14 Ways Your Life Can Unexpectedly Transform in a Decade

As time passes, we grow, learn, and change – sometimes for the better, but sometimes not. And while many will experience life-altering events, for others, life remains relatively stable throughout the years. Here are some of the ways people’s lives have changed over a decade.

1. Stopped Being a People Pleaser

In our younger years, we often find ourselves constantly trying to please people around us. Whether this is because we spend so much time trying to please our superiors (parents, teachers, etc.) or just because we want to be liked, it takes a toll on us. As we grow older, we often start setting boundaries and pursuing our passions, leading to a feeling of freedom where we enjoy life more.

2. Not as Anxious

Many people look back at their early days of adulthood and recognize they were very anxious, particularly in social settings. When they compare that person to who they are now, they often realize that they have come a long way. When we grow up, we become anxious because we are unsure of ourselves and who we are as people. This sense of self only develops later in life and leads to us feeling more stable and secure in all aspects of life.

3. Survived Cancer

Cancer is the leading cause of death in many developed nations, so it’s no surprise that most of us know someone who has dealt with it. Having cancer can truly change your life – not just from a medical standpoint, but your perspective changes too. You realize how short life is, and stop sweating the small stuff.

4. Got Sober

A lot of people struggle with alcohol use, especially with how alcohol is viewed in today’s society. Many people turn to alcohol as a stress reliever, which can become a slippery slope. But for those who recognize their problem and take the steps to get sober, they see things in a whole new light. It gives them a sense of pride and clarity they didn’t have before, and find themselves living a more enjoyable life.

5. Extreme Weight Loss

Significant weight loss can drastically change your life. Carrying less weight can improve your mobility and overall health, leaving some feeling like they have a new lease on life. If you lose a large amount of weight, it’s normal to feel more comfortable in your new body, which can also promote a greater sense of self-confidence.

6. Outlook on Corporate Life

Lots of us enter the workforce eager to start our careers and climb the corporate ladder. But as we spend more time in the corporate world, we realize it’s not all it was cracked out to be. Many of us stop giving our all to our jobs once we see that we are just a number, a worker that can easily be replaced at any time.

7. Learned To Walk Away

As we age, we start to realize what really matters in life. You may find yourself being kinder and more thoughtful towards others. We stop fighting the small battles, recognizing that they are insignificant once we consider the bigger picture. Sometimes, being the bigger person is the better move than stooping to someone else’s level and throwing jabs, which we might have done when we were younger.

8. Lack of Motivation

Lots of people find their motivation starts to wane as they get older. This can be particularly true if you find yourself feeling stuck. You begin to question what the point of trying is if it doesn’t get you anywhere different – this can apply to work, dating, or even friendships. Additionally, we experience shifts in priorities that can also contribute to a lack of motivation – for example, once you have kids, you may feel less inclined to put in extra time at work so you can spend that time with your kids instead.

9. More Cynical

As kids and young adults, we generally try to see the best in people, but along the way, we experience things that change our perceptions of others. Disappointment and betrayal set in, and our trust in others starts to diminish, causing us to become cynical. It also doesn’t help that in today’s society, there are more scams than ever, causing us to be skeptical of anything that seems even just slightly too good to be true.

10. Less Optimistic

As we journey through life it is not uncommon to feel less optimistic. Experiencing loss and facing challenges can cause us to lose faith that things will work out the way we hope. Instead, we find ourselves adopting a more cautious and realistic approach to life as a way to protect ourselves from further hurt.

11. A Better Future After Abuse

Getting out of an abusive relationship can have a drastic impact on your life. After having experienced genuine joy and pain from a relationship like that, many people can finally see a better future after leaving their abuser. They start over and build a whole new life, trying things they never had the chance or courage to do before.

12. Gained Self Respect

Our self-worth and self-respect is something that changes dramatically as we get older. When we are young, we are more likely to let people walk all over us and use us just so we can have them in our lives. But as we move through life, we realize that we deserve better than to be treated that way and begin to choose ourselves over others.

13. No Longer Scared

In our younger years, the world can seem like a big scary place. We feel unsure of ourselves because we don’t fully know who we are yet. As we move through life and collect life experiences, we start to understand ourselves better and develop a stronger sense of self-confidence. Once we are more established, the world seems less scary, knowing that we can tackle anything that life throws at us.

14. Well-Traveled

Travel is a hobby that many people enjoy. As your life changes you may be afforded more opportunities to travel and see different parts of the world. This can contribute to self-growth as you are exposed to different cultural experiences. There is something so rewarding about looking back at all your travels over the years and recognizing how certain trips have contributed to who you are today.

13 Discontinued Items That People Want To Bring Back Immediately

We all have items we absolutely love and buy all the time. Then the inevitable happens, and the item is discontinued. You find a replacement, but it’s just not the same. Or you reminisce back in time to a cool gadget you wish still was around to purchase. According to an online poll, these are the top-voted items that people would love to see hit the market again. 13 Discontinued Items That People Want To Bring Back Immediately

15 Stereotypical Coworkers Who Probably Work in Your Office

We have all heard of some of the stereotypical personalities in movies and TV shows, the boss’ pet or the goodie-two-shoes, but there are so many more personalities out there. We found a discussion in a popular online forum discussing some examples of other workplace personalities. Here are some of the top responses. 15 Stereotypical Coworkers Who Probably Work in Your Office

15 Things People Are Less Willing To Tolerate as They Get Older

As we age, we experience endless changes – our tastes, our bodies, and the way we approach different situations. Often we notice that our patience wears more quickly, and we are less tolerant of specific things that didn’t bother us once upon a time. Here are some examples people recently shared in an online poll; which ones resonate with you? 15 Things People Are Less Willing To Tolerate as They Get Older