Page 11 | What small decision changed the course of your entire life?

justanothermanicmonday1 · 2023-09-10T10:51:07+00:00

Lighthearted. Mines was just getting out of a relationship, being in my thirties and thinking I'd never ever meet anyone. I'd got used to the fact that I wouldn't likely have children, and be alone. And I was fine with that. 4 weeks after I ended my relationship, my friend asked if I wanted to be set up on a date with her friends friend. I was extremely reluctant..... 3 years later we have a toddler and a newborn and it was the best decision I have ever made in my entire life. I didn't think I would ever be this lucky. He treats me how I deserve to be treated, hands on, funny, respectful, romantic & the best role model for our children! Intrigued to hear people's stories whilst my newborn sleeps away..... 🥹

Prettypaisleyslippers · 10/09/2023 18:35

I let my friend drag me out for a night out, one that I had refused to go on previously. Met my DH

Pudmyboy · 10/09/2023 18:37

illiterato · 10/09/2023 14:53

Well I once had an actual sliding doors movie moment where had work not been closed due to a burst water main I wouldn’t have found out my ex was cheating but anyway…. 🤣

Wow!!!!

BrioLover · 10/09/2023 18:41

Made a split second decision to talk to a recruiter after all about a post-grad job that had fuck all to do with my degrees and got the job! Now I am a leader in my field and if I hadn't made that tiny decision 18 years ago I have no idea what I'd be doing for work/career.

HarrietJet · 10/09/2023 18:42

I love how sometimes it all turns on a sixpence.

BMrs · 10/09/2023 18:44

I had two major job interviews and decided to just go for the first job offer (if any). I accepted the first (despite it being my second choice initially) built an incredible career there and still working there 14 years on. Also met my DH there and we got together after a couple of weeks. Now happily married with three boys and still love my job

TrackerBar · 10/09/2023 18:48

TraineeOT · 10/09/2023 14:47

Made redundant. Went across the road to a care agency to get a job so we could still eat (massive change in role). Really enjoyed it but wanted to do more. Joined the NHS and now training as an occupational therapist.

I thought it was the end of the world when I was made redundant, how wrong I was!

This is the sort of thing I would love to do!

Pudmyboy · 10/09/2023 18:50

mimiku · 10/09/2023 15:33

19yo me saying “I’m not paying £35 for the morning after pill you must be joking, it’ll be fine it was a one off”

My ignorance got me back, DS is 8 now. Love him dearly but £35 would have been a lot cheaper 😂

Or another way of looking at it: The morning after pill works by delaying ovulation, you may have already been in the process of ovulating, so it wouldn't have worked and you could've been down £35 and still pregnant!

CinnamonApplePie · 10/09/2023 19:05

Ladyj84 · 10/09/2023 16:36

Many years ago when I was 19 I met a guy and quite frankly fell right in love but didn't have the courage to say anything and apparently neither did he. We then lost contact I ended up in a disaster violent cheating very short marriage. Ended up being single for 8 years and bringing up my son alone. When I turned 30 met up with this guy by accident and we have never been apart since infact we got married 31 days after meeting up again and now have another 3 wonderful children and I'm the happiest bunny ever. Turns out we were both to shy all those years ago to say anything and the minute we met up again it was like we had never been apart

Ahhh, that’s lovely 🥰

Pudmyboy · 10/09/2023 19:10

SayYourWorst · 10/09/2023 17:17

When I was 19 I had three years' experience in my profession, but when I was made redundant and applied for what appeared to be my perfect job, the agency said the applicant had to be 21 or over. They refused to even contact the company and ask if they would make an exception.

I walked away crestfallen.

However the next day I thought, "Sod them" and I approached the company direct. They had only SUGGESTED that their ideal person was probably someone over 21 but if I already had three years in the trade at 19, that would be OK.

I applied, got the job and stayed with the company for 21 years, during which time I did a sideways move which led to me becoming the first woman in the whole of the UK EVER to perform my job.

What a brilliant story: well done for going for it!

Arniesleftleg · 10/09/2023 19:11

Taking a temp job that paid more per hour than I was earning per hour even though the role was crap and I loved what I was doing. I ended up meeting my husband. Together now for 18 years. Serendipity.

DanielsDancingMonkey · 10/09/2023 19:20

Took a temping job in a company that does something completely different to my previous career. I ended up retraining and having a very successful career in my new field. And I met my partner of 25 years.

Pudmyboy · 10/09/2023 19:39

Many years ago a friend and I were looking at training in the same NHS role. She visited a local small hospital with very friendly staff and on that basis went for the role, has worked hard had a brilliant successful career in it.
I went to a large teaching hospital to look at their training course, got caught in a thunderstorm on the way (not wearing a coat as it had been a hot summer day), was literally dripping wet, no-one who showed me around offered me even as much as a paper towel even though I was leaving a water trail as I walked.That put me off entirely and I took a very different career path, with very different experiences. Part of me envies my friends ' success but I do alright and have had experiences I could never had have if I had gone with the original plan.
(Before anyone adds; I know comparison is the thief of joy!)

BestDecisionEver · 10/09/2023 19:51

Name changed to answer this as it's outing to those who know me.

February 1991. Just back from holiday and I was asked to go in early on the Monday morning to do some urgent work. Got a very early train to London Victoria to get in on time. Upon arrival at Victoria I hesitated briefly at the croissant stall, wondering whether to get breakfast. Quickly decided to get something at work instead as we had a subsidised canteen.

Id been working away for an hour or so when my line manager suddenly came hurtling in, saw me at my desk and said "thank goodness you're ok!" I had no idea what she was on about but found out pretty quickly that an IRA bomb had gone off at Victoria station. It had been placed in the bin at the food stall and exploded less than 5 minutes after I'd been there. If I'd decided to get the croissant, I'd have been killed without a doubt. I was only 27 and was newly married but hadn't had either of my DDs.

Took me a long time to deal with how close I'd come. It wasn't my time to die that day.

WhatHaveIDone21 · 10/09/2023 20:08

@anybloodyname good luck tomorrow! I am in a job that is stressful and all consuming. I have been thinking about what else I could do to give me a better work life balance but at the moment I can't afford the drop in salary. Fingers crossed for you!

anybloodyname · 10/09/2023 20:10

Thank you so much @WhatHaveIDone21 💐

Mojodojocasahaus · 10/09/2023 20:13

Wore a pink jacket on a night out. Bouncer wouldn’t let me into the club as he said I was underage (I was 25!)

Went to another bar and DH of 22 years was stood at the bar! Thank you pink jacket (think it was butterfly by Matthew Williamson)

Mojodojocasahaus · 10/09/2023 20:13

Obvs he wasn’t DH when I met him!

MavisMcMinty · 10/09/2023 20:14

One monsoony night I was at the stables, ready to go home, but one mare was still out in the field alone, shouting her head off and looking like a drowned rat, so I brought her in, and wrote a note for her owner explaining why, before setting off on my drive home.

That’s the last thing I remember before waking up two days later in the ICU I worked in, multiple fractures following an RTA on that awful rainy night. Spent a couple of months in hospital and am still affected by my injuries 30 years later.

If I’d left that mare out in the rain it would have been someone else whose little car got ploughed into head-on by the cocky arsehole who thought his massive 4WD meant he didn’t have to take care on the slippery roads.

Phineyj · 10/09/2023 20:20

I was very bored of my job. I was walking home from my office and it started to snow. I noticed a young boy in school uniform walking ahead of me crying.

I asked if he was OK. He was a year 7 and his bus had terminated several stops early and he wasn't sure which direction home was (this was before every year 7 had a phone with GPS).

I walked him to the station as he knew his way from there. We talked about school.

I went home and applied for teacher training. I've just started my 13th year teaching.

TheFireflies · 10/09/2023 20:21

I bought World of Warcraft despite not being a massive gamer, just for something to do when I was on my own in the evening after I’d split up with my ex, as I had a few friends who played and we’d group up together.

One day I fought and killed another player character, who logged on to thank me for fighting fair. I normally didn’t talk to other players much except for my real life friends, but for some reason struck up a conversation with this guy.

We’ve been married 15 years now.

Spacecowboys · 10/09/2023 20:33

Woke up one morning and decided I was
going to go to university. Six weeks later- following clearing, there I was.

krystalweedon · 10/09/2023 20:37

MavisMcMinty · 10/09/2023 20:14

One monsoony night I was at the stables, ready to go home, but one mare was still out in the field alone, shouting her head off and looking like a drowned rat, so I brought her in, and wrote a note for her owner explaining why, before setting off on my drive home.

That’s the last thing I remember before waking up two days later in the ICU I worked in, multiple fractures following an RTA on that awful rainy night. Spent a couple of months in hospital and am still affected by my injuries 30 years later.

If I’d left that mare out in the rain it would have been someone else whose little car got ploughed into head-on by the cocky arsehole who thought his massive 4WD meant he didn’t have to take care on the slippery roads.

That is awful. What happened to the cocky arsehole?

MavisMcMinty · 10/09/2023 20:47

krystalweedon · 10/09/2023 20:37

That is awful. What happened to the cocky arsehole?

Show quote history

Nothing, not a scratch! His wife didn’t have her seatbelt on and ended up in the back seat, but was also completely unhurt. When I saw the police photographs of my car I couldn’t believe I’d survived, the engine was practically on the driver’s seat. My legs were nearly sliced off at the knees!

EDIT: He did get 3 points for careless driving and £100 fine. His real punishment was seeing my mangled face and body in the front seat for his court appearance.

Original poster

justanothermanicmonday1 · 10/09/2023 22:30

MavisMcMinty · 10/09/2023 20:14

One monsoony night I was at the stables, ready to go home, but one mare was still out in the field alone, shouting her head off and looking like a drowned rat, so I brought her in, and wrote a note for her owner explaining why, before setting off on my drive home.

That’s the last thing I remember before waking up two days later in the ICU I worked in, multiple fractures following an RTA on that awful rainy night. Spent a couple of months in hospital and am still affected by my injuries 30 years later.

If I’d left that mare out in the rain it would have been someone else whose little car got ploughed into head-on by the cocky arsehole who thought his massive 4WD meant he didn’t have to take care on the slippery roads.

I'm so sorry to hear this. But I'm glad you're still hear to tell your story!

OP posts:

Original poster

justanothermanicmonday1 · 10/09/2023 22:32

BestDecisionEver · 10/09/2023 19:51

Name changed to answer this as it's outing to those who know me.

February 1991. Just back from holiday and I was asked to go in early on the Monday morning to do some urgent work. Got a very early train to London Victoria to get in on time. Upon arrival at Victoria I hesitated briefly at the croissant stall, wondering whether to get breakfast. Quickly decided to get something at work instead as we had a subsidised canteen.

Id been working away for an hour or so when my line manager suddenly came hurtling in, saw me at my desk and said "thank goodness you're ok!" I had no idea what she was on about but found out pretty quickly that an IRA bomb had gone off at Victoria station. It had been placed in the bin at the food stall and exploded less than 5 minutes after I'd been there. If I'd decided to get the croissant, I'd have been killed without a doubt. I was only 27 and was newly married but hadn't had either of my DDs.

Took me a long time to deal with how close I'd come. It wasn't my time to die that day.

Oh my goodness! This gave me chills!

OP posts: