What is a decision you made that significantly changed the trajectory of your life and where would you be if you hadn’t made that choice?

13 comments

1. Quit Gaming and Binge-watching TV-shows. I think hadn’t I done that my entire experience of life would be trapped in some sort of digital space.

2. Paid for ivf. If I hadn’t I’d of been childless. At the time almost everyone in my life felt I was rushing and needed to give it more time to work naturally. And I know now I’d of not been a mother if I hadn’t

3. Getting into STEM. Don’t think I would have a career and be independent with arts degree.

4. I decided to move abroad, if I hadn’t I would probably still be living how my controlling parents told me to including who to date.

5. An old best friend of mine showed up one night to make amends. I was pretty over it so I stalled before I went to the door. She went out to the car parked on the road, but she wasn’t under a streetlight. I firmly believe she would have beat my ass or conned me into being her friend again. I shut the door on being treated like someone’s therapist and bankroller forever. A friend told me she described it as “Zoey isn’t taking any shit any more.”

   I have bad luck in best friends and this person taught me I don’t need anyone to feel less alike.

6. Five years ago at 22 I was offered a job abroad. It changed everything, not only my logistics but my career and the way I viewed the world and myself in it. I also have met and become friends with people who have added so much positivity to my life. I met my awesome husband who has shown me unconditional love and acceptance does exist.

   I have no idea where I would be had I stayed where I was. I honestly never think about it.

7. Deciding to move myself and my young daughter 2 hours away from the only place I had ever lived to marry my husband.
   I can’t imagine how different my life would be had I stayed home and moved on from him.

8. Dating my girlfriend. I feel like she’s pushed me to become a better version of myself and I don’t think I would’ve done it on my own.

9. I’m from NYC.

   My 18th birthday was a few days after 9/11.

   Was bouncing between comically abusive and neglectful parents, a clusterfuck of a “relationship” with my much-older boss at the time, and outright homelessness.

   Decided I wanted a clean break, saw the office where the Army recruiters were set up and decided to go for it basically on the spot.

   Highly recommend not doing what I did, but I just told them that I’d take the first job that

   a.) I qualified for

   b.) Got me the hell out of dodge the most ASAP

   20+ years later and I’m still active duty.

   Lucked into an actual legitimate career that I love, I met and married the husband, had our kids, we were able to take my baby brother in when my parents went to prison, I’ve seen the world, all that.

   I’ve intentionally lost track of most of the people I was running around with back then, but the handful that I know the present status of, most of them have either been bouncing in and out of prison on drug charges, or they’re dead.

   I really feel like I would’ve been in that situation as well if I didn’t just go for it back and join back then.

   Not getting into the politics involved with the “bigger picture” of this, but IMHO the military is one of the most effective socioeconomic mobility ladders that presently exists nowadays, and I feel like I’m living proof of that.

10. Said yes to my current partner and moved abroad to him to close the gap.

    Think I still would have been happy in my life if I hadn’t met him and said yes, but definitely nowhere near as happy as I am now.

    Probably would be still be at home with my parents saving for a house deposit on my own and honestly, would expect that I’d be single still.

11. Downloading a dating app. I’d probably still live at home with no idea what I want for my career

12. Decided to learn about weightloss as a kid because I saw my mom struggling with it. 12 years later and I’m at university studying nutritional health science, on my way to becoming a dietitian.

13. I needed a job for the summer during university. I applied at a show barn (horses) and then proceeded to waste the next 15 years of my life at a terrible job where i wasnt appreciated. Now at 37 I’m trying to play catch up.