They say timing is everything, so these people apparently missed out on everything.
1. Getting in shape
Getting in shape. It's obviously great for you physically, but you don't really realize how great it is for you mentally until you've done it. Biggest confidence boost in the world.
WakaFlakkaSeagulls & CrimsonPig
2. Being friendly
Being very friendly to everyone. You have to be extra careful with people that try to take advantage of it, but man, the doors it opens for you. It's amazing.
Being a lovely person really pays off.
3. Prepping the night before
Prepping my day the night before. I pick out my outfit, make sure my lunch is packed, have my breakfast easily readily, and make sure I take the things I need for the day (letters to be delivered, shopping list, etc.) I am not a morning person so I make sure I can do my mornings with as little effort as possible.
Alternatively, getting up 2 hours before you actually have to. It's really nice having enough free time in the morning to play some video games, watch a few episodes of your favorite show, or go somewhere for breakfast.
It makes going to bed easier too, because you know that you'll have some time to goof off after you get up.
The only hard part is that it requires the discipline to go to bed at a reasonable hour and then wake up early.
4. Going to therapy
Talking to a professional about my mental health problems.
5. Ending toxic friendships
Ending unfulfilling friendships.
6. Pancakes with chocolate chips
A lot of these are really inspirational and deep, but honestly I hate that I waited so long to start putting chocolate chips on my pancakes.
7. Meditation
Meditating every day. In the beginning it's like why the f I'm doing this I look like a spiritual wannabe, this is pointless, this is stupid... My mind is racing and seems I can't get through the thought storm they just pop up of nowhere and very fast and there's such a mess... After five minutes (Continued)
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after 5 minutes, thoughts lose intesity. After ten minutes I'm calm. After fifteen minutes I'm like "This is working, wow!". After 20 minutes I forgot why I was thinking so much in the first place and forgot about the I. After some months of everyday practice, I notice how thoughts are tools that can make a better and happier me. And I started to recognize the patterns. I call them "thought traps". So I meditate every day to remind myself that thoughts are not me.
8. Being on the right anti-depressant
Being on an Anti-Depressant that works. it was like HOLY CRAP, this is what normal people feel like?!
9. Switching to men's razors
As a lady, switching to men's razors.
I am never, ever, going back.
10. Using wet wipes
Using wet wipes on my bumhole.
11. Doing things immediately
Not procrastinating.
My life changed for the better in so many ways when I made the decision to stop putting things off and grab the bull by the horns.
12. Flossing.
The dentist always asked me how often I flossed, and I would lie. Then my gums would bleed from him vigorously flossing them for me. I soon learned (Continued)
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I soon learned how to properly floss, and how to remove any gunk in my teeth. To this day, my teeth ALWAYS look perfect!
[deleted]
13. Saving money.
If you just have a separate account where you can dump a little bit of money out of each paycheck, it's pretty easy to save.
14. Squats.
Just 30-50 squats a day and my bum is so much higher and firmer after only a month! It's kind of crazy. And now I feel stronger and my knees don't click as much. Who knew?
15. Cooking nachos the right way
Cooking nacho in the oven with a broiler instead of the microwave. A true game changer.
16. Quitting smoking
I quit smoking cigarettes 2 years ago and I've honestly never felt better about myself.
No more feeling like death in the morning. No more standing in the cold or rain to have a smoke. Plus this has been said before but I have so much extra money to spend on beer now.
17. Writing in pen instead of pencil.
Mrs. Jenowith doesn't like it, but whatever. I hated sharpening pencils. So much free time to play pogs with Brian and ransom his bike.
18. Running.
It took me a few weeks to get into without feeling close to death, but damn. Once I did... (Continued)
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I still suck at it, but I can do it. The cardiovascular improvement alone is worth it. I like being able to run up steps now without doubling over in pain.
19. Eating steaks medium rare.
Always had them well done at home. Moved out, wife introduced me to what I was missing out on. I weep for my past self.
20. Oral B
This battery operated tooth brush was a life changer for me. Teeth feel like I just left the dentist office every day. I can't believe people still use conventional tooth brushes.
21. Geocaching
I have travelled many times before, but little did I know that there were hundreds of small boxes nearby!
22. Rock climbing.
Started 5 years ago at age 29. It has completely opened up the world to me. Started camping, traveling, saving more money, getting in better shape, made me mentally super strong, destroyed depression, crushed my mood swings.
23. Listening to podcasts.
24. Washing my face properly
I used to have horrible skin through out most of my life, no matter the face wash I used I had painfully red pimples and like those aggrivated ones that sort of form like a mount Olympus on my cheeks and for head. So my confidence was (Continued)
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My confidence was non existent and the majority of the day all I did was hide my face from people and try to find different ways to cover it up. All it took was rather than using my hands I swapped over to a wash cloth with deep cleaning facial soap, it was rough at first and hurt because my skin was always sensitive from the acne. But now I literally rarely ever get break outs anymore, the extra exfoliant from the texture of the handtowel must've worked in the soap more. Sounds simple as shit but it was like a break through for me.
SavageDax
Wearing yoga pants.
Comfiest pants ever.
25. Drawing
I learnt to draw in five days using a book called "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" because it was referenced in some TedTalk and on the first day I was copying mediaeval woodcuts in almost exact detail. It also made my friends say "Holy crap, why didn't you start doing this sooner?"
26. Leaving my hair natural.
Drying and straightening my (thick) hair takes about 2-3 hours, going with my natural curls takes a few minutes to spray and scrunch it with a towel then it's done. The only downside is it takes 4 hours to air-dry so I can't do that at night.
27. Telling people I love them
I was super in love with this girl from high school, but I was too shy to tell her. I always thought, "now's not the best time" or "maybe she'll reject me" or whatever. There were a million excuses and I fed into every one of them. We got older and moved away to different cities for university, then eventually stayed in those cities for work. We talked occasionally online, and whenever we were in each others' cities or back in our home town, we would meet up. Being with her was the most natural, comforting, exhilarating feeling I've ever had. I'm sure if you've ever met a perfect match you'll know the feeling.
Anyway, I didn't tell her how I felt. And one morning, I got a call from her mother to tell me that (Continued)
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to tell me that she had suddenly died in a car crash. Her mother said, "I just have to tell you one thing, and I know she was shy but she would have wanted you to know that she was so in love with you."
10 years ago and I still think about her every day. How it could have been different. How I regret not telling her. There are so many regrets I have around that. Now, I tell everyone how I feel. I tell my friends and family that I love them all the time. I tell people how much they mean to me, because you really never know.
[deleted]
28. Shaving my head.
Hair, is some bullcrap.
No more buying shampoo. Or conditioner. No bed head after getting up in the morning. I feel far less disgusting before my morning shower. Wind is no problem. Hats are no problem.
Man, eff hair.
29. Using a menstrual cup.
If you're considering it... do it!
30. Stopped drinking.
I was putting down over 3 pints of whiskey per day. Went to detox and I'm so glad I did. I didn't realize just how badly it was affecting multiple aspects of my life. Haven't had a drink in over three weeks. Lost a few pounds too.
31. Trekking alone.
You become a different person when you are trying to conquer a mountain all by yourself.
Image source: Marcos Mesa Sam Wordley / Shutterstock.com
Article source: Reddit
Curious to hear from those who lived to tell their distressing stories, Redditor mind_guardian asked:
"For survivors of attempted kidnapping. How did you escape?"
The following Redditor had very close calls.
Spontaneous Escape Plan
"Guy at a club and his mix of friends was insistent about coming back to a party, I politely declined. Didn't think much of it. They got increasingly aggressive about it, to a physical extent, and I left. Walking back home, I realized they were following me in their car."
"Dashed down the road through the mid-path of a packed apartment complex and just started yelling like crazy."
"No one actually responded or poked their head out or maybe they just didn't hear me. But it sparked the escape reflex of the creeps and I hid in a bush until my heart slowed down. Jumped the fence of someone's property -risky in its own right- wandered through a field, avoiding the main roads, and circled back to a side-street to home. Lucky I knew the area better than they did."
– Dangercakes13
Offering A Ride Home
"I don't know sure what this was, but i was riding my bike home alone, cutting through a deserted middle school and high school parking lots during the summer time. A man in a station wagon pulled up and offered me a ride home. I never stopped pedaling, just said no I'm fine."
"He pressed several times saying he could fit my bike in his car, it was no big deal. I kept saying no. He gave up and left. Don't know if it was just a genuinely helpful guy (this was the late 70s or early 80s so it wasn't yet completely extinct practice that strangers might offer each other rides) or a potential kidnapper."
– DiligentAdvantage475
Up In The Treehouse
"My mum was always paranoid someone would kidnap us kids from the yard. We used to play outside while she worked from home, we were 10, 8 and 6 at this time. She paid our neighbours teenage daughter to sit in the yard and watch us. Mostly she just ignored us and read a magazine with her headphones on and Walkman playing, but she was nice to us. I remember thinking this was stupid and mum was right there anyway so why did I 'basically a teenage' need to be babysat lol."
"One day we were all up in our tree house being jerks to our babysitter and unplugging her headset cord while she was trying to nap. A man and woman came into the yard via the side gate. They started talking to my youngest sibling trying to get her to climb down. The babysitter screamed for help but no one came. She ended up throwing the ladder from the treehouse over our back fence into her own yard and made us all climb into her yard with her dog who was going insane at the fence."
"We ended up locked in her house and she called the police. My mum didn't hear any of the commotion from inside the house and she won't speak about it even now that we are all adults. Never complained about my babysitter after that though."
– Dark_Valefor
The Creepy Customer
"I don’t remember how old I was, just that I was small enough to fit into the kids seat on a grocery cart. This was the early 90s and my mom had taken me grocery shopping with her. I was sitting in the grocery cart while my mom was focused on picking out produce only a few feet away when an older woman swooped in between us and started pushing the cart away quickly. I recall her smiling at me and trying to make me feel comfortable while also making the 'shh' gesture with her hand."
"I did not feel comfortable and started making enough noise to alert my mom. She ran over and loudly yelled at this stranger that this child was hers. The most chilling part that I still remember was that she didn’t flee the scene and instead made a comment about how cute I was and calmly walked away. Before she disappeared down an aisle she took one last look at me and winked."
– gnophy
People who were actually abducted talked about how they got out of their situation.
The Elderly Hero
"It was the 90s in SE Asia. I wasn’t old enough to go to school yet so my grandma took care of me while my parents were at work. My grandma had a little convenience store and one day 2 men approached her. One was in his 30s and the other was an old short man with white hair. They were carrying those hand weave basket pig cage."
"They asked my grandma if I was for sale. She told them to bugger off. While my grandma was distracted, they snatched me and I was carried away. I was kicking and screaming until they knocked me out. One of the neighbors saw me and alerted my grandma. My grandma rode her bicycle down the main street looking for me. She argued and threatened them to get me back."
"If it wasn’t for my grandma and her stubborn fierceness, I wouldn’t be here. She passed away in 2016. Love you and miss you grandma."
– Sir_Blinklot
Dumb Cabbie
"My wife told me that when she was just a teenager, she got in a cab and the cab driver just abducted her. He didn't take her to her destination, instead he took her to a hotel room. She was really scared but she kind of started playing along a little and pretended that she was interested and into it. Then he lay down on the bed, and she said something like 'Oh, I'm hungry. Can we order a pizza first?' and the cab driver said okay."
"So she picked up the phone, while she was dialing he wasn't paying attention so she disconnected the cable. Then she said, you know, I think the phone is broken. Let me go to the front desk to tell them, and I'll order the pizza while I'm there. So he says, okay sure."
"She went to the front desk and told them what was happening, they called the cops, the cops came and hauled him away."
– humanefly
Fighting For Life
"Was drugged at a small town bar, went to the bartender and asked what drink she had given me. She recited what I had ordered. I told her I asked because I'm not feeling well suddenly and it was like the world was spinning on its head. I sat at my seat because she said she hadn't seen anyone near my table/drink. Cool, whatever."
"It's getting worse and I feeling the worst I've ever felt in my life. I don't really remember what happened but a guy had led me outside and we were getting in a car. I remember hearing 'bracele' and seeing handcuff clink on my tiny a** wrist. My first response was scream, kick, anything. I already felt like vomiting and pooping so in my panic of scream and writhing around (drawing a LOT of attention from a closed car apparently) I stopped for a second and hear 'finally you b*tch' before I vomited all of the back seat, myself, and I threw myself forward to cover him as well."
"At this point I had no control between vomiting and screaming as loud I as could to vomit more, my drugged self was like 'it can't get worse for me' and I literally pulled my pants down and shat as my body saw fit. Guy never left the parking lot because of the commotion I raised."
"I remember hearing people banging on the windows and the guy freaking out, so I started screaming 'help' the best I could. The guy was arrested and charged with attempted kidnapping and drugging me with meth and fet that they found on his person. Blessed be the big man 'mike' who carried my vomit poop cover self to the gym (next to the bar) where they let me shower and change."
– totallyoriginalacct
The Ultimate Betrayal
"My best friend tricked me into hanging out with her after I moved to another coast to be closer to her. Once I got there she introduced me to her 'friend' then slipped out of the house. When i asked about it he laughed and said 'you really thought she was your friend? She owes me money and you’re her payment. I’ve known about you for months. None of this was coincidental' then proceeded to pull up pics of me and conversations between them two."
"After a lot of initial crying and begging I told him I needed to go to her house to get my stuff and my phone. He told me he would get me all new stuff and I didn’t need it. Why would I go back to her. I immediately told him that he was right. I didn’t wanna go back to her. That he really saved me from her cause what kind of friend would sell me to someone. I told him that he was gonna take care of me and I knew that. I just needed my phone to let my parents know I was okay and wouldn’t see them for a bit or they’d get worried and file a report."
"After much convincing he agreed to let me go to her house around the corner to grab my stuff and come back. I took off running once I got around the corner. Had to take 2 busses and 2 trains to get home. I haven’t had a close friend since."
– [deleted]
These Redditors recalled making a run for it before anything bad could happen.
Declining An Invitation
"When I was 8 years old (f) I had just moved to a new house that was directly across the street from the school I would be starting in just a month or two. I would sometimes go to the school and play by myself for a bit. One time I was headed back home when I was approached and surrounded by a group of boys in their early teens. They told me to come hang out at their house. I shook my head and tried to run home but was blocked. The second oldest pulls out a $20 and tells me that I can have it once we get to their house. I think for a moment and decline again but am blocked again from leaving. My heart is racing and I keep looking longingly at my house."
"The boy with the money holds it out to me and says to take it and he'll give me another $20 at the house, it's in his wallet, he forgot it. The oldest chimes in telling me I would be able to buy a LOT of candy with that money. I hesitate, and start to reach my hand out to take the money and then see my chance to run between two of the boys and escape. They yelled and tried to grab me but I made it home."
"I saw some of them on occasion but I always stayed far away and they seemed to have forgotten about me. I later learned that the house they were trying to take me to belonged to a drug addicted mother who was rarely home and her son's just did whatever they wanted."
– CMaya2006
Teacher "Dad"
"I was 12 and some guy was walking towards me after school. He said, 'Hey there kiddo, You remember me, don't you!? Mom told me to take you home!' I thought, 'B*tch, that's the oldest trick in the book!' My parents told me if this ever happened, one thing I could do was run to the nearest adult and yell 'Mom, Mom' or 'Dad, Dad' So that's what I did."
"A teacher was walking into the school and I said, 'Oh Dad, there you are!' The guy got TF outta there. I explained to the teacher why I did what I did. We didn't get his plate number sadly enough."
– SMG4-Is-My-God
"It Only Takes A Second"
"When I was very little my dad took my sister and I on a river camping trip for a few days. We got to the little rural town at the end of the river where a buddy left our truck and trailer at the boat launch for us. My sister was old enough to sort of help dad with loading the boat (hold rope so it doesn’t float away while we back up etc) but I was too little to really do much so I started wandering around looking for stuff. I found a dead bumblebee and I really loved bumblebees so I decided to bury it in a little grave to pay respects. I found a patch of flowers near the edge of the boat launch, by the woods. I’m crouched down, completely absorbed by my trying to make a little cross for a headstone out of two twigs and a bit of grass, when suddenly I hear my dad’s deep, booming voice scream."
“HEY!!!”
"He was a good ten yards away from me but it was so loud I could feel it in my chest and I jump and spun around towards him. He is already halfway to me, running. His face looks scary. He looks so mad, so focused, and he’s looking over my shoulder instead of at me. I run over to him, no idea what’s happening but scared that I’d at least get in trouble if I didn’t go over to him right away. He picks me up and puts both me and my sister into the truck to finish loading by himself."
"Apparently a man tried to take me. I never even knew he was there. Dad caught sight of him just as he began lunging towards me and scared him off. I wouldn’t have known until I was already gone if he hadn’t been so aware."
"Watch your kids, it only takes a second."
– CopsaLau
A Convenient Tool
"I was about 7 at the time, and at that time i thought it was cool to carry a pocket knife, well, one day i was riding my bike, and a man knocked me over covering my mouth, i grabbed my knife and stabbed him in the side and ran inside crying."
– Toaster_Ruler
Listen To Your Gut
"I was 19 walking to work in the early hours of the morning in winter. I knew someone was following me for a little while and I was just praying I was making it up. Suddenly all the sh*t I have even been taught about self defence came forward. He grabbed me and pulled me."
"There was a moment when I turned to look at him and he laughed and it was at this point I pissed my pants. I was walking as close to the road as I physically could without being on it and I pushed my head down and then threw it back as quickly as I could."
"He fell and I ran in the middle of the road with my armsout screaming. Flagged down to cars. It was a very scary moment in my life and taught me a harsh lesson. Listen to your gut, even if you've done something 100 times if you don't feel safe you're not safe."
– Ok_Talk_90
These and hundreds of other examples on this Reddit thread reflect the sad reality of the horrors of the crime that still happen to this day.
Hopefully, what the survivors did to flee from their traumatizing situations can be a useful reminder to always stay vigilant, whether it is for yourself or your children.
And when all else fails, always scream and fight for your life before the situation can get any worse.
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Interesting points were brought up when Redditor onegrayhair asked:
"What culinary hill are you willing to die on?"
People shared cooking tips and how some foods should be prepared a certain way.
Poor Construction
"Nachos should be built wide not tall."
– DBroncos515
"I hate when the chips at the bottom don’t have all the cheese and toppings, but the chips on top have too much. Balance is key to a great plate of nachos!"
– yo_kashlee
Jaws Have Limitations
"We need to make burgers wider not taller."
– John_Lives
"If I have to disassemble a burger to eat it, it’s missing the point, isn’t it?"
– JediTigger
Just Let It Stew
"Homemade chili is almost always better the next day."
– burritokiller1971
"And most soups and stews."
– wjglenn
Add Some Zap
"Worcestershire sauce can work magic."
– dberis
Resourcefulness
"Being poor isn’t a culinary crime. It takes talent to make cheap food taste as good as my mom did."
– urbancowgirl42
People had plenty to say about rating recipes.
Unfair Critique
"When you're baking from an online recipe, don't change three or four ingredients "to make it healthy" and then leave a one star review about how bad it is."
– cliff99
Inaccurate Reviews
"Don't leave a 5-star review on someone's recipe while saying 'This was a great recipe... after I made these 10 changes!' At that point, you're not rating that person's recipe, you are rating YOUR OWN recipe. That person's recipe must not have been so good if you had to make so many changes."
"Also, don't leave a 5-star review on someone's recipe while saying 'This recipe looks great, I can't wait to try it!' Why skew the ratings when you haven't even tried it yet?"
– randomentity1
Snobbery Is Tasteless
"Being snobby about food to the point where you're hindering someone else's enjoyment is not a positive personality trait."
– swordcowboy
Taste Buds Don't Lie
"If it tastes good it tastes good."
– Danielwols
Some questioned others' capabilities in the kitchen while others straight up forbade them from doing something that is unfavorable.
The Complaint
"People who hate cooking with stainless steel don’t know how to cook with stainless steel."
– 3Me20
There's A Dress Code
"DON’T WEAR YOUR APRON INTO THE BATHROOM."
– andre3kthegiant
"I've called people out for doing this. It's disgusting. This isn't a hill to die on, this should be common sense. People be dumb."
– Aldayne
Cross-Contamination–Bad
"I had to call a girl out again for putting a container of raw meat on a cold station."
"She complained that I 'always call her out on that.'"
"Yeah no sh*t, you're the only one tryna catch state health code write ups.'
"e/ she saw the post and I made her cry, oops."
– ChefBoredAreWe
Don't Interrupt The Cook
"Get out of the kitchen if I'm cooking. Out out out I don't want your help."
– Justice171
Not All Salads Are Good For You
"I live in the Midwest, I love the Midwest but just because you call something a salad does not mean it is healthy and an acceptable side dish to your main course. Snicker-marshmallow-mayo-whatever is not salad."
– ArachnesChallenge
I don't consider myself a cook, but I do pat myself on the back for some of the dishes I do know how to make well.
One of those is Japanese curry. And while I can't keep from serving and eating what takes at least an hour-and-a-half to make, I do find that my leftover tastes infinitely better the next day.
I make a HUGE batch of curry sauce so I can continue enjoying it for the next few days. There's something about leaving it in the fridge and heating up portions at a time that really activate the spices.
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