I make no claims regarding the influence or impact I have actually had on others around me. Although I try to be a positive influence, in the end it is difficult (if not impossible) to predict all the ripples of cause and effect, and only those other people can judge if I've helped them in some way or not.

However, I used to suffer from chronin Major Depressive Disorder, largely due to grossly unrealistic expectations about what life was supposed to be like, and disappointment in god's failure to help me have the simple things I thought I was supposed to have even though I prayed hard for them (wisdom, love, marriage, children, an acceptably fulfilling job that at least pays well enough to pay the bills, etc.). But all of that was in opposition to my understanding of the Bible itself as well as my personal experiences, which created a significant amount of cognitive dissonence (which certainly didn't help with my depression). I also always felt that I had to try to be someone that I didn't really want to be and wouldn't ever like myself as that person (although I didn't fully, or at least conciously realize it).

When I finally stopped trying to mash together what I was supposed to believe with what the evidence and basic logic actually implied, I realized a great and fundamental truth that I had previously missed: We are responsible for the direction of our own lives, and must accept responsibility for that, including all consequences of our failures, but also all satisfaction in our accomplishments. There is no devil to blame when things don't go our way, there is no god to thank when things do go our way, and we cannot sit idly by the wayside and expect things to turn out the way we want them to.

This understanding allows me to learn from my mistakes in ways I never did before, and allows me to take a more active and intentional role in shaping my future. It also means I can take pride in what I've achieved, not least of which being to become the type of person that I am mostly glad to be (despite my remaining struggles for growth and self-improvement). As a result, I haven't suffered from severe or chronic depression for nearly 20 years.

The most significant thing that becoming agnostic has done for me and my life: it saved me from myself and is the reason I'm still alive today, rather than having comitted suicide. As others have commented, it's been empowering and liberating, but it also has enhanced my sense of personal responsibility (which I see as a decidedly good thing).

Sorry if I've brought the mood down a bit.

Also, when I have money to spare for charity (rather than my own survival), I can give it to meaningful and impactful charities, rather than "tithing" to a church that spends most (if not all) of it on rent and utilities for the church building, so that's been nice.

Less self-deluded, more honest. Less susceptible to social pressure, more free. Free from all the stress of trying to please a judgmental God. Less judgmental of others. Free from constantly trying rationalize the paradoxes, inconsistencies, and contradictions of religion, and consequently I actually feel more intelligent. Feel more like myself, because I am more myself. Happier and I often feel the bliss of freedom.

Because it means I must work harder to be recognized as a human being and not a devil.

Instead of committing to an ideal or a book, I can make people's lives better through my own volition, driven by my own sense of what I feel is truly right.

I realized that being moral and ethical for the purpose of either seeking recognition or avoiding punishment, in fact, would make me neither one of those things. The truth is, that morality comes from the person you are when there's no reward, except for the betterment of mankind.

I feel free. And when I feel free I am happy. When I'm happy my changes into a place where I can experience wonder and excitement. It's been incredible

Not better. Different.

To know that I alone am responsible for my happiness and success in life, that is isn't in the hands of a supernatural entity outside myself, reminds me to stay on task and get what I want to do accomplished. Therefore atheism/agnosticism is grounding.

Neither has, or rather, they are outcomes of trying to use science based methods of thinking to view and understand life. If one does so, the two a's are the outcome, not the cause.

The freedom of been atheist is priceless. No stress no leashes no pressure no guilt
no dispute or arguments about the right etc. All of this give you a peaceful mind that you can harmonize with nature and people.

Yes. It has made me take personal responsibility for the consequences of my thoughts and actions.

I don't think it's made me a better person really, But I do think it as allowed me to untether myself from the shackles of Catholic guilt, and I suppose cognative dissonance in the sense that I went along with it, knowing it was wrong until it became apparent that it was an abomination against almost every natural instinct I had.

In a nutshell , I was already a good person, but as an Athiest I am better at thinking for myself without clouded judgement, or prejudice. I have clarity now.

Well it's been such a long time... some things that come to mind are not waiting for some sky cat to answer my "prayers", to be completely proactive on whatever it is and let the chips fall where they may.
While there have been moments of extreme serendipity I've long since stopped attributing those things to some gawd creature.

Also I've now the peace of mind knowing i'll do what I think is right soley for my own reasons than some other ominopotent entity. I'm also less likely do do dumb super destructive self harm people pleasing shite and wish I'd been raised atheist because of those things. Hopefully my daughter will miss some of those bullets I caught when young.

I'll use the term better to explain that which is empowering (enabling, or granting/increasing the capacity to do a thing)

Agnosticism and atheism "bettered" me in many ways. They introduced me to philosophy. They aided in my developing and attempting to answer questions revolving around meaning, identity, morality, and will. They helped me to see through wishful thinking and recognize the power of knowledge and curiosity. Especially curiosity.
Agnosticism and atheism bettered my ability to inquire. To think deeper. They bettered me in that they aided myself in developing a stronger sense of logic... what follows from subscribing to these ideologies?
They bettered me in my ability to sympathize and empathize. My ability to put things into other perspectives. To see others as brains... humans with their own experiences, identities, and reasons for being who and what they are. Not agents of God fulfilling his plans , or souls seeking eternal pleasure, or even to be shamed or blamed for who they are. I saw people as fellow humans and not as creations meant to determine a fate of timeless suffering or serving. I felt closer to people.
Agnosticism and atheism brought me from horroscopes, priests, elders, and fairytales to psychology, sociology, physics, cosmology, biology, chemistry, and philosophy for answers.
They contributed to my developing of intelligence in many respects.
My dismissal of childish fears, dogmas, and tales.
A love for justification.

I owe much of myself to Atheism and agnosticism. Thanks for reading

Edit: Forgot a huge part...
No afterlife for me. Not exactly a necessary component of atheism or agnosticism, but is often associated with them, and because I do not believe in an afterlife, I feel my one life is extremely important. It is only in this experience that I am able to enjoy all of that which I find worthwhile. I feel that my time here is to be used efficiently. They have made me better in granting me a sense of motivation.

That is too deep of a question. You already know my personal belief on the matter. However I would say the most important one that I think makes a point to those that observe me is this. I am a good person for the sake of being a good person and not because I'm like some donkey with a carrot dangling in front of my face in order to tempt me into being good.

I think with the religious folk, they are good out of a fear of a god and of the afterlife. If you're an atheist or an agnostic you don't get those same rewards offered to you. Therefore any action you take, you take it from a place of knowing there is no payoff, there is no punishment. The act itself is done simply because it prompts the heart of the one doing it.

When i interact with Christians these days, especially old friends of mine who cannot believe I'm a non-believer these days, I always tell them I haven't changed at all in the way that I perceive the things I wish to achieve in this world and I am Still a philanthropist to The Bitter End. I give anonymously and did even before hand. I want them to understand any good act I do, I do it because it's in my heart and not because of a reward.

Lastly, the biggest way that it hit me in the most profound of ways was when I reflect back on the many years I lived my life religious... I felt like I was living in a box, mentally speaking.

When I finally got through the years of Heartache that it took to walk away from and to finally get to the point where I didn't just think I had back slid and merely could no longer hear the voice of God... I found a form of peace.

I mean, they are Really good at getting in your brain and knowing what you'll eventually wonder about and question if ever you should come to doubt your own faith. Hence the whole story of backsliding and the farther you get from the hand of God, the more you are convinced that the secular world is true.

They do this to cause you self-doubt in the years that it takes for you to walk away. It's like an elephant being trained as a with a chain around its ankle... and then into adulthood it's so used to the chain being there that the owner can finally switch to using a simple rope and the Elephant feels it on the ankle and won't even fight it.

It's the same way with . When I finally walked away and got far enough away that I could look back in retrospect, what I realized is that once I completely let go of God... it was like Free Falling for a Good year there, but then after that moment passed it was like I had been able to walk openly into the Entire universe Outside of this... box that I'd been in for my whole life.

It was the most liberating experience I've ever had in my Existence. It was a terrifying experience for about a decade. However once the terror subsided... I felt like shackles have been released from me. I felt like that elephant that realized it was only a rope keeping me tied to the tree. I felt like I broke free finally. And for the first time in my life, my mind was allowed to go any place it chose to go... mentally, intellectually, there was nothing holding me back.

Those are two of my deepest experiences with having become a non-religious person.

I actually have so much more time to do good.
I am former LDS, three hour church, mutual during the week, seminary every week day for teenagers, monthly visiting teaching for adults. It adds up.

For my every day experience, the most tangible benefit is the lack of cognitive dissonance I have to deal with. Lots of mental energy trying to make square pegs fit round holes. An impossible task. Glad to be rid of it.

I am an A-theist because I was already a better person.