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We’ve all made mistakes. But sometimes, those mistakes are so big we end up regretting them. I haven’t gotten too far in life yet, so mine isn’t very bad.
Share yours down below and vote for your favorite ones.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Was in a dark gay bar and noticed a guy checking me out. I was going to do a casual walk-by to see if he was worth my time; he went to do the same. But we kept doing that step-from-side-to-side thing to keep bumping into one another as we made our approach. We got within 5 feet of one another and I realized... I was walking towards a mirror. I'd been hitting on myself for the last 20 minutes. Honestly tho: he wasn't my type...
Final score:
73points
RELATED:
#2
My biggest mistake was being promiscuous and needing the attention of boys to feel accepted, wanted, and needed.
Final score:
40points
#3
Not continuing my education hence I'm in a job I dislike. I moved out of my mothers home at 19 due to a volatile mother. I was not a self motivator so not thinking I could work AND go to school, I've had more jobs I hated than liked. I'm close to retiring so that's something I am really looking forward to. For those young ones out there; DO CONTINUE YOUR EDUCATION even if it's just to get an Associates degree. Looking back, I should have gone to a trade school.
Final score:
39points
#4
Not making time to look after myself and deal with my own emotions when my mom got taken sick. For seven months I bottled in everything I was feeling (fear, depression, anxiety, self loathing) and just focused on making sure she was okay. Once she was, I had a mental breakdown and it’s taken two years of therapy, tablets and a pinch of hypnotherapy to find myself and be happy again. Moral of the story; no matter what is going on, don’t put your feelings on the back burner. Find an outlet, validate them and don’t be ashamed of them.
Final score:
34points
TheReader19 4 years ago
I hope you're in a better place now, hindsight is a wonderful thing and we deal handle situations as best we can at the time.
#5
Hid the fact that I had undiagnosed SEVERE Depression from anyone I knew. That was the worst time of my life
Final score:
33points
#6
Falling in love with and marrying a man who was a criminal. And a cheater.
Final score:
31points
Arctic Fox Lover 4 years ago
Like I said, he didn't treat you like the queen you are. There is a fine line between lust and love... And he was on the far too big side of lust.
#7
Taking Tae Kwon Do. I have been doing it for 6 years and it has only made me realize how sexist and misogynistic men are. When I started I was under the impression that I would be learning to defend myself outside of the classroom, but apparently I would have to learn to defend myself inside the classroom as well. As one of the few girls in the class I was often paired with boys to learn self defenses, which often requires them to hug me and attack me. Most of the boys in the class used this opportunity to touch me inappropriately and make me generally uncomfortable. My instructor clearly saw what they were doing and said nothing, and I never told anyone for I feared they wouldn't care just as my instructor didn't. I had to work twice as hard as the boys in my class to get to my next belt and I watched boys that had started only a few weeks prior getting belt recommendations when I had to wait four months before even wondering when I would be recommended. I was forced to toughen up and defend myself against the boys in my class and the positive easy-going kid I used to be died when I first stepped into that building. I kept going to class because I was taught that giving up was a sign of weakness, and to give up was the worst mistake I could make. In the end not giving up was my worst mistake. I am still taking Tae Kwon Do and will be getting my black belt next month. Continuing Tae Kwon Do was my worst mistake and my best decision as it forced me to realize the harsh reality of being a woman in this day and age, and I just wish I didn't have to learn it the hard way.
Final score:
30points
Esca Sav 4 years ago
I didn't realized how many people I know are openly sexist until I walked in front of my house. Not as bad as your situation, but still irritated the sh*t out of me. I finally persuaded my dad to teach me how to mow the lawn. I'm 23. He refused to teach me before because "I will have a man in the house to do it." Took a tumor to make him realize that I need to learn considering he doesn't have the strength for it. But this isn't what I want to mention. What I want to mention is practically every neighbor (both female and male) along with a hell lot of my relatives started commenting things like "Oh your pops can't do it?" "Don't you have a cousin (male) that could take over?" "Oh wow, you're mowing the lawn???" "I can do it for you, just relax and go back home." It's bloody irritating. The f*cking grass is beautiful by the way thanks to me, but it's been a year. Why can't people shut up and let me mow the lawn just like they let EVERY MAN ON THE STREET DO IT IN PEACE AND QUIET
#8
Putting myself aside to make others happy.
Final score:
30points
#9
I took a karate class. To warm up, we had to take a running jump over some pads. I had never made it over four pads, but I thought today was the day. It wasn't, and I broke my arm.
Final score:
27points
#10
Getting married at eighteen, to someone who I knew had already cheated on me several times, and staying married through at least three other affairs, because I thought it was the right thing to do to forgive her - to be the understanding, loving one. She just resented me for the guilt she felt. Fortunately, the experience didn't lead me to hate women - just her.
Final score:
25points
Sathe Wesker 4 years ago
Super glad to hear this hasn't affected you towards all women but I am sorry you went through that. Young love is tough. You do deserve better. Cheaters exist in both genders though, trust me on that one lol. Hopefully you now have or will find someone worthy.
#11
I was born and raised in California, and even out in the sticks where I lived, beauty was sharply defined: tan, blonde or brunette and nice-looking in a bikini. I'm a pasty, red-haired and freckled bookworm who always had some extra weight. I was the only redhead in town. I was bullied mercilessly for being an ugly freak.
I believed them. I didn't know better, all I knew was what I saw, and I saw that I was different and "not pretty" by the cultural standards. I wasted a lot of my youth hating myself for being a freak. I was extremely depressed from the first grade on, wishing I was dead.
When I was 14, my family got sick of my moping and sent me to Cincinnati to stay with some relatives for the summer. For the first time in my life I saw more redheads in an environment where they were pretty normal, even entire families of redheads. I was stunned. I wasn't the only one in the world, after all! In one afternoon of people watching at the mall, I felt like the clouds had finally parted.
I've always regretted how much I hated myself back then. I'm 55 now and still preach the gospel about not letting society define you; give yourself the worth that you deserve. I ESPECIALLY preach that to my red-haired kids!
Final score:
22points
#12
My biggest mistake was trusting someone blindly and making him the center of my world. The price I paid - anxiety, depression and total loss of confidence.
Final score:
21points
Arctic Fox Lover 4 years ago
Girl, clearly you were too good for him! You're a priceless gem, and he's just scum. Trust me, anyone who would break up with you for any reason isn't good enough for you. All men should treat their girls like queens, and if he didn't do that, then he was an ugly fraud! Put your chin up, stand tall! You're beautiful! >:)
#13
My biggest mistake would be when I was around 20 years old I got invited to a party in a pub that was going on 'after hours'. There were plenty class A narcotics flying around as well as some of the lesser kind. I got absolutely smashed off my face and must have passed out at some point. I woke up the next morning in the upstairs accommodation, naked from the waist down, feeling rough and in some pain (in sensitive areas). I can't say I was raped because I wasn't conscious so I just don't know. Every day since, I have wished that I hadn't gone to that damn party. Every day. I have never told anyone about this, even my therapist. It feels good to get it out though anonymously. Thank-you.
Final score:
20points
Susan Stead 4 years ago
Please don't beat yourself up over that. You may have been "smashed off your face," but you were still a victim of those who took advantage. You made a mistake, but you didn't commit rape. Wish I could tell you that with a hug and a nice cuppa, but this will have to do.
#14
I was bullied in third grade. I didn’t tell anyone. So they thought they could pick on me in fourth grade. And then by fourth grade the bullies were teacher’s pets. So no one except my parents believed I was getting bullied. Elementary School is now ruined for me.
Final score:
16points
#15
Didn't go to see a doctor on time cuz I "never had time". 12 years later, today, I've been suffering for 4 months from lower abdominal pain nobody can even diagnose and each new doc appointment take at least 2 weeks. ALWAYS ALLOCATE TIME FOR YOUR HEALTH.
Final score:
16points
Lindsy Kulikowski 4 years ago
I have lower abdominal pain as well that’s undiagnosed. What has helped is seeing a gyno, she massages the area and works on loosening the muscles. Also, stretching. Maybe give it a try?
#16
Had a breakdown in college, spent 6 months in a mental hospital and gave up on my education
Final score:
16points
#17
This is a second one:
Another one if my big mistakes was trusting peta
Final score:
16points
#18
Honestly, this is more of a regret, but I wish I had studied better when I was a kid.
Final score:
16points
#19
So I have a really messy room and when I moved out of the house to go to college we were packing up and I found a molded cup about 1 year old worth of coffee and I went to go throw it in the woods and ran into my lil sister and it went all in her hair........... I felt sooooo bad oops. She ended up putting horseradish in my shoes????
Final score:
14points
Arctic Fox Lover 4 years ago
Oh gosh, I hate horseradish. The poor horses had to be made into radishes, like who would do such a thing?!?! Lol
#20
Trusting my "best friend" of over 20 years. I still can't fathom how anyone could end up so cruel after knowing and loving and even raising kids together. We met the summer before 8th grade and went through everything together. I cut the chord of her son while the dirt bag sperm donor was too busy getting high to be on time. We were roomates, we cried together, laughed together everything. Then in a blink of an eye everything changed. She went from being my confidant to owing me 5,000 dollars (plus) and when I finally let that anger go and decided our friendship was worth more she did the ultimate unforgivable thing. I won't go into details here because it was that bad but let's just say if she had gotten away with it she would've not only ruined mine and my children's lives she would've ruined other lives involved as well. She has already cost me some of my other family and friends because of this. Lets just say everything ended up turning out alright. But I don't know if I'll ever trust anyone again the way I trusted her. ( I also doubt I will ever get those family / friends back... which is funny because most of them didn't like her anyhow but sure did believe the spew of lies that came out so I guess I don't need those people either.)
Final score:
13points
#21
Selling the house I rebuilt in Palo Alto. I did it in order to buy a wonderful house on 10 acres in Sonoma that a friend owned. I invested a huge chunk of money into it in order to rent it to friends as an Event space. It proved a successful endeavour! I loved living there "by myself" because my best friends descended on me in hordes once a month for an event. My friend lied to me and gave the house back to the bank, telling me he was doing some deal with the bank and we'd be back in it within 6 months. I spent the rest of the money from selling my beloved Beanflower House on storage for the stuff from the house...since we were going to be moving right back in. It took me a long time to realize he'd lied to me. Then the house burned to the ground in the Sonoma Firestorm October 8, 2017. If I'd owned it, at least it would have been insured.
Final score:
12points
Pseudo Puppy 4 years ago
Lesson learned: if it has to do with business, law, or money..... always get it in writing, regardless of who the other parties are.
#22
Staying in a relationship with a guy who was hooked on drugs. Specifically the prescription drugs that I needed to get by some days (opioids). Eventually, I began abusing them (opioids)as well. We broke up, I stayed addicted, and spiraled into depressed, anxiety and obsession with getting more. Attempted suicide, ended up in rehab for 6 months with mandatory monitoring for the next five years as im a medical provider. Although, I'm doing much better than i ever had, even before i became addicted. I highly recommend everyone see a therpist. its life changing.
Final score:
11points
#23
I did the mistake of loving the wrong person. It turned out that he was telling twisted truths and lies, and I just believed him blindly. After the truths came out, he started stalking and blackmailing me and manipulating my friends that I had to cut ties with everyone I knew and live a life under wraps. This affected my mental health and I suffer from severe anxiety and low self-esteem. It's been three years and still I've not been able to live my life freely and it's frustrating to pause your life so that someone else can live theirs.
If you know anyone struggling to live, please do what you can. A "I'm here for you" or even the littlest support may mean everything for them.
Final score:
11points
Doggo Georgia 4 years ago
That spiraled out of control quickly. I hope that one day you can live a normal life again, and be the happiest you've ever been. That may not be today, but today you can try your best to help make things better.
#24
I preferred to think I could outsmart the unknown by imagining and preparing for every possibility, but it turns out the unknown really is the unknown.
Final score:
10points
#25
I was a cashier at a fast food restaurant when I was 19. We sold Mexican style food. A customer came in and asked if our Pico de gallo (salsa) was made with real tomatoes. Me being 19 and only a cashier, I didn't know or go check. So I said, "I don't think so." Thank God my coworker was being nosy and said "yes, it is made of fresh tomatoes. Everything here is made fresh." Turns out the customer is severely allergic to fresh tomatoes. She said she would have died in the restaurant. I almost killed someone and got the restaurant a lawsuit. I was so embarrassed for being so careless. My coworker hated me. Lol
Final score:
10points
#26
trying to commit suicide
Final score:
10points
#27
Failing to research the medication I was taking. I was prescribed sertraline (an antidepressant) and at first I was pleased with it because it helped my depression, anxiety and chronic migraine. I read the list of side-effects and a few of them appeared within the first couple of weeks of use, then improved somewhat over time. I already suffered tinnitus occasionally as a migraine symptom, so when it started getting more frequent and more severe several months after I started taking sertraline, I assumed it was still a migraine thing and didn't connect it with the medication. Neither did the doctors I saw about my tinnitus, which eventually became permanent, and unsurprisingly, having a constant horrible high-pitched noise in my ear also exacerbates my migraine and significantly impairs my quality of life. Eventually, while searching online for information about tinnitus I learned that some meds including sertraline can be ototoxic and thus tinnitus can be a cumulative and irreversible side-effect of long term use, not just an immediate one (a nurse I spoke to later confirmed this). If I'd done my homework earlier I could have stopped taking it earlier and possibly saved myself from a lifelong disability.
Final score:
8points
Cecilia Cheung 4 years ago
I completely understand. It's been years since I stopped taking Hydrocortisone and a dozen other meds, and I'm still suffering from its side effects: dozen cysts all over my body, chronic nausea, rheumatoid arthritis, damaged bones, I can keep going. Just know you're not alone ❤️
#28
Believing everything is gonna be okay. I was not ready.
Final score:
7points
Unfortunate beauty? 4 years ago
It will get better trust me this is coming from an 11 year old girl who lost a grandma last june and August, moved houses, moved schools, lost all of my friends because I'm bad at judgement, and now we're in a pandemic..... But I have hope it's still going to get better.
#29
So many, I can't choose just one.
Final score:
6points
#30
Was walking by my neighbor at my dorm and peeked into the room as the door was open. There were several people in the room, but a girl sitting on the floor caught my attention. Everyone was sort of laughing at the moment. I looked at the girl and she looked odd. It looked like she had flipped her eyelids inside out like kids would do to gross out their friends. So I joined in on the laughter and stepped into the room and said, “what did she do to her eyes?”. Everyone immediately stopped laughing. As I got closer, I realized she was blind. I backed out of the room and ran to my dorm room. 😫
Final score:
6points
#31
well I went whale watching..... long story short I had only eaten a packet of dried seaweed and then we got on the boat and it was a really windy day and I vomited all over the crowd with nice seaweedy juices. it was traumatising and every time I see a boat of a whale I feel like throwing up again. to make it even worse I was a teenager so my dignity was lost during this expirence.
Final score:
6points
#32
Heroin. 8 years hooked, caused a divorce, was homeless, lost everything, overdosed, time in jail.
Got out of jail, been clean since and got my life back together. Going on 7.5 years.
DON'T DO DRUGS
Final score:
6points
#33
Took a major in college that I thought it would be easy to get a job and make more money. I got the job after graduated...but I kind of don't like it, and the money is not really that good
Final score:
5points
Doggo Georgia 4 years ago
Are you able to change your job? If not, that is sad, but (hold on I can't put the image in here with this device I'll put it in when I have the chance to edit)
#34
gosh, I have a lot of things I regret, so I'm going to say them all:
First of all, for 3 years I had a crush on a toxic boy who didn't show any interest in me, but I could not let go. He was really spiteful but had really good looks. I spent 3 years trying to charm him into liking me, and it did not work. I spent so much time doing this, I didn't pay attention to my schoolwork and for those 3 years, I could've done soooo much better and got further ahead than I am now. Luckily for me, he moved schools, and at the time I felt like it was the worst thing that could ever happen to me, but now I am so glad he did because otherwise, I would've still been chasing him.
Another thing is having a "best friend" with me for 4 years. This was basically at the same time period. We became friends when she was still the new kid, and she was really nice and loved to hang out with me. Over time, she became really popular and got a bunch of new friends I thought were horrible people. She started to not talk to me as much, but I was convinced she was still my "bestie" since we had been together for a long time. She changed a lot, and she had her own friend group, and I had mine. I realized it was time to stop following her when one Halloween I got separated from my parents at a foreign neighborhood in the midst of the line to the haunted house, and I and her group of friends were in the same place. After searching wildly for my mother, I spotted my best friend in the cluster of people. I went up to her and asked if I could join her for trick-or-treating, and then when we were done her mom would send me back (we live in the same neighborhood). She said no, I was super "annoying" and would just "mess up our plans." They were dressed up as fancy Starbucks baristas, and I was a homemade "cereal killer (pun intended)" I kept asking to join her, but she would not agree. I asked for her phone to call my mom, and she just said I would get it dirty. I ended up following at a distance to seem like we were not in the same group. I have better friends now, and I guess it was just 4 years wasted.
Final score:
5points
Doggo Georgia 4 years ago
4 years were not 'wasted'. You may have had a best friend who became 'popular' and changed, but how would you know that? At least you had some good moments with her.
#35
Not making time to look after myself and deal with my own emotions when my mom got taken sick. For seven months I bottled in everything I was feeling (fear, depression, anxiety, self loathing) and just focused on making sure she was okay. Once she was, I had a mental breakdown and it’s taken two years of therapy, tablets and a pinch of hypnotherapy to find myself and be happy again. Moral of the story; no matter what is going on, don’t put your feelings on the back burner. Find an outlet, validate them and don’t be ashamed of them.
Final score:
4points
#36
Back when I was in second grade, I thought that if you put hand sanitizer on a tissue, you could clean out the algae in a fish tank. The next day, after coming home from a field trip at school, I was watching a movie. My mom got mad at something, and kept saying, "Oh, no, oh, no!" I went to see what was wrong, and my brother was crying. The water in the tank was foggy, and the fish appeared almost lifeless. I nearly killed the fish in the aquarium. My mom gave me spanking. I kept telling her I was sorry, and she wouldn't talk to me for the rest of the day. I got my toys taken away. A few days later, one of the fish died. A few weeks after, the other fish died. Since then we have not had any animals since. :(
Final score:
4points
Doggo Georgia 4 years ago
You made a mistake, but your mom shouldn't have been that harsh. Maybe she should have educated you on cleaning the tank beforehand or maybe, though you shouldn't regret not doing this, you could've asked her if it would work.
#37
Biggest mistake was ignoring my dad when he called my name. Up until that point he would call me every two seconds to either insult me because of something I had no idea about or order something off of Amazon that we really don't need but he just has to have it (honestly a lot of stuff that built up over the years). I went to drop off the laundry in the basement since my mom told me to do that first and then went up to ask him what he needed it. It is worth to mention that I heard a loud thump before he called me. I just didn't realized what happened until I opened the bedroom door. He was lying on the ground disoriented... I yelled for my mom. Instantly, I knew what it was... but we didn't find out until a few days later. I never told anyone. It's been a year. I don't have a good relationship with him, but I can't forgive myself for that. For not going to him the minute he called my name. I don't think I love him, but I know enough that I care for him...
I hate myself
Final score:
4points
Doggo Georgia 4 years ago
You shouldn't hate yourself. It was his choice to do that. You may have contributed, but please forgive yourself.
#38
Definitely being "friends" with toxic people. They made me self-conscious and depressed. I was constantly harassed and ridiculed by them. :(
Final score:
4points
#39
Didn't go to see a doctor on time cuz I "never had time". 12 years later, today, I've been suffering for 4 months from lower abdominal pain nobody can even diagnose and each new doc appointment take at least 2 weeks. ALWAYS ALLOCATE TIME FOR YOUR HEALTH.
Final score:
3points
#40
Limited education, undiagnosed phys and mental illnesses.
Relationships and marriages w abuse, alcohol and narc.
Simply, not taking care of my self, incl getting fat..
Final score:
3points
#41
well i didn't make it but my mom did she didn't abort me
Final score:
2points
Pseudo Puppy 4 years ago
Cat Nip, to clarify, you're saying that the biggest mistake your mom made was having you (ie not aborting you)?? If so, this makes me genuinely worried for you, if you believe your existence is a mistake. :o :( Are you ok?
#42
I walked into the boys bath room and every one the big airport bathroom turned and looked I couldnt have gotten out of there fast enough 😳😳😱😱😰
Final score:
2points
Vanta Black 4 years ago
If that's the biggest mistake you've ever made in your entire life so far, I envy you.
#43
Before I started homeschooling, my elementary school had this program called D.O.G.S., which stood for Dads Of Great Students. One day, in third grade, my dad came to my class, and at one point, I accidentally stepped back, and my foot came onto my dad’s phone, which was on the floor. It wasn’t really a huge crack, but it still horrified me, and I regret stepping back to this day.
Final score:
1point
#44
My biggest mistake is me
Final score:
1point
#45
I got engaged at age 20.
At least I was smart enough to end it.
Final score:
1point
#46
I once thought I had made a mistake, but I was mistaken. That was my biggest mistake.
Final score:
-2points
What do you think ?
Justanotherperson 4 years ago (edited)
How do you make these ask panda posts? Does anybody know?
Doggo Georgia (Post author) 4 years ago
Well, what you do is you create a post titled Hey Pandas, What's This? Or Tell Us This, and post it, then the editors on Bored Panda will turn it into an ask Pandas post.
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Justanotherperson 4 years ago (edited)
How do you make these ask panda posts? Does anybody know?
Doggo Georgia (Post author) 4 years ago
Well, what you do is you create a post titled Hey Pandas, What's This? Or Tell Us This, and post it, then the editors on Bored Panda will turn it into an ask Pandas post.
Load More Replies... 
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