essay on experience that changed my life

Essays About Life-changing Experiences: 5 Examples

Discover our guide for writing essays about life-changing experiences that combine three different elements: narrative, description, and self-reflection. 

Each of us has gone through life-changing experiences that shaped us into the individuals we are today. Because of how powerful they are, these events make for fascinating topics in writing. This subject doesn’t only let us tell our life stories, and it also pushes us to evaluate our behavior and reflect on why an incident happened.

Attract your readers by creating an excellent introduction and choosing a unique or exciting encounter. Paint a picture of the events that describe your experience vividly and finish with a strong conclusion.

5 Essay Examples

1. long essay on experience that changed my life by prasanna, 2. life-changing events: personal experience by anonymous on studycorgi.com, 3. my example of a life-changing experience by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 4. life-changing experience: death essay by writer annie, 5. a life-changing experience during the holiday season by anonymous on studymoose.com, 1. life-changing experience: defined, 2. the experience that changed my life, 3. life-changing events and how they impact lives, 4. everyday events that change a person’s life, 5. the person who change my life, 6. books or movies that changed my life, 7. a life-changing quote.

“Experiences can be good and sometimes terrible that results in a positive or negative impact on one’s life. Life is full of many unexpected challenges and unknown turning points that will come along any time. People must learn and grow from every experience that they go through in life rather than losing yourself.”

In this essay, Prasanna discusses her father’s death as her most challenging life-changing experience. She was cheerful, immature, and carefree when her father was still alive. However, when her father left, she became the decision-maker of their family because her mother was unable to.

Prasanna mentions that she lost not only a father but also a friend, motivator, and mentor. That sad and unexpected experience turned her into an introverted, mature, and responsible head of the family. Ultimately, she thanks her father for making her a better person, and because of the devastating incident, she realizes who she can trust and how she should handle the real world. You might also be interested in these essays about choice .

“In life, certain experiences present challenges that change the way people relate to themselves and their families. Certain life events mark life-changing moments that alter lives either positively or negatively. It matters how people handle their relationships at such critical moments.”

This essay contains two life events that helped the author become a better person. These events taught them to trust and appreciate people, be responsible, and value family. The first event is when their best friend passes away, leading to stress, loss of appetite, and depression. The second circumstance happened when the author postponed their studies because they were afraid to grow up and be accountable for their decisions and actions.

The writer’s family showed them love, support, and understanding through these events. These events changed their behavior, attitude, and perspective on life and guided them to strengthen family relationships.

For help picking your next essay topic, check out our 20 engaging essay topics about family .

“I thought it was awkward because he looked and acted very professional. In that moment I thought to myself, ‘this person is going to have a great impact in my life!’. I was very curious to meet him and get a chance to show him my personality.”

This essay proves that you should always believe in yourself and not be afraid to try something new. The author recalls when they had many problems and met an extraordinary person who changed their life. 

When they were in sixth grade, the writer had life issues that caused them to be anxious about any future endeavor. The author then says they don’t usually open up to teachers because they fear their reactions. Then they met Mr. Salazar, a mentor who respects and values them, and the writer considers him their best friend.

“When the funeral was over and he was laid to rest, I had a feeling I can’t even describe. It was almost an empty feeling. I knew I had lost someone that could never be replaced.”

Annie never thought that she’d go through a life-changing experience until the sudden death of her father. Her thoughts and feelings are all over the place, and she has many unanswered questions. She says that although she will never wish for anyone to experience the same. However, her father’s passing improved her life in some ways.

Her mother remarried and introduced a new father figure, who was very kind to her. Living with her stepdad allowed her to explore and do things she thought she couldn’t. Annie still mourns the loss of her birth father, but she is also grateful to have a stepdad she can lean on. She gradually accepts that she can’t bring her birth father back.

“This story as a whole has really changed me and made me an even better person in life, I’m so thankful that this happened to me because now I have a greater appreciation for the little things in life.”

The essay shows how a simple interaction on a cold day in December can completely change a person’s view on life. It starts with the writer being asked a small favor of an older man with Alzheimer’s disease to help him find his car. This experience teaches the writer to be more observant and appreciative of the things they have. The author was inspired to spend more time with loved ones, especially their grandfather, who also has Alzheimer’s disease, as they learned never to take anything for granted.

7 Prompts for Essays About Life-changing Experiences

Everyone has their definition of a life-changing experience. But in general, it is an event or series of events profoundly altering a person’s thinking, feelings, and behavior. Use this prompt to explain your understanding of the topic and discuss how a simple action, decision, or encounter can change someone’s life. You might also be interested in these essays about yourself .

For this prompt, choose a specific memory that made you re-evaluate your views, values, and morals. Then, discuss the impact of this event on your life. For example, you can discuss losing a loved one, moving to another country, or starting a new school. Your conclusion must contain the main lessons you learned from the experience and how it can help the readers.

Various positive and negative life-changing experiences happen anytime and anywhere. Sometimes, you don’t notice them until they substantially disturb your everyday life. 

To begin your essay, interview people and ask about a momentous event that happened to them and how it influenced their way of living. Then, pick the most potent life-changing experience shared. Talk about what you’d do if you were in the same situation.

Some life-changing events include common things such as marriage, parenthood, divorce, job loss, and death. Research and discuss the most common experiences that transform a person’s life. Include real-life situations and any personal encounters for an intriguing essay.

It’s normal to meet other people, but connecting with someone who will significantly impact your life is a blessing. Use this prompt to discuss that particular person, such as a parent, close friend, or romantic partner. Share who they are and how you met them, and discuss what they did or said that made a big difference in your life. 

Movies like “The Truman Show” help change your viewpoint in life. They open our minds and provide ideas for dealing with our struggles. Share how you reached an epiphany by reading a book or watching a movie. Include if it’s because of a particular dialogue, character action, or scenes you can relate to.

While others use inspirational quotes for comfort and to avoid negative thinking, some find a quote that gives them the courage to make drastic changes to better their lives. For this prompt, search for well-known personalities who discovered a quote that motivated them to turn their life around.  Essay Tip: When editing for grammar, we also recommend spending time and effort to improve the readability score of your essay before publishing or submitting it.

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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Life Changing Events: Personal Experience

If you are about to write a short narrative essay about something that changed your life forever, you’ve come to the right place! Check out our “childhood experience that changed my life” essay sample to get some ideas and inspiration for your paper.

Life Changing Event: Essay Introduction

Life changing experience: essay main body, life changing event: essay conclusion.

In life, certain experiences present challenges that change the way people relate to themselves and their families. Certain life events mark life-changing moments that alter lives either positively or negatively. It matters how people handle their relationships at such critical moments. 

Relationships, especially with family members, are the most important aspects of handling change. I have experienced life-changing events that turned me into a better person.

One such event occurred in my childhood, while the other occurred in adolescence. In both cases, my family was there to support and help me go through the tough times. Looking back at the influence of these events, I am always glad that my family was with me in overcoming the challenges. I am a better person because my family stood beside me and gave me strength and support in moments of weakness and helplessness.

The first event that had a remarkable impact on my life was the loss of a dear friend. This event changed my world and made me a better person. It taught me how to appreciate friends, family, and relationships. In childhood, I had a cousin who was my best friend.

Our friendship was so deep that we usually spent holidays and weekends visiting each other’s families. To my family, she was like one of the members. I was like one of her family members, too. We used to spend a lot of time together, playing, studying, traveling, and doing many other fun activities.

One day, while returning home from school, she got knocked down by a motorcyclist speeding off, trying to escape from a police officer. She was hit from behind and knocked her head on a large stone on the side of the road upon landing on the ground. When I received the news of the accident, I was devastated.

The morning after the accident, I visited her in the hospital and received the sad news that she was in a coma after suffering severe brain damage. I lost my appetite, could not sleep for weeks, and spent several nights crying and wishing she would be fine. She was in the hospital for six months. During that period, I became stressed and lost weight.

I missed school for many days, thus affecting my academics. Even though my family was also affected, the effect was greater on me because of our long-time friendship. Every day I woke up expecting to hear good news from my parents of her miraculous recovery, but that did not happen. As I became more depressed, I started to avoid social gatherings and experienced difficulty sleeping.

One morning, just after breakfast, we received news that she had passed away. At that moment, a hot flush of blood flowed into my head, and I fainted. The long period of endless waiting had come to an end. That morning was one of the lowest moments. I was rushed to the hospital, and the doctors said I had collapsed due to sudden shock. The grieving period was excruciating.

However, my family stood by me and offered consolation. My family members provided emotional and physical support and helped me overcome the incident. The event had severe emotional effects. My mum spent most of her time comforting me. I could cope with the situation because my family understood what I was going through, were patient, listened to me, and offered psychological help.

My parents were not angry at me for missing school. They allowed me to stay home until I was ready to go back. It took four months of grieving to get over the death of my cousin and best friend. This incident changed my life and brought me closer to my family. I now appreciate relationships and more. As a result, I am more loving, caring, compassionate, and appreciative of the people in my life.

The other defining moment that changed me involved a disagreement with my parents regarding joining high school. When the time came for me to enter high school, I was not prepared and wanted to stay home for a year before joining. My parents were concerned that I would lose a year of schooling since, at my age, I was not ready for a job. They feared I would have nothing to do for an entire year.

The reasons for delaying my entry to high school were fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. I was not ready to enter a stage of life where I was expected to be responsible for my life and actions. I refused to talk to my parents and other family members because I felt that they were imposing their principles on me. The truth is that I was afraid to enter a phase that would require me to be responsible for my decisions and actions.

I avoided my parents and always ensured they never got a chance to question me. My decision changed when my dad confronted me. Our discussion focused on the reasons that were informing my decision. At first, I was unwilling to tell my dad the truth, but as the debate progressed, I had no choice but to open up to him. I was afraid that he would be disappointed with me.

However, he assured me that it was normal to experience fear and anxiety, especially when making a life-changing decision. He narrated a story about how he had reacted the same way when his dad asked him to move out of their family house to find a place to live after joining college. Throughout the entire experience, my family was very understanding.

They helped me to overcome the fear and anxiety of embracing responsibilities. That incident changed my life, attitudes, and perspectives regarding life. My family has always supported me during tough times. That incident improved my relationship with my family and introduced me to adulthood. Whenever I face a challenge, I discuss it openly with my family because of the awareness that they are always ready and willing to listen and offer assistance. 

My elder brother introduced me to high school life and offered numerous tips on adjusting to the new environment. My family is my greatest source of joy and happiness. This incident taught me responsibility, trust, humility, and the importance of family. The aforementioned events changed my life tremendously because they played a crucial role in molding me into a responsible, caring, and compassionate person.

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Home Essay Samples Life Life Changing Experience

A Turning Point: An Event That Changed My Life Forever

Table of contents, the event: volunteer mission abroad, shifting perspectives and values, forging lasting connections, charting a new path.

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Becoming Bilingual: An Experience That Changed My Life

John Nobile Carvalho is a Biochemistry major from Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. John’s inspiration for writing this paper was in finding the most significant and impactful moments of language learning. The reason he considers his essay important is “because during the writing process I was able to recall memories and think of the journey I’ve been on, and all the challenges I’ve faced while learning two languages.” He also credits remote learning with providing plenty of time to devote himself to his studies and this project: “I was aware that this factor could help me focus and write something interesting for people who are not bilingual as well as people who are bilingual.” Besides being a student, John is also a musician and a book lover, and counts the blues and science-fiction books among his passions. He states that he “could never live a day without playing my guitar for a few minutes, or not reading a few pages of a book. These are the two ways I have to escape reality and enjoy the moment.”

The process of becoming a bilingual person can be seen as a long journey, which has several challenges, but at the same time several achievements. Learning a new language can be considered a challenge because it goes far beyond just learning to use words, expressions and knowing how to apply correct grammar, and what I mean by that is that you have to make mistakes, live in situations where you feel vulnerable, and go through difficulties. Even though it is not a simple task, I believe that this process allows us to develop persistence, willpower, maturity and a lot of discipline. Given the explanation, I ask myself the following question: what was my process of becoming bilingual, and how did that make me who I am today?

Well, my journey started relatively early in my life. The first memories I have in mind, when I had contact with the English language, was around the age of 7 years old. I mainly remember the moment when my father used to listen to songs that had quite different lyrics than what I was used to listening to in Brazilian music. I remember asking my dad what those words were and what they meant, and I also remember referring to them as ‘‘strange words.’’ I can perfectly remember the way my father had explained to me that it was English; he said it was a type of language that human beings use and that in particular it was used elsewhere in the world. That fascinated me, and with each day that passed by, I would ask my father to show me more and more music by American artists; this led me to develop a passion for Blues, Rock, Jazz, and Soul Music. I loved the rhythm, melody, and harmony of the songs of these musical genres, but there was a big problem. I could not understand practically anything about what the lyrics were saying, and that was quite frustrating.

After a while, it started to bother me, so I realized it was time to take an initiative. I realized it was time to seek to understand the meaning of the lyrics of the songs I loved so much. I remember sitting on the floor of my room, trying to read and pronounce each word in the rhythm in which I heard them in the songs. I also remember feeling quite angry at first because I could not understand anything at all. Over time, this curiosity made me discover that I could use online translators and websites that made music translations available from English to Portuguese. At that moment I realized that there were no more limits for me. I knew that everything would start to flow naturally.

Basically, my relationship with the English language started to develop organically, and after a few months of practicing English, the words that did not make any sense started to make all the sense. I was obsessed with learning new words, phrases, and expressions. When I least expected it, with the help of subtitles, I was able to watch cartoon shows, movies, and documentaries in English. I felt fulfilled when I was able to understand certain simple dialogues, for example in the video games that I used to play, and for me, that was rewarding. Another memory I have was when I joined elementary school, and the public school where I studied used to offer English classes, and I remember having ease in these classes thanks to all the effort and dedication that I had put into studying and practicing English on my own.

As time went by, my relationship with the English language was solidifying and becoming stronger and stronger. I practically did not listen to music in Portuguese anymore; I did not care about watching cartoons and films in Portuguese anymore, which made me more immersed into American culture. I remember in 2009, when I was only 11 years old, my cousins and colleagues who played football with me asked me why I did not like to watch Brazilian and South American football like “A Liberators da America” (South American Tournament). I always said that European football championships like the Premier League (from England) were more interesting, but they did not understand that I thought it was interesting because I was discovering a “new world”. Right after I turned 14, my parents gave me my first skateboard, and it motivated me, even more, to continue learning things related to English and American culture. I used slang in English with my friends and tried to speak in English with my English teachers at school. I used to sing and play songs in English. I found it fascinating the fact that in less than seven years I had already learned so much about English.

During these seven years of studying and learning the English language, I remember listening to a lot of people around me, like my parents, uncles and aunts, cousins and several friends saying that I was doing the right thing. English was a synonym for “success and mystery” in my mind. They used to say “João, you must learn the English language, as this will bring you great opportunities in your future”. Everyone was absolutely right, and I say this because all the incentives and motivations they gave me were essential for my evolution and progress. I am incredibly grateful mainly for my parents, because thanks to them, I was able to have access to a good education. I was able to access the necessary resources to continue making progress. Without them none of this would have happened, and I would never have gotten as far as I did.

Now, after fourteen years of dedicating myself to studying the English language, I realize that my view on it has changed dramatically. At first, I was just a child venturing into a strange and unknown language, and that was incredibly attractive. When I say that my vision has changed drastically, I mean that now this language is not only a source of curiosity. It has practically become the tool that allows me to connect with the world, and in a way even with myself. I can say with all conviction that being bilingual is one of the most important tools I have in my life. I would say that English for me today is like the oxygen that I breathe all the time, and what I mean is that I can no longer live without it.

English is not just another language that exists in the world. For me, English has shaped my identity and the person I am today. What I mean by that is that English is not just a language, in my life it goes much further. A beautiful example that I always carry in mind is how English made me develop a beautiful conception of music. I consider myself a musician, and I consider music as one of the greatest inventions of mankind, and thanks to the English language I was able to venture into the world of music. Nowadays I study music every week in English: I play in concerts; I play with my friends, so through this example, it is evident how English managed to shape one of the main characteristics of my identity. Another example that comes to mind is that since I was a child, my biggest dream of all has been to become a scientist in the future. That dream only started after I watched countless scientific documentaries, read several books by phenomenal scientists like Carl Sagan and Neil deGrasse Tyson, and with every day that passes I am sure that my dream will be realized. Thanks to English, I was able to develop the habit of reading, watching documentaries, searching for information and building knowledge, and in my opinion, I think this is incredible. Through the study of this language, I was even able to value my mother tongue even more because like English, Portuguese is an intriguing and spectacular language that I am proud to speak.

To emphasize how crucial the process of becoming bilingual has been in my life, I can tell you how my life has changed completely since I moved to the United States. My first real contact with American society was a wave of feelings and emotions. To clarify what I am trying to say, I could use the experiences of author Orhan Pamuk (2007) as an example, when he describes how frustrating and difficult it is to adjust and adapt to a new culture and a new language. The silence was sometimes my only form of expression, as it was his. However, the best part is that this “wave of feelings and emotions” made me realize that all the years of study and my effort should be valued and put into practice. After a few months, I already felt more comfortable, so I was able to enjoy everything that this new environment had to offer me. I developed not only a love affair with the English language but also with the city of Boston. I had an epiphany and a profound reflection that, like Brazil, the United States is also the place I refer to as home.

This leads me to another interesting and profound reflection that I have been experiencing lately. The fact of moving to the United States is not only a great opportunity to have a beautiful future, and it is not just another phase of my life. It is also an opportunity to be able to connect worlds and cultures. Amin Maalouf (1998) clearly describes how beautiful it is that bilingual people living in other countries can be sources of knowledge, and according to him, these people have a great responsibility in acting as bridges that connect different cultures.

Maalouf is absolutely right, and his reflection resonated with me because I feel this responsibility; I feel responsible to share the American culture with my friends and family who live in Brazil. Likewise, I am responsible for sharing Brazilian culture with American society. I think this is extremely important because if I do that, I can make a difference in the world, I can help the world. I can help the world become a harmonious place, and I feel that I can use the knowledge I have to help people to develop more empathy, respect, and love for people from different places and cultures. Being bilingual and living in another country means having the responsibility to help people and eliminate any kind of prejudice, intolerance, and misunderstanding that they have in mind.

Given all these facts, contexts, and personal experiences, I return to my question: what was my process in becoming bilingual, and how did that make me who I am today? Well, the answer is quite simple, I have had an incredible journey so far. Every second studying English, all my effort, every person involved, every mistake made, every learning experience — all of this was crucial to getting me to where I am today. This journey brought me knowledge and reflections, which helped me to better understand the world and myself. I would never have imagined that English would bring me so many opportunities — all of this was beyond my expectations. I am sure that English will bring me more unique experiences, and I can say with all gratitude that I am ready for all of them.

Maalouf, Amin. (1998). Deadly Identities (Brigitte Caland, Trans.). Al Jadid , 4(25). Retrieved from https://www.aljadid.com/content/deadly-identities .

Pamuk, Orhan. (2007, April 7). My First Passport: What Does it Mean to Belong to a Country? (Maureen Freely, Trans.). The New Yorker . Retrieved from https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/04/16/my-first-passport .

Essay on An Incident That Changed My Life

Students are often asked to write an essay on An Incident That Changed My Life in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on An Incident That Changed My Life

Introduction.

Life is a series of events. Some leave a deep impact on us. For me, it was my first camping trip that changed my life.

The Incident

I was ten when I joined the Scouts. Our first camping trip was a challenging experience. We were lost in the woods at night.

That incident made me brave. I learned to face challenges head-on. It also ignited a love for nature in me.

That camping trip was a turning point in my life. It taught me resilience and made me a better person.

250 Words Essay on An Incident That Changed My Life

Life is a continuous journey, marked by profound moments that shape our character and destiny. For me, one such incident stands out distinctly – the day I volunteered at a local homeless shelter. This event not only changed my perspective but also became a pivotal point in my life’s trajectory.

A Day at the Shelter

One cold winter’s day, I found myself in a bustling homeless shelter, surrounded by faces marked with hardship and resilience. The shelter, a beacon of hope for many, was a place where the less fortunate could find warmth, food, and a sense of community. My task was simple: serve meals and engage in conversation.

The Encounter

Among the many people I met, one man’s story struck a chord. A former engineer, he had fallen victim to circumstances beyond his control and lost everything. Despite his dire situation, he radiated positivity and hope. Our conversation was a stark reminder of life’s unpredictability, and it shattered my preconceived notions about homelessness.

Life-altering Realizations

The encounter made me reflect on my privileges and the transient nature of success. I realized that compassion and understanding were more valuable than material wealth. It also unveiled my passion for social work and ignited a desire to contribute to society more actively.

The day at the shelter was an incident that profoundly changed my life. It taught me to value humanity over materialism, and it guided me towards a path of social service. Life is indeed unpredictable, but it’s these unexpected moments that hold the power to redefine our purpose and transform our lives.

500 Words Essay on An Incident That Changed My Life

Life is a series of events, some ordinary and others extraordinary. Often, it is the extraordinary incidents that have the power to transform our lives completely. This essay delves into one such incident that not only changed my perspective but also my life’s trajectory.

The Unexpected Encounter

During my sophomore year in college, I volunteered at a local homeless shelter. One winter afternoon, I met John, an elderly gentleman with a warm smile and eyes that held a thousand untold stories. His welcoming demeanor contradicted the harsh reality of his life. He was homeless, yet he carried an aura of contentment that was inexplicably infectious.

A Lesson in Resilience

John was a retired teacher who had lost everything due to a series of unfortunate events. Despite his circumstances, he never lost his spirit or his love for teaching. He would gather the children in the shelter every evening and teach them with an enthusiasm that was truly inspiring. His resilience in the face of adversity was a lesson in itself.

The Life-Changing Conversation

One day, I mustered the courage to ask John how he managed to remain positive. His reply was simple yet profound, “Life is not about what happens to you, but how you respond to it.” He explained that he chose to focus on the things within his control, like his attitude and actions, rather than dwelling on his misfortunes.

John’s words resonated deeply within me. I realized that I had been living my life in constant fear of the future, letting my anxieties dictate my actions. This encounter with John made me rethink my approach to life. I decided to adopt his philosophy and focus on my responses to situations rather than the situations themselves.

This incident was a turning point in my life. It taught me that our perspective shapes our reality. I learned to embrace life with all its ups and downs, understanding that the power to overcome challenges lies within me. John, the homeless man with an indomitable spirit, changed my life in ways I could never have imagined. His resilience and positivity continue to inspire me, reminding me that life is less about the circumstances we find ourselves in, and more about how we choose to respond to them.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on An Important Day in My Life
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16 Most Life-Changing Experiences People Go Through (Examples)

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On our life’s journey, we go through many experiences and moments that could change our lives forever. These life-changing experiences can either be positive or negative, and they could make our existence here better or worse.

A life-changing experience is any  event that alters your way of thinking , your feelings, well-being, relationships, and behavior. It is a moment that profoundly changes you and your life by shaping you into the person you become, opening or closing doors for opportunities, affecting your quality of life, and modifying the course of your life, sometimes forever.

In this post, we shall give examples of the common most life-changing events people go through. Read on…

READ ALSO: 10 Ways to Turn Your Life Around at Any Age (20s, 30s, 40s, and Beyond)

Examples of the Most Life-Changing Experiences People Go Through

• Traveling to a new country or city

Not many things will change you as much as travel does. As such, it is no wonder that traveling to a new country or city is an example of the most life-changing experiences many people have had. 

Whether you travel at a young age or when you are older, visiting new places can affect you in various ways, often positively but sometimes negatively.

For example, traveling to a foreign country is an experience that changes you and your life by exposing you to new places, people, and cultures, helping you gain a new perspective, and promoting your personal growth. 

However, if you get robbed, harassed,  fall ill , get stranded or lost, find bad weather, or have some other bad experience while traveling, it can become one of the negative moments that change your life.

READ ALSO: Island Hopping in Thailand: Exploring the Must-Visit Islands

• Going to college

Being in college is one of the most life-changing experiences. Since most people go to college straight from high school, this is the in-between stage where you are not just an adolescent but you aren’t fully an adult either.

Many things that could  define your path in life  can happen during this period. For example, you choose a degree, thus your desired career; you meet new people who may or may not be the wrong kinds of people; you may fall in love, and you also make many good and bad decisions.

Additionally, going to college is an example of the most life-changing experiences people go through because you gain a lot of new skills from your classes, activities, struggles, and by interacting with others. These skills can come in handy in the future .

• Moving out of your parent’s house

Leaving home is a common rite of passage and one of the most life-changing experiences for many people. You will never be the same person after moving out of your parent’s house to  live on your own , with roommates, or with a romantic partner.

For most people, moving out of their parent’s house is the first step in embracing adulthood. It is a life-changing event because it is only after leaving the nest to be on your own that you will know what the real world is actually like. 

You have to become more responsible and self-sufficient, but you also have more freedom to do the things you couldn’t do under your parent’s roof.

READ ALSO: 8 Signs You Are Ready to Buy a House

• Falling in love

Everyone wishes they could find love. However, falling in love is an example of the most life-changing experiences many people go through. It can transform you and your life positively or negatively.

For instance, falling in love with someone who loves you back is a life-changing moment because it will make you happy , help you see the world differently, and make you more caring and empathetic.

Falling in love may also make you think of the future more often and boost your motivation to work harder on becoming a better version of yourself .

However, falling in love with the wrong person or someone who doesn’t love you back can also be a life-changing experience. You may feel rejected, tolerate things you shouldn’t, or try to change who you are just because you are in love with someone.

READ ALSO: 10 Signs You Are Blinded by Love, Why, Disadvantages, and How to Stop

• Getting married

Falling in love and dating are easy; getting married is a whole other thing, and it is an example of the most life-changing experiences that many people go through.

Marriage changes how you view yourself and your spouse, as well as the situations you go through in life.

Your life may become more fulfilling as you now have someone to share experiences and  be completely vulnerable with; you get a new set of relatives and friends; you could reap some financial benefits, and you can start a family.

Marriage is one of the most life-changing experiences for many because no matter how independent or self-reliant you are, you no longer should make decisions without thinking about how they will affect your partner first. You have someone else to consider in your plans.

For some people, marriage could be a negative life-changing experience. For instance, if they discover some hidden negative qualities of their spouse, such as being abusive, having  bad money habits , being a glutton, chronic cheating, being lazy, having a tendency to hold grudges, being  a bad parent , being envious of your success, etc.

• Having a baby

Whether you are married or not, in your teens or older, having a baby is one of the most life-changing experiences. For most people, especially married couples, a baby is a reason to celebrate and it often strengthens the relationship.

Your life may change now that there are more people to love, take care of, and consider when making decisions and plans, but for the most part, having a baby while married is just one of the expected natural progressions of the relationship.

For many teenage moms and other unprepared mothers, having a baby can change your life completely, sometimes negatively. It could result in you having to drop out of school, being disowned by your parents, getting married early, resenting your child for limiting you, having to start working early, having increased stress levels, and missing out on things that other people your age are doing.

Even if one decides not to keep the baby and give it up for adoption, it would still be a life-changing decision for them and the child.

However, having a baby can still be a positive life-changing moment for some teenage parents and other people who get kids while not ready. It could motivate you to  get your life together , work harder at school or in the workplace to be better, not be promiscuous, be more responsible, and change the kinds of people you hang out with.

READ ALSO: 14 Best Things to Do When Your Life Sucks (Why It Happens)

• Achieving success

Becoming successful at a particular thing is an example of the most life-changing experiences people go through. It could be success involving gaining power such as in politics, achieving your goals at work, becoming rich like after winning the lottery, or being famous such as on social media.

Achieving success is a life-changing event because it enables you to change your lifestyle, motivates you to try even harder, introduces you to new kinds of people, raises your status in society, reduces anxiety and stress about finances, and also makes you start to think and act differently.

Success also changes the way other people treat you, from fans and receptionists to bank managers and more. It can open opportunities that were closed before.

For some people, success can be a life-changing experience that transforms them negatively. It may change their personality and behaviors. For instance, they could become arrogant and rude or they may develop bad habits they couldn’t afford to have while they had no money.

Success can also ruin your existing relationships, affect your privacy and anonymity, and expose you to more people with bad intentions , some who may even try to kill you for your money or due to envy.

READ ALSO: 10 Things You Have to Sacrifice to Be Successful (the Cost of Success)

• Listening to a motivational speaker

Hearing another person’s life story can be a life-changing experience, for example, listening to motivational speakers on TED and other similar talks.

You can learn from other people’s struggles and how they dealt with the obstacles that could have kept them stuck, relate to these people’s experiences, and get the inspiration and motivation to change your life and outlook from the advice they give.

• Death of a loved one

Loss of loved ones through death is an example of the negative life-changing experiences many of us must go through at some point. Besides the grief that may last forever, a lot of things could change about you and your life.

The death of a loved one can make you develop the ability to be self-reliant and more resilient. It can make you love and appreciate your remaining family and friends more.

Additionally, the loss of a loved one can help you know the people who truly care through the support they provide .

Death could also change your perspective as you realize how short and valuable life really is. If you lose too many loved ones, you may become desensitized to death as you begin to  accept death and dying  as a part of life.

• The end of a relationship

Heartbreak is an example of the most life-changing experiences people go through. No matter if it was a breakup with someone you were dating or a divorce, these life-changing events can transform you in positive and negative ways, whether you are the one who initiated the ending of the relationship or not.

For instance, going through the pain of a breakup or divorce can result in a change in your way of thinking about relationships or a particular gender, make you feel lost and hopeless, fill you with  regrets , affect your sense of  self-worth , and may even alter your entire personality.

However, heartbreak doesn’t only change your life in negative ways. It can be a positive life-changing experience, especially if you were the one to initiate the end of the relationship.

Even while feeling the pain of the breakup, you may realize that you deserve better and feel motivated to reinvent yourself. Later, when you have moved on, you will confirm that  time really does heal all wounds , and you may meet the right person for you.

• Loss of a job

Most people experience having to  cope with a job loss  at some point in their lifetime. Getting fired, being laid off, and resigning from a job are examples of the most life-changing experiences people go through.

Losing a job, especially when you have no plans for what to do next, can be a devastating experience. It could affect your sense of self, how you think about the future, as well as  your mental, emotional, and physical health .

However, losing a job can be the best thing to ever happen to you sometimes. It could make you discover your strengths and weaknesses, force you out of your comfort zone, and give you an opportunity to change your life.

Many people often discover what they are passionate about,  start businesses , and figure out their purpose after becoming unemployed; thus, job loss is not always a negative life-changing experience.

READ ALSO: 10 Signs It Is Time to Change Careers and Why

• Becoming ill

Learning you are ill is another example of the most life-changing experiences that many people go through, especially when it comes to terminal illnesses, chronic diseases, conditions that require surgery, and accidents.

You will always classify your life ‘before’ and ‘after’ the diagnosis or the life-changing event differently because nothing will ever be the same, even if you heal.

Falling ill can be a moment that changes your life significantly by inhibiting your ability to go about your everyday tasks, causing financial difficulties , forcing you to make healthy lifestyle choices, changing your body, and shifting your outlook toward life.

• Near-death experiences

Besides life-threatening health conditions, there are many other near-death experiences you may have gone through, for example, a suicide attempt, an accident, an attempted murder, or a drug overdose.

Near-death experiences  are usually among the most life-changing events for many people who have ever been in such a situation.

Depending on what caused it, almost dying can make you gain a new sense of purpose, appreciate life more, be more careful,  adopt healthier habits , stop fearing death, and become more spiritual.

READ ALSO: 5 Reasons Why You Keep Seeing Angel Number 1111 (and What 11:11 Means)

• Unhealthy relationships

Whether it is your relationship with your parents, siblings, friends, and people at work or the one with your romantic partner, toxic relationships are one of the most life-changing experiences.

Unhealthy relationships can change how you view yourself, other people, and the world in general. For instance, they could lower your self-esteem, stress you out, isolate you, reduce your trust in others and yourself, and even  affect your physical health .

Being in a toxic relationship may change your personality completely.

Getting out of an unhealthy relationship could be a life-changing event as well. The experience could make you better at recognizing red flags in potential future partners or other people in your life, and you may also start to love and value yourself more,  put yourself first , and set boundaries.

However, you may still have some PTSD  from the experience that could be easily triggered even long after the toxic relationship ended.

READ ALSO: 11 Types of Toxic Friends: Signs and How to Deal with Them

• Failures and mistakes

Things don’t always go the way you hope they will; you will make mistakes and experience failures on your life’s journey. These failures and mistakes can become examples of life-changing experiences that affected you positively or negatively.

For example, failures and  mistakes can be positive  life-changing events if you use them to learn lessons, gain the motivation to do better next time, and redefine your goals. They could also make you appreciate success a lot more because you know how it feels not to get the desired results.

However, some people may see mistakes and failures as negative life-changing experiences and give up while wallowing in self-pity and blaming themselves instead of finding  ways to bounce back .

In recent years, extreme tourism is growing in popularity as more people want to try adrenaline-pumping adventures, domestically and internationally. The adventures and misadventures are examples of the most life-changing experiences as they can affect you positively or negatively.

For instance, going on successful adventures can be a positive life-changing experience because they will  make your life exciting and interesting , improve your motivation, and boost your confidence . You will feel like you are limitless.

On the other hand, if something goes wrong during your adventures, for example, an equipment malfunction, an injury, a kidnapping, an accident, robbery, getting stranded in the worst places, or some other unfortunate occurrence, the experiences can become negative life-changing events.

You may not look back at your adventures fondly or want to do something like that ever again.

READ ALSO: 30 Best Fall Activities: Fun Things to Do in Autumn

Final Thoughts

From losing a job, starting a new one, doing things that scare you, and having kids, to loss of loved ones and traveling the world, there are many life-changing moments people experience, some so small you may not realize they had such a profound effect on you and your life.

Although there are many more examples of the most life-changing experiences people go through on their life’s journey, these are some of the common ones.

These moments, events, and experiences can change your life forever for better or worse by altering your perspective, behaviors, feelings, body, and relationships.

Remember that how the above examples of life-changing experiences affect you often depends on the way you choose to view your situation. A life-changing event can be negative but have positive effects on you, or it can be positive but have adverse consequences.

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I Changed My Posture and Changed My Life

A personal perspective: the surprising benefits of improving my posture..

Posted April 23, 2024 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

It was certainly boring. To restore mobility after breaking my back, a physical therapist told me to walk around the house with a walker for 40 minutes, a few times a day. “Forty minutes is the average length of the talks you give,” she said. “So let’s start this training.”

Around and around. The walker in front of me and the smooth wooden floors beneath me. I kept looking at the clock. Only 15 minutes? Still 25 minutes to go. Push. Push. Walk. Walk. Over-the-counter pain meds. Around and around.

One day I walked by a mirror and saw a woman hunched over a walker. It occurred to me that I had bad posture and that, in fact, I had always had bad posture. It was time to change it. And I had several times 40 minutes a day to do it. It would relieve the boredom .

Easier said than done. I corrected my posture by telling myself, “Stand up straight.” It lasted for a minute or two and then my monkey mind hopped to other things. I took charge and reminded my back about posture. I straightened up for a few minutes and then the monkey got busy again.

As I began to hold my spine erect for longer periods, the back pain started. It was resistant to over-the-counter meds. I asked the physical therapist if it was worth changing my posture if it caused such pain. “Unfortunately, the answer is yes.” She brought over a plastic model of a spine to show me. “Most people think the vertebrae are in back. But look how the spine curves so the vertebrae are actually in front. If you have poor posture it compresses the vertebrae. Stand up straight and you are not compressing them.”

Around and around. Accepting there was pain because those poor muscles and tendons and nerves were being asked to change after decades of being in a different position. And change is painful.

Finally, after weeks with me and my walker doing the house circuit, I caught a glimpse of a woman in the mirror who was standing up straight for the first time in her life. It gave her more confidence . She looked taller. She was proud of the discipline it took to get there.

But then, on another round, I saw that the same woman with a straight had shoulders that were raised up or hunched forward. Once again I asked the physical therapist if it was worth it to change that too. She said it definitely was.

More spring-like weather arrived, and I started walking outdoors. It was much more tiring when I traded smooth wooden floors for sand, gravel, concrete, AstroTurf, and grass. My walker bumped along and I found it hard to remember to keep my shoulders down. The pain of change was intense, and it hard to remember to stop hunching forward and raising my shoulders. I tried to tell myself to bring my shoulder blades together. I had plenty of pain but little gain. I began to get depressed . The whole posture thing seemed hopeless.

“Forget about bringing your shoulder blades together. Just walk heart first.” The PT’s words resonated with me immediately. Yes. Heart first. A good way to walk and a good way to live.

I am gradually weaning myself from my walker to a cane and hopefully I will soon be walking on my own. I still have the pain of resistant shoulders but it is less. And I permit myself to take a rest stop or two during my walks outside.

My neighbor texted me and thanked me for inspiring him to stand up straight. My husband is correcting his own posture.

“Heart first,” I remind them. And of course I keep reminding myself as well. Those two words are making all the difference.

Judith Fein is an award-winning international travel journalist who has contributed to 130 publications, the author of three books about transformative travel, an inspirational speaker, and an opera librettist.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Life Changing Experience — A Reflection of the Life Changing Experience in My Life

A Reflection of The Life Changing Experience in My Life

• Categories: Life Changing Experience Life Lesson

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Words: 591 |

Published: Aug 14, 2018

Words: 591 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Life-changing experience

Works cited.

• Brown, D. (2010). The First-Day-of-Work Experience: A Review of Research and Recommendations. Journal of Management, 36(1), 176-217.
• Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper & Row.
• Heskett, J. (2002). The Culture Cycle: How to Shape the Unseen Force that Transforms Performance. Financial Times Prentice Hall.
• Jackson, P., & Delehanty, H. (2012). Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success. Penguin Books.
• Katz, D., & Kahn, R. L. (1978). The Social Psychology of Organizations (2nd ed.). Wiley.
• Kjerulf, A. (2012). Happy Hour is 9 to 5: How to Love Your Job, Love Your Life and Kick Butt at Work. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform.
• Levy, P. E., & Williams, J. R. (2004). The Social Context of Performance Appraisal: A Review and Framework for the Future. Journal of Management, 30(6), 881-905.
• Pink, D. H. (2009). Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. Riverhead Books.
• Robbins, S. P., Judge, T. A., & Campbell, T. T. (2019). Organizational Behavior (18th ed.). Pearson.
• Vallerand, R. J., Blanchard, C., Mageau, G. A., Koestner, R., Ratelle, C., Léonard, M., Gagné, M., & Marsolais, J. (2003). Les passions de l'âme: On obsessive and harmonious passion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85(4), 756-767.

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Gender pay gap in U.S. hasn’t changed much in two decades

The gender gap in pay has remained relatively stable in the United States over the past 20 years or so. In 2022, women earned an average of 82% of what men earned, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of median hourly earnings of both full- and part-time workers. These results are similar to where the pay gap stood in 2002, when women earned 80% as much as men.

As has long been the case, the wage gap is smaller for workers ages 25 to 34 than for all workers 16 and older. In 2022, women ages 25 to 34 earned an average of 92 cents for every dollar earned by a man in the same age group – an 8-cent gap. By comparison, the gender pay gap among workers of all ages that year was 18 cents.

While the gender pay gap has not changed much in the last two decades, it has narrowed considerably when looking at the longer term, both among all workers ages 16 and older and among those ages 25 to 34. The estimated 18-cent gender pay gap among all workers in 2022 was down from 35 cents in 1982. And the 8-cent gap among workers ages 25 to 34 in 2022 was down from a 26-cent gap four decades earlier.

The gender pay gap measures the difference in median hourly earnings between men and women who work full or part time in the United States. Pew Research Center’s estimate of the pay gap is based on an analysis of Current Population Survey (CPS) monthly outgoing rotation group files ( IPUMS ) from January 1982 to December 2022, combined to create annual files. To understand how we calculate the gender pay gap, read our 2013 post, “How Pew Research Center measured the gender pay gap.”

The COVID-19 outbreak affected data collection efforts by the U.S. government in its surveys, especially in 2020 and 2021, limiting in-person data collection and affecting response rates. It is possible that some measures of economic outcomes and how they vary across demographic groups are affected by these changes in data collection.

In addition to findings about the gender wage gap, this analysis includes information from a Pew Research Center survey about the perceived reasons for the pay gap, as well as the pressures and career goals of U.S. men and women. The survey was conducted among 5,098 adults and includes a subset of questions asked only for 2,048 adults who are employed part time or full time, from Oct. 10-16, 2022. Everyone who took part is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Here are the questions used in this analysis, along with responses, and its methodology .

The  U.S. Census Bureau has also analyzed the gender pay gap, though its analysis looks only at full-time workers (as opposed to full- and part-time workers). In 2021, full-time, year-round working women earned 84% of what their male counterparts earned, on average, according to the Census Bureau’s most recent analysis.

Much of the gender pay gap has been explained by measurable factors such as educational attainment, occupational segregation and work experience. The narrowing of the gap over the long term is attributable in large part to gains women have made in each of these dimensions.

Related: The Enduring Grip of the Gender Pay Gap

Even though women have increased their presence in higher-paying jobs traditionally dominated by men, such as professional and managerial positions, women as a whole continue to be overrepresented in lower-paying occupations relative to their share of the workforce. This may contribute to gender differences in pay.

Other factors that are difficult to measure, including gender discrimination, may also contribute to the ongoing wage discrepancy.

Perceived reasons for the gender wage gap

When asked about the factors that may play a role in the gender wage gap, half of U.S. adults point to women being treated differently by employers as a major reason, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in October 2022. Smaller shares point to women making different choices about how to balance work and family (42%) and working in jobs that pay less (34%).

There are some notable differences between men and women in views of what’s behind the gender wage gap. Women are much more likely than men (61% vs. 37%) to say a major reason for the gap is that employers treat women differently. And while 45% of women say a major factor is that women make different choices about how to balance work and family, men are slightly less likely to hold that view (40% say this).

Parents with children younger than 18 in the household are more likely than those who don’t have young kids at home (48% vs. 40%) to say a major reason for the pay gap is the choices that women make about how to balance family and work. On this question, differences by parental status are evident among both men and women.

Views about reasons for the gender wage gap also differ by party. About two-thirds of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents (68%) say a major factor behind wage differences is that employers treat women differently, but far fewer Republicans and Republican leaners (30%) say the same. Conversely, Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say women’s choices about how to balance family and work (50% vs. 36%) and their tendency to work in jobs that pay less (39% vs. 30%) are major reasons why women earn less than men.

Democratic and Republican women are more likely than their male counterparts in the same party to say a major reason for the gender wage gap is that employers treat women differently. About three-quarters of Democratic women (76%) say this, compared with 59% of Democratic men. And while 43% of Republican women say unequal treatment by employers is a major reason for the gender wage gap, just 18% of GOP men share that view.

Pressures facing working women and men

Family caregiving responsibilities bring different pressures for working women and men, and research has shown that being a mother can reduce women’s earnings , while fatherhood can increase men’s earnings .

Employed women and men are about equally likely to say they feel a great deal of pressure to support their family financially and to be successful in their jobs and careers, according to the Center’s October survey. But women, and particularly working mothers, are more likely than men to say they feel a great deal of pressure to focus on responsibilities at home.

About half of employed women (48%) report feeling a great deal of pressure to focus on their responsibilities at home, compared with 35% of employed men. Among working mothers with children younger than 18 in the household, two-thirds (67%) say the same, compared with 45% of working dads.

When it comes to supporting their family financially, similar shares of working moms and dads (57% vs. 62%) report they feel a great deal of pressure, but this is driven mainly by the large share of unmarried working mothers who say they feel a great deal of pressure in this regard (77%). Among those who are married, working dads are far more likely than working moms (60% vs. 43%) to say they feel a great deal of pressure to support their family financially. (There were not enough unmarried working fathers in the sample to analyze separately.)

About four-in-ten working parents say they feel a great deal of pressure to be successful at their job or career. These findings don’t differ by gender.

Gender differences in job roles, aspirations

Overall, a quarter of employed U.S. adults say they are currently the boss or one of the top managers where they work, according to the Center’s survey. Another 33% say they are not currently the boss but would like to be in the future, while 41% are not and do not aspire to be the boss or one of the top managers.

Men are more likely than women to be a boss or a top manager where they work (28% vs. 21%). This is especially the case among employed fathers, 35% of whom say they are the boss or one of the top managers where they work. (The varying attitudes between fathers and men without children at least partly reflect differences in marital status and educational attainment between the two groups.)

In addition to being less likely than men to say they are currently the boss or a top manager at work, women are also more likely to say they wouldn’t want to be in this type of position in the future. More than four-in-ten employed women (46%) say this, compared with 37% of men. Similar shares of men (35%) and women (31%) say they are not currently the boss but would like to be one day. These patterns are similar among parents.

Note: This is an update of a post originally published on March 22, 2019. Anna Brown and former Pew Research Center writer/editor Amanda Barroso contributed to an earlier version of this analysis. Here are the questions used in this analysis, along with responses, and its methodology .

What is the gender wage gap in your metropolitan area? Find out with our pay gap calculator

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Carolina Aragão is a research associate focusing on social and demographic trends at Pew Research Center

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