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Although the folks in this list didn’t expect to go through the things that they did, research has found that people often tend to believe the worst stuff will happen to them. Our brains seem to focus on the negative aspects of the world and conjure up scenarios about bad events or experiences and put us smack dab in the middle of all that.
This kind of negativity draws our attention more than normal circumstances or positive events. Then, due to confirmation bias, we believe that we are always unlucky or doomed, which isn’t actually the case. Rather than letting the bad memories hold so much space in our minds, it’s really important to pay more attention to and value the good moments.
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#6
It’s often hard to accept the unpredictable nature of life, especially for people who want to be in control of the things around them. Even if we’ve made the best plans or thought of every single possibility, there might be curveballs that we never even expected. This is probably what happened to the folks on this list.
Rather than always getting frustrated because we can’t stay one step ahead of life, it’s important to sometimes go with the flow. Stressing about what could have happened will not change the outcome of the situation and will only serve to destroy your mental health. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is accept that come what may, you’ll be able to get through it.
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#9
Now I have Huntington's - a very rare degenerative genetic disease that will start to destroy my life in the next 5-10 years. We didn't know my family had it. Now everyone I love is at risk.
In challenging and unexpected moments, you might feel overwhelmed and worried, but the very best thing to do first is to breathe. Experts say that taking a few moments to calm down your nervous system will help you feel a bit more in control of the situation and will stop you from immediately panicking.
The next thing to do after you get your breathing in check is to try and focus on the things you can control in the moment. Getting them done step by step will make things feel less daunting. Don’t be afraid to ask for help because that can provide you with all the necessary support you need so that you don’t feel so alone or overburdened by life.
#10
I mean, I knew it would happen, it happens to every person born female. But I never expected the absolute havoc which has been wreaked on my body, mind and psyche from it. No one told me this s**t, women when I was growing up *never* talked about this monstrous monkey who climbs on your back and grabs your internal reins like god d**n Ratatouille, driving you further and further into mental fog and crazy thoughts. No one until Sinead O'Connor - in her autobiography last year she freely talked about how menopause literally drove her mad. That disastrous Dr. Phil news and her jumping out of a hotel window, thst was menopause, specifically surgical menopause. There have seriously been times where i was thisclose to checking myself in to a behavioral health hospital. The s**t is diabolical. And I've suffered with it for 10 years now!
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People start worrying about the future right from their teen years. This can negatively impact folks’ well-being and make them constantly feel anxious about what’s coming next. The truth is that nobody can predict what’s going to happen, but worrying about it now will just end up spoiling the present.
If you find yourself always spiralling and anxious about the scary possibilities of life, it might be better to reach out to a trained therapist for help. Getting into calming activities like yoga, mediation, and mindfulness can help you also deal with those feelings of overwhelm.
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#15
I was at work in 2023 when I got a call from my landlord saying that my duplex was on fire. Nobody was hurt, thankfully, but my housemates and I all lost most of our possessions. And of course we had to scramble to find new places to live. It's been almost two years and I'm settled again, but on some level I don't think I'll ever be fully over it.
The experiences on this list show that things can change in an instant, without any warning, but these folks managed to get through it all.
Nobody knows exactly what’s going to happen next in their life, but if we did, would it diminish the beauty of the experience? Tell us what you think.
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#17
Fortunately my arms aren't/weren't displaced and have been getting better very steadily.
My jaw required surgery and the surgeons did an excellent job. Eating puree'd vegetables and protein shakes has been unpleasant.
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