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Original poster

What small decision changed the course of your entire life?

369 replies

justanothermanicmonday1 · 10/09/2023 11:51

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..... 🥹

OP posts:
DisplayPurposesOnly · 10/09/2023 14:18

I love the rabbit story

Thank you. I come from a family of cat-lovers but I haven't been disowned fortunately 😆Car-park bunny was a revelation, I had never interacted with one before so no idea of funny they are or that they could be kept in the house.

SchruteShunned · 10/09/2023 14:19

My whimsical sliding doors moment: As a child I was always drawing, so as I grew older art school seemed to be the natural progression. I used to sit at my desk in high school dreaming of the time when I could spend my whole day sketching and painting. I loved designing clothes and was fascinated by the history of costume.
The town where I grew up had a dedicated art school in a building with large windows so without realising it, I'd visualise myself at a drawing desk in front of those windows.

Cut forwards to leaving high school and that art school had changed location to a technical college on the outskirts of town with views of the Downs. I went along for the Open Day, saw what everyone was creating and doubted my ability. I decided against art school and went to Sixth Form instead where I sat my A-Levels, including Fine Art.

Although I love my life and the direction it's gone in, I often wonder where I would've been if I had gone to art school - would I have taken it further.
I have returned to drawing, funnily enough in a room with large windows Smile

Bogofftosomewherehot · 10/09/2023 14:22

My parents didn't believe in Uni so I never got the opportunity.

Aged 39 I decided to sign up for a short uni course which eventually led to me completing a degree, then another aged 50, and now again, doing a masters at 55.

SallySunrise · 10/09/2023 14:25

I went to a friend's birthday party alone. I really, really couldn't be bothered and I wasn't sure who I'd know there, but he's a lovely bloke so I went.

I spent the evening chatting to someone I'd met before but never really got to know. We were together for 8 years and have two children. It didn't work out but I'll never ever regret going to that party.

ThreeBearsPorridge · 10/09/2023 14:25

Went to a party thrown by an acquaintance. I really didn't want to go. I met my husband.

Catsarego · 10/09/2023 14:29

I really didn’t know what elective to choose at university. None of them particularly interested me so I just ticked one. My now DH had done the same and that was how we met

MavisMcMinty · 10/09/2023 14:32

I got into the first two nurse training courses I applied to, interviewed for both the same week, one a hospital I didn’t know and the other was my Mum’s training hospital. I picked the unknown-to-me hospital because the course started 4 months before the other one - my friends, my current partner, my life would have been so completely different! On these apparently trivial decisions whole lives hang.

Thmssngvwlsrnd · 10/09/2023 14:34

Bogofftosomewherehot · 10/09/2023 14:22

My parents didn't believe in Uni so I never got the opportunity.

Aged 39 I decided to sign up for a short uni course which eventually led to me completing a degree, then another aged 50, and now again, doing a masters at 55.

That's brilliant 👏

LemongrassLollipop · 10/09/2023 14:38

AlexaCanYouHearMe · 10/09/2023 12:13

Not sure this thread will go well @justanothermanicmonday1 Whilst you have probably posted it in good faith, there's a bit of an air of smugness around it.

People who are not in relationships are very unlikely to be championing this thread.

Au contraire @AlexaCanYouHearMe

With a newborn I think the OP is full of the happy hormones and that's what came across to me in the post and it's lovely 🥰

I think I was my DH 's sliding doors moment. He was dragged by his friend (who at the time was my friend's btw boyfriend). to a dinner at my said friend's house. We met now have two kids and been married for 11 years ❣️

Nodeepdiving · 10/09/2023 14:38

I struggled to find suitable professional employment after finishing my Master's. My then BF was doing a PhD and moving to the other side of the world for 6 months. In the shower one morning I decided to do a CELTA training course and join him. I am now in my 8th year of secondary teaching, having really enjoyed teaching TEFL. BF is now DH and we have a house and two kids.

CornishGem1975 · 10/09/2023 14:39

Meeting up with an ex on a whim. Changed the entire course of my life.

HangerLaneGyratorySystem · 10/09/2023 14:39

I think maybe OP should have said what changed your life for the BETTER so as to flag up that people were not welcome to talk about difficult shit on her thread 🤨

Bellyblueboy · 10/09/2023 14:42

Invited my sister to a night out with friends while at university. She is now married to my university class mate who is one of my closest friends. I get to be very close to my niece and nephews.

headcheffer · 10/09/2023 14:44

Had an awful week and decided to go to the pub on a Friday round the corner from work which I never went to. Met my now DH, and now have two kids and am very happy!!

Seychal · 10/09/2023 14:45

RosesAndHellebores · 10/09/2023 13:41

In 1984 I think it was, I had just turned into Hans Crescent by the side of Harrods to finish off some shopping. I also needed some toiletry bits and suddenly rationalised that they would be lighter to carry than what I would buy in Harrods. Therefore I turned heel to cross the Brompton Road to go to Boots on the other side. There was a bang that made the earth shake followed by breaking glass. I recall seeing the people who were killed literally yards ahead of me.

I jumped straight onto a stationery no 30 bus before the traffic stalled.

I missed the Harrods bomb with seconds to spare. I can only believe there was a guardian angel on my shoulder that day.

Harrods was a week before Christmas Day in 1983. I was a couple of streets away with someone else Christmas shopping. We heard the explosion also. You were very lucky there.

About six years later when travelling into London (again for Christmas shopping) we saw people walking up the rail track in short straight lines. This appeared to be passenger evacuations from trains after the Clapham rail crash.

Then on 7 July 2005 I walked from Euston down to a meeting near Lincoln's Inn. While in the meeting I was told there had been an apparent 'electrical flashover' somewhere on the underground causing an explosion so not to rely on the tube. We never heard anything. On the way back to the station I could not walk back up Kingsway as the police had blocked the road off. I took a long detour round then later realised my original route down than morning was straight past the north-east corner of Tavistock Square. I had passed there around 9.10am.

No small decisions involved. Just a lot of coincidences, but then London is a big place in a small area.

IMustDoMoreExercise · 10/09/2023 14:45

ChocolateCakeOverspill · 10/09/2023 12:03

I applied for two jobs and decided to take the one I was offered first. Meant that I moved three hours away from the town I grew up in and my life changed massively as a result.

I did exactly this too. If I had taken the other job I would not have met my husband of 20 years.

UnctuousUnicorns · 10/09/2023 14:46

Put a request for a rare record on the Skinternet i.e. Teletext. One of the two replies was from the man who was to become my DH, we've been together 27 years now, married for 25.

Catsarego · 10/09/2023 14:47

RosesAndHellebores · 10/09/2023 13:41

In 1984 I think it was, I had just turned into Hans Crescent by the side of Harrods to finish off some shopping. I also needed some toiletry bits and suddenly rationalised that they would be lighter to carry than what I would buy in Harrods. Therefore I turned heel to cross the Brompton Road to go to Boots on the other side. There was a bang that made the earth shake followed by breaking glass. I recall seeing the people who were killed literally yards ahead of me.

I jumped straight onto a stationery no 30 bus before the traffic stalled.

I missed the Harrods bomb with seconds to spare. I can only believe there was a guardian angel on my shoulder that day.

Oh bloody hell!!!! Was that Christmas 1983?

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!

goingtohellinahandcart · 10/09/2023 14:51

30yrs ago took a couple of months work on Isle of Man, met dh and never left!

embolass · 10/09/2023 14:52

Dead end job aged 21 late 80s, no confidence in my intellect but decided to take control and went to college and got what was required for general nursing. Took it one day and one exam at a time. Best decision ever made, made great friends, met some wonderful people, and been able to help countless patients. Has its moments of course but no regrets. Plus met DH on a work night and have3 DC.

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…. 🤣

devildeepbluesea · 10/09/2023 14:53

Decided on a whim to go to a convention with DSis for a TV show we had both loved. We were like fish out of water, but had a great time nonetheless. Stayed up til 3am talking to the actors from the show. Ended up moving in with one of them.

It wasn’t the most successful decision of my life: things with him were not smooth and he actually passed away 3 years after we met. But I moved to a beautiful place to be with him and made friends for life who I still visit there. Also, when I did move back home I didn’t have many friends as they had all done as I did and moved away - so on my birthday went out with Dsis and my BIL. Met the guy who was my DP for 12 years and my DD’s father. We’re now a successful co-parenting family.

If I hadn’t gone to that bloody convention who knows where I’d be now.

toadasoda · 10/09/2023 14:56

What blows my mind so much that I choose to not dwell on it too much - is that I was adopted as a newborn baby. Someone filled out a form, probably without too much thought, that dictated not just the path of my life but my entire identity. I could be anyone, anywhere with any kind of family. My mum used to say it was fate that drew us together, we were meant to be but I don't believe that. I could be anyone. It keeps me humble, I try not to make judgements on people's background as I could just as easily have been in their position.

worriedatwork123 · 10/09/2023 14:59

halfheartedly applied for a job i didnt really want to do because my current place announced redundancies and i'd just bought a flat alone at the age of 21 - got the job and still wasn't sure id actually turn up on day 1 as was holding out for one of the better jobs to come through

ended up going as they begged me to start asap and my closing company released me early - met my now DH who was working his 2 weeks notice and leaving to move back home.

I'd never have met him if i'd not taken the job, but also if i'd served my notice period which is crazy for us both to think - he left the job but didn't return home either Grin

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