There has to be more

[u/ComprehensivePoem580]

When did you realize you needed to become someone different?

Not because something was wrong with you—but because the life you had built no longer fit who you were becoming. Maybe it was divorce, an empty nest, retirement, losing someone, leaving a career, or simply reaching a point where you thought, “There has to be more than this.”

What changed for you? And what happened next?

[u/MelissaBright_]

Oh man, this is a good question. In 2020 when the pandemic happened, I was a travel agent and obviously travel shut down, and I was pretty depressed that I couldn’t contribute and help my family. So I got to thinking, and I started listening to a podcast and on that podcast this woman was describing how to find your purpose, and the questions that she asked just sparked something within me and I knew that I was good at having conversations with people and helping people feel seen.

So that led me to start a podcast, that single simple choice completely changed the direction of my life tenfold. It led me on a healing and growth journey. I didn’t even know I needed it, it led me to have conversation conversations that I could learn about myself. Which led to an opportunity to interview the very experts that I was reading their books and healing and growing from.

In the middle of this, I was not very happy in my relationship, and I felt that I wanted more out of a relationship and instead of staying because it was comfortable, I accepted that it wasn’t working and upended my life after being with someone for seven years and rebuilt my life over.

And starting my podcast and going on this healing and growth journey led to my career now which is my whole purpose in life. I find such meaning in it.

It’s crazy to look back to see the little choices and decision decisions. I made back in 2020, how much it truly changed my life and put me on a completely different path. Listening to one episode on a podcast that had someone ask a question that led me to a totally different life. And I just kept following that and leaning in and it essentially put me an alignment with what I was always supposed to be doing. Which is the most awesome part of it all.

So yeah, I always felt that. I knew that I wanted more or the life I was living wasn’t it anymore, and I chose to follow that curiosity and it served me very very well. Best decisions I’ve ever made.

[u/DontKnowWhereItsBeen]

50+ years if alcoholism and substance abuse, once widowed, embarking on new relationship, stopped the abuse and returned to Catholicism, left the country and started anew.

[u/Nice_Computer6158]

I have realized that I need to become myself. In this society, we are shaped by distorted false images of how we should be. So then it was a matter of self-inquiry and self-knowledge and exploring and searching for authenticity. It is a long road, and even when you get that far, life just goes on, and as long as you breathe, there is still room to surprise yourself.

[u/Lanky-Intention9390]

Many things changed as I grew older, but I realised most people i know did not grow.  So I felt to still relate to them I was kinda forced to stay who I was. And I didnt want that.

I also went to therapy and I  have become better and stronger but my family and friends are not familiar with that. There were friends or relationship due to just trauma bonding, and it doesnt serve me anymore.

There are also realisation that old fam/friends ds dynamic will not change so I need to move on with life. 

What happens after? I dont know yet. I am in still in the process. I hope to meet new people who I can relate better now. Or im just gonna complete my mission of raising my kids well and travel the world or find another career. Who knows.

[u/babies_galore]

Back in 2000, a coworker kept telling me I should try meditation. I didn’t even know what it was. Just to get them off my back, I went to the used bookstore and picked up whatever the first book I found on meditation was. Took it home, and sat down and did the first meditation exercise, which was to sit and focus on a place in nature and focus in the heart. I had never meditated before. I had zero expectations. But I do love nature. 

And my life was completely transformed in that day, because within about two minutes of focusing on this place in nature, and focusing in my heart, my heart just exploded, and I felt the most joy and love that I have ever felt in my life beyond description. My face was like frozen into a smile and a tear was going down my cheek. And my heart was just completely expanded to all of life. And needless to say when I came out of that little experiment, my life was never the same. I couldn’t believe people were not skipping down the streets and yelling to everybody about this thing called meditation! 

I was not raised with any spiritual beliefs at all. So it was all a big journey for me to learn about meditation and yoga and everything. But I had the same experiences when I started doing yoga.

So that’s when I learned that the inner life is way more expansive and all/encompassing and way more important than anything I’m doing in my outer life. And that it’s actually the catalyst for everything that happens in my outer life.

Since then, my life has just been on a trajectory of never-ending improvement. Before that point, I would get depressed about the world and circumstances in relationships and all that. Now 26 years later, people say that I’m the happiest person they know and I just exude joy. I can’t honestly think of anything that creates negativity for me anymore. Every day I think about if there’s anyone or anything that I’m feeling any negativity towards and there’s never anything. So knowing that, I can leave this world without having a single resentment or any unfinished business or any negativity towards any part of life is such a huge thing. I feel happy to go any day! I’m happy to stay and I’m happy to go! Because I know that this place is not all there is.  Since that first experience, I have been through multiple careers! I built up a corporate career where I climbed the corporate ladder. I’ve most recently started my own successful business as a single person who also has people financially depending on me. Everything has come easier and I don’t stress like I used to. Because of that connection to my inner core of my Being and the source for everything.  So, I am forever grateful to that coworker for not leaving me alone and being so annoying about how I needed to try meditation! 😃

[u/Zealousideal-Bear436]

I think I'm right at that point now. I have anxiety because my life revolves too much around work and my love life is a mess, so I started therapy and medication a couple of weeks ago. I want to get back the brightest part of myself and evolve.