Has your life turned out like you expected?

Ilovepeppers
Ilovepeppers Posts: 396 Member
edited October 3 in Chit-Chat
In what ways has it and in what ways has it not? Would you change anything or is it better than expected?

For me, it has turned out VERY not like I expected. But, thats not a bad thing. I expected to be done with school by 22, married after and then having children when I would become a stay at home mom... Instead I got married, had three children in 3 years and am doing school while parenting. Still good! But DEFINITELY not what I expected.
«1

Replies

  • sjtreely
    sjtreely Posts: 1,014 Member
    Nope. I never dreamed I'd be this blessed. I'm the luckiest person in the world.
  • DannyMussels
    DannyMussels Posts: 1,842 Member
    Well, Michael Jackson took the title of the 'king of pop', so I'd have to say no.
  • sc1572
    sc1572 Posts: 2,309 Member
    Nope...grew up thinking I'd become a veterinarian, and I am studying to become a math teacher. Still love animals, but never, EVER, saw myself as an education major until a couple years ago. I also always said I wanted to get married and have kids when I was younger. The older I get, the more I am finding myself liking being single and not putting dating as a top priority. I won't say I'm not living my life the best way I can, be I am pretty happy where I am now. There are certain things I wish I could change...concerning family, friends, school choice, etc. but overall I am happy with it. :) I'm only 19, so I have many, many things to look forward to!
  • edmarymom
    edmarymom Posts: 19 Member
    What an awesome goal to set! Half marathon in every state...I'll have to think about that.. I've walked half and full marathons for the past 12 years. I am runnning my first half next weekend here in St Louis. Then in December I'm going to run the St Judes half in Memphis. How many states have you done so far? Julie

    3163125.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • PANZERIA
    PANZERIA Posts: 471 Member
    If someone had told me when I was 15 that I was going to finish university and all of the people who bullied me when I was young weren't, and that I'd be getting married to a cop and own 3 dogs, AND that I would find religion and attend Catholic mass regularly...I would have thought them to be absolutely crazy.

    The fact that I may become a dog trainer is even crazier. I was such a cat person until just a few years ago, lol.

    EDIT: Oh, and all this by the age of 23.
  • 99Tinkerbell
    99Tinkerbell Posts: 384
    Not at all what I expected. If I could turn back time I would have not married my husband and would have moved on. I think my life may have turned out a lot better. I tried to fix something that was broken before it started raised 2 children that were not mine, and the whole 20 years has been a recipe of disaster. I think we both got together for different reasons, but I definitely got the short end of the stick. I feel like I would have done so much more than I have. I just SETTLED! So my recommendation never SETTLE! Go for your dreams!
  • sheisbrown
    sheisbrown Posts: 171 Member
    Things are different than I imagined when I was younger but I have no regrets. I always thought I would be at least married with some kids by now but alas- I am hopelessly single with no kids. This is okay as I feel like my life is open to so much exploration and not bogged down by responsibility. I have recently began exploring the idea of grad school overseas- which is perfect for me. We will see. I feel like I have nothing to lose at this point.
  • alerica1
    alerica1 Posts: 310 Member
    Not at all like I expected. I never planned on having 2 daughters with auto-immune diseases and nearly losing one of them 5 times on top of being a single parent, or spending 50% of my time at the Cleveland Clinic, or working as a paralegal for 33 years and deciding to go back to school at the age of 50 after becoming a grandma for the 1st time. But, I would change a thing....except the health of my daughters.....THAT I would change.
  • Marazene
    Marazene Posts: 97
    im 42 and still have no clue want I want to be when i grow up.....:smile:
  • alerica1
    alerica1 Posts: 310 Member
    Not at all like I expected. I never planned on having 2 daughters with auto-immune diseases and nearly losing one of them 5 times on top of being a single parent, or spending 50% of my time at the Cleveland Clinic, or working as a paralegal for 33 years and deciding to go back to school at the age of 50 after becoming a grandma for the 1st time. But, I would change a thing....except the health of my daughters.....THAT I would change.

    That was supposed to say "I wouldn't change a thing...."
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    I always have very low expectations...therefore I think I did quite well for myself.
  • hllamaster
    hllamaster Posts: 137 Member
    No! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • AloyMomNwife
    AloyMomNwife Posts: 146 Member
    Not at all!! When I graduated high school I thought I'd become a heart surgeon so I could have a lot of money, be fancy and spend as little time possible with my "husband" (ex-boyfriend) while he raised the kids. Pretty sad! Thank God I met a man that changed my world completely and now I am a housewife and stay-at-home mom of two beautiful girls who we are raising together... on a budget! So much more wealth than money could have ever given me! Also, I always thought I could wear a size 10 forever. I'm striving for that one!
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    Nope. I figured I'd be dead by now.
  • sjtreely
    sjtreely Posts: 1,014 Member
    What an awesome goal to set! Half marathon in every state...I'll have to think about that.. I've walked half and full marathons for the past 12 years. I am runnning my first half next weekend here in St Louis. Then in December I'm going to run the St Judes half in Memphis. How many states have you done so far? Julie

    3163125.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

    I have a USA map with 33 pins in it - one for every state completed. I also have 33 bottles of wine - one from every state I've done a HM in. (Thank God there's a winery in every state!) I hang my medals on the wine bottles. I don't drink the wine. I'm giving them to my kids when I die. I hear my funeral celebration is going to be one big 'ole wine tasting party ... or at least I hope so.

    I got serious in 2009 doing halves in every state. My goal is to have them all done within the next couple of years so I can move on to the continents. It's getting a little more difficult as all within weekend driving distance have pretty much been marked off the list. Also, back-to-backs are fewer and farther between making things a little expensive. One day, though, I'll get 'em done!
  • nurse_carolyn
    nurse_carolyn Posts: 348
    Not at all. I'm 43 and I'm back in school full time.......didn't plan on that but it's a GREAT thing, I love it !! :happy:
  • sjtreely
    sjtreely Posts: 1,014 Member
    im 42 and still have no clue want I want to be when i grow up.....:smile:

    Ha! So true. I'm 50 and still don't know. But I sure am enjoying the journey.
  • lor007
    lor007 Posts: 884 Member
    Yes! I had always dreamed I would be broke and living in a crappy house. Yay me!!
  • ahinescapron
    ahinescapron Posts: 351 Member
    No! I never would have thought I would get married at 22...I was not looking for that when I met my husband. I never, ever would have thought I would be a pastor's wife. I never thought I would love being a mom as much as I do. I thought I would get a Bachelor's degree and maybe a Master's, but I never thought I would have three degrees and be working on my PhD. I thought I would be well into a career by now, but I have been blessed to spend so much time with my kids and to pursue my academic goals. It has been a winding road, but I have no regrets! I am only 32 and I feel like there is so much ahead :)
  • CapeCodLover
    CapeCodLover Posts: 23 Member
    Not at all like I expected. I never planned on having 2 daughters with auto-immune diseases and nearly losing one of them 5 times on top of being a single parent, or spending 50% of my time at the Cleveland Clinic, or working as a paralegal for 33 years and deciding to go back to school at the age of 50 after becoming a grandma for the 1st time. But, I would change a thing....except the health of my daughters.....THAT I would change.

    I have a similar situation and I would keep all the negative stuff that has happened to me if I could just change my daughter's health. When you have children all you wish for is that they are healthy and when they aren't it really puts everything else in perspective.
  • Iamfit4life
    Iamfit4life Posts: 3,095 Member
    Well, I'm divorced. So obviously not.

    But I'm making it even better than I expected.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    I never really made many long term plans or had any expectations of my future when I was young. I've always had a go-with-the-flow, take each day as it comes kind of personality. The only thing I ever knew from a very young age was that I was never going to have children. I'm 40 now and child-free, and am very thankful that I held onto that choice and didn't let pressure from my parents, other family and friends and to change my mind about having babies. It would have been the wrong choice for me.

    I'm thrilled with my life - I have a wonderful husband, three great dogs, a house in the mountains, a low-stress job with great co-workers, lots of great hobbies and good health. I feel so blessed! What more could I want? :-)
  • mmuzzatti
    mmuzzatti Posts: 704 Member
    Yes I wanted to always be a fat lazy fart and then being on this page trying to get the weight off that years of boozing and eating crappy food did to me!

    So in reality my life has not started yet, the first 50 years are just practice!
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    yes and no. LOL/ I always wanted alot of children. Well I did fostercare for 7 yrs taking in 15 kids during that time. I have 4 bio children and adopted 3 for a total of 7. i didnt think I would get my houseful of children this way. One of my kids is bipolar, the younger 3 have Rad which is attachment issues. I always knew i would get married, But it amazes me still after being together for 25 yrs that I found someone that is so loving and supportive and encourages me in anything and everything I want to do. I also wanted to be a counselor, well that didnt happen but I am dealing with kids who have problems. LOL....... most of the time i love how my life has turned out, but somedays are hard. but thats life :smile:
  • CapeCodLover
    CapeCodLover Posts: 23 Member
    Not at all what I expected. If I could turn back time I would have not married my husband and would have moved on. I think my life may have turned out a lot better. I tried to fix something that was broken before it started raised 2 children that were not mine, and the whole 20 years has been a recipe of disaster. I think we both got together for different reasons, but I definitely got the short end of the stick. I feel like I would have done so much more than I have. I just SETTLED! So my recommendation never SETTLE! Go for your dreams!

    You said it! I got married because I felt it was the right time in my life - not because the guy I was with was the right guy! And I paid for that decision dearly with two failed marriages to him (yes, I divorced and remarried him), basically being a single parent and being ruined financially. Not to mention giving up a chance at true happiness at the time. Don't settle - we all deserve more!
  • sjtreely
    sjtreely Posts: 1,014 Member
    Not at all what I expected. If I could turn back time I would have not married my husband and would have moved on. I think my life may have turned out a lot better. I tried to fix something that was broken before it started raised 2 children that were not mine, and the whole 20 years has been a recipe of disaster. I think we both got together for different reasons, but I definitely got the short end of the stick. I feel like I would have done so much more than I have. I just SETTLED! So my recommendation never SETTLE! Go for your dreams!

    Well, now ... I had a 20 year hiccup. But I came out stronger, wiser, and happier. I also got 2 of the best kids in the world from the hiccup (although they've had their opportunities to make boofoos). I eventually decided, "Hey, enough of this crap. Time to move on." Soooo glad I did.
  • k2quiere
    k2quiere Posts: 4,151 Member
    Not really, but I've come to recognize that all the crap I though was important when I was younger just doesn't matter for my happiness. I'm good, I'm happy, my girls are healthy and I successfully reared them by myself.
  • pinkgigi
    pinkgigi Posts: 693 Member
    No certainly not, I've had to reinvent myself twice, once from divorce and once at the age of 46 because I was widowed. I didn't know my life would be so hard, but it is always worth it.

    GG
  • EDesq
    EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
    In what ways has it and in what ways has it not? Would you change anything or is it better than expected?

    For me, it has turned out VERY not like I expected. But, thats not a bad thing. I expected to be done with school by 22, married after and then having children when I would become a stay at home mom... Instead I got married, had three children in 3 years and am doing school while parenting. Still good! But DEFINITELY not what I expected.


    My Life turned out differently than I expected AFTER I had Expectations. NOW, My Life is really GOOD! I am Learning to LIVE, just LIVE! This thought described Me: "If a human is modest and satisfied, old age will not be heavy on him. If he is not, even youth will be a burden. " Plato

    Youth became a burden to Me when I tried to Plan My Life and stopped following My Light (I OUTRAN My "Headlights" and ran into an abyss. Thing about the abyss, you can dig and THINK you are digging your way out, you take a rest from the digging and realize that ain't no dirt in the hole. Eventually, I quit digging and fighting and planning and worrying and trying to control, I became so Light that I just floated out. NOW I am Happy, at Peace and have Self Control. My Life is what it IS!
  • calibri
    calibri Posts: 439 Member
    Nope, thought I'd have finished med school and started a residency now. Eventually met peers at uni which dissuaded me from pursuing being a doctor, as it wasn't my thing after all. Instead, I'm working at a stable job, writing exams for employment and software testing. I wish my job were more meaningful, but it makes enough money for me to fund my adventures in the off hours, and that's all I need at this point.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories