“Never” is a long time to go without changing your mind
You know that little voice in your head that sometimes whispers, Maybe I should’ve done it differently? Yep, the one that pops up after you’ve made a snap decision, even when a tiny part of you knew better. We’ve all been there. Sometimes they sting, sometimes they surprise us … and sometimes they teach us something we didn’t see coming.
That’s exactly what our readers dug into. They shared some of the most heartfelt and relatable stories of the moments they changed their minds. Some decisions were small, some huge, but every single one came with the same satisfying truth: Changing your mind isn’t just OK; sometimes it’s the smartest move you can make.
Read on for stories that might make you rethink your own “final” decisions.
A new dawn
You’d think a job that required rising at 6:30 a.m. would convert a lifelong night owl like me, but it didn’t. I’d still stay up watching late-night TV shows, and my husband had to drag me out of bed each morning. Then I switched to a job where I worked from 4 p.m. until midnight. Life was great—I could stay up until 2 a.m.! I kept that schedule after retirement, but realized I was sitting alone at night while my husband slept, and vice versa.
After one particularly long day, I crashed early and woke up at 7 a.m. My husband asked if I’d like to go for a walk with him. The morning was beautiful, with the fading moon and rising sun. It turned into two days of early walks, then a week, and now a year. I never thought I’d willingly wake up for the sunrise. —Gail Clarke, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Dogs and their tricks
I always said no to volunteering at the animal shelter because I thought it would be too depressing. A year ago, I finally agreed to help out. It’s a lot of hard work, it can be stressful and, yes, it’s tough to see what some animals go through. But it’s the most rewarding and fun volunteer job I’ve ever had. There’s no better feeling than watching an animal, one that you cared for, find a home. —Susan Silver, Thornton, Colorado
Change is brewing
During graduate school, I spent summers working for a construction company. A coffee truck would pull up to the jobsite, and concrete pourers and steelworkers would line up to order big, steaming cups of coffee. When my turn came, I didn’t have the courage to say, “Can I have a hot chocolate?” So I tried coffee for the first time. I liked it. Who knew? —Paul Bailey, Fayetteville, New York
Losses and gains
My wife convinced me to join my cousin’s weight-loss group despite my resistance. It was a large group—pardon the pun—made up entirely of women. By the third week, I’d lost the most weight of anyone in the group. Everyone cheered and made me feel so good about myself. I paid the small membership fee and lost nearly 140 pounds in a year. I became the leader of 12 chapters in my state and made countless friends. Second-guessing can make a difference in your life. I’m living proof. —John Murray, Wakefield, Massachusetts
A flipped decision
My son wanted a trampoline, but I was afraid he’d get injured, so I refused to have one on our property. He was determined, and after several attempts, he came up with a winning argument: “What if you hear an ambulance whizzing down the street but don’t realize it’s me because I was hurt on someone else’s defective trampoline?” That was all it took. I ordered the safest trampoline I could find, and he and his friends had years of (cautious!) fun on it. —Anne Shipley, Rochester, New York
Going faux?
After the kids moved out, my husband and I bought an artificial Christmas tree. I was certain we’d wind up donating it to Goodwill. But it was a smart purchase. No more cleaning up needles or disposing of a real tree. Our fake tree is easy to set up, decorate and store—though I do miss the smell of fresh-cut pine. —Sharon Silva, Felton, California
A sweet surprise
I grew up not liking sweet potatoes. My mom didn’t, so I was convinced I wouldn’t either. Years later, our cafeteria was serving sweet potato fries, and I told my story to a co-worker. She said I was being childish and shamed me into trying some. Now, not only do I like sweet potato fries, but I’ll even have just a baked sweet potato for a quick meal. —L.M., Crystal River, Florida
Adopting a new perspective
A few years ago, my great-nephews were taken away from their mother. One was 4 years old, the other a 3-month-old baby. When initially asked to take them in, I said no. My husband and I had never wanted kids. And by that point, he had passed away and I was almost 60. But when I looked at their little faces, I couldn’t imagine them entering foster care. I’m now the legal guardian of a 9-year-old and a 4-year-old. I bought my first house (for them, really). And, at 64, I am raising a family! —Sherry Cannon, Toledo, Ohio
A real change of heart
I’ve had a life full of challenges, failures and satisfaction. I’ve lived in extreme poverty, as well as abroad and in comfort. I used to say, “If I die tomorrow, I’d die happy.” But in June, my granddaughter was born. Now, if I knew I was going to die tomorrow, I’d beg, “Please, God, give me several years with my granddaughter!” —Rifalda Lobato, Lyndhurst, Ohio
Rising to the occasion
Our daughter was an honor student home from Penn State for the summer. One night, she came back from her restaurant hostess job and said she’d met a wonderful guy there. He was a Temple University dropout, lived in an apartment with another girl (he swore they only shared rent) and often called our daughter for emergency rides to work when his old beat-up car didn’t start. Safe to say we weren’t sold on him at the time.
Today, he’s the wonderful father of two kind and successful kids. He’s respectful and interested in what we have to say. He likes to cook and often sends dinners over to our house. But most of all, he’s an excellent, caring husband to our daughter. —Joyce Anagnostache, Marietta, Georgia
The (med) student becomes the teacher
I planned to be a doctor but nearly failed an organic chemistry course and had to choose another career path. I’d never wanted to be a teacher—the thought of spending every day with noisy, wiggly kids didn’t appeal. But when teacher friends invited me to observe their classrooms, I was surprised to find quiet learning environments. They showed me their curricula, which had room for creativity. I decided to give teaching a try, even though it meant going back to school.
The first class I taught was made up of 30 delightful second graders. They loved learning, and I was patient and firm. Now I’ve been an elementary school classroom teacher, special education teacher, librarian and counselor. Thank heavens for organic chemistry. —Gloria Bolduc, Chesterton, Indiana
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