What “wake up call” made you finally decide to change?

[Anonymous]

There were some bad habits in the past that I procrastinated on dropping until I got a wake up call, I changed up my lifestyle and never looked back. Same thing happened when I was in a relationship, I cheated on my ex when I was young which made him break down and cry. I vowed to never cheat again and can proudly say that I’ve always stayed committed ever since then. What about you, have you experienced any wake up calls in your life?

[ProbablyClueless]

I had to go to the emergency room to treat a cellulitis skin infection back in 2021. It wasn't particularly serious, but it wasn't not serious, and I wasn't really sure what I was dealing with. I decided to go to the emergency room as an overly cautious thing.

Well... one night and $20,000 later (I wish I was making that up), my ER doctor left me with 3 major takeaways.

1. The best health problem to have is the one you don't have because this shit costs LOTS OF MONEY. You have to be extremely proactive about your health.

2. I need to get my diet and weight under control because my arteries won't look that clean forever. Our society is poisoning us with crappy, ultra processed foods and a terrible lifestyle. We have to be intentional about not conforming to that.

3. Nothing, and especially not career stuff, is worth your health. It's just not worth it. If your job is killing you, I can assure you that you CAN AFFORD TO GET A DIFFERENT JOB. Even if it doesn't feel like it. I can promise you that you will find a way. But you need to get away from the thing that's killing you.

[Asker]

You’re dead on, health is expensive! It’s definitely much cheaper to maintain your health than it is to restore it.

[ProbablyClueless]

Oh, it's obscene how expensive it is, and it's not like your quality of life gets that much better for the cost of treating symptoms. So much of the information to never have the problems to begin with is so readily available, you'd be insane to not take the alternative. It would be like refusing to use the 99% off coupons that your grocery store keeps right by the register.

We know how to take care of our health, a lot of us lack the discipline to actually do it. I go to the gym early in the morning for a 5:30am class 4-5 times per week, and I'm always shocked by the fact I'm the youngest guy in class. The people my age are usually working out in other areas, though.

[Asker]

It definitely pays to be health conscious especially when you’re still young! I always get scared when I can feel my body feeling unfit, don’t want to imagine the price tag that might come along with it lol

[Finchie40]

Staying in relationships with selfish girls’ that only care about themselves , I use to let them write Sucker on my head until I realized no more of that shit , of a girl doesn’t follow boundaries the same way she expects me to follow for her , my ass is out the door or I kick her to the curb where she belongs

[Asker]

Good! Don’t let them ruin your peace

[Finchie40]

Yea life is too short to be with someone that brings misery into your life , I want a girl that is my best friend , my lover my partner , has my back like I have hers. Removes selfishness for me the same way I do for her , without that? We have nothing together

[Asker]

That’s the goal right there. I’m glad I found someone who I can call my best friend and my lover at the same time. Took him a major wake up call for him to finally realize what we have though.

I’m glad you managed to learn your lessons even though I bet they were heartbreaking at the time. You live and you learn right.

[Finchie40]

Yes , most of us learn from our mistakes , none of us is perfect , we are all imperfect people , and we all make choices and decisions in life , if we made a bad choice or a decision , the best thing to do is to not make that mistake again , That’s why it’s best to stay away from an ex , if they were such a great person? They wouldn’t be your ex period.

[Asker]

Preach!!

[Justneedtokno]

That I can’t go about doing the same things. I need to put myself out there go to different church homes.

[Asker]

Way to go you!!

[Justneedtokno]

Thank you it is a process that I’m still working through because I don’t like the change and it’s scary

[Anonymous]

Waking up injured on someone's porch, more upset at surviving than I was about pain

[Asker]

Damn what happened? Glad you’re okay tho

[Opinion Owner]

Drunken hookup. Wasn't a good time in life but I'm alive and my mentality has changed thankfully

[Asker]

Glad you’re still here with us safe and sound, all the best for the future ahead!

[Opinion Owner]

You too

[FunkyMonkee]

I remember when I was about 8, my dad, brother, grandfather and I were installing a powder room next to the kitchen and I noticed that my brother and grandfather were almost CONSTANTLY bitching and moaning about EVERYTHING!! I noticed that I was starting to get that way, too and didn't like it so, I promised myself that I wouldn't get like them and would even go the opposite direction.
About a decade later, I noticed that mom was ALWAYS lying about everything!! I can't imagine how she was able to keep track of all her lies, who she told them to and who could be let in on the fact that she lied, and then how she was able to cover them months or even years later when one lie threatened to expose at least one other. That's when I decided not to lie. Up to that point, I'd told A FEW but, nowhere near as many as her!

[Asker]

That makes sense, sometimes seeing the toxicity in other people is enough to wake you up to reality. Glad you manage to see through their negative traits!

[DrPepper12]

I always swore I would quit smoking. Told my fiance I would do it before the wedding. Told my then wife I would do it before we had kids. Told my wife and kids I would do it soon. It took a crisis to get me to see that smoking tobacco no longer fulfilled the role that I wanted in my life. Same for alcohol. It just stop serving its purpose and then and only then was I ready to quit despite numerous attempts previous to that. I've canceled anybody who will listen that you can badger and terrorize people all you want, It's simply not going to work! When they're ready, they're ready there's not a damn thing anyone on the planet could do about it except that person!

[Asker]

That’s true, people can’t force you to change, it has to come from within yourself

[CuriousHubby]

When my sister got an abortion for being dumb in highschool. Unlike the feminists bragging that it's empowering it ruined her!

Most women who get an abortion get no counciling. Which is tragic but it ruins them mentally. Knowing what they did and the guilt.

It made me wait till I was married after messing around with my then girlfriend. Same with my younger sister.

[Asker]

It is a life changing event that can leave a lifetime of guilt/regret, such a heavy wake up call

[CuriousHubby]

That is portrayed as no biggy and something every women needs!

[RageBabe]

I can attest, and I was not given any counselling, as I can personally speak to. I clung to my pregnancy test results for years following. I wonder what-if a lot.

[Asker]

Yes… I mean I see it as a traumatic experience

@ragebabe that must’ve been really stressful :( two of my friends also got an abortion and it destroyed them, what sucked was that their bfs at the time just expected them to move on immediately after. I hope you’re okay now xx

[RageBabe]

Thank you very much; it was, and I'm still mulling over the what-ifs. I often wonder of him/her; they would have been 19 years old by now. My warmth to your friends, and I hope they can find solace from this.

[Asker]

@RageBabe It was a really tough choice that you had to make but I’m sure it was for the best. My friends are doing okay now, I can’t imagine what kind of loss they must have been feeling but I can understand why you’re pondering the what ifs. You’re so strong for being able to go through all that, warm hugs xx

[RageBabe]

Again, a heartfelt thank you, and even though you are not my friend, having a friend as sympathetic as you is a blessing, so thank you for being such a wonderful friend to your friends; without people like you, it would be much more difficult to get through each day. Hugs! Xo

[Asker]

@RageBabe aw you’re too sweet. If you ever need to talk I’m all ears! xx sending you all the positive vibes

[CuriousHubby]

Good vibes and caring hugs! 🤗
Your right people expect you to just get over it as soon as it's done.
Even moms with miscarriages keep that guilt and those what if feelings. No one talks about the mom with 4 kids and 2 babies in heaven.

[Asker]

Exactly! I hope people will bring more awareness to this. It’s not only physically traumatizing but these things take a major toll mentally on these ladies/moms as well

[paledreams]

Gambling was costing me money. And time. And money. The excuse could be "I blame Covid 19 lol era 2020-2021 lol 😆

[Asker]

That must’ve been an expensive wake up call…

[paledreams]

Lol not as much as others out there lol 😆😅 who've gambled far more or their house even for a cardboard box.✌🏻 Shrugs - anyways

[Asker]

Oh I’m glad you managed to snap out of it before you dug your hole too deep!

[OtterMan68]

I left the GOP when I figured out they were all lip service about spending/debt/deficit, the religious right took over the party, and they enjoyed bombing brown people.

[Asker]

Glad you came to your senses and left, better late than never

[Moebird1]

My girlfriend left me. So I stopped all drugs and started working my ass off.

[Asker]

I’m proud of you!!

[Unit1]

Never happened

[Asker]

Do you think you need one?

[Unit1]

Doubt it. It's more accurate to say I was born in conditions, that were a persistent "wake up call" for me until I escaped from my family and a region dominated by tyrants. So much, that I am to this day on meds and psychotherapy and with a psychiatrist too.

[Asker]

I guess it’s your family that needs the wake up call then. I’m glad you managed to escape, I hope you can heal from your past, best wishes xx

[Unit1]

Not really. My family is where they belong and I am where I belong more or less.

[LiamJHayden]

My biggest wake up call was just before I turned 21, when I realized that casual sex was a waste of time, energy, and soul.

[Asker]

Glad you realized that early on, saved you years of meaningless sex and heartbreak

[worldscolide]

Meeting my wife. If you want the story I can tell it.

[Asker]

Feel free to share your story, would love to hear em!

[worldscolide]

I met my wife at a shinedown concert. That wasn't the event though. Shortly after I went into the hospital, my wisdom teeth almost killed me. She, a woman I had only met once, was the only person to visit me in the hospital, not my mom, not my friends. I decided at that point I was going to marry her. I also decided that I was going to do what I can to be a better person for her, a man she deserves.. We have been together 12 years, married for 10.

[Asker]

That’s sweet, what might seem like a simple act of kindness can really show how much a person cares/doesn’t care for you. Best wishes to you and your lovely wife!

[worldscolide]

Thank You!

[OddBeMe]

Tired of being stressed made me focus on cutting toxicity from my life.

[Asker]

Your peace matters so much more

[OddBeMe]

More than family blood. I don’t interact with them. Any of them.

[Asker]

I wish I could cut people off just like you did 😔

[OddBeMe]

It’s tough. Having financial stability def helps.

[Asker]

For sure, still working on it 🤞🏻

[ChicoFromThe305]

A vision of getting blown by shotgun by police

[Asker]

Wow that must’ve been intense even though it was just a vision

[ChicoFromThe305]

It was cause a group of us got a piece of the same vision and if you put them together, it was that, it happened on the same night and it was a week before we proceeded with a jewelry heist like 2 hours away from my hometown.

[Asker]

Talk about divine intervention huh

[ChicoFromThe305]

Indeed

[Ladsin2]

Lol I haven't why else would I still be on GaG

[Asker]

Lol maybe this will question will inspire you to wake up then