What were you absolutely certain about when you were younger that you no longer believe?

I was sure Santa was real…. until I was about six.

That my dad was absolutely perfect and could do no wrong. [Not that he was a bad person, but thankfully I grew up and realised he was human and could make mistakes. Much easier on him to live up to.]

I used to believe that getting ahead was very important, and I you weren’t getting ahead, you were falling behind. Now I realize that there is no ahead or behind, just fortunate or not fortunate.

@SuperMouse : I also had a lot of stuff at one time and lost it all due to illness. I find I’m happier now than in those other days of materialism.

I also thought I could never be happy as a gay man. The pressure of society was such that it led me to conform in ways I can’t describe in a short space. Since I’ve been out of the closet, though, things have only gotten better. I breathe easier. I rest easier. I love easier. I live better today than when I was closeted.

That my family could get through anything and still remain a strong/close unit.

I thought adults were all smart and intelligent, and could provide me with any answer to life’s questions.

For too long, I believed that I needed to be a super housekeeper, hostess, wife, mother etc that women’s magazines said you should be. I wish I had been able to let that go and just be myself. That belief in perfection was a real downer.

- I believed that Joe Montana would play forever.

- I believed that Michael Jordan would play forever. (and equally believed that he would never play baseball)

- I was sure that I would make my living as a musician.

- I was sure that the Cubs would never again win the pennant (I believe they will now…. eventually)

- I knew that seeing was believing

- I knew that women were women, men were men.. black and white

- I was positive that no one would really have an abortion performed

- I was positive that I wanted to live in a big city

- I was certain that life wouldn’t be as hard as everyone told me it would be

- I was certain that I would meet my future wife in a movie-esque fashion

There are so many things that I once believed that I don’t now.. it would take me a few pages to list them all.

I believed working hard would bring security. I believed doing right by others would ensure they’d do right by me in return.

I believed everything I did was the only right way. My parents had no idea what life was really about.

I used to believe, somehow, that when people got married, it meant that they would communicate much more clearly to each other, because they’d be on the same page – almost like a mind meld. Like my spouse would just know what I meant if I said a word, or a certain glance, and I wouldn’t have to explain so much, nor would many things be utterly misinterpreted when we try to explain.

In case this isn’t absolutely clear to you, it doesn’t always work this way! Married people still have to work at communication. Sometimes even harder than non-marrieds, because it matters more.

When I was younger, I was against gay marriage, and for legalizing marijuana for medical uses.
I was sure children could be properly raised without occasional spanking.
I thought Republicans would move a bit to the moderate right, and would listen to others opinions, and be reasonable.

I had no clue.

That most women wanted clean-cut Prince Charming type of guys over raggamuffens, cad, and thugs.

I used to believe true love meant everything became happy go lucky
I used to believe people were inherently good (got that one dashed pretty quickly)
I used to believe that what was done to me as a child was done to every first born
I used to believe my Dad and Mom were always right
I used to believe that I would remain a sane individual throughout my life
I forced myself to believe certain events never happened in my life
I used to believe that Democrats were dumb people
I used to believe homosexuality was wrong
I used to believe that I’d grow REALLY tall based on the projections of doctors
I used to believe that no one would kill a child
I used to believe that my parents would always be there for me
I used to believe that other personalities, voices, people in one’s head was the norm

I believed if I was a good person, a hard worker with great work ethics, I would always have a good job.

I used to believe I would get married, have kids, have a house of my own, drive a nice car, have a mechanic, have a house-keeper, be a soccer mom, have good eyesight, have nice hair, have a good figure. Sadly, none will come to pass.

I could have an abortion and I never wanted children, especially a daughter.

Damn I don’t know where to start, or end for that matter but I’ll try to: 1. I thought that I would be married, with at least one kid by the time I was 30. 2. I thought that it would be easy for me to meet the right woman to marry. 3. I thought that I would graduate from a typical college and be involved in some type of scientific field since I’ve always aspired to anything related to science as a youngster. 4. I never thought that I would be such a strong proponent for marijuana legalization. 5. I believed that I would always be able to eat anything that I wanted, without exercise, and still stay thin.

I used to believe when I was very young that parents were like siblings. You could have one of each kind, two of one kind, only one or none at all and every combination was completely normal. I think this was because I only have a mom, when I was little my best friend only had a dad and I had another friend with two moms.

I also used to believe that the only benefit to marriage was getting called if your spouse was in the hospital. I didn’t know anything about taxes or wills or even the full extent of next of kin. This was also the only reason I supported gay marriage when I was a kid. Other than that, I figured there was absolutely no point to getting married. Truthfully, I still somewhat feel this way.

This one’s a little icky, sorry. I used to believe that my mother was dying horribly when she was on her period. Every once in a while, she would forget to flush when she had peed or changed her tampon and I would see the blood in the toilet and start crying hysterically. My mother was always so confused as to why I was in tears.

I genuinely believed there were velociraptors in the basement.

That KISS was a phenomenal band.

Everything.

That good was good, and bad was bad.

That when I grew up, there was going to be some sort of “screen dissolve” between my present and my future, and I would transition to find myself married, in a historic [or fixer-upper historic] home of my own and with chidren.

I stupidly thought life would be fair when I grew up.

I believed I would be dead before I reached 40.

The whole year I was 13, I was absolutely certain I’d be murdered by my uncle at any moment.

After I lived through that year, I was certain I’d be dead due to health problems before I was 30 or 35 (can’t remember which, now). What can I say? I was a morbid kid.

When my marriage of 17 years was going down the tubes, I believed I was just not suited to marriage and was certain I would never marry again.

I have to say, I’m awfully glad I was wrong. ;)

That is truly awful for a 13 year old to be seriously contemplating they will be murdered. I am also very glad you were wrong. The world would be a sadder place without you.

Funny you thought you would be dead by 30–35. I was convinced I wouldn’t make it passed 43 because that’s when my mother died. Not logical, but humans often aren’t. I also have managed to pass that milestone.

In the olden days the world was actually viewed in black & white.
Bunny rabbits conduct midnight community meetings at the local disco.

“The whole year I was 13, I was absolutely certain I’d be murdered by my uncle at any moment.”

@augustlan That’s so strange. I have something kinda similar. I was 12 when I went overseas with my family on holiday. The months leading up to it, I was absolutely convinced the plane would crash and I would die. I just thought it was such a big deal going overseas; that such an awesome, exciting experience was way too good for me, it could never really happen. Can’t believe how real that belief was at the time.

That life would just sort itself out, without any effort on my part.

I used to believe during a disagreement or even when I felt I was treated badly one person was right and one was wrong. Now I know both people can be right, and both can be wrong.

When I was younger I wanted to believe money doesn’t matter and doesn’t affect happiness, but as an adult I believe it does. I am not talking about material things, but I am talking about health, security, autonomy, independence, and freedom.

When I was little I thought 65 was old, and getting ready to die. When I moved to FL in my 20’s I realized 65 can be the beginning of a great time in life. Also, related to age, when I was a kid I was sure adults had no understanding of what I was going through; now I see generally they know exactly what kids go through, because they were kids too, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for the wisdom that comes with age, which I did not have before.

When I was a kid I thought all older (my parents age) married people hated each other. Now I see there are happy marriages.

@Bellatrix and @Keep_on_running I did have a fairly valid reason for thinking he was going to kill me. He sexually abused me for my whole childhood, until I stood up to him and stopped him… when I was 13. I really did legitimately believe he’d find a way to murder me. I carried a note in my pocket that whole year, naming him as my murderer, just in case I was found dead. Then, he moved to a far-away state, and I could finally breathe again.

Good people don’t lie.

That love existed (apart from family and friends. Romantic love), that family would never betray me, that my brother would grow up and learn to be mature, that school was fun, that my dad would be alive to give me away at my wedding, that I would always be happy and would never end up like I am now, that my friends could never change, that growing up would be fun. I could go all day.

I thought I wanted to live in the same area for forever so that I could prove how loyal I was to my friends. Didn’t know they would move away.

I was raised to never be absolutely certain and expected to question or critically examine what I learned.

That the hardest years of my life were behind me.