble to have on my bed."- HoodedMenace3
Hungry Cookie GIF by De Graafschap Dierenartsen
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What Do You Mean Allow?
"I have no choice."
"She is a cat, cats do whatever they want."- Small_cat1412
"He lets me sleep in my bed."- Poorly-Drawn-Beagle
Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way
"I carry my old boy upstairs to bed every night."- worst_in_show
Hug GIF by The BarkPost
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Who Needs An Alarm Clock?
"I let my two cats sleep with me."
"They're so full of love and just want cuddles all the time."
"And so do I."
"We've all developed a lil routine."
"Get to bed, oldest sleeps on my feet to keep them warm, youngest lies in my arm while I lie on my side (she the little spoon), then when I snooze my alarm for work in the morning the youngest paws at my face and meeps loudly to wake me up."- GhostofaFlea_
Whose Bed Is It Anyway?
"Yes."
"They're also kind enough to let me squeeze into whatever space they've left for me."
"Although I do get a few dirty looks off them."- Therealkaylor
"I found this tiny kitten screaming her head off under a car."
"Would not come out."
"Got some food and some water in dishes."
"I stood by the tire so she couldn't see my feet."
"She got curious about the food and water and started gobbling it down."
"I thought she would bolt when I squatted down."
"She was too busy eating."
"I grabbed her by the nape of the neck and all four legs went straight out and she tried to scratch me to death."
"I got her in the door and tossed her toward the couch."
"She ricocheted off the couch as if she was a ping pong off a table and I lost sight of her."
"I put out food and water and a sandbox and did not see that kitten for three days."
"On the third day, I came home and she was on my bed pillow."
"I thought she would bolt when I came near, but she didn't."
"I wanted to sleep so I tried to scoot her little butt off my pillow."
"She would not go."
"I put my head down to sleep and that is the way it was from then on."
"She ran the roost."- Logical_Cherry_7588
sleepy kitten GIF
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Sleeping Is A Prerequisite...
"No, he's a cat and he cannot keep still during the night."
"He walks across the headboard, opens the closet doors, jumps into the windows and rustles the blinds, etc."
"If he would sleep he could stay, but alas, he's a ramblin' man."- Spong_Durnflungle
Saying No Just Isn't An Option...
"'Let'."
"Lol."
"It's a cat's world and I'm happy to be on her good side."- milaren
Felines Only!
"The cat does, the dog doesn't and the horse certainly does not either."- Xcrowzz
Angry Tom And Jerry GIF by Boomerang Official
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Is That My Hair On That Pillow?
"My dog is perfect."
"She comes up, cuddles til we start to fall asleep, then gets down to sleep on her bed so she doesn't get too hot."
"Jumps back up in the early morning for wake up cuddles."
"The hair everywhere is the only downside but she is so cozy, what can you do."- HoodieWinchester
It is easy to understand how some people are able to fall asleep more easily knowing their friend and protector is there, in bed, with them.
Though we can't blame others who don't want to run the risk of being scratched or bitten in the middle of the night either...