Sometimes, we get in our own way far too much. We overthink. We overcomplicate things. We procrastinate. We think of a dozen little reasons why we can’t succeed. But finally taking action (and adding a dash of patience and persistence!) can make us realize that a task was far simpler than we ever thought it could be. Relatable? You have no idea!

Redditor u/UnoAboveAll recently went viral after starting up an interesting thread on r/AskReddit about some of the most memorable ‘it can’t be that easy/it was that easy’ moments people ever had. We’ve collected some of their best stories to motivate and energize you to get started on all of those tasks you’ve been avoiding. Meanwhile, check out Bored Panda’s interview with u/UnoAboveAll on dealing with overthinking and learning to embrace potential failure!

#1

Changing my bathroom faucet. I'm a 56-year-old woman that's never done any plumbing before. Turns out YouTube is a wealth of knowledge. It really wasn't that hard! I get joy every time I wash my hands knowing I did that.

Image credits: CABGX4

Just like many of us, redditor u/UnoAboveAll, the author of the thread, is an overthinker. They told Bored Panda that most of the time, they don’t have a solution on how to deal with overthinking as a whole. However, what does help is actively taking breaks.

“I try to help myself by breathing and occupying my mind with other things. Filling my mind with anxiety and focusing too much on the harder things of life will only take away my sleep. Having time to organize my thoughts, one at a time, and deciding what to do later would be my best option,” they said.

“I know it’s hard. I have been there. Most of us have been there. But we all have our own way of relaxing. Choose your best hobby. Take your time, drink coffee, tea, or your favorite drink. And don’t forget that break time is important. Even if life it’s difficult, don’t forget to stay healthy, both physically and mentally,” they advised all the overthinkers out there to be kind to themselves and slow down.

#2

Found a 60” tv by the dumpster. Plugged it in, didn’t turn on. Looked up common problems with the model number, bought a part on eBay for $20, replaced part, had a huge TV.

Image credits: ThinkIGotHacked

#3

One of the kids I babysit was going through a phase of “I want to be a baby again”. Jealous of her sister. Weeks of gentle parenting and such.

You know what worked? I was eating ice cream and she wanted some. I said babies don’t get ice cream.

That was it. She was done.

Image credits: lighthousek

As we’ve previously covered on Bored Panda, people generally tend to spend a lot of time thinking and ruminating on the negative aspects of life. In short, we’re all pretty anxious about making mistakes in the future. Somewhat ironically, the more we think about the errors we might have made in the past, the more likely we can be to repeat them.

And while you’re busy overthinking every single detail, opportunities are passing you by. For some individuals, the fear of making a decision and eliminating all other possible choices is what’s scary. However, not making a decision is actually a choice in itself. A passive one. The antidote to overthinking is taking action and committing to a decision. It won’t come easy at first, but we can train ourselves to be more proactive and to trust our first impressions in any given situation. The longer we wait, the more lost we might feel.

#4

when i started my add medication - i never knew how life could be and how easy it was to just get up and do stuff

changed my life for the better and i’ve managed to turn so many things around, cant believe it took me 18 years to get diagnosed

Image credits: travelangel99

#5

Got a salary request when applying for a job, accidentally wrote double what I meant to write since the number keys were right next to each other. They accepted anyway.

Image credits: ahjteam

#6

Going back to school.

I've been toying with the idea for years telling myself it was too far, too expensive, too time consuming etc and that because I had a home, job and child to maintain I couldn't do it.

Something in me finally cracked recently and I thought f**k it and made a call to a tech school nearby. 3 days later I'm on a tour. The tour is maybe an hour or 2 total. Papers were all done online annnnd I start Monday! They also threw a TON of financial aid at me. I'm only gonna pay about 50$ a month until I've graduated and those payments go up to about 95$. Still very manageable.

My classes are only four hours long, they're at night, and I only have to be in class 2 days a week. The rest of my studies are done at home with a tablet they provide me so I don't even have to buy a computer or anything.

Couldn't believe how easy and affordable it actually was. They estimate I finish my program in about 8-10 months.

Image credits: PoeGirl1135

Now, failure isn’t something that many people actively enjoy. We’re all social animals, so our reputation and whether we’re respected both carry a lot of weight. However, focusing on your reputation alone and being scared of making mistakes can make you miss out on lots of opportunities in life, including solving apparent problems and trying potentially fun new things. Hardly any success in life is simply handed to us. We have to make mistakes, readjust our approach, and try again. It’s the way that learning works. None of us were born ‘perfect.

In redditor u/UnoAboveAll’s opinion, trying new things may be hard for many. “Most people make monsters out of small things, and it’s understandable. I have been overseas for 5 years right now, studying college in a different country. It was a hard adaptation, it was hard trying to figure out what to do,” they opened up to Bored Panda that they’ve dealt with failure many times, not just once or twice. They’ve had thoughts about giving up cross their minds plenty of times. However, they persevered.

“Failure is part of our lives. Many of us fail once or twice, but that’s what makes us human. It’s in failure that we are thoughts lessons. I don’t think that failure makes us wrong or worse than others. I do think that failure can lead us to better thinking: I can be better than my past self. And it’s what drives me further,” they pointed out that it’s this constant evolution that helps humanity progress as a whole.

#7

I started looking for a job last year and got three offers within two months, two of which were significantly higher pay. Made me realize I’ve been sitting around way too long.

Image credits: Moritasgus2

#8

Actually doing the chore you put off for a few days.

Image credits: thebigjuicyman25

#9

Drinking water.

Went from having issues getting to sleep and then waking up grumpy and tired. Water has changed my life. Thought it would be super difficult to kick soda, but once I tried and didn’t give in the benefits out weight the taste.

Image credits: Karsa69420

“Don’t fear failure. Ironically, when you fail, embrace it. And use it as a subject to drive you further. Of course, it can also mean you shouldn’t try to fix your own sink without a manual,” they quipped that embracing failure is a wonderful and mature approach, but that we should also fail in a smart way, not just doing random things.

The most mature thing you can do is embrace your feelings of embarrassment if you happen to make a mistake. These are very uncomfortable feelings, but you should do your best to not run away from them: you’ll become more resilient when dealing with embarrassment in the future.

Some things that can help you deal with them include laughter and considering the consequences of your past failures: oftentimes, things were never as bad as we’d previously imagined they would be. We survived. Now it’s up to us to turn all of our past failures into learning experiences.

#10

I was at a locally well known, upscale restaurant one time. I had ordered sweet potato fries, and it came with the most amazing dipping sauce I had ever had. Tangy, spicy, the whole package. So I figured I didn’t have anything to lose, and asked the waitress if I could have the recipe. She said she’d ask the chef, but of course I figured they’d say no.

A short time later, she came out and handed me a photocopy of the recipe. And that was that. I’ve made the sauce a few times since, and it’s still just as amazing.

Image credits: livious1

#11

The day I left my abusive ex husband. I was so scared to leave but scared to stay. But once I broke free other felt so easy looking back in hindsight.

Image credits: kywildchild05

#12

Worked on an almost 5 million dollar lighting rig for a concert as a junior guy on the job. We get it all plugged in and patched but none of it would turn on. All the guys were freaking out trying to figure out why. The team collectively had about 150 years of experience.

No one checked to see if the generators were turned on.

I was like no way this is why but I'll just go check if the generators are good. Flipped stuff on and viola.

Image credits: Firerobe

According to the author of the thread, they never expected that their question would get that much attention online. At the time of writing, their post had 36.5k upvotes. We were curious about the inspiration behind the question.

“What I had in mind was thinking about a very interactive question, where people would be willing to share their experiences,” they told Bored Panda that they wanted other internet users to share their own stories.

#13

One time I tightened my gas cap and the check engine light went off.

Image credits: GhostFour

#14

Dancing in my wheelchair. I don’t have legs so I never hit the dance floor, but once you’re there, you just move and let go

#15

Self improvement and reflection. Stopped looking at outside factors in my life and started looking at what I could control. Weight, time, who I spent time with, etc. I didnt need to change my whole life in one day. I needed to make small progress. Spending one day less a week on gaming and one day a week on improving myself is better then not improving at all. Allowing myself to fail *with intent* to improve is so much easier now that I dont spend time with negative people that demand perfection.

Image credits: livinglitch

The OP pointed out that plenty of people are scared to go for truly hard tasks like getting a degree or starting a business. So they wanted to take a peek at some opposite situations. They wanted to find out what people have tried that seemed hard at first, but with a bit of courage, they realized that they had it all backward!

“That would be not only inspiring to me but to other people as well, as seen in the replies. I’m very proud of many people in the replies and how they weren’t scared of trying out new things.”

#16

When I was a kid in the 80’s, my family was broke. We were two pay checks away from living in our car. We did have to live in our car for a few months before my mom landed her job. Anyway, imagine a single mother of three,who works 3 jobs just to make ends meat.

I was just attending jr high school. 8th grade. And I was playing in the back of our house. I noticed something in the dumpster that I haven’t seen before. I fished it out and brought it home. It was a computer. A monitor, keyboard, and tower thing. At that time monitors sat on top of the box. And they were HUGE! Not to mention expensive. I managed to set it up and it was already booting into windows 3.1. When my mom got home, she was LIVID! She thought I stole it. We cant afford anything close to that. No way! But once she saw the grass stains on the side, she knew.

We had that computer for 4 years. It helped me in ways I can’t even believe. Because of that computer, my love of electronics and my curiosity flourished. No, I am not a computer tech now, but I am the resident computer nerd for my family. I make a living online, and I attribute most of my knowledge to what I can google. So yeah! It WAS that easy!

#17

I wanted to meet my favorite band, so I just… quietly didn’t leave the venue once security started showing people out. I guess they thought I must’ve been a roadie, because they never got on my case. Anyway, I met them, yadda yadda, now I’m a professional concert lighting designer

#18

I've hated every job I've ever had, at 18 I joined the military for 6 years....that sucked the whole time, then went into customer service at Walmart, and they were a bunch of a******s to everyone. Tried security and they were just degrading. Job after job doing what I thought was the right thing. I decided to apply for a local HVAC company just working call center, nothing big, I think there a total of 9 of us on phones. Honestly it's the best job I've ever had, we all get along, spend hours a day on our group chat sharing memes, our management has one on one meetings every two weeks with the goal of "this meeting is not work related but we want to know just how your doing, how's life treating you, what do you need?"

There's constant communication about expectations and how we can better meet them and how they can help us perform better. The majority of the companies profits are used to better employee lives (I get monthly commission and residuals, and $30 a month healthcare with BCBS) along with monthly pot lucks, paid lunches, competitive pay starting at $17 an hour. I haven't seen any turnover...literally none, my position was only hiring because too many people got promoted.

Image credits: zombiem00se

#19

Lived in Jersey and a friend invited me to a commercial audition at an NYC bar. Went because of bar. Auditioned after 2 beers. Left thinking it was a waste of time. A month later, I get a call that they want to use me for the commercial. Director was the guy who directed the original Space Jam. I got lines and ended up in two of their commercials and got a 40k payday where I thought someone made a clerical error. Started my acting career and now a writer/director/flight attendant.

#20

I had a hard crush on a boy in my class in highschool, and decided (with a bit of insistence of my friend) to ask him out. I said I liked him. He said "Me too, but about you"

We've been married for 7 years. I got very lucky.

Image credits: TheReezles

#21

Learning to drive. First time around failed the written test by one question and it made me really anxious about the whole thing. Tried again a little while later and it was surprisingly easy, and the behind the wheel test was even easier.

I eventually ended up retrying and getting my license because I was sick of being the one 16 (almost 17 at that point) year old in my friend group who needed to be picked up whenever we went anywhere.

Image credits: ThatJewishIzzzy

#22

Cleaning my toilet and sink after months of depression.

#23

The power steering failed on my Acura. My local Acura dealership wanted to charge me well over $1000 to fix it. I bought a power steering pump off Amazon for $70 and found a You Tube video that explained how to fit it. I don't have any car maintenance experience bit it only took a couple of hours to do the job myself and it worked like a charm.

#24

Standing up for myself, and no longer being afraid to "upset" others by simply existing lol

#25

When I applied to college I applied for an Irish American scholarship. Turns out they had so few applicants they just gave me $40k towards my tuition. I am not even remotely Irish.

Image credits: Perfect_Zone_4919

#26

Building a pc. With so many sophisticated videos on youtube that doesn't explain/teach very well makes me think it's hard to build a pc.

I tried it once and apparently it was just an adult lego, but easier.

#27

Getting friends. Just talk to people.

#28

Lost 25 pounds and all I had to do was stop eating before bed.

Image credits: bluAstrid

#29

Reigniting a friendship. My current best friend lived abroad for a year and we hadn't really met in person much if at all for a while before then either, only texting every now and then. When she moved back I asked if she wanted to meet up, and now we're really close.

Image credits: MadSwedishGamer

#30

Telling a barber that you do no want your hair to be cut that short. He actually did not mind me saying it and noted it.

Image credits: LifeAndDeathSame

#31

A professor in our university had a drug composition problem in an exam..it stated "add 200 ml of water to the formulation"
The question was "how much water is in the drug formulation?"
We busted our a**es trying to find a solution..multiply by how many..add how much
After the exam we asked her..
The b***h simply replied "I told you to add 200ml of water.. and asked how much water is there.. the answer is 200ml"

#32

Previous owners left a "broken" fridge in the kitchen when we moved in. Like literally put it in the paperwork that the fridge was broken and that they weren't going to dispose of it.

Made plans to get a new one the week we moved in, but just for sh**s and giggles decided to plug the old one in to see what was wrong. 4 years later and we're still using it without issue. We did find that the push to connect plastic water line for the ice maker was leaking a bit so we replaced that for about $2.

#33

Every couple of months, after staring at a pile of important-looking mail with dread, I grit my teeth, suppress further procrastination, and start working through the pile.

Ten minutes later, I’m done, and pissed at myself for worrying about it for so long instead of just doing it.


*Every* damn time.

#34

Negotiating a pay rise. Rumour got around work that I could use a computer. They tried me out on the CNC machine. Turns out my hobby of playing with computer programming for the past 20 years meant I was absolutely fantastic at it. Turns out fixing the edge banding machine isn't that hard if you learn how it works. Suddenly I was the most valuable person in the place.

I expected to just get a pay rise because I have the stupid belief that people should get what they deserve. No pay rise was forthcoming after 18 months. I am a fairly anxious person but I with some encouragement from my friends and family, I worked myself up to asking. The first time I asked, my boss just chuckled. I don't think he was being condescending, I just think the way I framed it sounded like a joke. The second time I asked, my boss said he'd think about it. I immediately started looking for a new job...

Turns out, I am a highly desirable employee. Within 2 weeks, I'd had 3 job offers. I resigned. Everyone was sad. My bosses panicked. Asked what I wanted to stay. I demanded a fairly high wage for my trade to stay. They didn't even hesitate to give it to me. Now I'm the highest paid person in the place.

#35

All the students pretty much bombed a networking final. Teacher said we could retake it but we would be alone (no group). Which worked out perfectly for me; they wouldnt get in my way and i wouldnt have to coordinate them

i was also the only person who showed up to retake. brought my final grade up to a 90

#36

In college the professor advertised an internship and wrote the info on the board. Out of a class of 150 students, I was the only one to apply and I fulfilled my internship requirement for graduation.

Image credits: pendletonskyforce

#37

Getting a job working for the US Department of Defense.

I'd always thought that those kind of jobs required prior military service, and a whole host of various degrees or such to actually get a job with them. Saw a job opening for one site near where I lived, and thought "what the hell?" So I applied. I honestly didn't expect to even get a call back, or anything.

I not only get a call back, but get hired for the job. The requirements were far more lenient than I expected. All it really required was a clean criminal record, and a willingness to learn.

Ended up working as a waste water treatment tech for them, and eventually got an environmental engineering degree with their help.

#38

Fixing clogged drains.

Started out because my sink drain plug wouldn't stay up. Poked around under the sink and found the pop-up rod had rusted completely through and broken. Cost me $5 for a new one at the plumbing supply store next to where I worked at the time. Took 5 minutes to figure out how to swap, and now I know how sink and shower drains come apart, which makes unclogging them simple. Maybe it's just me, but in my brain it seemed like that was something I'd have to call a plumber to come unclog, but it's all remarkably simple.

#39

I was trying to activate windows XP and 7 on an old computer a few years ago for giggles and software compatibility. I couldn't get them to accept my key because the servers were shut down. I tried calling the phone number they had listed and it gave me a code for my windows one I entered my key. It was super easy. Best of all, I didn't have to talk to a person, a robot took care of it all.

Image credits: The-Great-T

#40

In my late teens/early 20s I landed several good admin jobs that required a degree I didn’t have. Turns out when they say “bachelors degree” they just meant “sound middle class on the phone”.

Edit: There seems to be some confusion with people thinking I faked credentials. I didn't lie, I don't know why so many people are assuming that. I just sent in my resume that listed my previous work experience with a professional cover letter, then made sure to call after hours and leave a followup voicemail. All they really needed for the job was someone who can write a professional email and sound good on the phone, so they'd call me back for an interview.

Image credits: DelsMagicFishies

#41

I had a loose hinge on my door. It kind of drove me crazy for three years, but I had no idea how to fix the wood that had been stripped. Then I found a product on Amazon for $10 where you shove on a sleeve, break it off and then screw in the new screws. Bought two new hinges that don’t squeak. Took about 10 minutes and cost $20 and it’s no longer a problem!

Edit: Product is called Screw-It-Again. About $10 for 10 of them on Amazon.

#42

Tying shoe laces.

When I was a kid, no one ever managed to teach me how to tie my shoes. I remember never being able to get that last step that ties it all together and in general I suck with knots. I would have been garbage in the boy scouts. I got into my early 20's relying mostly on velcro shoes.


But one day I sat down with a pair of new shoes determined to figure it out. I put one on and tied it correctly on the first try. I just sat there dumbfounded for a few minutes wondering how it had been that easy all along.

Image credits: IIIMjolnirIII

#43

Getting physically fit. Just 20 minutes of strength exercises maybe 4-6 days a week. It just shocked me how little effort it really took, and how much of a positive effect it had on me in basically every single way.

#44

I learned how to ride a bike later (at 14, now I’m 24). At the time, I thought it would be impossible, but it literally was one foot after the other.

#45

I was recently looking for an apartment and rent in my city, like most cities currently, is outrageous

So after three days of looking I found this 2 bedroom apartment with a price that normally would get you a roach infested one bedroom/studio shithole in a bad part of town

But these apartments look nice, they're in a good part of town, the reviews online are all positive, I can't figure out the catch-- then I see there is a year long wait list for this place, but I decide to go to the leasing office and after talking to the property manager, I get bumped to the top of the list for an apartment that becomes available next month

I keep waiting for the bottom to drop out. Most people spend months looking for places in my city and they'd be paying a third more than I'm paying at a minimum for a similar place. I looked for 3 days and found this place but I think I just got lucky and it was just that easy

Image credits: C0nqueredW0rm

#46

Currently have an outrageously well paying job of over €200k+ as a software developer. I am not particularly intelligent nor enthusiastic about programming in any way.

I have just kinda stumbled into better after better paying jobs through the years. I'm just a friendly and dependable person who gets s**t done with zero fuss, it has all come so easily that I often wonder how the genuinely talented developers I know aren't on absolutely silly money.

#47

Learning to cook with raw ingredients. Turns out throwing random b******t that tastes good together usually works as long as you understand what you like.

#48

I had accepted a new job but was anxious about giving my notice at my old job (I had been there for 8 years and really loved my team). I had also been stressed out that I was taking a week off between jobs because it was a stretch financially. I finally set up a meeting with my boss. I couldn't even sleep the night before.

An hour before I was going to give my notice, my boss's boss called me into a meeting. With HR. I was being laid off (along with a large number of other employees). They were so sorry, my boss's boss was in tears. She promised they would "take care of me". Anyway, I got 20 weeks of severance and a full three weeks of between jobs. Unfuckingbelievable. The best thing that's ever happened to me.

I was so shocked that I almost started laughing during the meeting and had to pretend I was trying not to cry.

#49

Got a job that required full time field work for minimal pay...in AZ.

On my first day they asked about other skills. I saw other people using Autocad so I said I used it in college but I was really rusty..... This was a lie. I had only ever used it once to draw some circles.

They were excited and got me a 4 day refresher class. I learned AutoCAD and haven't been in the field in over a year.

I later asked for more pay since I wasn't a field tech anymore. They said no. I got another job using autoCAD for double salary.

Pro tip: learn AutoCAD C3D. It's not that hard, and boomers will think you're a tech god.

#50

For me it was getting pregnant. I was scared because I was an older first time mom (34) and really wanted to start trying for a baby and had read the older you get the harder it could be. I was scared it would take many months or years as it does for many women. Then we got pregnant the very first try. I didn’t believe the little pink line at first and took like three tests that night.

Then it was just as easy with the second pregnancy.

#51

The bar exam. I thought I must have missed something or fallen into a bunch of traps because I finished early and everyone talked about how hard it was after. Turns out I just prepared well. I got a score way above passing and only 50 percent of takers passed that session overall.

#52

Stopped eating out and started making meals (real food) at home, then started doing the dishes before bed every night so the kitchen isn't messy. Life is a million percent better and I have way more money.

#53

In a bar on a work night just for a couple of drinks with a mate.

Briefly talked to a girl at the bar when I was ordering a drink. I left an hour later and said goodbye to her as I was walking out.

She asked if she ‘could come with me’ I was like ‘oh I’m just going home’ and she said ‘yes I know’. Completely hit me out of the blue, I was like ‘oh right…. Ah.. yeah sure, you can absolutely come with me’.

I was sus and confused about it. But all went well. Turns out she had been stood up for a date and sat there for an hour or so by herself. And I was just in the right place and the right time.

Edit due to the questions in the comments:

We had a good time and good banter that night and the next morning. But no we never saw each other again.

She was mortified by the age difference. She was 28 years old and I was 21 year old 1st year graduate at a finance firm. ‘I knew you were young, but what kind of f*k’n 21 year old wears a suit to a bar on a Thursday night’ was about the line.

I think she clicked that things were off when she saw the super market shopping trolley in the living room (flatmates doing who was still at uni).

It was all in good faith though, good times were had.

Image credits: Luck_Beats_Skill

#54

I bought a Dyson V7 Vacuum that wasn't working for 55 Euros on eBay. I thought I'd try to replace the battery with a knockoff and if it didn't work, send the battery back and sell the dyson for the same money. It didn't work but I noticed I could register it for warranty. I called the support and (because I like to be honest) told the guy It's a used device and I didn't have a receipt. The guy said it doesn't matter if it's used as long as the serial number is still eligible for warranty. They sent me a new battery twice and when that didn't work as well, they told me to send the motor in. A week or so later I received a package with a brand new Dyson V8.

Edit: Forgot to mention: Dyson is really expensive but their support is first class as well. The guy on the phone really did know a lot and was very nice and helpful.

#55

Building muscle. I still struggle to shift fat but whatever way I’m wired, it’s incredibly easy to pack on muscle in the gym.

It’s totally still newbie gains but there was a lot of change for not very much effort.

Image credits: _Nick_2711_

#56

I was drunk at a party and saw a cute girl. Stumbled over to her and literally said, "You're cute, can I have your number?"

Nearly a decade later, she's next to me with our child asleep on her lap.

Sometimes, getting the date is just that easy.

(To shame her even further, she was *sober!* I was blitzed enough to silence all my normal second-guessing and internal thoughts that get in my own way, but she had a drunken nerd just straight-up ask her out, no small talk or anything, and decided that it was a good idea!)

Image credits: Romanticon

#57

Deciding to stop dealing with my life going in no direction after leaving a career that I went to college for a decade prior. I had something in the back of my mind for a long time that I wanted to do. I finally couldn’t take the feeling of being stuck so I applied to a local community college to take some prerequisites and started class less than 2 weeks later. I am pretty sure I cried once I did it because the relief of finally having some direction again and felt like a weight lifted off of me. I could literally feel the change in my body once I registered.

#58

Honestly, after being incredibly broke, I remember how easy everything suddenly seemed when I had money.

Car broken? Get it fixed. Sick? Go to the doctor. Need a babysitter? Hire one.

Money makes everything so much easier and less disruptive to life.

I knew I'd made it when I put my bills on auto-pay.

#59

Calling people on the phone is the best way to force a decision. In the age of chat and email, a five minute phone call usually solves problems that hour long meetings can’t.

#60

Was so ill for years and years
Literally so sick I thought I had stomach cancer or something
Naw my gallbladder was just slowly killing me, got that b***h removed and I’m like a new person

#61

Getting involved in the music industry behind the scenes.

* Attended a music festival I really liked

* At the end, went to the organizer and said I had a great time and would be willing to help in the future

* Get asked to help at the same event next year

* Keep working the event, getting tons of experience, and getting on a first name basis with a bunch of bands I loved

#62

I actually have an relevant answer.

So I'm a disabled guy. And a little person. Lived my entire life in my parents house that wasn't at all accessible and was looking to move out into my own apt. I never understook anything by myself much less something so huge.

I got into the waiting list of an accessible apt for "poor" folk. I got it in THREE MONTHS. It literally changed my life. I now live on my own and no one limits how many gummy ? I eat.

#63

For months, I had been applying for tons of jobs on every platform I could find. Talking to friends to get critiques on my resume/cover letter. Updating my online portfolio. Etc. Then one day a recruiter messaged me out of the blue on LinkedIn and basically handed me a dream job. It was one interview and then a call to say hey you're hired. I legitimately thought it was a scam right up until my first day of work.

#64

No longer caring about what other people thought about me. One day I cared, then the next day, I was just so emotionally exhausted that I just said f**k it. Never really cared since.

#65

Raising my teenager.

I was regaled with horror stories about teens, but he was so easy. All it took was mutual respect and a genuine liking of one another.

Fwiw, he's now a very well-adjusted adult.

#66

Solving a decade of disability with an over-the-counter iron supplement.

Edit: I seem to have convinced a number of people they're iron deficient and that they should start taking iron pills. While iron is unlikely to be harmful in over-the-counter doses over the short-term, in the long-term it can literally kill you. *If at all possible,* get medical supervision for doing this. I'm doing it on my own because I can't convince my doctor I'm deficient when I definitely am, but this carries risks with it.

Image credits: 314159265358979326

#67

My entire life is this moment. My parents and grandparents all had this really annoying habit of making anything and everything sound way harder or more requiring of great discipline than it actually is. And whenever I'd perform the feat, and realize how insultingly easy it was, I'd be left a little offended while my family would cheer me on. I never could tell if I was offended because I expected a harder challenge or offended because my own family thought I couldn't handle something so simple. Maybe it's an ego thing, maybe it's maybelline. I don't fuggin' know.

After I started turning 18, I started treating everything like it's easier than it looks so I didn't let my mind get caught up thinking I couldn't do it at all. The result of this was that I became one of the handiest and most skilled people in my group. But now when I'm alone at my desk, I start hesitating to begin tasks for my personal projects because I still have the bodily anxiety of disappointing others or falling flat on my face because of this particular "moment."

#68

Making bread, and moving across the country, was much easier than expected.

#69

Applying for my Irish passport. My dad was born there, so I’m a naturalized citizen. I hate paperwork, so avoided ever filling out my application. Turns out it takes 10 minutes online.

#70

I made a 13th century "pirate" style shirt by hand no machine with a YouTube video I like sewing but I'm not the best at it so it made me feel good about doing things that seem hard

#71

My divorce.

No lawyers, no fighting. I gave her the house, she makes more than me so no alimony/child support, just filled out the paperwork, paid the nominal court fees, and it's all good. I see my kids every few days and we have both moved on and get along.

#72

Stop drinking alcohol.

#73

Getting my pilot license.

To be fair, I did study a lot but it was one of those things I wasn't sure I was gonna do well on. My instructor said I'm ready but I wasn't sure.

Day of the checkride, I answered every question correctly and without hesitation and did every maneuver correctly. We parked and my examiner said "so how's it feel to be a private pilot" I thought in my head "there's no way" even though I did everything right with relative ease

#74

Suing someone in Small Claims. It was surprisingly easy because my case was rock solid and I had a professionally printed document of evidence, witness statements, and precise records sent over to the court while the Defendant did literally nothing but send unlabeled loose printouts of *my* Facebook page as her so-called evidence.

It was a very quick judgment for plaintiff!

Image credits: Kelosaurus_rex

#75

I never slept well, ever.

There’s an over the counter magnesium supplement called “calm”. I drink a cup every night and sleep like a hibernating bear.

It was that easy.

#76

My job.

Big news for fanboys of rich people telling you that you're as rich as the effort you put in: the hardest fu***ing jobs i had were the ones that paid the least. Get into the below-the-minimum-wage category and it will most likely be the kind of a job that physically deteriorates your body over time. Get to the minimum wage and it's the kind of job that sucks so much energy out of you that you can only lay in bed mindlessly and let the rest of your life rot. Get yourself a job that pays twice as much as the minimum wage and after a full day of work you still have enough energy to enjoy life. Three times as much - you technically work 8 hours a day but in practice they hired you to do this one thing that no-one else knows how to do and it only has to be done on rare occasions, so they pretty much pay you to be around just in case you're needed.

#77

Solving a recurring leg pain that had been troubling me for over a year by getting a deep tissue massage. The masseur said he’d never felt a leg with as many knotted muscles as mine before.

#78

I'm a 24f who knows absolutely nothing about cars. Well I bought myself a nice front/rear dash cam without considering how to safely wire it, and found out I would have to remove parts of my car to wire it behind airbags and stuff (so it wouldn't prevent an airbag from deploying properly). I thought I was gonna have to pay someone to install for me, but turns out a simple YouTube video walked me through the whole thing! Now my dashcams look professionally installed. I also learned how to change a blown fuse on the same day because my USB adapter wasn't working. I was high on the achievement of something new and had a brief hyper-fixation on learning to mod my car but thankfully got over it lol.

#79

I applied for a seasonal job cooking in Alaska when I was 18 after only working a position as a line cook at a local restaurant for a year. It was just to support a friend of mine that was applying for jobs at the library, a couple days later I got an email requesting a phone interview and I got an all expense paid 5 month job cooking for a lodge in Alaska. The website at the time was cooljobs.com

#80

This one sounds made up but I swear it's true.

Backpacking through India, I arrived in a town for a big festival (Holi) and couldn't find accommodation because everything was booked out.

A voice behind me says "excuse me?".

I turn around. It's an absolutely gorgeous blonde girl. She has, uh, ample bosom.

"hi, sorry to bother you, but I had a get more expensive room than I wanted because everything is booked out. There's a spare bed. Would you be interested in sharing it with me?".

My brain just about short circuited. No WAY can it be this easy!

It was that easy. Said yes. Enjoyed the festival together. Had sex. I'll never get that lucky again.

#81

Breaking up with someone who isn't good for me. I stayed wayyyyyy too long in relationships that I didn't want to be in.

Once I learned to like myself, I realized I don't have to settle-i didn't mind being alone in between. And because I liked myself, I started to draw the type of people I actually wanted to be around, and who made me want to keep challenging myself to be better.

If you're in a relationship where your heart aches all the time, where you're accepting less than love and respect and kindness, and if you're in a position to leave and still be safe, just do it. Even if you don't like yourself yet, you will. (And you certainly won't if you stay in a relationship that's toxic, so... Just do it!!!)

This is true for all relationships, not just romantic. Surround yourself with people you like to be around, and who like to be around you.

Time is all we have, invest wisely

#82

Spent a year thinking my bathroom electrical outlet was broken and needed a repair. One day someone suggested flipping the breaker. It was that easy.

#83

Went to the bar one night with some friends, ran into a girl that had worked for me a few years earlier. Said hi, chatted for a minute, she asks me where my girlfriend is. I let her know we broke up a couple months earlier. She is like "oh cool, well I'm here with my friends and I'm going to go hang out with them but if you want to hook up after the bar closes, I've always wanted you." I blink about 10 times in a row, "uh, that sounds awesome". And we did.

#84

Getting over the fear of doing something routine you never imagined doing. It took me a while but it is both fun and can save money.

Simple car maintenance from oil changes, seasonal tire changes, air filters, battery change, to replacing rotors and brake pads (never did do drums because lack of cars having drums anymore). I learned it from watching others and asking questions. I do it for my family and the in-laws because the money saved turns out to be significant when you have 6 cars to do. However, I'm too old to fight the -10 C cold outside, so if something happens in the winter months -- straight into the mechanics.

That lead to servicing my snow thrower in the spring and prepping in the fall (the belt is a huge pain in the butt though). I do the lawn mowers for the neighbours I like because damn, service just seems disproportionately more expensive for a small engine than a car.

And now thanks to the internet (r/battlestations and pcpartpicker's website), I am also always helping and building desktop battlestations for gaming for my kids and their friends (I teach them to get over their initial fears of breaking something and now, most are fearless).

#85

Buying a house. As long as you qualify for the loan it is crazy easy to sign some papers and now you own something that might go up in value or completely destroy your finances.

#86

Designing and building two beautiful leaded glass window panes for our bathroom window. It’s pretty much like putting together a puzzle but you get to decide what shape the pieces are.

#87

Get into a bar fight. Some guy didn’t like the way I looked. Never had said a word to the guy all night, he was about 15 feet away from me most of the night.

Image credits: CarlJustCarl

#88

Losing weight. It is the first few days that are the toughest and most people cant get through those. Once I was able to get through the first week I was able to lose 40lbs in 3 months with much ease.

#89

Taking care of a newborn :) we were prepared to have the hardest time of our life, but turned out amazing!

#90

Made a career transition at 34 to what I've always wanted to do.

#91

Virtually everything my anxiety has prevented me from doing until I do it.

#92

Confidence.
As soon as I tried to be more confident, people around me treated me differently, which gave me more confidence. It really is no witchcraft folks

#93

Operating an electric pallet jack. (One of my coworkers literally just showed me one day how to work it. No training required, just learn how it works.)

#94

Sophomore year of college my buddies were throwing a party at their house. One of them was a moderately successful DJ in the local college scene.

We’re have a good time and the DJ was doing his thing when he had to pee or something so he taps me on the shoulder and asks me to just stand at his turntables to make sure no drunk idiots f**k it up. He had songs queued up so I literally just had to stand there. About 30 seconds later two women walk up to me and are saying how much they love the music. I tell them it’s just a playlist and I’m just keeping it running. But they’re still super impressed. A few minutes later the actual DJ comes back and I give up my post then one of the girls comes up and tells me to dance with her. One thing leads to another and we ended up having a FWB relationship for a few months after that.

At one point I told my friend about his girl I’d met while covering him at the DJ booth. And he laughed and said, “yeah sometimes it’s really that easy”

It was the only time in my life I’ve had a glimpse of the rockstar life.

#95

coding, people make it out to be so hard but in reality you just end up copy pasting from stack overflow even if you have years of experience under your belt. Now if it doesnt work, debugging the code requires 5 PHDs, and 3 Masters Degrees.

#96

A great job interview after 9 years as a SAHM. Been with them 6 years now.

#97

In an attempt to sleep with a girl, I told her she was on my To Do List.


We had sex that night.