I'm different, but not necessarily better.

Before, I was an out of work civil engineer. Now I'm a middle class housewife. Not much difference, but very different.

Before, I was shy and socially awkward but trying to get out and be sociable. Now I'm a recluse. I like people, but I don't know how to talk with them.

Before I was married to a jerk but pretended he was alright so nobody would know. When he didn't care if we were homeless because he lived elsewhere, I went ahead and divorced him.

i havent even changed mu underwear...

I've changed a lot. Mostly for the better.

I used to read. A LOT. Like a full novel a day. Now I haven't read a book in years. I can tell that my grammatical abilities have dropped because of it. I'm not as good as putting things to words as I used to be, either.
I used to be much more athletic. Now my injuries keep me pretty grounded.

I used to be anti-social. I still prefer solitude, but I have friends and I get out now and then.

I used to have no direction, be depressed, clingy, etc. I worked as a low-paid coach for children without much potential to move up.
Now I'm a homeowner, happy with life, know what I'm doing and have a "plan" for my life.

I used to be mentally unstable. These days I've got a pretty good hold of myself. 🙂

I also used to be a PC guy and now I only use Apple. (It's better for coding, hands down.)

I was a student worrying about working in the future , now I'm working and it's not so bad as of this point.

I was living in UK and now I'm living in Asia.

I used to post a lot of anonymous posts seeking help but now I mostly help others without posting anonymously (on this site and others)

I used to not go out at all apart from going to school due to living in an isolated area without much resource and now I go out a lot more and I live in a city.

I used to have an extremely bad relationship with every single person who are directly related to me but now we seem to have recover our relationships.

I used to think no one cares about me but now I realise my family do care about me and I found my best friend in the world.

I used to be gullible and naive but after being betrayed by a trusted friend and scammed by another person whom I also trusted I think I'm wiser, more careful and I'm not going to trust someone base on feelings anymore.

I used to be constantly anxious about life, but now I'm more confident and try to help those who are anxious.

My phone used to be an LG with function limited to calling and texting only , now I use a smart phone !

I used to draw with paper and water colour but now I draw with my wacom tablet.

This post makes me realise the positive changes in my life! I like it very much, thank you.

I've changed.

Before: I was a go getter and ready to save the world. I was social and out and about all the time. I headed committees, vounteered almost as many hours as a full time job, went to the gym everyday. I kept many "irons in the fire" and had lots of responsibilities as a sort of "self medicating" way to not slide into depression. I was working on my master's degree. During the start of my time at OH, I was unhappy in my marriage. I had 3 kids. I got on help with a laptop. I did not own a cell phone.

NOW: I'm too tired to save the world. I can give advice but the call to action is a young person's game. I'm more behind the scenes now. I've tried to volunteer, but now it seems like most agencies prefer "organized volunteerism through other agencies" versus a woman on her own teaching classes for GED tests, etc. I'm no longer very social. People disappoint me and piss me off. My 2 best friends moved far away from here the same summer. I've fallen into another long term depression and come out the other side. Now I'm older and have lived at least half of my life, and realize how many precious days depression wasted.

I'm married to the same guy: going on 18 years in a month. We weathered our storms, loved each other enough to stick it out, and are stronger now. I have 4 kids and even though I'm older, wouldn't mind another. We've started the process to adopt also. I'm trying to get back into the gym. I remember how good I felt, going everyday for 10 years. I want to feel good again, physically. It's not about looks now, but about being strong and able in my old age. I have my master's degree and the debt too.

I have my first cell phone and have had it for one year (I was resistant). I homeschool my 4 kids and realize just gow precious they are and how much they mean to me versus taking them for granted. I get on help with the cell phone. I moved, but just across town.

YES on the change.

I have always wanted to be a loner...I chose to be that way.

But now I am actually happier than I have ever been...I find it much easier to breathe again....I do NOT feel so alone anymore...I smile a lot...chatter a lot...just....HAPPIER....I'll leave it at that for now.

I will say this though....When somebody makes you feel GREAT about yourself, treat them the same way...and you realize what happens to your heart....it comes alive.

I wish this for each and every one of you on this site.

PEACE and LOVE......Cara

❤

That's beautiful

before:
- Christian
- anti social
- university
- Lebanon
- living in same country as parents and friends

after:
- Atheist agnostic
- relatively more social and less shy
- working
- computer science
- canada
- living far away from family and friends
- less hair on my head ^_^

Been loads of changes since then. Still on the same mission it seems though. Gathering experience and depth.
I can't remember proper when exact the site went down either. It did feel like an era was over. Many a night spent on a crappy chair in front of my small laptop clicking away to find some sort of substance.

Would say I'm richer from the experience though. Have gotten quite a lot out of the effort spent on that site. Its rather odd to see how it has opened doors in a sense. Naturally, the choices have been my own, but i did feel like there was some aid coming through there anyways. So i´ve done things i thought i´d never do and been many a place i thought i´d never go.
Met loads of people as well.

Life onwards from here is uncertain. Instead of being staring into a dark abyss its a festival of opportunity. Makes it difficult to choose, but i can live with that.

Its not been easy, and it wont be easier onwards either. Still grateful for the experiences though. Matured a lot through them and also gathered a deeper understanding of what it means to be human.

Good post:)
To reply to the subject...I glow more!

That wood is just about petrified by now, isn't it slim?

to me nothings changed
my life is either a calm steam
or the great rapids
its all about when the rain.

Some things have changed, where others haven't.

Before the site closed, I got a puppy, at the same time I had a cat. That puppy is turning 10 this year, and the cat passed away. I've had two other dogs since. Both passed.

I'm still living in the same place, I was engaged a few years back, but never got married. I was slammed with severe agoraphobia for about 4 years until 2013.

I had a nephew born, and then pass away within 2 years, and I no longer speak to my sibling, but I still speak to the mother of my nephew. Neither of us can stand my brother, now.

Still unemployed, although I am now considered disabled and am on the disability pension. Temporarily until I recover from my anxiety disorders enough to get started on a career again.

Emotionally/personality, I definitely have changed. My depression is managed now, I have new mental illness diagnoses (which have made it really easier to manage and understand myself better) and thankfully, I have been through a lot of crap that has helped me to learn to stand up for myself a bit better. I'm no longer the one who hides away in the corner and cries when someone snaps at me. Lol.

So I'm in a better place, I guess. At least in my head. In other areas, nothing much has changed except the size of my dog, embracing me and learning to like myself, and a few furniture pieces have been changed over the years.

My lame sense of humor and bad habit of rambling about ****shit that probably doesn't matter is still around, though.