What small decision changed the course of your entire life?

[justanothermanicmonday1]

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..... 🥹

I think the moral of the story is to seize every opportunity because you never know where it may lead.

Changing my interrail route. Went interrailing ten years ago originally planned with one friend through one part of Europe, bypassing the UK entirely, another friend asked to join and really wanted to see scotland. Thought why not and on the last night in Edinburgh I met my now husband outside a bar. Ten years later we're living in Edinburgh and expecting our first after an amazing decade together. Saw the other places in Europe with him through the years as well.

I agree. Years ago, me and OH had been through some financial awfulness and were trying really hard to pull ourselves up. I saw an ad in the local paper for a scheme where people who own woodland could ask for work to be done in exchange for fire wood. You'd work 2-3 hours and were able to fill your car with seasoned logs. 'Let's do it!' I said, so we did and came home with not only logs but braces of pheasants and even some cash for our efforts. It made a big difference to us. One woodland we kept returning to every time they offered logs in exchange for work. We got to know the owners and then one day, the man offered me a job as his gardener. I already worked professionally as a gardener so took the job and found myself in charge of acres of garden. I was very nervous to start with as the place seemed vast at the time, but have been there nearly ten years now. I know every inch of that garden and love the place.

In my more day-dreamy moments, I sometimes think it's as if the universe puts playing pieces before us to see if we'll notice and pick them up. Pick up the piece offered and everything can change.

I'd applied for an apprenticeship at a huge company. I was invited for some formal testing in a city a bit from me at 9am.

My abusive prick of a dad offered to drive me to the tests.

the bus went on the the half past the hour and took just over an hour to get into the city, so I'd have had to have gone into the 7:30 bus.
was super excited, got ready and at 7:40 my dad told me he wasn't taking me as he didn't want me to get the job as I'd thought I was better than them by even applying.
15 year old me picked up my bag, walked out and walked to the bus stop, torn between tears and rage, but it was sheer frustration that got me out of that house. I waited for the 8:30 bus and got on it. Arrived in the city at 9:30, ran across the whole of the city and arrived late. Apologised profusely, said something about traffic and could I please sit the tests. They let me stay after everyone else and sit the one I missed.

Ive been at that same company now nearly 25 years, had lots of amazing promotions and opportunities and go into school regularly to discuss STEM and help kids see there are options out there even if you don't have support.
I love my career and what I've done. And I'm proud of my 15 year old self for doing that back then.

Ive been NC with my dad for 23 years!

Relationships aren't the only thing that can change your life though are they, loads of people have commented with job and country moves.

Mine was, forgetting my contraception! Not really a decision, but the decision to keep the pregnancy changed my life dramatically (and I am very very grateful that I am so forgetful).

"In my more day-dreamy moments, I sometimes think it's as if the universe puts playing pieces before us to see if we'll notice and pick them up. Pick up the piece offered and everything can change."

Love that idea!

I’d left uni with an arts degree, moved home to my parents where there was no room, had no idea what to do with my life except I knew I wanted to go on holiday then move to London. I applied for loads of graduate trainee jobs and told myself I’d just take the first one that offered, whatever it was, to maximise my time in the sun. 40 years later, the job I took (hard but in-demand profession) has been the source of so much joy and success! Spending NO time thinking things through was the best decision I made!

Good luck! I wish I had the guts to take this kind of step...hope it all works out for you!

Saying yes when a friend of friend asked me out for a drink.
We have been happily married for 46 years.

Ha! Not that I am afraid. I am not going to say what I did, but it was not MI5, MI6 or that work. More regular stuff than that.

Thank you so much @Reesa2022 !

My dad hopped on a bus from Birmingham to London on the basis of a magazine article his Dad had showed him about an art college in London. My dad had no education and was completely naive about what was needed to get into a very prestigious college to do a Masters - he didn't have basic qualifications, let alone a BA. He just thought it looked like a nice place and he liked the work he saw in the magazine.

He went in the college with no appointment, and asked what was needed to get in there, assuring them he could do the work, no problem. A professor humoured him and said he had a month to do some work and send it to him. They gave him a year's course on the basis of that then a full scholarship to do an MA. That led to many opportunities (including masses of travel and meeting my Mum, in a different country). All from just hopping on the bus that day.

Splitting up from my DP of 7 years when I was 29! It was an incredibly hard decision at the time as we had a mortgage and i was thinking about children.

I was essentially his mummy, cleaning up after him(dishes,underwear,socks,mouldy food), cooking for him, doing all household duties and maintainance, household admin, buying gifts for his family and mine at xmas, birthdays with 0 financial help from him. Never spent time with me, never wanted photos together. ‘forced’ him to propose. he’d go on holidays without me…the only saving grace was his lovely family.

He was an incredibly high earner and I was an average earner. We split everything 50/50 and I just thought that was the way things were.

I had a bit of a breakdown at work (marketing in Black Friday week) and it sent me into a spiral of an ED. He was a GP, and despite me being dangerously underweight he offered no support until my mum stepped in and helped me see what was happening.

I ended up breaking up with him a few months later after reassessing my life, and ended up meeting my now husband pretty much instantly which was a shock.

He is the total opposite and i have to pinch myself everyday that Ive found such a man.

He cooks,cleans,fixes,DIY, doesnt let me pay for hardly anything, loves my family, buys them sweet gifts, spends all his time with me, and just generally is a kind and thoughtful man. He proposed very quickly and I said yes. He is a little bit older than me by 7 years, but we have just bought our own house and are planning children.

I now tell myself to listen to my gut and take more risks (within reason!) as I genuinely cant believe how my life has now turned out. I didnt think I could have imagined feeling so loved by a man just a couple of years ago.

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.

I've had a few in my life. But my latest one was deciding one day to have a look at the local school's website, stumbling on a vacancy that suited me, taking my courage into my hands having been a SAHM for 12 years and getting the job! I've been there for almost five years now and love it.

I made an impulse decision to leave a stationary train and bumped into an old friend who later became my husband. A while later, I looked at a qualification on impulse. He became interested it too despite working in a totally different field. We both took the course and spent a lifetime travelling, writing and editing in out chosen field (that we’d got to by accident!)

Agreeing to go on a last minute weekend away to the Lake District with friends. Unexpectedly bumping into someone I hadn’t seen for years in a pub in the village (he was from down south and just happened to be there that weekend). We’ve been married 21 years now.

I cannot help but add how sad it makes me that most of the stories on here are about meeting a man rather than educational, career or sporting achievements. Is this 1823 or 2023?

At one point I was a single mum on benefits. Had 2DC and my mum and sister would make horrible comments to me all the time. One day I just had enough and applied to do law at university, not expecting to be accepted. However, I got a place. DC1 has just started school and I managed to get DC2 a place at the uni nursery.

Fast forward 7 years and I ended up with a first class law degree, a full scholarship to study to become a barrister and a distinction at masters level. I have just got a great legal job with the civil service and bought my house.

It will never forget the day I just snapped and had enough. My life is so different as a result.

That's amazing, and inspiring. I know what you mean about those 'snapping' turning points. Those are the moments that make you reach a bit further than you thought you could.

Which is why I said "complex" not "impossible"...

Oh and another quick one.

I was on my way out of a shop one day when I suddenly remembered I needed something, lined up and became aware that I recognised the voice of the woman two or three people ahead of me. It was an old school friend that I hadn't seen for fifteen odd years (I'd been married to a very controlling man that I'd not long divorced).

We got chatting, she had the email address of another friend, who knew where another friend was living. We now meet up every year or so for a long weekend and have done for the past 20 years.

Love this!

Surely it's more that meeting a man tends to be more related to chance and randomness (the subject of the thread) whereas careers etc are usually (not always) planned ?

Moved to another country over 10 years, met fabulous friends, got a job I love and lucky to have meet my wonderful husband.