The grass is always greener on the other side. But if you spend your entire life trying to reach that other side, will you suddenly be happy once you get there? Or will you be filled with disappointment? 

Redditors have recently been discussing things that people often think they want until they actually get them. This could be a huge house, their dream job, children, the opportunity to move abroad or anything else that many people fantasize about. But the reality is that we’re all different, and these things simply might not actually be for you. Enjoy scrolling through this list of items and opportunities you might assume you want too, and be sure to upvote the ones that you wish more people would be honest about.

#1

To be older.

Image credits: wtwtcgw

#2

Fame.

Image credits: Romnonaldao

#3

Kids

I think most people are not prepared even if they love their kids. The majority of parents suffer and so do the kids. 

I guess being in education I see first hand lots of parents who should not have had kids. .

Image credits: Homotopy_Type

#4

Myself included on this one— but I know many people that have certain kinks/fetishes they’ve always wanted to try, and totally did *not* enjoy it once it became a reality.

Image credits: PermaBanTogether

#5

To get back with an ex.

Image credits: toketsukuromu

#6

As a tween, it was my period. The novelty of “becoming a woman” immediately evaporated.

Image credits: Manifest_something

#7

A (really) big house. There is so much maintenance, expense, just keeping track of all your stuff… higher utility bills, more taxes, probably an HOA, just cleaning it is an impossible task without hiring professionals.

Image credits: TemperatureTop246

#8

A real goth girlfriend.

Image credits: D-Rez

#9

Living off grid. Boats. Livestock other than goats or chickens.

Image credits: Pando5280

#10

Brexit.

Image credits: srslywatsthepoint

#11

A pool table.

Image credits: Blouz

#12

Living in Hawaii. The number of people that I know that dream of living here have no idea. I’ve lived here for 2 years and can’t wait to leave.

Image credits: finsup_305

#13

To elect a non-politician to political office.

Image credits: Ozzel

#14

A pool. Unless you have a lot more money lol.

Image credits: Majestic_Living7321

#15

A “crazy” gf. yeah it’s all fun and game until i’m messaging you in detail abt how i just hurt myself expecting you to not care. bpd and other “crazy” disorders aren’t cute. stop romanticizing it.

Image credits: honey_society69

#16

When I was a kid I really wanted a cast or crutches. Yeah, really not a good idea.

Image credits: bickel89

#17

A high paying job. Making good money is enticing but when your work starts to consume your life and deteriorate your mental health, the money isn’t worth it anymore.

Image credits: Berbigs_

#18

Leaving their significant other for someone else only for that person not to be all that good.

Image credits: sourkid25

#19

An overly attractive SO

You need to be overly attractive yourself or have rock solid self esteem to watch them get hit on or flirted with by the whole planet everytime you leave the house.

Image credits: MRadzi

#20

To be in charge.

Image credits: bahamapapa817

#21

Is mental illness one? I feel like everyone is self diagnosing using webmd as a checklist and now everyone is saying they have something but it’s nothing as debilitating as real mental illnesses.

#22

An open relationship.

#23

An affair. People fantasize, sure – having problems with your spouse or feeling unappreciated? Marriage counseling, divorce, etc. All better options than infidelity. It’s leaves lasting scars and tears apart families. Over the last several years I feel like I’ve seen such an increasing number of families destroyed.

I know one husband that went off to the oil fields because his wife requested he find a better job. Dude is gone 6 months of the year (in two month increments). Wife starts feeling lonely and unappreciated and has an affair with a co worker. It’s taken four years for one of her kids to even talk to her again. Bad blood everywhere. Marriage counseling, communication, even a divorce if it was needed all could have avoided the situation.

Another example: One of my co-workers was told by his wife “I’ve had an affair, it’s been going on for a month.” He decides to forgive, go to marriage counseling, fix whatever was broken. Well she continues to have an affair because she’s still having something of an existential crisis and is feeling extra condemened for her actions. Basically she told him she was having an affair at the beginning of what turned into a year long ordeal. She started the affair while pregnant. Two young kids already in the house. Her husband is still in the mindset of fixing whatever is broken. I watched this dude get dragged through the mud for a year. He’s got severe PTSD now. Is a shell of who he used to be.

Affairs are basically a hand grenade in your life and everyone around you.

#24

For anybody who wants to homestead/live self sustainable: skip Cornish Cross Chickens. Short of industrial food production they’re not worth the hassle. They’re not gonna live long enough to reproduce so their not actually self sustainable, buying them is always a hassle and chances are 25%-40% are gonna be dead on delivery because they don’t do well in the mail. They’ll s**t more than you can imagine so you have to build a chicken tractor or shovel an entire coop 3-4 times a week to keep them healthy. Finally your gonna end up butchering all of them within about a week so most of them will end up in the freezer, and personally, after spending two and a half days butchering and defeathering the smelliest, nastiest, fattest chickens, I’ve ever seen I wasn’t in the mood for chicken for a hot minute.

#25

A boat, so my dad was given this great job and he bought a boat. Everyone was so hyped. Now I occasionally host parties on it, my dad ocationally goes to swim and only uses the boat as a dock and that’s about it, no one uses the boat and the parking spot and maintenance costs are not cheap.

#26

Their dreams fulfilled.

I was watching “Soul” and it hit hard when he finally got what he’d been chasing forever and ended up with a serious case of… “now what?”

Edit: Wow, so many people seem to have resonated with this, what I dubbed “the tragedy of the dream fulfilled”. Many of you commiserate, others gave good advice.

I wish all of you the best on your journeys.

#27

Retirement. My dad bought a house on a small, quiet island when he retired. Some people can only dream of doing something like that.

3 months into it he realised he was bored as f**k. All he does is watch tv all day now. He’s miserable on that island.

#28

Being in a boss or leadership position. The pay is nice but the amount of pointless b******t is just ridiculous. Bosses have bosses and basically I’m just a messenger letting my employees know how their job is going to suck more…for absolutely nothing in return. Which they blame me for. There are better ways to make way more money for being hated….

#29

A puppy. They’re not just cute they’re a pain in the a*s.

#30

In my opinion, true online privacy. After installing Linux, using proton mail, creating over 20 fake emails and such, and a bunch of other stuff it kinda sucks. Like I will never go back, but I spend like $140 bucks a year on services to make sure I can not be tracked online, and the user experience is worse than just using windows and having a jolly good day. I personally can deal with it, and I am now a Linux Mint user. But most people would not want, nor be able to understand how to switch to different programs or how to use them. Add that it takes money that most people would rather spend on other stuff, and overall most people will never make the switch.

#31

The chance to meet a hero.

#32

Being recognized by strangers in public.

#33

Exercise equipment.

#34

Hookups. On the 100th hookup, I assure you, your balls won’t be the only thing empty. You’ll realize that what you’re really after is the warm embrace of someone to share intimacy with.

#35

A private jet. unless you fly extremely frequently the cost of maintenance outweighs any pros.

#36

I thought I really wanted my belly button pierced but it was annoying and always irritated from my pants etc so it didn’t last and left a scar.

#37

Job.

#38

Being a business owner. Everyone thinks you just make your own hours and work whenever you want. Id trade it all to clock out at 5pm.

#39

A nympho partner.

#40

Whatever the new shiny is in some battle pass.

#41

McDonald’s. It’s so incredibly mid, at the same time it’s getting more and more expensive.

#42

Sex in a pool or hot tub.
Source: boredpanda.com