We all hear how hindsight is 20/20.
So what are tips and life hacks that people wished they knew when they were younger? What would have helped them with life?
The over 35 crowd of Reddit decided to share some of the best advice they wish they had taken to heart.
Redditor jcab0219asked:
“Redditors age 35+, what’s the best piece of life advice you can give someone in their 20’s?”
Don’t let anyone stop you from doing good…
“If you're a good person and you know it, don't worry about how people judge you. The good ones will find you eventually and the confidence you have in the meantime will serve you well.” ~ iconoclast63
“Keep the hell off my lawn.”
“The Japanese have a saying: 'The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second best time is now.' So..."
"A lot of your future will be shaped by what you do now. It's better to be at the bottom of a career you are interested in that halfway up the ladder and earning more in one you don't."
"If you find yourself just scratching out a living, at least be the best hen in the pen. And never get drunker than the boss."
"And if you’re good at something, never do it for free. Become an expert in something."
"Start a financial plan. Or at least put away some savings each month - you never know when you'll go through a period of unemployment or get hit by a big bill for something."
"Look after your teeth. Give up smoking if you smoke."
"Keep fit - all you have to do is a 5k run once or twice a week and it makes a difference. And never lie to your doctor. For fewer than 5 floors, take the stairs."
"Push-ups and sit-ups are all you’ll ever need to build muscle."
"Buy things that last, both in terns of quality and style. There's no point getting a suit that's in style now because it will be out of style in a year."
"Get a dark blue suit, three buttons, and if you can't afford to get it tailor-made at least go to a tailor and get him to take it in and make adjustments."
"That suit will last you for at least a decade. And if I can’t see your shirt cuff, your jacket doesn’t fit.”
“Get some decent work shoes. More times than not, you will be judged by your shoes."
"And never eat lunch at your desk."
"Never leave a job without securing your next employment. But when it’s time to go, don’t hesitate."
"Learn to cook three things really well. Otherwise, remember that if you aren’t hungry enough to eat an apple, you aren’t hungry."
"Never buy a car at night. And always return a borrowed car with a full tank of gas, and never ask about another person’s grades, salary, or what they paid for a car."
"Master a second language, preferably math."
"Never straighten another man’s tie."
"Never turn down a breath mint."
"Never cancel dinner plans by text message."
"Pay attention. You only get one chance to notice her new haircut."
"In the long run, loyalty trumps ambition every time."
"Keep the hell off my lawn.” ~ fletchindubai
The fact this needs to be said…
“Wear your sunscreen! Or more broadly, take care of you. Your skin,your teeth, your joints, your sexual health, etc. Invest in yourself for the long haul.” ~ Wildflower_Daydream
“Take care of your teeth. They’re expensive as hell to fix.” ~ TinkTink3
It boils down to being your own best safety net.
“Make a savings account of some kind RIGHT NOW, don't take anything out of it, only add to it. If you're gonna have the kind of sex that can result in pregnancy, be diligent about your birth control. Condoms, the pill, whatever - pulling out isn't good enough. Don't accidentally get pregnant or accidentally get someone pregnant.”
“When drinking, learn your limits with people you trust and then don't make a habit of going past them. Don't leave your drink unattended in public places. Remember that you don't have to drink if you don't want to, and not wanting to is a good enough reason to avoid booze.” ~ I_DRINK_ANARCHY
Life can’t always be a party…
“The party/sex/drugs lifestyle isn't worth it. The memories aren't even that good and they'll leave you with health problems for the rest of your life. Go to school, get a job, and live life like a good boy or girl and you'll be happier ten years from now than if you went partying all the time.” ~ rb7317
Even if it sucks, try not to burn that bridge…
“Don’t burn bridges. I know being “anti-work” is the new trendy thing, but the problem is you never know if person conducting the interview for your dream job is talking with your former acquaintances. I would suggest that if you wanna quit your job, write a resignation letter, give a copy to your boss and another one to HR, and calmly explain why are you leaving.”
“It’s not mandatory to stay for 2 weeks after you resign, but is customary. If you are leaving because you can’t work with your immediate supervisor, let HR or any other higher up know the reason why are you leaving, and that you appreciate the time you work with them (even if it’s not true) and that you wish things have ended differently. Usually when new employers need references, they call HR, not your supervisor.” ~ romeopapa22
Listen to that little voice!
“Cars are a waste of money - buy a practical, reliable, cheap car and do not waste money on tricking it out. You are your own boss and you decide what makes you happy, don’t waste any time trying to fit into someone else’s idea of you, be yourself.”
“When you don’t know what to do with your life, pick a direction and go! Any direction is better than floating around or treading water. Commit yourself to a lifetime of learning and no matter what you do, it will have value for the rest of your life. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t - listen to that little voice!” ~ BenevolentRustLord
Adulting is hard, you aren’t supposed to know it all…
“Don't sweat that you don't have it all (or even some of it) figured out. Your 20s is the very beginning of your adult life, it's the training wheels stage, you are supposed to not know. Your work, money, career, friends, love, family, you have decades ahead of you to figure that out, you can't expect to know it right out of the gate.”
“Figuring out how to do all that adult stuff is the same as reaching your milestones as a child - everyone does it on their own timeline and does things in a different order. Some kids talk early and walk late, it's the same thing, but it's easy to see your peers around you who are reaching the early milestones and think they have it all together - but they don't. Each in their own time. Plus, there is A LOT of faking it 'til you make it around, people talk a big game, but don't really know at all. And that's fine, too.”
“Don't get put off by all this talk that nobody ever figures anything out and being an adult is just a big mess of misery and not knowing what's going on. You WILL get better at the skills you need. The problems and responsibilities will get bigger, but you will have far better tools and capabilities.”
“Competency at anything takes time, be patient. Oddly, many people really romanticize the time they didn't know what they were doing with their life because they miss the time when they felt so much was possible. Try to enjoy that sense of possibilities, which only happens before you make those big decisions you are so anxious to be able to make.” ~ zazzlekdazzle
Kindness and a good credit score go a long way!
“Marry someone kind. Also: Credit cards utilize something called a credit utilization score…meaning they look at the overall amount of credit you have and the percentage of it you actually use. A ‘great’ credit utilization score is about 10%…so if you have a $1000 credit limit they only want you to use $100 before you pay it back.”
“It is a HUGE factor in determining your credit score. So if you’re maxing out your credit cards every month and pay them back but your credit is still in the garbage, that’s why. Tip: Ask your credit cards to raise your limits but don’t actually spend more than you are now. This will decrease your credit utilization percentage and get you a much better score.” ~ SeaTie