We were warned. Did we listen? Very few of us. They always tell you in life.... pay attention. Learn, because even the most tedious lessons will pay off one day. You just never know when. Who has the patience for "you never know when?" We need to learn patience first, clearly. Some of us stick out the tedium and we do discover that the long haul can be met with abundance. I'm still waiting on using Trigonometry though... that's just the devil's work.
Redditor u/sommai2555 wanted everyone to fess up so that the later generations know why it's important to play attention by asking.... What is something that you hated learning, but ultimately glad that you did?qui qui....
GiphyFrench. Dikke-Dirk
Amen! Took French for 2 years in school. First year, didn't understand shit. Almost thought of dropping it. Now I'm pursuing DELF B1. blu7777777777
True Connection.
IRL social interaction. So much success in the world is tied to being able to interact well with people in the real world. robotlasagna
I wish my parents knew this. It's important to allow your child to have lots of friends and actually let them hang out with said friends outside of school and stuff. I was NEVER EVER allowed to go to friend's houses or go anywhere with friends unless they lived next to us/a few doors down and under strict time limits. None of my friends were ever allowed over. Now I'm an adult and I have very few friends and I don't even really feel close to them. Kids need to be able to practice and develop that skill. KatDanger
"Peaceful"
Stopped assuming that people's thoughts about me were at all similar to that extremely critical voice in my head. It's still somewhat of a struggle to stay positive... but, overall, being yourself and staying present when with others really reduces anxiety. "Peaceful" would be a good word to describe it. Withnswo05
I cried.
That I'm okay to be on my own. I used to really cling to my two best friends, and couldn't do anything without either of them. At 26 I went clothes shopping without them for the first time since I was 19. I cried. Then I did that a bit more. Then I went to the movies on my own. Then the cricket on my own. Then the football on my own. Then I travelled on my own. I learnt to become very comfortable in my own skin. And I am so so glad that I did. wolverine-claws
Road Warrior...
GiphyDriving. I took about twice as many driving classes as anyone else I know. I was petrified the entire time and I kept mixing up left and right.
Ten years and several driving vacations later, I'm glad my parents cajoled and essentially bribed me into going through with it. aNulgoodlove
"It's fun to poo-poo & pee-pee in the toilet."
Potty training. hugestdildoyouveused
Ha! I still remember my mom saying, "It's fun to poo-poo & pee-pee in the toilet." I pondered this for a moment then realized how convenient it was to keep playing and just sh!t your pants wherever you were instead of stopping playtime to go find a bathroom. I shook my head wisely, "Nah-ah, it's fun to poo-poo & pee-pee in the diaper."
My toddler mind was a strange place. AutumnRain789
Speak Right.
English, I was about 8 or 9 years old when I hated English, maybe because of crap like: it is very difficult, I do not want to, it is that blah blah blah. The thing is that when my parents finally forced me to learn, I loved it, and thanks to that,
I met an English-speaking community as diverse as reddit is. just_a_spanish_dude
Keep Your Crazy....
Dealing with people's craziness I'm the workforce.
Currently dealing with being ghosted by a co-worker and have a goddamn dissertation along with screenshots about why I acted appropriately when I called her earlier to set up a time to talk about it after work in case HR decides to pay me a visit about "mysterious" allegations.
I know how quickly companies can shun you if you cannot justify your position or actions all too well. WannabeAsianNinja
The Passion.
GiphyPiano. For 4 years I hated it with a passion. Then in 8th grade my piano teacher taught me a really fun song. I realized I didn't like slow classical music but upbeat and fast songs. I was super hooked on playing piano for the next 6 years.
Don't have easy access to a piano anymore but eventually I started just making up stuff as I went. And had memorized a handful of songs. Was my favorite way to de-stress and express/process my emotions in high school when I couldn't voice them or put words to my feelings. A_Somewhat_Geek
Let me hear you....
Public speaking. I was super shy and I wasn't willing to talk in front of a crowd larger than two. So my teacher pulled my ass into a public speaking contest. I was really nervous, hated every bit of it.
Flash forward a few years, a few poem recitals here and there, I'm a lot more comfortable in speaking in front of a crowd. Still nervous as heck but, at least I can speak my thoughts without running away like that one time during a presentation I had to do in front of my class. asteraft
Speaking in Tongues....
GiphyLanguages; at first it was very difficult to learn new language, after 3rd one it starts getting easier because all languages are connected. So now I know 5 languages and started learning my 6th. RedditArtur
subtext is life....
I hated learning about themes, and metaphors in literature when i was a kid, but now that I'm older, a part of me is delighted when I recognize the subtext of whatever Im reading. Tonaia
Same here. Reading becomes much more enjoyable when you understand the deeper meanings and concepts behind texts. zummm72
People Anxiety.
I had a fear of calling people. I always relied on e-mails and texting because calling someone just made me anxious for some reason. Eventually I as forced to pick up the phone at an internship, and I grew out of being anxious. Now I call people instead of waiting to finally get an e-mail back and it's just way more time efficient. DutchCheeseAddict
Basics.
Math. MessireSM
I'm here for math as well. I have worked for two people who don't understand when to multiply or divide for percentages, or when it add and subtract, and it was infuriating.
A great way to refresh your basic math skills is to take a deck of cards and start subtracting down from one hundred to zero. Or use as a very depressing party trick if you want to see how many grown folk have lost the ability to math. LollyGriff
Board Fail.
GiphyI took keyboarding in high school. Absolutely hated the class, the teacher was awful. One of the most useful skills I have now, and I couldn't possibly do my job as efficiently, and make the kind of money I do without it. sommai2555
Vroom No.
Driving. I was 40 by the time I got my license and I regret all of the lost time. As nice as it was to be chauffeured around there's something to be said for the freedom of being able to hop in the car and go anywhere, any time. I love driving now. Other drivers, on the other hand, I could do without. everyting_is_taken
Scribbles.
Writing. Would constantly break down in tantrums when doing my writing homework during my first year of school, now I'm 150 pages through my first novel. oldmanhiggons
I'm an English teacher. I hated learning essays but wow do I love teaching them now–to students that hate learning essays. coffeeframes
The Worth.....
Something that someone told me once that became easier to live by over time:
In life there is always two ways you can go about any situation. You can react or you can respond.
Learning to respond instead of react takes time. But it's worth it. Hovie1
stick to the plan.....
Took my first programming class in high school, and hated it. Really didn't see the point, way too abstract, and just figured it wasn't for me so I decided to stick to my plan of pursuing a music career.
Later I discovered my untalented self didn't have what it took to be a musician, and now I'm a web developer. maleorderbride
The Stick.
GiphyHow to drive a manual/stick. I also learned to drive a tractor and some heavy machinery not long after and it's translated into being able to drive pretty much anything aside from a non synchro truck (which I understand in theory).
I'm pretty much always the sober driver so it's meant I can drive friends cars home if they've over indulged and keeps me and my mates safe.
It wasn't pretty learning to drive, but I'm very please I know how to now. maddogmilo93
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.
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.