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If you were to ask any person what they wish for most in this life, the majority would probably say a good, happy life. But what does that entail, actually? According to the experts at VeryWell, a few things: healthy relationships, getting enough sleep, and being physically active.

Then there's also getting rid of stressors that drain our energy, finding meaning in the work that we do, and dedicating time to something we love outside of work. Sound like a lot? Probably because we're more used to engaging in bad habits.

Recently, one person online asked others to share their past bad habits that made their life now so bad that they wish they had never done them. We've collected the best answers and present them to you here, Pandas. So, scroll down and cheer for the people who were able to kick their bad habits and check whether you're engaging in some of them right now!

#1

Man in sunglasses reading paper at table, reflecting on habits and decisions that reduce life quality and cause regret This will sound glib but I’m going to say it:

Moving to a city in Texas.

A better way of saying it “no matter the promotion or the amount of money: Never move somewhere where the general and sum total ideological or political belief system does not align in any way with your own. .

Ready-Issue190 , Daniel / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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    #2

    Man with glasses stressed and holding head while using laptop, illustrating habits and decisions that reduce life quality. Fall for the romanticized idea of overworking, overachieving and ignoring my health related red flags as a sign of virtue and strength. I felt so proud about not getting enough sleep or food, not letting illnesses stop me and working my a*s off. At the end I never got actually recognized for any of it and completely blew my health at only 24, now I can’t do half of what I could do before and lost so much time of my prime years trying too hard instead of being a happier person.

    peeledpotatoesss , Francisco De Legarreta C. / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    DrBronxx
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Assuming OP is still 24, you have so much of your prime years ahead. That is still a very young age - you came to your realisation so much earlier than I did, and now I'm stuck in my job with little-to-no prospects elsewhere.

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    #3

    Man sitting at a desk with head in hand, showing regret related to habits and decisions that reduce life quality. Worked 12 hour days for a job that wasn’t worth it.

    sylphdreamer , Toa Heftiba / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #4

    Woman with red nail polish looking at smartphone screen, reflecting on habits and decisions that reduce life quality. Social media. It has seriously messed with my attention span. And I can’t even remember how to enjoy free time without checking it every five minutes.

    NeonPinkBag , Michael Heise / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    DrBronxx
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've recently been looking into dopamine a*******n, which is not medically recognized, but it's based on sound science. A lot of the characteristics fit me to a tee, and I think social media has played a large part.

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    #5

    Woman resting on bed looking concerned, illustrating habits and decisions that reduce life quality and cause regret. Getting fat. As someone with ADHD who already struggled to feel comfortable sitting, having extra weight on my legs made it even harder to sit. I've lost 55lbs so far, more to go, but I feel so much more comfortable now. I also have far less nerve pain, it's easier to exercise (which helps reduce pain), and sleep better. You never realize just how much being overweight decreases your quality of life.

    Cannanda , Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Burnsematic
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You're doing a great job! Losing 55lbs is no joke.

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    #6

    Lit cigarette with smoke rising, symbolizing habits and decisions that significantly reduce life quality and cause regret. Smoked.

    PathOfTheAncients:

    They say after 10 years of not smoking your odds of health problems return to near normal.

    I am 10 years out as of this month. Started running the day I quit. At first I couldn't go the length of a city block without having to stop and walk. Now I run hundreds of miles every year and every time I am tempted by a cigarette I just think about how much it would ruin my running.

    If anyone reading this is trying to quit, keep trying. It took me a bunch of attempts before I was able to get there.

    Verlin_Wayne , Andres Siimon / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Wild Cream
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It took me 5 attempts to quit - don’t give up! And don’t beat yourself up if you mess up and need to start again. Just don’t slip up and then decide to give up. Refusing to give up cancels out any slip-ups 😊 haha

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    #7

    People Are Sharing What Decisions Reduced Their Life Quality, And It's Eye-Opening (50 Answers) Thinking that romantic love is more important than anything else and that I need a man to be complete.

    spiralstream6789 , Hrant Khachatryan / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    LakotaWolf (she/her)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I finally learned this (as in "finally got it through my head") last year when I was 42 after being in a horrible abus!ve relationship for 24 years. Now I live alone, I have pets, and it turns out that, shockingly, I do NOT need to be in a relationship to be a complete person OR to have value. I have value and worth even as a single person. I do not NEED to be with someone. I'm not opposed to being in a relationship with someone again someday, but now I know I don't NEED to be with someone to be "complete".

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    #8

    People Are Sharing What Decisions Reduced Their Life Quality, And It's Eye-Opening (50 Answers) Working at an animal shelter.

    psychochihuahualover:

    As a former animal shelter worker, 100% agree. It broke me.

    Tick_agent , Thomas Park / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Crystalwitch60
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I worked in a rescue center for many yrs and loved it ! Yes it had me in tears a lot , I used to go home n get on one of my horses and go for a long ride , and I if I could still work now happily do it again , it’s really the best job I ever had , over the years hard n soul destroying as it is , knowing I was making a difference, made it so worth the heart ache, n I often took the worst ones home with me to

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    #9

    Man with glasses eating pizza indoors, illustrating habits and decisions that reduce life quality. Neglect my body for years.
    Almost no movement. Rather poor hygiene. Horrible food.
    And little to no sleep.

    DiecastKiwi:
    Start walking everyday and keep adding ten minutes to make it a solid hour, stop eating processed and packaged food you will bounce back.

    Sad_Fee_4104:
    That's basically how I started.
    Even 11 minutes stairwalking caused anywhere from mild to "tears down my face in pain" headaches
    Slow steady walks. A year. Until a general practicioner gave me the greenlight to start hitting the gym.
    Another year of painstakingly slow progress later: Only regular headaches which I can almost always wave away with a big fat smile.

    Sad_Fee_4104 , Curated Lifestyle / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Ak_Teren
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Can relate. Lost ~40 kg (roughly 90 lbs in freeedom units) in the last year. Hard, hard work. But ultimately worth it (for me)

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    #10

    Hands gripping a chain-link fence symbolizing habits and decisions that regretfully reduce life quality and personal freedom. Going to prison at 19 for selling w**d.

    In the end it worked out, I've since graduated college and have a nice engineering job and great life. It was a rough patch in my life for sure.

    Freezing stuck in a prison cell in Joliet for 77 days, went weeks without showers or seeing sunlight. Then shipped off to bootcamp for 4.5 months to be further denigrated. In the end it caused me to grow up and prioritize what I want in life. Worked and paid my way through a 2 year community college, followed with a MIS degree at a 4 yr University.

    Life hasn't been perfect, but I always have perspective on a "bad day" in that I've had it much worse.

    leprechanmonkie , Mitchel Lensink / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    CP
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Thank goodness this dangerous weed seller got locked up. Great use of resources! /s

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    #11

    Young woman applying makeup in front of illuminated mirror, illustrating habits and decisions affecting life quality and regret. Trying to impress people who don’t GAF about you.

    figgynewton1:
    Amen. I feel like this is a lesson that one will learn over and over again. I find myself doing this in different settings, with a different crowd, in a different mindset. Always in a cycle of learning and relearning.

    Brave_Calendar_941 , Jakob Owens / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Crystalwitch60
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My one motto in life is, I was not born to impress you !! it works , who cares what others think, that says more about them than it does you x stay true to you ,

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    #12

    People Are Sharing What Decisions Reduced Their Life Quality, And It's Eye-Opening (50 Answers) Went nomadic as a full-time RVer. It was easy to sell off everything and drive away but when the RV got totalled, I found myself homeless and it took years to get back to a normal way of life with my meager funds.

    Bugsy_A , Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Papa
    Community Member
    4 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is why it's a good idea to insure anything you can't do without and can't afford to replace.

    #13

    Woman sitting on a wooden dock holding her head, symbolizing regret and poor life quality habits and decisions. Bulimia for 15 years since I was a teen. All because my mom put me through weight watchers as a kid because I was a little chubby. Never felt thin enough.

    Ruined my teeth and digestive health. 10/10 do not recommend.

    Dry-Blueberry-8226:
    I’m so sorry 😞
    Body image issues can be so devastating…and they linger, boy do they linger.
    Best medicine for me (not bulimic but suffered from severe dysmorphia for many years as a young man) was to find something physical that I was remotely good at and become better. Now, between how I eat and what I do with my body, I know objectively I look damn good (lol), but still have trouble eating out with freinds…
    Hang in there.

    ghostbustrnutclustr , Mihail Tregubov / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Wintermute
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm glad to hear from a fella in this post. While clearly not as prevalent as amongst women in our f****d up society, body image issues are a big problem amongst young men too.

    #14

    Young man sleeping on a bed with laptop, illustrating habits and decisions that reduce life quality and cause regret. Slept less to keep up w school and work. At one point i was sleeping around 3 hrs a night, and falling alseep at the wheel regularly. Its been 10 years and i still have problems from this period of sleep deprevation.

    Kids, dont sacrifice your sleep. Turns out you need it.

    Genderneutralbro , Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Child of the Stars
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Maintaining fairly strict sleep routines and bedtimes for myself and both my kids is something I've done since my oldest was born. And it includes weekends and vacations. Weekend and vacation bedtimes are only an extra hour past school/work bedtimes, with the 2 exceptions being Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. On Christmas Eve, we all sleep in the living room and eat junk food and watch holiday movies until we pass out (none of us have ever made it past 11 😂); on NYE, we stay up to cheer in the New Year, then go to bed.

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    #15

    People Are Sharing What Decisions Reduced Their Life Quality, And It's Eye-Opening (50 Answers) Being understanding when someone treats/talks/screams at you like s**t. Dont stand for it.

    Hangytangy , Ioann-Mark Kuznietsov / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    michael Chock
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Being a doormat is a hard thing to overcome. Trying to build self esteem when you default to being treated this way, takes a loving group of people.

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    #17

    Person covering face with money and pen, illustrating habits and decisions that reduce life quality and cause regret. GET INTO DEBT!!!

    ImpactSmooth299 , Karolina Grabowska / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Lady Eowyn
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've been debt free for almost 20 years now. It's not easy. I bought my current - 26 year old - car new, but paid cash.

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    #18

    People Are Sharing What Decisions Reduced Their Life Quality, And It's Eye-Opening (50 Answers) Not wearing ear plugs at concerts.

    organicbooger , Aditya Chinchure / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Papa
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Spending years not wearing hearing protection while working with loud power saws wasn't a great practice either.

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    #19

    People Are Sharing What Decisions Reduced Their Life Quality, And It's Eye-Opening (50 Answers) Tried to show off, ended up destroying the lowest 5 vertebrae in my back and now I'm nearly crippled.

    I picked up a very heavy object that I had no business picking up and, since there were people around, I didn't immediately put the damned thing down. My lumbar region went cold and then numb. At that point I knew I screwed up. The pain began the next day.

    I damaged multiple vertebra. Caused the discs to basically, squirt out the sides. Once that happened the nerves going out of my foramen became crushed by the bones.

    One failed surgery later I get to have constant pain, weakness, and instability that prevents me from doing a great many things that I once loved.

    I tell younger people that if you want to screw up your quality of life, damage your back. because once its damaged, its damaged for life.

    obstreperousRex , Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Uncle Panda
    Community Member
    4 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I came very close to doing this myself in high school. In a move that shut them up forever, I (16M, 5'7", 150 lbs) out-leg pressed the football team. It was worth it but only because I escaped damage.

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    #20

    Young woman wearing a white shirt and cap making a playful face in an urban setting about habits and decisions regret. Spent years to impress the girl I like, I should have given that attention to my own self instead to improve my life.

    MrLanesLament:
    I fortunately got this impulse out of my system before I left school.
    I completely fell for someone who had zero interest in me. To this day, I can’t figure out why I kept trying. Kept trying to be a guy she’d like; to be into the same interests she was; kept trying to invite her to stuff she probably had no interest in.
    It. Was. Dumb.
    If someone doesn’t like you immediately, put even an ounce of further effort in at your own peril. 99% of the time, you are wasting your time; not only that, but there’s also a good chance it will have the opposite effect and repel them.
    I’ve had numerous good relationships since then; in each case, the person expressed interest in me very quickly. There’s no other way for it to happen IMO.

    OkAccess6128 , MARCO DIAZ / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    DennyS (denzoren)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Gosh, I pined over the wrong person for wayyyy too long.

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    #21

    Person lying face down on a bed, illustrating habits and decisions that significantly reduced their life quality and regret. Skipped the mammograms cause I had a “it’ll never happen to me” attitude when I was younger. Now I’m laying on a bed at a breast center waiting to get 5 biopsies for suspicious spots.

    Snowfall1201 , A. C. / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    LakotaWolf (she/her)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This was always one of my greatest fears through my entire life - I'm adopted, so I don't know my familial medical history and have no clue what I'm prone to/at risk of. So I made sure to get PAP smears, pushed for starting mammograms earlier than is generally "recommended", had my first colonoscopy at 42, etc. I know a lot of people have phobias/fears/dislike going to the doctor, or just straight up cannot afford regular checkups, but it's so important.

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    #22

    Man rock climbing on a steep cliff overlooking the ocean, illustrating risks linked to habits and decisions that reduce life quality. Went rock climbing one day without a helmet on. The first time I didn’t have it on was the day it needed to be. A Severe TBI is an injury I wish upon no man, woman or child. 🥴.

    Impressive-Dog-408 , Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #23

    Three young women hugging and smiling outdoors, enjoying positive habits that improve life quality. Trusting in wrong "friends"

    But then again, we learn by mistakes.

    Time_Job_8836 , Yunus Tuğ / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Stardust she/her
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I’ve trusted so many wrong people in my life so now I’ve unconsciously begun isolating myself. People are so exhausting

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    #24

    People Are Sharing What Decisions Reduced Their Life Quality, And It's Eye-Opening (50 Answers) Vaped. Been 9 months without it and still cough and get winded easily. Used to sing as well and I can't hit notes for s**t these days.

    Ok-East-8412 , Luke Thornton / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    featherytoad
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've seen the amount of vapor that comes out after taking a hit off these ecigs. I don't know what that does long term to your lungs. I remember when these things first came out, all the kids being hospitalized.

    #25

    Young woman with glasses praying with hands clasped, illustrating habits and decisions that reduce life quality regret. Was born and raised in high demand religion I wish I had the courage to leave earlier.

    Ok-Butterfly6862 , Luan Cabral / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Michael Largey
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sometimes you have to stay long enough to build up the strength to go.

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    #26

    People Are Sharing What Decisions Reduced Their Life Quality, And It's Eye-Opening (50 Answers) I ignored that voice in my head telling me to distance myself from my family ASAP. Was a teenager when I started thinking about it, and I ignored it and, as I grew older, suppressed it… I thought it was just me being “dramatic” and reacting in an emotional way (like my family would say). 18 years later I finally went no-contact and have spent half my time feeling so free and light and happy, and the other half grieving for the time lost denying that voice.

    When it comes to our individual survival, we gotta trust our instincts and intuition. Every d**n time.

    Actual-Push7624 , Luke Porter / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    michael Chock
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Never work for someone who would not work for you. Wish I learned that about friends, family and employers much earlier.

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    #27

    People Are Sharing What Decisions Reduced Their Life Quality, And It's Eye-Opening (50 Answers) Not chosing a second cesarean after the first emergency one. During the birth of my second child my levator ani ("pelvic floor muscle") ruptured, making it no longer connected to wherever it should be attached to. I did not even know this was a major risk with vaginal births after a cesarean and quite frankly did not know that that could happen at all. Now I might not be able to jump, jog, run or walk fast in my life ever again without my organs quite literally falling out of me. This not only nuked all of my Volleyball activities (which was my primary hobby and I played fourth league in Germany) but it also left me with an extremely weak bladder. Talk about quality of life. And the real kicker? There simply is no way of attaching the muscle back to where it belongs. This is the current state of research and medical procedure. So I can really say "Bye!" to any form of active lifestyle.

    StatisticianNew9189 , Jimmy Conover / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #28

    Middle-aged man in a kitchen wearing a green hoodie, reflecting on habits and decisions affecting life quality. Stayed in a long term relationship with someone struggling with a*******n and alcoholism because I saw the a*******ns as a type of mental illness, and what sort of partner would I be if I abandoned him when he was sick?

    Then, I had my first serious illness since we had met, and missed a lot of work, had to stay home for almost a month, and he was unemployed at this time. He started to get very obviously irritated with me; for being home all day so he didn’t have any alone time, for making him feel the pressure of returning to work because I wasn’t working so I wasn’t bringing in any income. I suddenly had this moment of clarity where I realized he was the only one allowed to be sick in our dynamic, and while I had been playing nurse for years, he really didn’t like when I got to be sick—as if it was a choice—especially when it interfered with his routine. I left him a few months later when my health improved.

    He passed away about a year later, as his health deteriorated rapidly after I stopped caring for him. I definitely feel some guilt in the matter even though I know I can’t blame myself for the poor choices of an adult man who was almost in his 50s.

    ashoka_akira , Caique Morais / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    LakotaWolf (she/her)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well, add!ction IS a mental illness, but it's not an excuse for treating someone else like sh!t.

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    #29

    Woman lying in bed at night smiling while using a smartphone, illustrating habits impacting life quality and decisions. Spent so many years obsessing over other peoples lives, celebrities especially.

    DamnitGravity:
    Living vicariously through others or daydreaming is so poisonous.
    -Sincerely, Maladaptive Daydreamer.

    lilybrixton , Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    DennyS (denzoren)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I don't obsess but every few years I remember Messi and I are the same age...and well, one of us if definitely doing a lot better at life lol

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    #30

    People Are Sharing What Decisions Reduced Their Life Quality, And It's Eye-Opening (50 Answers) Attempted s*****e through car accident.

    Did NOT get result i was looking for (at the time...no worries, i'm all good now, therapy, meds, etc.) just ended up with a bunch of f****d up bones, enough metal holding me together to qualify as a runner up for the Bionic Man, missing teeth, permanent jaw pain, a limp, and a little bit of brain damage causing periodic absence seizures.

    0/10 would NOT RECOMMEND.

    Impressive_Term4071 , Mira Kireeva / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Linley Lou
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I did this too! due to massive work stress. Why I didn't take sick leave (paid, is a thing in my country) I will never know! Damaged vertebrae, broken neck, scars all down my right arm and a dangerous driving conviction!!

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    #31

    Elderly man in a suit smiling while talking on phone, illustrating habits and decisions impacting life quality. Holding out for a management position instead of moving on. He simply won't retire. The man is mid 70's.

    Funkyp0tat0chip , Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    DennyS (denzoren)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm in management...it's not all what it's hyped up to be.

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    #32

    Woman jumping on a trampoline outdoors on a sunny day, illustrating habits and decisions that reduce life quality. I was jumping on our kids’ trampoline and I hurt my back and I’ve suffered sciatica pain all these years since. My life would be so much better if I had not thought jumping on a trampoline would be good exercise.

    AvailableBreeze_3750 , Kevin Woblick / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    DennyS (denzoren)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm at that stage in life where I think about each movement to limit the chance of injury.

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    #33

    Young woman with curly hair and glasses looking thoughtful, symbolizing habits and decisions that reduce life quality. Dwelling on the past.

    Ball2daW-all , Alexey Sviridkin / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    keyboardtek
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When you live to 70 you will find your memory starts to fail and all those cringe moments that caused anxiety will not be recalled at all. But your anxiety will now be focused on what bad stuff will happen to you in the future.

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    #34

    I didn’t go to the dentist for a few years in my 20s. No one was making me any more, and it was just a pain to schedule things. I thought I was doing all right. Turns out, I wasn’t. Had to deal with a lot of issues connected to that poor choice. Still dealing with them a little bit because I have to be vigilant and my dental checkups are a little more expensive because of it. 

    Kids, and young adults, don’t skip the dental appointments. Trust me. .

    Funandgeeky Report

    Jude Corrigan
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Dental appointments are not just about your teeth health. The dentist looks at your mouth and tongue too. Poor dental health also carries an increased risk of heart disease.

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    #35

    Woman looking stressed and tired while working late on a laptop, showing habits that reduce life quality and cause regret. Stayed in my college major even after I knew it wasn't for me. I wasted a lot of time that I can never get back.

    SororitySue , Andrej Lišakov / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    DennyS (denzoren)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wasted some time in my first year but thankfully switched early on.

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    #36

    Two baristas working behind the counter in a coffee shop, showing daily habits that impact life quality. I left walmart after 15 years to be a store manager at starbucks.


    worst mistake of my life.


    I remember nights I was there at ten after a closer called off just to have an opener call out and knowing i'd have to wake up in four hours and work another shift and hope the same thing didn't happen again.

    just awful, and the stories i'd hear interviewing people I had no idea how bad fast food was. People from other companies wanted to work at starbucks cause those places were even worse.

    bendystrawboy , Asael Peña / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Bec
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sorry to hear that was your experience but overall Starbucks has a decent management training program and opportunities to move up, can't say the same for Walmart. In general though, the cruelty of America's End Stage Capitalism that understaffs in the name of efficiency does suck

    #37

    Care about what EVERYONE thinks of me.

    Shot-Success-5899 Report

    DennyS (denzoren)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is very hard to stop especially when you have anxiety.

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    #38

    Not saving and instead maxing out credit cards in my 20s.

    i_want_that_boat Report

    Bec
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I teach a little bit of financial basics to college students and share that I've been on both sides. In my 20s, spouse and I were underemployed, we tried to stay ahead but something always comes up (car, kids, emergency), and had to use the credit card to get by. Once I finished college and eventually got a better job, I paid the cards down every paycheck, not just when they were due. Now I always pay the balance and make $ on points.

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    #39

    Living with a bf who rages.

    Equivalent_Hair_149 Report

    Ravenkbh
    Community Member
    4 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "In spite of my rage I am still just a rat in a cage." - Confucius

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    #40

    Person about to smoke a cigarette while tying running shoes, highlighting habits that reduce life quality and cause regret. Running too much in bad shoes. Now I have arthritis in my foot and I can't run anymore.

    justablueballoon , Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Child of the Stars
    Community Member
    4 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Shoes technically depreciate in value, but quality and proper fit are very important in footwear. I don't own a vehicle, so my kids and I walk everywhere. I pay more for my kids shoes than most sane parents because I have to buy for fit and quality instead of what they'll grow into.

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    #41

    Married young,at 18,now 61 divorced,wish i would have planned my life better for my future first before i got married,i just didnt want to be alone.

    Ok-Dependent4293 Report

    michael Chock
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Get friends for life before a committed partner for life. If someone can't be a long term friend first, they will never be a long term partner.

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    #42

    Two construction workers wearing helmets examining building plans discussing habits and decisions that reduce life quality. Purchased a rental property that was a money pit. Wish we had never done it. Our retirement has been delayed due to costs. Life’s lessons..

    LuckyApriCAT , Andrej Lišakov / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Little Bit
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I can relate to this. We purchased a cheap ex-rental house that we thought would be a great fixer-upper. 20 years on and we're still trying to fix it up. It has been nothing but problems. Expensive problems. Then being constantly let down by tradespeople. I'm starting to feel like we'll never get it finished. Even if we sold up we'd only get enough to buy somewhere similar. I know that I'm never ever going to be able to afford to retire.

    #43

    Young woman at a train station platform, wearing a coat and backpack, reflecting on habits that reduce life quality. Moved to a new province (state) thinking I needed a fresh start but in reality I was just running from my problems!

    Smooth_Raspberry_007 , Polina Kuzovkova / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    DennyS (denzoren)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I somethings do think the issue with island life is you can't easily move or just change your settings and start anew.

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    #44

    Woman eating a burger with fries in a diner illustrating habits and decisions that reduce life quality and cause regret. Succumbed to my food a*******n......again.

    After 2 years of extreme dieting and exercise, I lost a lot of weight and went down to the absolute best shape of my life and felt very good about myself. Once I got down to an ideal weight, I didn't know what to do with myself anymore. I didn't know how to maintain it.

    I started eating horribly again and am now, just over a year later, at the heaviest point in my entire life. I binge eat to the extreme and I'm pretty powerless to stop it. It affects pretty much every aspect of my life to some degree and it's a very depressing feeling.

    NocturnaPhelps , Toa Heftiba / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Lady Eowyn
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You are not powerless, you just need a little help.

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    #45

    Young man wearing headphones and a gray hoodie, showing regretful expression, illustrating habits and decisions people regret. Took a promotion. I was working in a job that I really enjoyed, but was offered a promotion that switched departments into an area I've never worked before. I didn't really need the extra money, but thought it unwise to turn it down, and the company really needed help in the new role.

    I sucked at the job and hated it. Quit the company after about a year because they had hired someone to fill my old role already and I had nothing else I could do with them. Now I'm doing multiple jobs that I hate and feel totally trapped.

    ConstantlyJon , Brock Wegner / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    michael Chock
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Admin positions are service positions. It's dumb they label them as promotions and attach pay bumps. Keep good production people in production. Hire good service people for admin positions. You need to retain quality veterans in both to have a solid company.

    #46

    Getting out of the Air Force. It was the worst decision I made in my life. I’ve struggled financially ever since. I make over 120k a year and live paycheck to paycheck in CA. I had to deal with the post 9/11 economy. I was an aircraft mechanic, the industry was in shambles when I got out. I was a young father struggling to make it. I lived through the economy collapse of 08 and the housing market crash. I’ve never earned more money in my life but still living paycheck to paycheck. I can’t even make it to the next pay period without overdrafting or having to pull money out of my savings. Just this last Friday I went to my brother in law’s retirement from the Air Force… we joined at the same time he was in boot camp with me. Now he has a retirement, will probably get disability from them, has a GI Bill for school. Plus now he can get a civilian job for extra income. He owns a house multiple cars has traveled the world. Meanwhile I’ve barely left the state of California. So….yeah worst decision of my life. I regret it everyday.

    Square-Arrival3880 Report

    BarfyCat
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This one surprises me. My brother is an aircraft mechanic and he has always done very, very well.

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    #47

    Cosmetic eyelid surgery. Can't close my eyes all the way.

    vforti Report

    michael Chock
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Cosmetic surgery moves as you age. If I ever get work done, I will wait until my 60/70s and they have extra skin and wrinkles to work with.

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    #48

    Got married for religious reasons at a young age.

    rabidmongoose15 Report

    Michael Largey
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Einstein said that compound interest is the strongest force in the universe. Compound misery must rank close.

    See Also on Bored Panda
    #49

    Young woman in a black coat standing alone on a subway train, reflecting on habits and decisions that reduce life quality. Isolated myself for years. I’m not sure it could really have been otherwise with the issues I had but, it annihilated my social circle.

    NuclearSoil , Ahmed / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    keyboardtek
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Mental health is a common reason people join churches and cults. Those organizations generate fake love and acceptance to get all your money. The threat of withdrawing all the love and acceptance is what keeps mentally damaged people in those cults.

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    #50

    Moving to Manhattan in my 20s. Almost 50% of my income went to rent out a horrible shoebox studio apartment with out any natural light. I couldn't afford to go out and enjoy being young, let alone save for a downpayment on a house. And that's not even getting into what it did to my mental health. At least I got out of there in my 30s.

    Agony_Mouse Report

    featherytoad
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Movies romanticize this too much. The part about going to NY and everything works out great.

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    #51

    Bad dental hygiene in my late teens/early twenties. oh boy am i paying for it (literally and figuratively) now.

    styinoutof_trouble Report

    #52

    Didn't eat breakfast for all of high school. I thought I needed to lose weight (because of course I did, I was a teenage girl in the early 2000s) so I just skipped it and smoked cigarettes to stave off hunger pangs. I eat breakfast now and I quit smoking 6 years ago (to the day, actually!), but my metabolism is f****d and moderate cardio leaves me huffing and puffing like I just summited Everest. Eat breakfast and don't smoke, kids.

    lentil_enjoyer Report

    #53

    Allowed myself to be messy at times. A messy workspace (or living space) really affects everything.

    d3a0s Report

    Lady Eowyn
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Being a little messy sometimes isn't always a bad thing.

    #54

    Over eating.

    Different_Cat7932 Report

    #55

    Staying in an unhealthy relationship.

    Not prioritizing moving out of my a*****e parent's house.

    Taking advice from people who had never faced the issues I was having, or have any professional experience handling it.

    Taking on student loans.

    Beautiful-Signal7249 Report

    featherytoad
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That third sentence sounds the like the whole Trump regime.

    #56

    Kids. But I do love them to no end.

    Sad-Wear5375 Report

    #57

    Had s*x just to get virginity out of the way. Ended up getting her pregnant and she was and still is a bi-polar, narcissist, emotionally a*****e person. Yes, you can get someone pregnant on the first time.

    Honorable mention to marrying the first reasonable girl who loved me. I had looked for decades and had done so much to fix myself that I was just exhausted from it all and married the first "good enough" instead of waiting for someone that was great.

    phoenix14830 Report

    #58

    Had the Implanon contraceptive implant. Once I had it removed that's when my issues started.
    I now have Hidradenitis Suppurativa. It's very debilitating and life changing (not in a good way). I've had this now for 20+ years. No cure and I can't find the right balance of treatment that suits my body. Currently waiting for surgery to try and improve it.
    Impacts every aspect of my life.

    AngelsMagicdust Report

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    #59

    Spent 30 years not walking much and mainly door to door by car…… now I am lucky to be able to manage 30 steps without agonising leg and back pain.

    Dangerous-Pair7826 Report

    Child of the Stars
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Walking is a severely underrated exercise.

    #60

    Drinking wine every night.

    OpheliaJuliette Report

    #61

    Radiation treatment for cancer!!! NEVER A-GAIN!! "Possibly" saved me from metastatic disease, and I mean possibly. The side effects are totally made light of......"Ohhhh XYZ only happens to 3% of the people" blah, blah, blah. I am permanently shrink-wrapped in my body like being wrapped in a blood pressure cuff I can't take off. I am at risk for future cancers from the radiation(!?!?) including more breast cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, and thyroid cancer. My lung is scarred, and I wheeze. Everything in the rads zone has shrunk...muscle and tissue. I deal with untreatable pains that range from aching, stinging, burning, pinching, electrical zaps, and internal itching (yes, internal). And I already look like a walking Picasso painting from the disfigurement, but I can still possibly get lymphedema at any time down the road from my lymph nodes being radiated. My shoulder and range of motion is f-ed too. All cancer treatments SUCK. They ALL have major life altering risks and frankly it's like, die now, die later, still dying. Am I bitter? Ab-so-effing-lutely!!! What's the point of it all if your quality of life is s**t?

    artinthecloset Report

    Rick Murray
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My mother had this discussion with one of the charge nurses and there was a big argument (that ended up involving the whole unit) between quality of life and quantity of life. A surprising number wanted length at any cost. The real kicker? It was a geriatric unit, so there were plenty of examples of why quality should have been the correct choice.

    #62

    Speaking for my brother, he did acid once and developed schizophrenia.  Just had a mental breakdown from it and never recovered.

    Was not worth it, imo.

    2legittoquit Report

    Child of the Stars
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm very pro using LSD and psilocybin while under a doctor's supervision; there's a fair amount of research showing its effectiveness in treating depression and some other mental health issues. But yeah, if you're not under a doctor's supervision, it can go very wrong, very quickly.

    #63

    Aggressively unlearned all my dad had taught me about fixing cars and machines. He was a complete nightmare to work with but I missed out on a chance for an imperfect but real bonding activity with him and now I need to call a service station if the cup holder is rattling.

    yenrab2020 Report

    #64

    Being a waitress for 20 years. It’s extremely hard on your body. But also what you can do afterwards. I have 2 kids now, and I’m lucky to have a husband who can provide, but if I had to go back to work to support us our life would not be the same. The hours, the money, the mentally taxing management/coworkers/customers. It’s just not a healthy environment guilt tripping and pettiness going on. So that

    I have my weekends and holidays back. I did my time!

    cwilly4 Report

    #65

    I moved into my bfs family house.
    His mum hates me for no reason, and she takes every chance she gets to put me down and damage/throw away my stuff.
    I've never felt so much stress in my life.

    Pumpkingirl18 Report

    CD Mills
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Leave! It has been made clear you aren't wanted there. Find a small appartment and move out! I mean with or without the bf.

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    #66

    Didn't stretch before splitting and stacking wood and threw my back out really bad when I was 28. 20 years later and it has caused all kinds of problems and been in constant pain.

    DrydenTech Report

    #67

    Broad spectrum procrastination.

    FlavorBlaster42 Report

    #68

    Ever stopped regularly working out for any length of time.

    Serenityxxxxxx Report

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    #69

    I know this could upset people but it really is my experience - going to therapy, it has been horrific. If you have an a*****e therapist prepare for hell, just leave.

    Affectionate_Fox5449 Report

    Lady Eowyn
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There are good therapists out there. It may take time to find the right one, don't give up.

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    #70

    Avoided therapy for years. I suffer from chronic depression, have wasted so much of my life letting it drain me.

    Hyphen99 Report

    BarfyCat
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I avoided depression meds for too many years for fear of weight gain, but when I finally relented the difference was AMAZING. I'm a normal person who does not burst into tears randomly now!

    #71

    I was one the unfortunate to suffer serious side effects of my second covid vaccine. I was not, nor became, anti-vax but I really, really wish I hadn't gotten it. I developed chronical pain and thyroiditis, it went untreated (docs blaiming anxiety) for long enough for me to develop permanent heart issues. I went from an active, athletic person to near bed-bound. Now I'm overweight and hypothyroid asthmatic with chronic pain and arrhytmias. Things have slowly gotten better and this year (the thyroiditis was in 2021) I went for my first run/jog in 4 years 🎉🎉🎉.

    kassialma92 Report

    Big Chungus
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My mom had a reaction to the 2nd vaccine as well, she ended up getting shingles which unfortunately can happen after vaccines. I am just happy she got it though when she had so many heart issues from 2018.

    #72

    Had heart surgery. The complications have disabled me. I wasn’t disabled before the surgery. I would have rather have lived a possibly shorter life than to have been severely disabled.

    organizedrobot Report

    #73

    Graduating college. I pissed away the best years of my life working a full time job and going to school only to get a degree that is borderline useless. Computer science should not be a 4 year degree, it should be a trade skill. All of my classmates ended up working at the same place after college due to the housing market disaster in 07. I had to take a $10,000 a year pay decrease to start my career. I was making far more doing the job that I worked to put myself through school.

    I'm doing pretty well now, but it is doing something I could have learned in a year on the job. F**k the lies and b******t. Public schools need to stop indoctrinating kids into believing the college is a good idea before the kids even know what the f**k they want to do with their lives. It is state sponsored debt slavery.

    wootster-bigs Report

    Child of the Stars
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Higher education is NEVER a waste of time. Even if you can't find a career in your field of study, there's always some way to use those skills (case in point: my best friend who's BA in Communications has come in handy in her work for a private archeology company when working with the Indigenous people). The problem isn't the education, it's the cost. Higher education should be publicly funded, hands down.

    #74

    Join the Military. (Seriously, dont join.).

    Nerdycoffaholic_ Report

    featherytoad
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Someone else in this post would beg to differ.

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