Life is full of grand and crazy moments. When we find ourselves in these moments we often find ourselves at a fork in the road as well. We believe we're pumped and raring to go. But once we're wobbling on the precipice, we feel it, a light tremble, the first trickle of sweat, the final body encompassing deep breath before life could forever be altered, they haunt us, because uncertainty is a fickle mistress. In these crucial seconds we can either retreat or push forward. And once we push forward... history begins.
Redditor u/twitchylittleferret7 wanted everyone on Reddit to tell us about the times when only moving forward was the option by asking.... What was your biggest "crap, no going back now" moment?Quick & Fast!
GiphyPsychedelics, particularly DMT because it all happens so quickly and intensely. KingThommo
Salvia. Never again. Only lasts five minutes, but holy crap does it feel like an eternity. It's like your entire reality gets smashed into thousands of pieces and you're desperately trying to piece it back together, or getting thrust into the space between the multiverses and you're trying to figure out which one you belong in again.
Having your consciousness merged with a red solo cup on the dresser is the kind of experience a man needs no more than one of in his life. Dahhhkness
Philmont.
Happened to a friend of mine in Philmont. He went to the bathroom and had to cross a small stream to get there. The sky opened up for a few minutes and he still hadn't come back. We heard yelling a little later and he was stuck because that small stream had quadrupled in size and was now a raging river. Mail540
Tide Falling.
Canoeing over a waterfall. JadedLit
First time I did a waterfall I thought I was gonna die. I'd been whitewater kayaking for over a year, had all my safety trained friends there with me, yet that feeling of going over and looking down at the hole just made me go 'yep, I've gone too far.' Exverius
Rip Away.
Last summer I replaced my roof. Standing on the ladder at the corner of the house with the shingle stripping shovel, I just stood there for 5 minutes thinking if I wanted to do this or not. Then I ripped off the first few shingles, and there was no going back! Veritas3333
Moving On.
GiphyI made a budget yesterday to figure out how much I'd need to move out. If I work two more hours than planned at a starter job I've lined up, I could do it easily, with all the optional expenses.
That's when it hit me that I'm not in college anymore and I actually could have the money to live independently. I_Ace_English
Jekyll and Hyde....
When my abusive husband was doing his weekly ritual of interrogating me and accusing me of some made up infidelity and goes "Well?! What's the deal here, are we just done??"
Before I could stop myself I was like "You know, yeah, yeah we're done."
He didn't know, until that moment, that I had already spoken to a divorce lawyer and the police and had all my ducks in a row to take the screw off.
But I was planning on actually meeting with the lawyer before I told him, so then it was 2 weeks of awful Jekyll and Hyde bullcrap before I could leave.
I have to say, even though I was like "oh crap," it did feel so damn good to say it though.
Forget that guy. woodsywitch
"I can't wait to find out."
I ran away from an abusive home at 19. I called my dad while I was at work later that day to let him know I was okay and not to come looking for me (he's a narcissist and I was so scared he'd tell the authorities something crazy so they'd track me down for him- like my boyfriend had kidnapped me).
I'd left my car keys on the kitchen table (so he couldn't charge me with stealing it, as he bought it for me), emptied my bank account (because he was friends with the small bank owner) and taken everything I could with me- and that was a pretty big one. He said "you'll never make it without me and my money" and I just said "I can't wait to find out."
That was seven years ago now, and I'm making it. notnowihaveaheadache
The Wings....
Giphy"Here, try this hot wing."
Took a bite and for the next 18 hours, I could only focus on how this was a crime against humanity.
And for those now asking, it was The Last Dab XXX on a drumstick. It was coated all over. I just ate one big bite.
And then I went and shoved my head under a cold shower.
Then, it was bed and bathroom for several hours as I threw up most of it, but some got digested.
I knew going it that it was gonna be hot. My former roommate was a hot sauce aficionado. He never once handed me a wing that was less than a habanero sauce. The question was "am I about to have ghost, pepper-x, Carolina reaper, habanero, etc." Ipride362
1500 Miles.
GiphyMoving 1500 miles away with 2 weeks worth of grocery money, and a 1-star hotel confirmation that would last 1 month, to hold me over Until I started making some money. Mattl54o
PULL!!!!
Got a general anaesthetic for wisdom teeth removal. After waiting what felt like an eternity in a little prep room, I was just thinking about using the restroom just for something to do when I'm swarmed by nurses or whatever. Before I could react, they stuck things all over me and one of them got the drugs in me and I could immediately feel effects.
I remember vividly thinking "well hell, no going back now" as they wheeled me to theatre. And then the procedure and recovery went as smoothly as they could've gone. Reddit
The Tides.
GiphyStepping off that sandbar I could barely reach to swim out to the girl caught in a riptide... and not knowing how a riptide worked. It took what felt like hours but, spoiler alert, we made it.
Too early in the season for lifeguards. I remember calling out to people walking their dogs on the beach but we were so far out they didn't even look towards us. BlueFalconPunch
That wasn't three!!!
First time I went sky diving was a tandem jump and the guy told me on the ground "once we get in the door we'll rock back and forth 3 times, on the third time forward just roll out the door." So, me being the trusting sort thought that was a solid plan. We get up to altitude, open the door, I put my feet on the little platform and cross my arms just like he told me to. He rocked back once and pushed us out the door immediately. My only thought was "That wasn't three!!! Oh crap, we're falling!" Tenragan17
The River Runs...
When I was younger, letting my older cousin talk me in to a canoe ride down a flooded river. We'd planned it days in advance but there was a lot of heavy rain in the area and the normally calm river was near flood level and quite rough. I really didn't want to do it but I didn't want to let him down either so I still went.
I knew as soon as we saw the river this was a terrible idea. The whole thing was a crap show and I honestly though we were going to die. We had no control and at one point we got stuck nose down and a large rock, knowing if we tipped out we were drowning. We somehow made it out and to the shore where we walked back with the canoe. Mcfangus
Winnemucca....
I hopped a freight train once, and the moment it hits 15-20 mph, you're just along for the ride.
But the real "no going back" moment came when the train stopped on a siding outside Winnemucca. After waiting there for like 5 hours, I decided to walk into town and get some ice cream sandwiches. As soon as I got 50 yards from the train, I realized: if it starts rolling now, I'll be too far away to chase it down. I'll just be stuck in this town for a while.
EDIT: For you kids out there, riding freight trains is dangerous and illegal (and dirty and loud and unreliable). Don't do it!
Also, I should point out that Winnemucca is home to some of America's best Basque restaurants, fantastic cowboy heritage sites, and it's the gateway to the Black Rock Desert! It's got something for everyone--not just stranded hobos! cortechthrowaway
Thanks Dad....
GiphyWhen I was about to get on the plane to my first semester of med school, my dad, never one for sentiment, said "well, you're now actually worth more dead than alive, don't screw this up." Dr_D-R-E
FLY....
During take off on my first ever flight at the age of 30. I have a real intense fear of heights. Michaelwordenbr
I hate look over edges, so maybe I have a fear of falling more than heights. Like looking out a plane window is fine but if my head's against the glass it's not. SomeSaltyWalnuts
East Vail Chutes in Colorado.
Hiking back country snowboarding with a guy. Got stuck in a flat area and needed to hike out in deep powder. It was getting dark and kept coming out of thick trees to 50 foot plus cliff areas. It was getting darker and we didn't have much light left and finally came out to another cliff area with about a 10 foot cliff, 20 feet of landing and then a second 10 foot cliff area that had a narrow landing to an open glade.
It was either go for it and don't fall and get hurt or start making a snow tunnel and get ready to sleep on the mountain for the night at East Vail Chutes in Colorado. We both made it through the cliff jumps safely but it was sketchy. When we got to town we both had a couple tall whiskeys and the first bar we got too and I was still shaking. Could have possibly died if we had to stay on the mountain over night or got seriously hurt (and then died) making the jumps to get to an area we could get down as it was getting dark but it was either jump or start making a snow shelter.
We were definitely not prepared with back county gear and got lost in the area even though we had both ridden it a few times with some experienced people who had taken us down before. Scary and something I will never forget. magicted43
Throwdown!
Walking into a MMA fight and the cage closes behind you. Pretty ok I would say. I got punched in the face a lot but subbed my opponent with an armbar. It was just an amateur level fight but you learn a lot even there. Like you don't really hear your coach you are way too consumed by what's going on at least in the first few fights.
Also, you can't really improvise so a game plan is pretty important because you will just revert to the basics you practiced. Also, you get tired as hell. Just stuff you don't really understand if you're never in a fight. podfather2000
Time to Start....
Getting in the ambulance after suffering a grand mal seizure from alcohol withdrawals.
When I finally said enough is enough and decided I needed to quit drinking before it killed me, I thought I could detox on my own as I was terrified of hospitals. I was wrong. I spent a week detoxing in the ICU, and now, almost a full year later, I'm still very happily sober and I'm completely thriving. HorseMeatSandwich
No Trees... No Problem.
GiphyMountain biking with some friends on a new trail, which wasn't even a bike trail. We hiked most of the way up since it was too steep to ride up. Carried our bikes all the way up. Rested at the top for a bit and then rolled over the edge. I remember as my front tire crested and gravity started taking over I thought, "there's no way I'm stopping now, unless a tree stops me." ProjectSunlight
Do you have something to confess to George? Text "Secrets" or "
" to +1 (310) 299-9390 to talk to him about it.
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.