Things that got better.. a positive thread.

I agree about travel sickness.

As a child, going on a coach to the seaside 20 miles away made me feel sick.

Now DH and I go on coach holidays to Europe.

Yes, the coaches are much better, but even so….

As I have aged I find I don't fret about the little things so much. A few months ago I went to the theatre with my youngest daughter. As we were waiting in the foyer she started laughing and pointed to my feet. I hadn't put the light on to reach my shoes under the stairs and had come out in odd shoes. There was a time when I would have gone straight home, hoping nobody else had noticed. Instead I laughed with her and carried on with my evening, not caring who else saw my mistake.

My hair! I used to spend hours making sure it looked as near to perfect as possible. These days I settle for clean and reasonably tidy. Now I no longer drive my hair is often damp and windblown by the time I reach the bus stop. I no longer waste time fretting about it.

Saying no, instead of agreeing to things and then worrying how to get out of them

It would need to be someone who, like Richard, doesn't put themselves in the limelight, speaks quietly and never ridicules the contestants (who are often, ridiculously stupid. And being on camera should be no excuse for those "celebrities")

There are probably several who fit the bill, but we may not have heard of them, just because they do keep themselves in the background.

Sorry, wrong thread!!!!!!

Now I've butted in,I'd better make a contribution.

Finances got better when the children left home. I was always in the red by the time I'd shopped for five back in the day, but that sorted itself out when we were only two! I miss them, though, of course, my lovely boys. But now they're responsible Dads and keep in touch regularly.

I used to be afraid of spiders and terrified of thunderstorms.
If I heard on the weather forecast of even a possibility I would be in panic mode all day.Now I can sit and read through them or sleep through them.
I can trap spiders and put them outside.
I can also drink milk when, as a child, I would do anything but drink that bottle at school, I would actually vomit, now I don’t mind it at all.
This has all resulted in an easier life.

keepcalmandcavachon

Saying no, instead of agreeing to things and then worrying how to get out of them

Yes!
And no longer giving much of a toss what people think.

Oh yes, I agree Witzend and keepcalm

Learning about myself and how that has affected my life (self knowledge).
Confidence has improved.
Phobias which affected my enjoyment of life now mostly under control.
Ability to say no (and say why) when asked to participate in things I know are going to be difficult.
Several day-to-day things that I am now able to do that I couldn't when younger.
Acceptance.
Assertion.

Most of this hard-won and not everything is yet rosy...

Lovely to hear yogitree. Its great not giving a tuppenny toss isn't it. 🙃

I couldn't manage two miles to town in the bus. Had to get off just after a mile, usually. Drove my mum mad having paid the fare into town. Had to walk a good bit back before getting the bus rest of way home. Travel sickness took until nearly 50 before
disappearing although still not good on boats.

Touching my toes. As a child I was able to touch my toes. But as I got older I stopped exercising and stretching because I had no time between raising my family and working, and I could only reach to just below my knees. Now, I have the time and do pilates three times per week and can touch my toes again. So, wonderful to have more time for me.

My absolute fear of dogs, any kind of dog would panic me into walking miles out of my way just to avoid it/them. However in the past few years a pup was introduced into the family and I gradually got to understand behaviour patterns. Now I can be with dogs and was even asked by a nervous friend if I would distract a dog while she eased herself by it. That person would have been me and I did allow a little nod of respect to myself. It wasn’t easy but I do find I quite love dogs now. I’m working on spiders now.

I used to be superstitious about magpies because of the rhyme :
1 for sorrow
2 for joy
3 for a girl
4 for a boy
5 for silver
6 for gold
7 for a secret never to be told.
During Covid a magpie with a broken wing hopped in my garden. I fed him for 4 years and called him Hop a Long!
He’s no more now but that cured me of that superstition- never tell that rhyme to yr chn!

Life in general. After divorcing a coercive controlling man aftet 40+ years, losing wright, retiring and then finding a nan who is everything my exh wasn't life is good. Just wish I hadn't wasted so many years on someone who didnt flinch when I said I wanted a divorce and was onto another poor unsuspecting woman before we had even sold the marital home 😊

BrandyGran

I used to be superstitious about magpies because of the rhyme :
1 for sorrow
2 for joy
3 for a girl
4 for a boy
5 for silver
6 for gold
7 for a secret never to be told.
During Covid a magpie with a broken wing hopped in my garden. I fed him for 4 years and called him Hop a Long!
He’s no more now but that cured me of that superstition- never tell that rhyme to yr chn!

One of my daughters was really worried seeing just one magpie on our way to school. I told her that seeing a heron on the same trip cancelled it out. Thankfully we did - we passed a canal, a river and 2 streams so I was on fairly safe ground.

It turns out that she told one of her friends recently and was really cross when her friend told her the truth.

I needed reading glasses for the past 20 years then miraculously my eyesight improved to the point of not needing glasses. At 74 it seems amazing.

I used to get cold sores at least once a month. Might get one a year now.

Crippling migraines the same.

God bless the menopause.

I changed the magpie rhyme for g chn to 1 for PEACE
2 for joy etc

I no longer have migranes either, and am not as scared of thunderstorms as I used to be.

I am increasingly glad for the things I still can do, and focus on them rather than on what I cannot do any longer.

Much to my surprise I discovered this winter that I can still shovel snow! That I had not seen coming.

I used to be horribly allergic to animal fur / dander. It would trigger severe asthma attacks. Doesn’t bother me any more. I think I grew out of it in my 50s!

I used to have dreadful cold sores which were painful and ugly. I rarely get one now usually when I’m stressed.