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People Who Changed Their Minds About A Strong Opinion Explain What Happened

People Who Changed Their Minds About A Strong Opinion Explain What Happened
Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

It's human nature to be very stubborn about opinions we hold. From the beginnings of humanity, we have disagreed about everything from religion to sports teams. But what happens when someone changes their mind about one of these strong opinions? These Reddit users have some interesting answers.

u/Coolheaded_Convector asked:

What's the strongest opinion you've ever held that you changed your position on? What happened?


Interesting perspective.

I used to really believe that it's not worth doing something if you can't do it right. After all, no one wants someone who's not committed if there's someone out there who's more committed.

Kept this mentality through college and it cost me almost all my grades; I go to a really competitive school and the amount of work is such that it's absolutely unrealistic to expect to put my best foot forward all the time. I didn't understand that and as a result I would literally just not turn in assignments. I ended up failing 3 classes in one semester because I couldn't turn in any essays, problem sets, or fully prepare readings for class. I got depression and couldn't summon the energy to shower, brush my teeth, or eat breakfast, so I just didn't.


Taking a semester off made me realize that most of the things in life need to be done, more than they need to be done well. For example, I think most of us can understand that it's better to brush your teeth once a day, with no toothpaste, for 30 seconds, than it is to not do it at all. Similarly, it was a slap in the face when my English professor came up to me after I failed the semester and said, "you need to learn to be comfortable giving me bad essays because a 40% is better than a 0%."

I've found it applies to more of life than just college. Closed mouths don't get fed.

king_kingcharles

NOT lovin' it.

Giphy

Used to complain about "frivolous lawsuits" and say things like "people can sue McDonald's when their coffee's too hot".

But came to learn the truth of that suit (Documentary "Hot Coffee") and realized the courts are one of the last places where the average person stands any chance against the wealthy/powerful/corporations.

VyrPlan

True facts.

I thought people who didn't want go to college or people who didn't even try to pursue a higher education were making a mistake.

Now with the cost of college, student loans, and meeting people who were successful without college, I totally get it.

notreallysrs

Thank goodness for them.

I was briefly on the anti vaxx train with it causing autism and stuff. Then seen a point about how we just got better at diagnosing it and was like "that makes sense" and that was that.

surrrah

A blessing in disguise.

Giphy

I grew up in a religious cult believing that I liked other guys because of imperfection and sin, and whole heartedly devoted my life to suppressing that "illness".

I ended up in the hospital. During my mandatory psychiatric stay, a psychiatrist gave me quite a figurative slap in the face. Unlike therapists up until that point, he had absolutely no respect for the idea that I could suppress being gay.

He was openly against it to the point of being rude. Would straight up laugh in my face when I said with all determination that I could lead a celibate life.

I didn't appreciate it at the time, but his words stuck with me and made me rethink my priorities. Long story short, I'm now out of the cult and have 0 contact with any of my old friends or family. It still hurts a lot but I can say with confidence now that I made the right choice.

Gbrav747

Glad you're still here.

I used to think people who committed suicide were cowards and selfish for inflicting suffering on their loved ones.

Then I began to suffer from depression and attempted it.

indiblue825

These Are The Worst Job Interviews Ever | George Takei’s Oh Myyy

I have a daughter who has made multiple attempts. It makes me rage when some assert that she is merely sad, should just get over it, etc. I'm glad you made it through.

TinkerGrey

A major shift in priorities.

I used to want kids.

I really, really wanted to have kids. My whole life I wanted to be a Mom, dreamed of what my children would be like. I was always fairly practical about when I wanted to have them, though, and was pretty careful not to get pregnant. After being married for 5 years, my husband and I decided to go for it. We tried for a little over 2 years, unsuccessfully.

It sucked.

One day I got my period and was relieved. Relieved that I wasn't pregnant. I realized that I didn't want that anymore. Talked to my husband, he felt the same, I got back on birth control. That was a couple years ago, and now we are discussing sterilization for both of us.

happyhooker1992

There are jerks in every group, unfortunately.

Giphy

When I was younger I hated the US with a passion for many reasons.

Now, after meeting some average US citizens I realized although the place and it's people aren't perfect (no one/nowhere is) I no longer hate the US. My hate was always unwarranted and petty.

ChingchongIgotnodong

You don't understand until it happens to you.

Universal Healthcare.

I used to be AGAINST it. I now SUPPORT it.

I did a college project showing the case AGAINST Universal Healthcare. I had fantastic insurance through my dad's employer at the time.

Fast forward: 26th birthday.

Lost my dad's insurance.


Had a crappy retail job and couldn't afford insurance. Wasn't able to find work in my field. Was also in my state's gap for coverage. I was scared to death about getting sick. Even the simplest problem like needing antibiotics scared me so so much. There was no way I could afford a hospital bill.

Eventually I clawed my way up and landed a job with good pay and great health insurance. Regardless those few years where I was uninsured scared me so much... I worry about those who don't have adequate coverage and aren't fortunate enough to move up in the workplace. It's a nerve wracking place to be.

Everyone should be taken care of. Period. Nobody should have to make a choice between keeping a roof over their head or having health insurance.

TheRepostalService

Mental illness is a real thing.

I used to think that people who claimed to have an anxiety disorder were mostly exaggerating and crying for attention. Then I moved away for an internship one summer and got to walk a mile in their shoes. I knew no one where I was living, and ended up isolating myself. Symptoms crept in one at a time, and while I never reached a point where I felt it absolutely necessary to seek professional help I did get pretty close.


Going from feeling generally comfortable in my own skin to constantly worrying about what you've screwed up and what you're going to screw up next is a terrible feeling. Not being able to sleep a wink despite being exhausted for nights on end is something I don't ever want to experience again either. It made my performance at that job horrendous. Luckily I spend enough time on the internet to stumble across really inspiring people and sources that helped me fix my situation. Others aren't quite so lucky, and have to work 10x as hard to battle through it

obiwanshighground

Forming your own opinions is very important.

Giphy

I was brought up by a mother who hates tattoos and piercings. Now, my mom is super accepting and non judgmental, she just doesn't like them and hates the thought of them on her precious children. My dad likes them but only has one, my younger sisters baby footprints on his shoulder blade. She still wasn't in love with it. So I always hated them too.

Even a woman I dated for several years wanted to get one and I cringed but am not the controlling type so I rolled with it. Actually kind of didn't hate it. Then sort of liked it. We split and I made a good friend who was a tattoo artist and piercer. On a dare and a little pressure from him and some friends, I had him pierce my tongue. I loved it.

Then dated a few women with more and bigger tattoos than I would ever had thought I'd be into. Turns out? I don't have a problem with tattoos, MOM had a problem with tattoos and I was indoctrinated! Now, I LOVE girls with (good) ink. Like it's one of my biggest turn ons. But, I still didn't want any myself. Ended up getting my ear pierced later on too.

Then finally met a couple in Dallas at a brewery in Deep Ellum and made friends with them. They seemed to have some money and when they found out that I didn't have any tattoos, the guy told me that we are all going across the street right then to get one. He gave me a $150 limit. I had way too many tatted up friends who would kill me for passing up a free tattoo. So I took the leap. Something maybe five inches long on my shoulder blade that came out to $148.

Well, it's over. I've got the bug. I want more than my wallet will allow but I'm already planning my second. I LOVE them and mom has had to get over it, needless to say. But hey, I softened the blow for my brother, who wants any more than I would ever want. Two full sleeves at least. Sorry ma!

Calitexian

A good watch.

I was a firm believer that the death penalty was reasonable in certain circumstances as a deterrent/punishment.

Then my partner and I watched through the show Penn & Teller Bullshit. One of the episodes was about the death penalty. It's like 45 minutes long, and by the end of it, my opinion on the death penalty had completely and irrevocably changed and I am 100% against it under any circumstances now.

I have never had my mind changed so thoroughly on something in such a short time. Highly recommend people go watch that episode.

TheAbyssGazesAlso

*mic drop*

I voted for our President, but his "inane" tweets, are a disappointment.

nosnas1942

That's some maturity right there.

Giphy

I used to be really against any form of sexuality. Grew up in a home that I was taught it was bad. So I was one of those girls who thought sex workers/openly sexual women were less than.

Well, I ended up getting cheated on with a cam girl. Started to cam just to prove I could do it, then saw how sweet a lot of the girls were. Also that the job wasn't solely sexual, talking to some of my regulars gave them enough confidence to approach women in person.

Valuable lesson.

Ooftwilight

On the other side of the coin...

I became a bit more nihilistic but also more hardline on lawbreaking. I am now pro-capital punishment for the worst offenders. I used to strongly believe in life sentences as the worst punishment, as prisoners would have to live with their mistakes until they died. However, I didn't think it was our place to kill them.

But now, if you're a psychopathic serial killer, you deserve to die. This world doesn't need you and the legal system has the authority, in my opinion, to rid the world of evil people that act upon their cruel intents.

antivaginationpenis

Have you completely changed your mind about something? Let us know in the comments below.

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/

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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.