What was your greatest epiphany?

[justlikebike]

I was just reading the thread on what are introvert hobbies and it reminded me about how I learned I didn't actually hate people, I was just an introvert.

I remember when I was in my late 20s and read an article that described an introvert vs an extrovert.
An introvert = a person that recharges themselves by spending time alone
an extrovert = a person that recharges themselves by spending time around other people.
Nothing more, nothing less.

This to me was a life game changer. I always wondered why I couldn't be around people even good friends for too long. I always thought there was something wrong with me.

What was your greatest epiphany?

[Sunset]

I don't know if I've had any that I can recall right now.
I do know that my thinking on many things has evolved/changed over time, but no suddenly blinding light of awareness.

[Gumby]

I was about two years old, and I learned what the switch on the wall did; suddenly a light came on.

[MichaelB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumby I was about two years old, and I learned what the switch on the wall did; suddenly a light came on.

What an illuminating experience

[RobbieB]

The value of time.

The variance of wealth between people is vast, but the time not so much. Hundreds of billions vs pocket jingle. However length of life, not so much. 100 years is a long life, but even homeless people can make it to 60 easy.

So I've tried to use my time doing things that I liked to do and wanted to do. Things I enjoyed and made me happy. Start every day with a smile and a sense of adventure and excitement. Because I just don't have time to be miserable.

[Dtail]

Mine was the realization that I could retire at 57. Biggest life changer for me.

[ls99]

Early in life got to understand the most valuable thing, if it can be called a thing.

FIRE, yeah, the real one with flames, or the rapid burn to go boom.

No matter what, to have comfort, make most anything, somewhere a fire had too be burning. Grew up in a house with no insulation, no central heat, no plumbing of any sort, fire made life tolareable. Coal stove for cooking hreating. Learned to make fire before got school age, and to chop wood, haul coal.

Want heat? make a fire, want light?, somwhere a power plant is running a fire. Want cold, in August? Somewhere in a power plant a fire is burning to run your AC.

Yeah now I know there is hydro elctric, nuke elctric, wind electric. Before they became, a fire was burning to make the steel, aluminium, cement etc.

Come to my camp in mid january, same cold inside as outside, first thing is to make fire. Even in the tropics many make fire to cook etc.

Want your car to go, set gasoline on fire. Yeah I know electric cars don't do that, but, to make them some gas or coal was burned to run the factory. Want stuff delivered to your door? Tractor trailers make fire in their engine's cylinder, UPS Fedex etc. make fire in their engine's cylinders.


Want to go to the moon? make a big fire in the end of a big tube.

[aja8888]

Can't really think of one.

[38Chevy454]

Not a smack to the head, but realized when around college age I can only control my reaction to things, not necessarily control things themselves.

[momoftwo]

I didn't know I'd fall in love with our first grandchild from the get go. Babies are not my favorite stage. At 7 months, he's got me. I could just hold or watch him play 24/7.
I think I fell in love with our own two children around age two. Working FT and raising babies is not for the weak.

Perhaps it is because I don't actually have 24-7 responsibility for grand.

[CardsFan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumby I was about two years old, and I learned what the switch on the wall did; suddenly a light came on.

I was about that age when I stuck a fork in the wall socket and my face lit up

Just kidding

[Gumby]

The wall switch thing actually happened with my nephew. One day while I was visiting, I was holding him and flipped the light switch and he saw the light come on and made the connection. Then he wanted to try it, so he did, several times. Then I had to carry him around the entire house to make sure that all the other switches worked the same way. It was really amazing to see him discover something new about the world.

[Keim]

This sounds sarcastic, but isn't meant that way.

In college I realized that wherever you go, there you are.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumby I was about two years old, and I learned what the switch on the wall did; suddenly a light came on.

OK, I have two. The first one is like Gumby's, and the second is my actual answer:

1.) When I was about three, we got a black and white TV, the first one I had ever seen. I accidently changed the channel, and was shocked! The tiny people inside the TV evaporated and new tiny people were in there!!!! How could that be!!!! I thought I killed the first bunch. What a wild experience.

2.) Actually, to be serious, my greatest epiphany was when I finally had some money to invest for the first time, but didn't know how to invest or what to invest it in. It seemed impossibly hard and as a scientist, I was sure this was "just not my thing". My brothers were the business majors, not me. Never thought I could do it.

But I had to figure it out or not retire. So, I studied very intensively for several months to learn some fundamentals of what I needed to know, and found Vanguard, bought some VFINX, and bingo! Suddenly, there was a great transformation - - much to my surprise and glee, I became an investor.

Who woulda known? As the saying goes, "Go figure!"

[Jackietime]

MY 20-month-old grandson was visiting one autumn day and it suddenly occurred to me that fallen leaves are not meant to be raked but are to be enjoyed to the fullest (and then you can rake them later).

[Car-Guy]

Having multiple advanced degrees is no guarantee of success. Practical experaince, common sense and a strong work ethic are invaluable. (Having a natural ability doesn't hurt either.)

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keim This sounds sarcastic, but isn't meant that way. In college I realized that wherever you go, there you are.

Not quite the same, and not an epiphany for me, but one day I suddenly realized that everyone is somewhere all at the same time. Even if they are lost.

[Calico]

Good health is more valuable than anything else on earth.

Also: don't skip those "routine" mammograms. One might just save your life.

[jldavid47]

I've had three epiphanies in my life. None of them came on suddenly. They kind of evolved until the realization hit.


1) When I was growing up I never saw myself as a creative person because I sucked at things like art. I learned to cook while in college and by the time I was in my 20s I started being creative in the kitchen and it was an epiphany. It wasn't that I lacked creativity. I simply had not found the proper vehicle to channel it. I subsequently found myself applying creative solutions to other aspects of my life and job. Turns out I am quite creative.


2) At some point in my early 30s I realized that "success" should not be externally defined but internally defined. I stopped thinking about promotions and making big money as "success" and started thinking about it in more personal terms as to what *I* wanted out of life. I became a much happier person after that and the reduced stress levels helped me lose over 100 pounds.


3) Perhaps related to the previous epiphany I came to embrace the concept of "enough" in life and stopped chasing the accumulation of possessions and the costs associated with them. Now, that does not mean we live in a shack (we don't, not even close) or eschew all niceties in life or live a Spartan existence. It just means I surround myself with the things that make me happy and not go overboard beyond that.

[Idealer]

Realizing the power of apologies. In college, my boyfriend and I had a bad fight and I took a walk on campus to sulk. I replayed the argument over and over in my mind, trying to justify why I was right. It really did hit me suddenly that I could admit being wrong, apologize, and that would be the best outcome. It was so freeing to not have to be right! Until then I'd been the sort of person who always tried to win everything.