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People Describe The Most Positive Things To Happen To Them In 2021

People Describe The Most Positive Things To Happen To Them In 2021
Husna Miskander/Unsplash

Just after Christmas, my future sister-in-law sent me a message that contained the following phrase:

"Hopefully we've all met our quota for bad sh*t and the good sh*t begins."

Obviously, the universe took that as a challenge and snatched Betty White (gee thanks, sis!) so that didn't quite work out ... but she was onto something with the thought.


I spent 2021 writing about 2021 stuff ... which, let's be honest, was pretty intense.

From a news and current events standpoint, the year was like... like if a flaming dumpster was somehow swept up in a flash flood. Then that flash flood deposited the aforementioned dumpster into a toxic waste dump.

Dumpster-flames then ignited the dump itself; so now it's a whooooole site full of nuclear flames and toxic runoff - which triggers a swarm of murder-butterflies who use their wings to give you little papercuts in the webbing between your fingers.

Intense. 2021 was intense - but it wasn't ALL BAD.

We met our negativity quota, so let's start the year with an article that takes a different angle on things.

Reddit user UKnowWhat_UrAwesome asked:

"What is the most positive thing that happened to you this year?"

Cheers to these folks. And To Betty, who was always a positive thing happening to people.

To Health!

In Love Reaction GIFGiphy

"Lost 107 pounds through diet, got my heart condition mostly under control, got only mild COVID."

"I have a genetic heart condition that really needed to be controlled. I was going through old pictures and was shocked."

"I started counting calories and going to the gym 3 days a week to lift weights with a personal trainer. I went from 290 down to 183."

- PoetBakerSlut

"This makes my cardiac nurse heart happy! Best wishes on continuing with your healthy lifestyle!"

- proximitysensor

Permission

propose the mindy project GIF by HULUGiphy

"Asked my girlfriend's dad for permission to marry his daughter."

"He not only said yes; he said he could not imagine a man who could be better suited to marry his daughter, and to be called his son."

"He's a wood worker, and made the most beautiful ring box for us."

"Asking him was stressful, but for me asking her brother for permission to ask her out, was scarier than asking her dad for permission to marry her."

"So background, me and her brother are good friends, so I wanted to make sure he was okay with it. His words left me about speechless too 'Yeah, go for it, I've been waiting for a gentleman to take interest in her.' "

"It's been incredibly humbling how her family treats me, to them I was never the boyfriend or fiancée. To them I'm already part of the family, even the extended family treats me like kin."

- CaptnRiggen

Getting Out

Sad Alyssa GIF by Big BrotherGiphy

"I got out of a relationship that was destroying my mental health."

"If I had stayed I can 100% say for certain that I would not be here today. I hate saying that because you shouldn’t blame suicidal thoughts on anyone - but my ex was emotionally manipulative and I’m still figuring out everything he did to me."

"It's the way that they make you think that everything happening is your fault somehow. I don’t understand why people feel the need to mentally destroy others."

"Honestly I think a lot of his issues stem from not getting enough attention from his mom as a child as well as major health problems. So dependency issues were a major problem for sure."

"I was in that relationship for 4.5 years and didn’t realize what he was doing to me until the last year and a half. By the time I was finally able to leave him I was a shell of who I was."

"I do hope he gets whatever help he needs, but I couldn't keep being his whipping post. I had to free me."

"I’m definitely getting counseling. I signed up for therapy legit right before I left my ex."

- Cheeserblaster

"As someone who is trying to walk away from an emotionally abusive person, I know that it’s not easy to leave. I’m glad you found the strength within yourself to save yourself."

- the_catw0man

Silver Linings

gilmore girls netflix GIFGiphy

"A tree crushed my car, but I had insurance and I got a nicer car out of it."

- staggere

"And that’s big 2021 energy!"

- ifindmyselfinthepast

"Silver linings!"

"Love it - and love your outlook! Always best to focus on the positive side"

- UKnowWhat_UrAwesome

"Did you get a new tree though?"

- PoetBakerSlut

"I have two trees and that's about all I have room for, apparently."

- staggere

Like A Recent Parolee

Dave Chappelle GIFGiphy

"I got fired from my job 2 weeks ago. For sending a resume’ to another restaurant."

"It was so toxic. I’m pretty broke but I feel like I’m a recent parolee!!"

"The whole thing was really sh*tty."

"The restaurant I worked at was sold. I’ve been there for over two years. The new manager didn’t like me and stop seating me tables. So my money dropped in half."

"It was a great place till this lady took over. Of course I was struggling gleefully having to jump on board with her insane ideas. So she wanted me gone."

"After a few weeks of this I could no longer sustain myself. I was forced into sending a résumé."

"The owner of that restaurant called up the owner of my restaurant and they called me up and fired me together."

"I relish kicking back now and reading all the terrible reviews about the place. LOL"

- palmveach1972

You need to contact a lawyer."

"You can’t be fired for sending out CVs and anything that is on a CV is with discretion so that other prick that rang your boss needs to be nailed to a f*cking tree, the scumbag!"

- The-Angry-Paddy

"Check with a lawyer; that may be grounds for unjust termination."

"Even if it's an 'at will' state. 'At will' doesn't mean you can be fired at any time for any reason; it just means it's easier for the employer to fire you."

"There's still (sh*tty) labor laws that restrict what you can be fired for."

- EmeraldN

This Amazing Adventure

Adventure Going GIFGiphy

"I started a business with a few co-workers from my previous job."

"2020 was horrible. We had to take awful jobs and clients and still were in debt."

"2021 we landed our first big client. Not only were we in the green, but all the partners have salary and profit dist. that was above what we were making at our old job!"

"Our last meeting before the holiday break were spent talking about hiring employees, medical and benefits, etc. It's like I'm on this amazing adventure."

- shaka_sulu

People Share Dark Secrets From Their Profession The Public Doesn't Know | George Takei’s Oh Myyy

Sometimes secrets are an integral part in making magic. Though many professions withhold truth from the public, some things we'd prefer to know. Do we really...

A Real Hero

supergirl GIFGiphy

"I am a single mother of 3, with a full time job, no child support or alimony."

"I bought a house on my own."

"It's not the most modern or upgraded home, but it's clean, safe, and has plenty of room for us. It's all mine."

"I bought the house with my own money and didn't need a cosigner."

- cinnamonbagel82

"That is awesome!"

- fire_fairy_

"You're a real life hero!"

- [Reddit]

Reunited

Giphy

"I was trying to immigrate when the pandemic hit, so I got stuck in a different country away from my wife and kids for over a year."

"After a very long wait with almost no updates, the consulate opened back up and I was able to get my visa and cross the border as a landed immigrant!"

"We sold our old house and now have a bigger house with no mortgage."

"I also lost 60 lbs."

- Ljudet-Innan

"Fantastic news! I’m happy things are looking up for you & your family!"

- anna_bananas56

25 Again

happy reno 911 GIF by Comedy CentralGiphy

"Had spine surgery to correct the injuries from a car crash back in 2017."

"For the past 4 years my legs and bladder would give out randomly. However, since I didn't have the terrible back pain the rest of the world is obsessed with no 'expert' or surgeon would even bother trying to help me."

"Finally found a surgeon who had seen my symptomology before and he said he could help me. Wow was he right lol!"

"Now my legs work again and so does 'everything else' haha!"

"I'll be 40 in Feb and I feel like my gift is feeling 25 again!"

- madg0dsrage0n

Alien Lizard Upgrades

alien high kick GIFGiphy

"My kid was born at the end of 2020."

"I thought my kid looked normal when she was born, but old pictures make me realize it was mom hormones and she actually looked like an alien, so 2021 has been all about watching her grow from alien lizard to a walking talking toddler."

"The birth was super extra traumatic for me because she did gymnastics in the womb and got tied up in the umbilical cord and couldn't come out. They had to cut her out (after 36 hours of labor), and the doctor said it was like fighting Cthulu because she had got her arms, feet, torso and everything wrapped up in the cord."

"So 2021 was me healing from all the trauma. I could barely walk for two weeks after the birth, and now I'm finally back to exercising. I used to get panic attacks from the nurse taking my blood pressure, and now I'm back to normal."

"Also I read a book that made me rethink my approach to work and life, and found a new therapist for my adhd, and things have been a lot better!"

- sensitiveinfomax

Actual Possibilities

Happy Brandy Norwood GIF by Disney+Giphy

"I started anti-depressants!"

"I didn't think they were working until I realized I wasn't just sitting around staring at the wall every day like I used to. I have hobbies again, and my thoughts aren't constantly about self harm!"

"It's been an incredible change, and even though I know I now have to make other changes in my life, it all actually feels possible now."

- Sea-Biscotti

Bringing Life Back

House Reaction GIF by MOODMANGiphy

​"We (fiancé and I, 32m and 30m) moved into our forever house on top of the hill in our village."

"It had been empty for 2 years and not shown much sign of life for a few years before that."

"Together we brought the house back to life and everyone we've spoken to in the village has been so excited to see the house lived in!"

- Consistent_Welcome_6

A Second Impression

The Office Hug GIFGiphy

"I actually got to know someone I really despised when I first met them through online learning in person, and now he’s one of my best friends and I’m proud to say my first judgement of him was horribly wrong."

"He’s definitely made my year just a little bit brighter especially because I’m someone who didn’t have any close guy friends before (I’m a dude too so felt very insecure about that) so I think that’s been my highlight of the year and I’m always grateful for how it all turned out in the end"

- DarthConceirge

Multiple Streams Of Income

Make It Rain Money GIF by A Little Late With Lilly SinghGiphy

"So last year we had a salary drop that evened out at 50%."

"In August this year, I started a new job in a completely different industry (with a 4x increase) that I am thriving in; and I got to keep my old job (because as much as the pay sucks I love it)."

"Having multiple streams of income has meant that I can start much needed maintenance on my house, pay school fees, have a full freezer, and put away a little for savings that will be more once the house is fixed up."

- DawnWillowBean

Watching Him Ring That Bell

seth rogen cancer GIFGiphy

"My best friend beat cancer!"

"I was crying of happiness more than he was. I have known this guy since kindergarten, so finding out he beat cancer was the biggest relief ever."

"Watching him ring that bell made me so happy that I pinched myself to see if I was dreaming. Glad to say I wasn’t!"

- Theboym88

Making The Dog Possible

Happy Butler Bulldogs GIF by Butler UniversityGiphy

"I bought a house and adopted my dog!"

"Last November I left the job that was slowly killing me and started something new with better hours, better pay and better long term prospects. It made the house buying possible, which made the dog adoption possible."

"I've had the best 12 months of my life, which feels really weird to say with how the world has been."

- so_original27

That Mopey Cynical Boy Is Gone

Trans Day Of Visibility GIF by PlumeGiphy

"I realized I was trans this year!"

"It was like having an explanation for why I was so unhappy and angry for so long. The day I realized it I was finally...happy.
I'm much happier mentally, now that I know who I truly am!"

"That mopey cynical boy is gone and a cute happy gal has taken the boy's place!"

- PowerOfL

Starting A Career

acting patrick stewart GIFGiphy

"I got my career started."

"I graduated with my BFA in Performing Arts in May and immediately got a summer internship at a nationally renowned children’s theatre, got a fall acting job with a touring children’s theatre, and joined a professional murder mystery company that I have a few shows a month with."

"As one could guess, times are NOT great for live entertainment right now, so to have paying opportunities right out of the gate felt really good. I hope I keep up that momentum with audition season coming up."

- groundhogseatclover

Now that we know what went right for Reddit, it's your turn at the mic. Tell us what went right for you in 2021 so we can celebrate your wins.


If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

To find help outside the United States, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has resources available at https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/

People Reveal The Weirdest Thing About Themselves

Reddit user Isitjustmedownhere asked: 'Give an example; how weird are you really?'

Let's get one thing straight: no one is normal. We're all weird in our own ways, and that is actually normal.

Of course, that doesn't mean we don't all have that one strange trait or quirk that outweighs all the other weirdness we possess.

For me, it's the fact that I'm almost 30 years old, and I still have an imaginary friend. Her name is Sarah, she has red hair and green eyes, and I strongly believe that, since I lived in India when I created her and there were no actual people with red hair around, she was based on Daphne Blake from Scooby-Doo.

I also didn't know the name Sarah when I created her, so that came later. I know she's not really there, hence the term 'imaginary friend,' but she's kind of always been around. We all have conversations in our heads; mine are with Sarah. She keeps me on task and efficient.

My mom thinks I'm crazy that I still have an imaginary friend, and writing about her like this makes me think I may actually be crazy, but I don't mind. As I said, we're all weird, and we all have that one trait that outweighs all the other weirdness.

Redditors know this all too well and are eager to share their weird traits.

It all started when Redditor Isitjustmedownhere asked:

"Give an example; how weird are you really?"

Monsters Under My Bed

"My bed doesn't touch any wall."

"Edit: I guess i should clarify im not rich."

– Practical_Eye_3600

"Gosh the monsters can get you from any angle then."

– bikergirlr7

"At first I thought this was a flex on how big your bedroom is, but then I realized you're just a psycho 😁"

– zenOFiniquity8

Can You See Why?

"I bought one of those super-powerful fans to dry a basement carpet. Afterwards, I realized that it can point straight up and that it would be amazing to use on myself post-shower. Now I squeegee my body with my hands, step out of the shower and get blasted by a wide jet of room-temp air. I barely use my towel at all. Wife thinks I'm weird."

– KingBooRadley

Remember

"In 1990 when I was 8 years old and bored on a field trip, I saw a black Oldsmobile Cutlass driving down the street on a hot day to where you could see that mirage like distortion from the heat on the road. I took a “snapshot” by blinking my eyes and told myself “I wonder how long I can remember this image” ….well."

– AquamarineCheetah

"Even before smartphones, I always take "snapshots" by blinking my eyes hoping I'll remember every detail so I can draw it when I get home. Unfortunately, I may have taken so much snapshots that I can no longer remember every detail I want to draw."

"Makes me think my "memory is full.""

– Reasonable-Pirate902

Same, Same

"I have eaten the same lunch every day for the past 4 years and I'm not bored yet."

– OhhGoood

"How f**king big was this lunch when you started?"

– notmyrealnam3

Not Sure Who Was Weirder

"Had a line cook that worked for us for 6 months never said much. My sous chef once told him with no context, "Baw wit da baw daw bang daw bang diggy diggy." The guy smiled, left, and never came back."

– Frostygrunt

Imagination

"I pace around my house for hours listening to music imagining that I have done all the things I simply lack the brain capacity to do, or in some really bizarre scenarios, I can really get immersed in these imaginations sometimes I don't know if this is some form of schizophrenia or what."

– RandomSharinganUser

"I do the same exact thing, sometimes for hours. When I was young it would be a ridiculous amount of time and many years later it’s sort of trickled off into almost nothing (almost). It’s weird but I just thought it’s how my brain processes sh*t."

– Kolkeia

If Only

"Even as an adult I still think that if you are in a car that goes over a cliff; and right as you are about to hit the ground if you jump up you can avoid the damage and will land safely. I know I'm wrong. You shut up. I'm not crying."

– ShotCompetition2593

Pet Food

"As a kid I would snack on my dog's Milkbones."

– drummerskillit

"Haha, I have a clear memory of myself doing this as well. I was around 3 y/o. Needless to say no one was supervising me."

– Isitjustmedownhere

"When I was younger, one of my responsibilities was to feed the pet fish every day. Instead, I would hide under the futon in the spare bedroom and eat the fish food."

– -GateKeep-

My Favorite Subject

"I'm autistic and have always had a thing for insects. My neurotypical best friend and I used to hang out at this local bar to talk to girls, back in the late 90s. One time he claimed that my tendency to circle conversations back to insects was hurting my game. The next time we went to that bar (with a few other friends), he turned and said sternly "No talking about bugs. Or space, or statistics or other bullsh*t but mainly no bugs." I felt like he was losing his mind over nothing."

"It was summer, the bar had its windows open. Our group hit it off with a group of young ladies, We were all chatting and having a good time. I was talking to one of these girls, my buddy was behind her facing away from me talking to a few other people."

"A cloudless sulphur flies in and lands on little thing that holds coasters."

"Cue Jordan Peele sweating gif."

"The girl notices my tension, and asks if I am looking at the leaf. "Actually, that's a lepidoptera called..." I looked at the back of my friend's head, he wasn't looking, "I mean a butterfly..." I poked it and it spread its wings the girl says "oh that's a BUG?!" and I still remember my friend turning around slowly to look at me with chastisement. The ONE thing he told me not to do."

"I was 21, and was completely not aware that I already had a rep for being an oddball. It got worse from there."

– Phormicidae

*Teeth Chatter*

"I bite ice cream sometimes."

RedditbOiiiiiiiiii

"That's how I am with popsicles. My wife shudders every single time."

monobarreller

Never Speak Of This

"I put ice in my milk."

– GTFOakaFOD

"You should keep that kind of thing to yourself. Even when asked."

– We-R-Doomed

"There's some disturbing sh*t in this thread, but this one takes the cake."

– RatonaMuffin

More Than Super Hearing

"I can hear the television while it's on mute."

– Tira13e

"What does it say to you, child?"

– Mama_Skip

Yikes!

"I put mustard on my omelettes."

– Deleted User

"Oh."

– NotCrustOr-filling

Evened Up

"Whenever I say a word and feel like I used a half of my mouth more than the other half, I have to even it out by saying the word again using the other half of my mouth more. If I don't do it correctly, that can go on forever until I feel it's ok."

"I do it silently so I don't creep people out."

– LesPaltaX

"That sounds like a symptom of OCD (I have it myself). Some people with OCD feel like certain actions have to be balanced (like counting or making sure physical movements are even). You should find a therapist who specializes in OCD, because they can help you."

– MoonlightKayla

I totally have the same need for things to be balanced! Guess I'm weird and a little OCD!

Close up face of a woman in bed, staring into the camera
Photo by Jen Theodore

Experiencing death is a fascinating and frightening idea.

Who doesn't want to know what is waiting for us on the other side?

But so many of us want to know and then come back and live a little longer.

It would be so great to be sure there is something else.

But the whole dying part is not that great, so we'll have to rely on other people's accounts.

Redditor AlaskaStiletto wanted to hear from everyone who has returned to life, so they asked:

"Redditors who have 'died' and come back to life, what did you see?"

Sensations

Happy Good Vibes GIF by Major League SoccerGiphy

"My dad's heart stopped when he had a heart attack and he had to be brought back to life. He kept the paper copy of the heart monitor which shows he flatlined. He said he felt an overwhelming sensation of peace, like nothing he had felt before."

PeachesnPain

Recovery

"I had surgical complications in 2010 that caused a great deal of blood loss. As a result, I had extremely low blood pressure and could barely stay awake. I remember feeling like I was surrounded by loved ones who had passed. They were in a circle around me and I knew they were there to guide me onwards. I told them I was not ready to go because my kids needed me and I came back."

"My nurse later said she was afraid she’d find me dead every time she came into the room."

"It took months, and blood transfusions, but I recovered."

good_golly99

Take Me Back

"Overwhelming peace and happiness. A bright airy and floating feeling. I live a very stressful life. Imagine finding out the person you have had a crush on reveals they have the same feelings for you and then you win the lotto later that day - that was the feeling I had."

"I never feared death afterward and am relieved when I hear of people dying after suffering from an illness."

rayrayrayray

Free

The Light Minnie GIF by (G)I-DLEGiphy

"I had a heart surgery with near-death experience, for me at least (well the possibility that those effects are caused by morphine is also there) I just saw black and nothing else but it was warm and I had such inner peace, its weird as I sometimes still think about it and wish this feeling of being so light and free again."

TooReDTooHigh

This is why I hate surgery.

You just never know.

Shocked

Giphy

"More of a near-death experience. I was electrocuted. I felt like I was in a deep hole looking straight up in the sky. My life flashed before me. Felt sad for my family, but I had a deep sense of peace."

Admirable_Buyer6528

The SOB

"Nursing in the ICU, we’ve had people try to die on us many times during the years, some successfully. One guy stood out to me. His heart stopped. We called a code, are working on him, and suddenly he comes to. We hadn’t vented him yet, so he was able to talk, and he started screaming, 'Don’t let them take me, don’t let them take me, they are coming,' he was scared and yelling."

"Then he yelled a little more, as we tried to calm him down, he screamed, 'No, No,' and gestured towards the end of the bed, and died again. We didn’t get him back. It was seriously creepy. We called his son to tell him the news, and the son said basically, 'Good, he was an SOB.'”

1-cupcake-at-a-time

Colors

"My sister died and said it was extremely peaceful. She said it was very loud like a train station and lots of talking and she was stuck in this area that was like a curtain with lots of beautiful colors (colors that you don’t see in real life according to her) a man told her 'He was sorry, but she had to go back as it wasn’t her time.'"

Hannah_LL7

"I had a really similar experience except I was in an endless garden with flowers that were colors I had never seen before. It was quiet and peaceful and a woman in a dress looked at me, shook her head, and just said 'Not yet.' As I was coming back, it was extremely loud, like everyone in the world was trying to talk all at once. It was all very disorienting but it changed my perspective on life!"

huntokarrr

The Fog

"I was in a gray fog with a girl who looked a lot like a young version of my grandmother (who was still alive) but dressed like a pioneer in the 1800s she didn't say anything but kept pulling me towards an opening in the wall. I kept refusing to go because I was so tired."

"I finally got tired of her nagging and went and that's when I came to. I had bled out during a c-section and my heart could not beat without blood. They had to deliver the baby and sew up the bleeders. refill me with blood before they could restart my heart so, like, at least 12 minutes gone."

Fluffy-Hotel-5184

Through the Walls

"My spouse was dead for a couple of minutes one miserable night. She maintains that she saw nothing, but only heard people talking about her like through a wall. The only thing she remembers for absolute certain was begging an ER nurse that she didn't want to die."

"She's quite alive and well today."

Hot-Refrigerator6583

Well let's all be happy to be alive.

It seems to be all we have.

Man's waist line
Santhosh Vaithiyanathan/Unsplash

Trying to lose weight is a struggle understood by many people regardless of size.

The goal of reaching a healthy weight may seem unattainable, but with diet and exercise, it can pay off through persistence and discipline.

Seeing the pounds gradually drop off can also be a great motivator and incentivize people to stay the course.

Those who've achieved their respective weight goals shared their experiences when Redditor apprenti8455 asked:

"People who lost a lot of weight, what surprises you the most now?"

Redditors didn't see these coming.

Shiver Me Timbers

"I’m always cold now!"

– Telrom_1

"I had a coworker lose over 130 pounds five or six years ago. I’ve never seen him without a jacket on since."

– r7ndom

"140 lbs lost here starting just before COVID, I feel like that little old lady that's always cold, damn this top comment was on point lmao."

– mr_remy

Drawing Concern

"I lost 100 pounds over a year and a half but since I’m old(70’s) it seems few people comment on it because (I think) they think I’m wasting away from some terminal illness."

– dee-fondy

"Congrats on the weight loss! It’s honestly a real accomplishment 🙂"

"Working in oncology, I can never comment on someone’s weight loss unless I specifically know it was on purpose, regardless of their age. I think it kind of ruffles feathers at times, but like I don’t want to congratulate someone for having cancer or something. It’s a weird place to be in."

– LizardofDeath

Unleashing Insults

"I remember when I lost the first big chunk of weight (around 50 lbs) it was like it gave some people license to talk sh*t about the 'old' me. Old coworkers, friends, made a lot of not just negative, but harsh comments about what I used to look like. One person I met after the big loss saw a picture of me prior and said, 'Wow, we wouldn’t even be friends!'”

"It wasn’t extremely common, but I was a little alarmed by some of the attention. My weight has been up and down since then, but every time I gain a little it gets me a little down thinking about those things people said."

– alanamablamaspama

Not Everything Goes After Losing Weight

"The loose skin is a bit unexpected."

– KeltarCentauri

"I haven’t experienced it myself, but surgery to remove skin takes a long time to recover. Longer than bariatric surgery and usually isn’t covered by insurance unless you have both."

– KatMagic1977

"It definitely does take a long time to recover. My Dad dropped a little over 200 pounds a few years back and decided to go through with skin removal surgery to deal with the excess. His procedure was extensive, as in he had skin taken from just about every part of his body excluding his head, and he went through hell for weeks in recovery, and he was bedridden for a lot of it."

– Jaew96

These Redditors shared their pleasantly surprising experiences.

Shopping

"I can buy clothes in any store I want."

– WaySavvyD

"When I lost weight I was dying to go find cute, smaller clothes and I really struggled. As someone who had always been restricted to one or two stores that catered to plus-sized clothing, a full mall of shops with items in my size was daunting. Too many options and not enough knowledge of brands that were good vs cheap. I usually went home pretty frustrated."

– ganache98012

No More Symptoms

"Lost about 80 pounds in the past year and a half, biggest thing that I’ve noticed that I haven’t seen mentioned on here yet is my acid reflux and heartburn are basically gone. I used to be popping tums every couple hours and now they just sit in the medicine cabinet collecting dust."

– colleennicole93

Expanding Capabilities

"I'm all for not judging people by their appearance and I recognise that there are unhealthy, unachievable beauty standards, but one thing that is undeniable is that I can just do stuff now. Just stamina and flexibility alone are worth it, appearance is tertiary at best."

– Ramblonius

People Change Their Tune

"How much nicer people are to you."

"My feet weren't 'wide' they were 'fat.'"

– LiZZygsu

"Have to agree. Lost 220 lbs, people make eye contact and hold open doors and stuff"

"And on the foot thing, I also lost a full shoe size numerically and also wear regular width now 😅"

– awholedamngarden

It's gonna take some getting used to.

Bones Everywhere

"Having bones. Collarbones, wrist bones, knee bones, hip bones, ribs. I have so many bones sticking out everywhere and it’s weird as hell."

– Princess-Pancake-97

"I noticed the shadow of my ribs the other day and it threw me, there’s a whole skeleton in here."

– bekastrange

Knee Pillow

"Right?! And they’re so … pointy! Now I get why people sleep with pillows between their legs - the knee bones laying on top of each other (side sleeper here) is weird and jarring."

– snic2030

"I lost only 40 pounds within the last year or so. I’m struggling to relate to most of these comments as I feel like I just 'slimmed down' rather than dropped a ton. But wow, the pillow between the knees at night. YES! I can relate to this. I think a lot of my weight was in my thighs. I never needed to do this up until recently."

– Strongbad23

More Mobility

"I’ve lost 100 lbs since 2020. It’s a collection of little things that surprise me. For at least 10 years I couldn’t put on socks, or tie my shoes. I couldn’t bend over and pick something up. I couldn’t climb a ladder to fix something. Simple things like that I can do now that fascinate me."

"Edit: Some additional little things are sitting in a chair with arms, sitting in a booth in a restaurant, being able to shop in a normal store AND not needing to buy the biggest size there, being able to easily wipe my butt, and looking down and being able to see my penis."

– dma1965

People making significant changes, whether for mental or physical health, can surely find a newfound perspective on life.

But they can also discover different issues they never saw coming.

That being said, overcoming any challenge in life is laudable, especially if it leads to gaining confidence and ditching insecurities.