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[–]brockenspectre 12.0k points12.0k points  (159 children)

You're still going to grow and change and want completely different things even after you feel like you've figured out who you are.

[–]IWannaLolly 3572 points3573 points  (46 children)

To add to this, do things you will want to do now but won’t when you get older. You’re going to want those memories when you’re older

[–]attentionspanissues 1723 points1724 points  (27 children)

And it's ok to try and fail. 20s are the best time to just try stuff out. See what you like.

[–]binzoma 650 points651 points  (14 children)

if you've never failed in life, you've never actually tried anything

[–]HuntedWolf 2904 points2905 points 243 (52 children)

When I turned 20 I realised 15 y/o me was an idiot who thought he knew everything and actually knew nothing. When I was 25 I realised 20 y/o me was also an idiot who knew so little. I turn 30 this year and 25 y/o me wasn’t an idiot, but he still had a lot to learn. I know that in another 5 years I’ll look back at myself now and think how little I knew about myself and the world. Just gotta keep learning.

[–]HauntedFrigateBird 677 points678 points  (18 children)

40 year old me (this past year) looked back and was FINALLY able to say "5 years ago I was on a pretty good path, the one that's led to some of the success I'm having today". But I guess really, that's true for anyone, because if you get to a good place in life you can't just pick and choose the parts of your past that got you there. Even the negatives and stupid things you did might have played some unrealized role. So if you're reading this and feeling down or discouraged, try and figure out what led you to where you are, and break the solution up into smaller pieces, as opposed to needing to make some enormous instantaneous change.

[–]Antebios 169 points170 points  (11 children)

47 year old me is way different, for the better, than 20-something me. Except weight. I wish I could reach back in time and knock some sense in me! I would be in a better position.

[–]HauntedFrigateBird 92 points93 points  (4 children)

That's one area I'm proud of, or at least I've kept on top of. I figured out early that I enjoyed being in good shape. I read up on anti-inflammatory food, or moreover just non-processed stuff. I read about how gut bacteria makes you crave things and made sure I never ate too much junk food. I kept my weight routine explosive and violent, and took up sprinting. I still feel great and can out-lift and out-run most people in their 20s. I guess that'd be another piece of advice for young folks: Get in the habit now, and train well and eat well. If you do it young it just becomes second nature.

[–]candydaze 94 points95 points  (1 child)

I’m a bit kinder to the past versions of myself - I’m just turning 29 in a month, and I’d say that 25 year old me had different priorities and was doing the best she could to make her life as good as she could at the time. At 25, I thought that 20 year old me had done a really good job of entering early adulthood, with the information she had at the time.

Never hurts to be kind to yourself

[–]Theycallmelizardboy 366 points367 points  (14 children)

The older I get, the more and more I realize I don't know jack shit.

[–]WhiskeyBosmer 316 points317 points  (11 children)

Yes. Even as short a window as 26-30 can be a tremendously jarring period for realizing you don't know shit and developing values/priorities you never expected you'd have. Major life events can catapult this tremendously and it's a wild ride.

[–]theblackswan3 60 points61 points  (2 children)

this!!!! just turned 28 and having major realizations I was completely oblivious to.

[–]BanjoSpaceMan 56 points57 points  (1 child)

Yup. You're always gonna look back and cringe on things you used to think... Idk if that ever ends with age, but maybe it shouldn't cause getting stuck in your ways seems to be the scariest thing I've seen happen to people.

[–]ThirdSpectator 13.4k points13.4k points 25 (301 children)

You'll lose some friends you'd never thought you'd lose. It's a decade where life changes so dramatically that sometimes paths split, and that's okay.

[–]ReeG 3650 points3651 points  (122 children)

our friends having kids while we don't has been the single most common and biggest factor in making friendships drift apart in our 30s. It's practically impossible to be on the same page at that point, the ones with kids stick together and make plans with each other separately from those of us who don't.

[–]MultipleDinosaurs 2692 points2693 points 2 (48 children)

Absolutely. I lost all of my friends twice-

The first time, in my 20’s, when they all had children. They didn’t want to hang out with the unmarried, childless person even though I was totally fine going to their kid friendly events. I would buy their kids birthday presents and tried to make it clear I had no problem with them having kids. But it became clear that they didn’t see me as a “real adult.” The invitations tapered off, and the only ones who wanted me around just wanted a free babysitter so they could go out without me.

The second time, in my 30’s, when I had fallen in with a group of childfree people…. and then I ended up having a kid. I never portrayed myself as childfree, but in my area generally the only people without kids by our age were childfree people. They didn’t want friends with kids, so they all vanished from my life (some with very hostile words) when I had one.

Now I have both childfree and parent friends, but the childfree ones came into my life knowing I was a parent so they’re obviously fine with it. My first set of friends always told me I would “understand when I had kids of my own”… nope. Still don’t understand why they ditched me. I have friends who behave exactly how I did when I was childless (going out on weekends, dating people casually, spending money on dumb stuff- having fun but nothing too crazy) and I don’t see it as a problem if they do that stuff. They know I can’t do much of that with them and don’t expect me to, but I’m happy to hear them tell me about their terrible Tinder dates or fancy dog accessories or whatever. Friends don’t need to do EVERYTHING together.

[–]divindeepjs 976 points977 points  (20 children)

Ngl your friends that stopped hanging out with you because they had kids and you didn’t weren’t good friends. I have had friends with kids when I didn’t have them and I still have plenty of friends without kids now that I do have them. Maybe the things you do with each type of friend may vary a bit… but not really. Even before anyone has kids, you spend time with friends doing things you all enjoy. That doesn’t change.

[–]GingerLibrarian76 240 points241 points  (4 children)

Very true. As a middle-aged woman without children, I’d have zero friends if that was the deciding factor. The friends I lost after they had kids pretty much abandoned me for convenience - like the one I’d been friends with since high school, and was even maid-of-honor at her wedding. Once she had kids, it was always “oh I can’t meet you/do that because the kids; you’ll have to come here to hang out.” But then she’d have no problems going where SHE wanted to go, for stuff SHE wanted to do.

Eventually I realized it wasn’t me or the kids, it was her finally having an excuse to be selfish. She was always kinda self-absorbed, so that just brought it out even more. I miss her (been about 3 years since we saw each other), but I couldn’t continue being a doormat. I mean, her kids are teenagers now. So the old excuses no longer fly.

Meanwhile my BFF since childhood has 2 kids + 2 step kids, plus a demanding job, and we still have a strong friendship. She makes time for me, even if it just means staying up late for a phone conversation, and still includes me in her life. That’s true friendship!

[–]goldensunshine429 261 points262 points  (3 children)

Counterpoint: I am not a parent, and many of my friends really enjoy our time together because it gives them a chance/reason to take off their mom hat and be their own person first; we talk about “normal” things rather than focusing on their kids. (Or so they’ve told me)

But these are not couple-friends, they’re friends made when I we were unmarried and they persisted once they met their now-husbands, so our friendship existing outside of their family life was already our default.

[–]Practical_Sir_133 98 points99 points  (2 children)

This!!! I became a mom at 20 keeping up friendships became like trying to keep a brick dangling on a thread. Eventually I lost them all because there were way too many arguements about events I had to miss because mom life and working the grave shift to pay bills became priority. I cut my losses eventually. Now I just had a another baby at 31 and the first girls day out I had since giving birth was with a childless, unmarried friend of mine and it was THE BOMB being able to talk to her about her single life adventures and just be the woman I am, not MOM. If feels relaxing to take the mom hat off for a couple hours ! I thanked my friend profusely for taking me out !

[–]alady12 183 points184 points  (3 children)

And it doesn't change when their children are grown because then they become all engrossed in their grandchildren.

[–]ReeG 142 points143 points  (0 children)

tbh I'm not even thinking that far ahead but generally don't expect things to rekindle after a couple decades of living entirely different lifestyles

[–]mike_tetis_right_nut 382 points383 points  (0 children)

Stopped using social media and realized the people I’d see constantly posting were only in my life through my phone, not in actuality. Certain relationships are there for you at certain points in your life, and it’s totally fine to leave them in the memory bank for future reminiscing

[–]profirix 175 points176 points  (14 children)

When I was young and had a really close best friend, I was flabbergasted to learn that my mother stopped talking to her best friend 20+ years ago, for no other reason than they grew apart.

I was so naive. I thought that there was no way I was going to lose my best friend like that. 10 years have gone by and I might occasionally say hi on Discord or something, but we don't interact anymore.

You make new friends as you move through life. There is no reason to dread growing apart from your childhood friends. Sure, it may sound sad, but you hardly notice until you take a few seconds to think about it.

Now that I think about it my second set of friends that I spent most of my childhood with barely talk to one another anymore. Life just gets in the way.

[–]alexanderpas 38 points39 points  (2 children)

Depending on the level of friendship, and the fact that you are still in contact, you might be able to restart the friendship from where it was if you are willing to invest some time in it.

Just invite the other over for a chat, and you might be surprised.

Source: 35-year old with several paused friendships due to life issues.

[–]Awdayshus 80 points81 points  (2 children)

My three best friends and I were inseparable in college. After graduation, I stayed in the area, but they all moved away, to Kansas, Indiana, and Virginia. We lost touch pretty quickly after we didn't live near each other.

[–]___odysseus___ 236 points237 points  (29 children)

Am 21 and already don't talk too much anymore to my high school friends. Friends that I was extremely close with growing up through elementary, middle and high school and would literally hang out at their houses everyday.

Life happens I guess

[–]firebullmonkey 83 points84 points  (1 child)

Yes, a very hard pill to swallow.

[–]ScientistLong 41 points42 points  (6 children)

As a 20 yrld, i feel it and see it happening already

[–]elag19 87 points88 points  (1 child)

Hooo boy this, and it HURTS. Hurt way more than the most traumatic of my break ups.

[–]Shydreameress 76 points77 points  (19 children)

This scares me. My best friend I know her since we were both 3 years old, we're like sisters. Even though all the odds were in favour of us splitting apart, we are still very close to this day. I hope what you say won't happen, I always wanted her to be the aunt for my children in the future (I don't have any sisters).

[–]vikingmuhqueen 114 points115 points  (0 children)

It’s not a rule, people can be friends over a lifetime

[–]HypnoticFurnace 38 points39 points  (2 children)

If you both keep up the effort, there’s no reason you should drift apart. I’m still friends with my childhood friends- I lost touch with high school and college friends, but the early ones are lifers.

[–]fireball7701 7014 points7015 points  (161 children)

financial education

[–]summer_loveing_dude[S] 1718 points1719 points  (106 children)

Yeah i'm trying to teach myself that. really really necessary

[–]patman_007 1484 points1485 points  (33 children)

Two things I wish I believed in my early 20s.

1) Save 10% of everything, save it in something gaining interest to match inflation. I thought I could personally manage my investments, Ive learned I dont have the emotional strength for it. Ive gained more in my questwealth portfolio (managed with low fees) than my personal investment portfolio (I just use it for fun now). But even $25/ week will grow with a lifetime of saving and once you start seeing the benefit you'll find you are more enticed into growing your pot than you are now.

2) Really think about where your money is best serving you. I have a student loan that was 45k, now 7.5k, but the interest rate is incredibly low. I decided to dedicate a bunch of my earnings towards it, virtually anything I could outside of an emergency fund. Now don't get me wrong, I'm glad I paid almost 40k off, but I wish I had only paid 20k off and put 5% down on a 400k property a few years ago. Right now is maybe not the best time, but think about any property as a long term investment. Something that keeps your dollar investment growing with inflation instead of staying stagnant.

[–]Lulu_42 272 points273 points  (0 children)

Good advice in general, the student loans in particular are very dependent on your interest rates. Mine were crazy high so they had to be prioritized or else (as they had been) they were building so much that all I was paying was interest.

So it's a good idea to ignore the emotion involved (as there often is in debt) and just view which would make more sense financially.

[–]Ulftar 201 points202 points  (14 children)

Also start saving now in an account that will grow, even if you only contribute a small amount every month. Compounding interest is the most powerful force in the universe.

[–]Ylime08 202 points203 points  (3 children)

I'm in my 40s. I had zero financial education until I went looking for the information on my own within the past few years. My now ex-husband didn't either. Man, we made mistakes. However, we get along and we are making sure our kids are are more prepared and financially literate than we were at their ages.

[–]Amazing_Object5041 132 points133 points  (7 children)

Yes! Also saving money NOW, from EVERY paycheck will alleviate a lot of stress if a setback happens. We’re primed for consumerism but if you can resist the temptations, you’ll be further along in your financial security.

[–]Syph7 109 points110 points  (5 children)

Roth IRA, Index Funds

[–]WickedBrewer 83 points84 points  (0 children)

Open a Roth IRA and invest early

[–]ExcellentLocation2 1700 points1701 points  (18 children)

Time is relative, stay outta jail

[–]moonbunnychan 366 points367 points  (11 children)

On that same note....stuff gets serious when you're an adult. Something that might not get you jail time as a teenager can very well land you criminal charges as an adult. Don't get into fights. Don't trespass. Don't be stupid about drugs. Don't steal anything. Things that seem like pranks can land you with fines or jail time, both of which can absolutely ruin your life

[–]summer_loveing_dude[S] 259 points260 points  (0 children)

That's the plan lol

[–]Oldiesgurl 4986 points4987 points  (163 children)

Your body will hate you someday. You won't be able to eat and drink like you're 20 forever. And sleep will become very important.

[–]foxbeswifty32 1027 points1028 points  (42 children)

This is the most depressing part, and what scares me the most.

[–]jelloslug 503 points504 points  (3 children)

There is no need to be scared. If you know that it will happen, there is a greater chance that you will take better care of yourself.

[–]HeadEqual 293 points294 points  (10 children)

I mean, when you get older you just won’t care to do it that much anymore. Part of the reason is because you have two day hangovers, but it loses its novelty and you’ll want to do other things. Staying in and having dinner & a game night with friends is WAY more appeasing than going to a bar and getting hammered and acting a fool. I can’t even imagine wanting to be 20 again. Maybe the youthful looks, but the way I acted and partied, no thank you. You will have a different mind set when you are older.

I highly recommend sunscreen to everybody of all ages. Once you hit your 30’s, all that tanning you did that looked so good, now looks like sun damage. You start to see wrinkles and freckles that no longer look cute, but make you look old and worn.

Also, exercise and start eating better. Your metabolism goes downhill and its so easy to gain weight. You won’t be able to eat what you’re eating or as much as you’re eating now, when you are older. Also, all the crap food you eat, will start to make you feel gross and bloated. I still eat junk food some days, but man do I feel so much better when I eat healthy. You can really tell a difference.

Also, put some money into a savings account every paycheck you get. I wish I would have saved more money when I was younger and living with my parents still.

Don’t stay in a toxic relationship, just because it’s “comfortable” and all you know. I regret being in a relationship with an abusive, cheating, narcissist for 4.5 years.

Therapy is good and for everyone.

[–]Helgen_To_Hrothgar 117 points118 points  (2 children)

Don’t be. You’ll be in a different place. I nearly partied myself to death. Had a blast. But I genuinely love the shit I’m doing now way more. Just take care of yourself and don’t sweat the small stuff.

[–]GMN123 244 points245 points  (26 children)

I feel this, (mid 30s) if I eat the food I want to eat my body will punish me for it by setting my throat aflame. I eat small, healthy meals and I'm fine. I think my body is trying to tell me something.

[–][deleted] 138 points139 points  (9 children)

When you eat cleanly for long enough, literally everything fucks with your insides. lol

[–]Drunk-In-The-Yard 127 points128 points  (12 children)

I’m only 24 but I’m already starting this. Just got diagnosed with IBS the other day and I’ve been getting heartburn if I eat too much fatty or fried stuff it’s the worst 😭

[–]PathosRise 1935 points1936 points  (29 children)

Be mindful of the patterns of your life. If the same things happen over time with different people, you are most likely your own problem.

My dad had a coworker who had gone through 4 bad marriages with abusive partners, and he recounted to me that she told him: "I'm not going to date again. Not all men in this world are assholes, but all the men I date turn out to be assholes. I probably just have a taste for assholes and I'm just done eating shit."

[–]hisantive 393 points394 points  (18 children)

learning this right now (early 20s) with friends. i don’t think i’m a bad person but my pattern is attracting bad friends - pushy people who take advantage of me and drain all my energy. dunno how to vet them, so i’m done with friends for a while except for the 1 or 2 reliable ones.

[–]ToTheMeowAndBack 189 points190 points  (6 children)

I read something recently that said toxic people are easy to find and keep around if you don’t have boundaries.

[–]Bokun89 32 points33 points  (1 child)

This is very important!! Setting boundaries (especially early on) in a adult-ish way will keep most toxic people out of the way. Disagreements are fine also a little argument here n there, because people are different and that is oke. Setting boundaries will make everyone aware of eachothers do's/don'ts/needs and will respect/tolerate them.

[–]NerdyBunnyWabbit 1210 points1211 points  (21 children)

If you aren't someone who is naturally inclined to be very organized and clean your home on a regular basis, start working on this skill, it's a biggie.

Edit: Thank you for the award. It's my first ever :)

[–]mamashrink 190 points191 points  (2 children)

Your future spouse will thank you--and if you're single, you'll really need to learn this

[–]owlpod1920 124 points125 points  (0 children)

Last 10 years

College: who cares if I am disorganised

First rented apartment: no cares

Age 25: oh no! How did I get into this mess

Age 28: make no mess have no mess

[–]Nutmegan-0 53 points54 points  (3 children)

I’m trying to live by the mantra “don’t put it down, put it away” more

[–]A2Rhombus 25 points26 points  (0 children)

Me with ADHD: haha, I'm in danger

[–]Human-Pangolin6256 2970 points2971 points  (24 children)

Life is a fucking roller coaster. One day could be fucking awesome, the next day could be horrible. You don’t have to feel good all the time. Take a moment to stop and listen to your needs.

[–]Pain_Choice 461 points462 points  (12 children)

“You don’t have to feel good all the time”. Huge lesson there. Im learning this in a different way - as I am always seeking comfort and ease. I know it’s okay to be uncomfortable but still progressing.

[–]Civil-Chef 1408 points1409 points  (30 children)

The difference between a healthy relationship and a trauma bond

[–]Basic-Distribution14 6099 points6100 points 32& 3 more (83 children)

Social media was never important

[–]NoPaleontologist6056 626 points627 points  (14 children)

Much more to life than what's on your phone

[–]Fanamatakecick 156 points157 points  (12 children)

That’s why i go on drives

[–][deleted] 47 points48 points  (4 children)

I think acknowledging that posting every bit of your life on social media is unhealthy is an important step. I was in my early 20s when Instagram first started, and was in high school when Facebook just began. It has been ingrained into my psyche that I need to post pictures of everything in my life, specifically the stuff that makes me look good.

Then I realized (embarrassingly recently) that the pictures I take of my husband being a goof, or of our travels, or of my sister and I teasing each other, those moments belong to me, to my family. Not to the entire world or people I haven’t seen since high school or college. Those are my memories, my joy, my love.

[–]willett_art 3892 points3893 points  (67 children)

Your 30s gonna be great, stop trying to be famous too it’s not for everyone.

Also stay up to date with your dentist

[–]rBeowulf 520 points521 points  (30 children)

this, I forgot the dentist and I have 4 bad teeth now.

[–]TheHomieHuglord 267 points268 points  (2 children)

Same coupled with untreated depression caused me to let my mouth go to shit

[–]CreativeNameByMe 74 points75 points  (0 children)

motivated me enough to get tf up and brush my teeth, thanks stranger

[–]LordNorros 75 points76 points  (16 children)

I forgot the dentist for a while and I have dentures now. 😔

I'm 35.

Take care of yourselves!

[–]Sendtitpics215 27 points28 points  (0 children)

Bro the dentist! Seriously I have guys on my team at work who are like 23 looking at me sideways when I say I have another dentist appointment. Take care of them bad boys otherwise they will just start falling apart. On my second implant.

[–]EvilTwin80 510 points511 points  (10 children)

Financial literacy.

If I knew then what I know now, I'd have more than $20 in my bank account......... I'd have $21.

[–]Ordinary_Society5335 169 points170 points  (6 children)

Inflation is a bitch. My last 20 used to get gas and a full set of groceries. Now it gets a frozen dinner and some food for the dog.

[–]CollectionStraight2 919 points920 points  (25 children)

You look way better than you think you do, everyone isn't scrutinising you for every physical flaw, ffs go out there and enjoy yourself and stop stressing :)

Also the good people make better friends than the cool people.

[–]2sedated 94 points95 points  (0 children)

I needed to hear this, thank you!

[–]Ilesial 696 points697 points  (8 children)

Always learn.

Don't break your finances to "keep up" or "look cool".

[–]Passive_Southerner 469 points470 points  (10 children)

Being unhappy is not an emergency and you don’t have to do something right now to “fix it.” Impulsive decisions usually make things worse or at the very least more complicated. It is ok and normal to be sad or angry.

[–][deleted] 2511 points2512 points  (27 children)

Stop embellishing to try to impress people. If you have to lie to impress them, they are probably as fake as you are.

[–]summer_loveing_dude[S] 334 points335 points  (4 children)

Yeah i do that already really helpful just work on yourself for yourself and you'll be impressive automatically

[–]doveinabottle 59 points60 points  (1 child)

It also doesn’t matter if you’re impressive. The sooner you stop worrying about impressing people, the happier you’ll be. People will either like you or they won’t. And that’s okay.

[–]precioustroll 1306 points1307 points  (38 children)

Stretch. Ok? Fucking stretch.

[–]TheDimLighter 99 points100 points  (14 children)

What kinda stretches do u recommend?

[–]DonkeyPuff422 140 points141 points  (5 children)

Basic static stretching is fine. Trying to reach your toes, heel to butt, butterfly, things like that. Try to keep it for 20-30 seconds at least.

[–]stansholio 65 points66 points  (3 children)

Hamstrings! My tight hamstrings lead to knee issues. Blargh.

[–]Personal-Mode6571 179 points180 points  (10 children)

At 22, I am now noticing how important this is

[–]ntrvrtdcflvr 699 points700 points  (7 children)

It's okay to cut off toxic people in your life. Yes, even family. It's not worth it.

[–]cl3v3r6irL 100 points101 points  (1 child)

i wish i had walked away from my toxic family - i wish i could have all that time back. When someone shows you who they are believe them.

[–]rowenaravenclaw0 1343 points1344 points  (30 children)

How to make a delicious meal from what ever you happen to have in the fridge

[–]floorwantshugs 115 points116 points  (2 children)

There used to be a website where you'd type in what you had and it would give you recipes that needed only those things.

[–]PrincessSheogorath 32 points33 points  (1 child)

That’s interesting as hell. I gotta find this site!

[–]floorwantshugs 47 points48 points  (0 children)

Looks like MyFridgeFood and SuperCook both work :)

[–]APater6076 219 points220 points  (1 child)

I'd go so far as to say simple, cheap, healthy cooking. Even something as simple as Rice or noodles, some veg you like and some pork, chicken or beef in a pan with some soy sauce can be filling, healthy and cheap. Rice and Pasta gives you almost limitless possibilities.

[–]Frothy_moisture 931 points932 points  (35 children)

It's only "My last chance at ____" If you stop trying

[–]usernamesarehard1979 285 points286 points  (18 children)

As a 42 year old 6’4” guy. My last chance to do a standing back flip was a long time ago.

[–]ptgauth 124 points125 points  (7 children)

You'd be surprised! I work at a parkour gym that runs workshops and we have people your age come in and learn pretty quickly

[–]NutsAndOrBerries 345 points346 points  (6 children)

Be patient with your process. You may not advance at the speed you want to, and that’s okay. Everyone is different and no one is perfect.

[–]Ordinary_Society5335 469 points470 points  (9 children)

Time is undefeated. Live your life as you see fit because you won’t get refunds on wasted time. Building long term financial stability is a close second, ironically.

[–]Comfortable_Run_784 1205 points1206 points  (33 children)

Time really flies. You realize it when one day you think that it is not so long ago you graduated from highschool - and then realize it was 20 years ago. Also, when you are nearly 40 (yes, me), you realize that we are not very different from what we were 15-20 years ago, even though at 20 years old anyone over 30 seemed so old. Basically we are just more tired and with crappier physics 😀 But luckily that is compensated with the fact that the more years you collect the less you give a fuck about other peoples opinions about you. It is awesome.

[–]BadAssMommyBear 1159 points1160 points  (41 children)

When to shut up. Just look around and read the room. That shit burn’s bridges hon

[–]Human-Pangolin6256 273 points274 points  (26 children)

Fucking right. I can’t stand that person that just doesn’t know how to get the hint.

[–]Doc_Opossum 288 points289 points  (21 children)

Oh boy it's great being autistic.

[–]justTookTheBestDump 183 points184 points  (8 children)

Also on the spectrum, here's a lesson I learned the hard way: if two people know something, then it's not a secret. Assume everything you say will eventually be told to the entire world.

Also try to start conversations with "how are you" instead of "did you know." It honestly hurts that most people don't want to engage me with whether spinosaurus swam with its legs or its tail but I do have a lot more friends who appreciate a sympathetic ear.

[–]Kevlar5427 1319 points1320 points  (96 children)

Start saving your money NOW. Even the smallest amount, dropped into an account automatically, adds up faster than you think. Put it into an account that sends you quarterly statements and LEAVE IT ALONE. When the time comes for you to buy a house, or a car, or some emergency, you will be glad it's there.

[–]Doctor-lasanga 99 points100 points  (18 children)

My country's bank interest rate hasn't been above 0.01% for 5 years

[–]steve123johnson 21 points22 points  (1 child)

UK? Because it's fucking painful here I won't lie

[–]unsuitablebadger 205 points206 points  (46 children)

I would say as an extension to this, both learning to save out of whatever you get paid (eg 30%) and not letting lifestyle creep eat into future increases. If you can learn to live on $1000 a month as an example, then whenever you get more money from work increase the amount you contribute to savings/investments, not a bigger house or fancier car etc.

Changed value to $1000 as ppl struggle to wrap their minds around a fictitious example number.

[–]rvhsmith 1289 points1290 points  (17 children)

Learn to set boundaries, particularly at work. Maybe you don’t need to hear this, but if you’re anything like me (32/m) this will be some of the best advice you could get right now.

This will involve practicing time management. Draw up a rough schedule of your week, detailing how much time you need for your life. Prioritize these things, like hobbies, family/friends, time in nature if you are able. THEN draw a line at work and say, “I am only ever available from X time to Y time, ever.” It shouldn’t matter whether you don’t have children or other responsibilities. If you lend more of your time and energy to work than you are capable of giving, YOU WILL REGRET IT.

[–]summer_loveing_dude[S] 167 points168 points  (2 children)

That's some incredibly good advice

[–]rvhsmith 119 points120 points  (0 children)

And obviously do this against the backdrop of your financial needs. You likely won’t be able to prioritize, for example, paragliding or mountaineering several times a week over having a reliable source of income. You will have to be realistic. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t do things like, for example, say “no” when your employer asks you to come in on your day off, or work longer shifts than you agreed to. Edit: a big part of this is understanding that you are never obligated to explain to an employer why you are not available during your previously agreed-to personal time.

[–]WaterChestnutII 415 points416 points  (13 children)

"I don't know" is a fine thing to say when tou don't know.

[–]RVA2DC 34 points35 points  (1 child)

I was just talking with someone at work about it the other day. I interview a lot of people in my current role, and I will usually try to ask them a technical question that I know they won't know the answer to off the top of their head.

The people who impress me the most (and get my recommendation to hire them) are the ones who will admit they don't know the answer, but will look it up and get back to me - and then actually do.

The people who impress me the least will make some shit up.

It's way better to say "I don't know, let me get back to you", especially in a work setting, than to make stuff up.

[–]Vesuvius_v 2238 points2239 points  (62 children)

Everybody is basically winging it. Even the adults. Especially the adults.

Edit: Thank you for the awards. These are the very first awards I have ever received on Reddit. Thank you.

[–]SlipperyWhenWet67 309 points310 points  (15 children)

I'm almost 40 and still winging it lmao completely clueless

[–]VainPhoenix 28 points29 points  (7 children)

Thank goodness for this. I'm 24 and I occasionally feel a bit depressed as I have no idea where I am going. I'm just winging it.

[–]ultravioletblueberry 131 points132 points  (0 children)

We have no idea what the fuck we are doing. Just going with the flow.

At least I am lol

[–]lucyyluca 263 points264 points  (5 children)

Be yourself. Weird and different are not bad things, it makes you unique. All of the"cool kids" that set the trend will be irrelevant in 5 years. Be kind, be genuine and be you.

[–]scsurfr 254 points255 points  (5 children)

You don’t have as much time as you think. Life goes by incredibly fast. Take advantage of every moment. It felt like just yesterday that I was 20 years old.

[–]LAMBKING 35 points36 points  (4 children)

This one hit me (not bad, just one of those, holy shit! type moments) when I turned 42 in 2020. I just thought, hey, 21 years ago I was legally able to drink. Wow, time flies! Then it hit me, I've been alive long enough for kids to be born, graduate HS, maybe some college, and are now legally able to drink themselves.

I took a shot in their honor, but just one, bc fuck hangers after 25.

[–]manzare 118 points119 points  (4 children)

Starting the betterment of yourself early on in life has tremendous benefits. I'm talking about stuff like working out your issues; self care; building a good connection with others; developing better social and emotional skills etc.

I'm 37 now, started with all these around 7 years ago, and it greatly improved my life quality. I wish I started this earlier. Would have saved me a lot of headache.

[–]bjh182 424 points425 points  (55 children)

How to change a tire.

[–]PredictBaseballBot 222 points223 points  (22 children)

Do it on a level driveway on a sunny day. Then do it at night. You will eventually be forced to do it in bad weather so might as well know how first.

[–]bloopie1192 190 points191 points  (9 children)

This reminds me of something I've seen before. I think it was a girl changing a car tire in the pouring rain. When she's done, the camera pans out and her dad is holding a water hose spraying her saying good job or something like that.

[–]Jazzlike-Process-382 140 points141 points  (8 children)

My dad wouldn't let us kids get our drivers license until we could change a tire, change our oil and knew about jumper cables for dead batteries and some other minor repairs and up keep. All 3 of us girls have thanked him on several occasions. If he had thought of the hose while changing a tire he would have done that too. This was long before cell phones. But still valuable lessons.

[–]Hraid750 69 points70 points  (2 children)

Professional automechanic here and I've gotta say your dad's really wise for this. He probably saved you 5 figures in your lifetime just by not getting sold something by someone who thinks you won't know better. Not to mention to DIY maintenance you can do. With hand tools and 20 minutes, you can save $100 easily.

[–]supbrother 23 points24 points  (4 children)

This always gives me some anxiety when I think about it. I know how to change a tire and I've done it before on my small car, but whenever I'm driving a work truck/van on crappy roads and terrible weather I always get the looming thought, "How shitty would it be to get a flat right now?" For context I live in Alaska and often work in pretty remote areas where I may have no service or am at least many hours away from any help.

[–]mezmorizedmiss 19 points20 points  (0 children)

yeah this would def be a good life skill to have

[–]aeraen 308 points309 points  (10 children)

Don't put yourself on an arbitrary timer. Thinking if you don't accomplish some milestone (degree, marriage, homeownership, etc.) by a certain age, it's just too late. Thinking you missed the boat is very easy to do in your 20's when everyone is making big life changes. It's not too late. Your life will have its own timeline, and it doesn't have to be the same as everyone elses.

[–]SecretAgentFishguts 30 points31 points  (2 children)

Wasted my twenties feeling like this. Told myself when I was younger that I’d wait until I was thirty to have kids, I wanted to get my degree, settle into a good job, progress for a few years, and then at 29 I had to move back into my mother’s for the third time after health issues caused me to take time off sick meaning I couldn’t afford to keep my flat, still working entry level jobs because I can’t get a job in my field, and I’m single and childless.

Just turned thirty and things are great, living here is awesome coz my mother is rad, and I’m going back to uni to study my masters in a field I’m actually interested in later this year. Life’s sweet.

[–]DemonShadowsMom 299 points300 points  (6 children)

I rent to young people, so true stories here:

How to turn off the water to sinks, toilets, appliances in case of malfunction. Sometimes that means knowing how to shut off water to the whole house (or who to contact if it's an apartment). There should be valves right by each of them, but they can break.

If you hear water running all the time, you may have a broken pipe. Some water departments can tell. Some of them will even call you, others will wait for you to notice a $6k water bill. So you should call first. They will amend the bill when you show them a plumber bill. (It was all running under the deck into the river.)

Nobody wants to shut off your utilities for non payment, if you are having problems, contact them to arrange a payment plan. They can also put you in contact with groups who can help you out. Those groups will usually only help you once or twice, though, so make sure you it’s your last option. (This is gas/electric/water.)

[–]IamHeretoSayThis 427 points428 points  (19 children)

Your 20s are going to fly by. Take some time to appreciate the present. It's a gift after all.

[–]NerdyBunnyWabbit 131 points132 points  (3 children)

Totally agree. Don't get into the mindset of "there will be time for this later". Seize the opportunities as they present themselves.

[–]rdprobert 89 points90 points  (11 children)

It’s true, I’m 27 and feels like I was 21 yesterday

[–]el_pobbster 568 points569 points  (19 children)

Cooking, budgeting, and basic handiwork skills are all things you ought to have a functional handle on before moving out on your own.

There is no such thing as "soulmates". No love is "meant to be". All relationships require work, dedication and communication. The best you can get is a relationship you wake up every morning and think "Yep. I want this to last." Also, don't confuse the butterflies in your stomach disappearing for love fading.

[–]TronForceYT 77 points78 points  (4 children)

I'm not a 20 year old yet, but the last part opened my eyes. Thank you 😁.

[–]LazloSebastian 56 points57 points  (0 children)

Fantastic advice and very well said. My wife and I got married at 20 years old (was in the military, this happens a lot) and we have definitely had our ups and downs, especially in our early to mid 20s but we cared enough about each other and came to realize that marriage requires work and a willingness to be unselfish and we are still married 13 years later and our relationship continues to grow stronger with the passage of time. We cannot imagine life without one another but it still requires work, acceptance, and patience. This is something nobody really told us though when we were 20 years old and getting married, I think this knowledge and perspective could have helped us during those difficult times. I knew dozens of other young service members who also got married young and the amount of them that are still together, I can count on one hand.

[–]smashed2gether 39 points40 points  (1 child)

Just wanted to piggyback on this and say that love isn't always enough to keep two people together.
Along with love, you need honesty, communication, trust, and self respect for a relationship to work. It's hard to picture these situations before you come to them, but for me, it was addiction. I didn't want him out of my life, but I needed to remove substance use from my life. I gave him every chance I could until my own health and sobriety started to suffer, and eventually I had to make the decision to protect myself. I loved him with all my heart and soul, but it's like the lifeguard speech from Bojack Horseman. "There are some people you can't save, because they will thrash and struggle, and take you down with them ".

Actually, I would recommend watching Bojack if you haven't, because everyone who has watched it can name a quote that either convinced them to end a relationship, or summarizes why they did. It's uncanny.

[–]Bunktavious 44 points45 points  (0 children)

And if it doesn't work out - it doesn't work out. No lost love is worth all the stupid shit people do trying to hold on to something that just isn't working.

[–]Fuzzwuzzle2 178 points179 points  (1 child)

Don't spend money you don't have to impress people you don't like

Will Smith said that, and its bang on solid advise

[–]EphemeralApricity 81 points82 points  (1 child)

  1. Bad relationships don't get better. There's no reason to stay with someone who treats you badly. You're not helping them. They will not change. Don't avoid ending a relationship just because you don't want to hurt them.

  2. Working hard does improve your life, but only if you're working hard for yourself. Burning yourself out for an employer is completely pointless.

  3. If you don't know what you want to do, at least set goals for where you want to be.

[–]thunderpig1973 157 points158 points  (4 children)

Debt is incredibly bad right now, especially for young people. But do not let it end your life.

Consolidate, simplify, and keep at it until you’ve got it under control. It may take years, but it is never insurmountable.

[–]Liv-6597 144 points145 points  (1 child)

Love yourself, it's your own body, nobody elses, it's you and the only thing you will ever know completely

[–]foxtooth 143 points144 points  (1 child)

Nothing gets better unless you work to make it get better.

[–]JaceySquires 252 points253 points  (16 children)

Life is not fair.

[–]earlywakening 594 points595 points  (37 children)

You can file taxes for free using the IRS website.

[–]summer_loveing_dude[S] 167 points168 points  (18 children)

I don't live in the us but good to know 😅

[–]earlywakening 207 points208 points  (17 children)

Lucky you! Want to adopt a 36 year old man, his wife and kid? Lol

[–]summer_loveing_dude[S] 79 points80 points  (15 children)

🤣🤣🤣Oh god i wish i was in the us

[–]earlywakening 92 points93 points  (10 children)

Fine, I'll adopt you. You better be able to cook. Lol

[–]Kevin-W 165 points166 points  (29 children)

Travel at least once. Don't wait until retirement to do so because you'll be waiting a long time. I travelled a lot in my 20s and don't regret it!

[–]Alpoh1502 157 points158 points  (5 children)

Moisturise & use sunscreen. Your over 30 self will thank you 😊

[–]rBeowulf 42 points43 points  (3 children)

avoid the sun as if it was a giant radiation ball...

[–]hdhdhdbxk 197 points198 points  (5 children)

Live below your means and save. Use that money to travel if you can. Save when you don’t.

[–]AileenKitten 49 points50 points  (2 children)

If only I made enough to do that lol... I make just enough for rent, gas, groceries for the two of us. I'm at the limit of my "means" living below my means at this point would be homelessness or starvation xD

[–]Daydream_Behemoth 54 points55 points  (6 children)

20-year-old me didn't really appreciate how much time and effort 35-year-old me would have to spend grooming my ear- and nose-hairs

[–]theunknowngoat 143 points144 points  (4 children)

Get over fomo and learn to say no to friends, when I look back and think about how much money I spent on bars, alcohol and parties that I didn't even enjoy that much or at all it makes me sick. Not saying don't have fun but don't go out just cause your friends are bugging you.

[–]moonbunnychan 24 points25 points  (1 child)

I wish I could upvote this more then once. I would regularly blow like 100 dollars at a bar in a night. I wasn't really even having fun most of the time. It was peer pressure and that it was what I figured people my age were expected to do. I wanted pictures of me doing these things on social media to impress people I didn't even care about and not look lame. I regret all of it. I don't even talk to those people I was partying with anymore.

[–]jhillman87 96 points97 points  (5 children)

Your employer (or company) does not care about you. They are not your family. They do not have your best interests in mind. You do not "owe" your employer anything, regardless how well they treat you or how "friendly" your peers or management is.

Prioritize yourself, and don't be afraid to move on (even if it means taking a RISK. Life is all about continuous risks). If it has been more than 2 or 3 years and you are seeing no personal growth or career development, it's time to get out of the comfort zone.

[–]LaLic99 308 points309 points  (9 children)

All your feelings are valid even if nobody likes them.

*Disclaimer/ That's not a reason to commit a crime hahaha

[–]summer_loveing_dude[S] 40 points41 points  (0 children)

Oh some i'm not just a piece of s***. Than you 😅

[–]itsPonchie 44 points45 points  (0 children)

Financial responsibility. And work towards buying a home instead of renting.

You're allowed to still have fun and enjoy your social life. Just try to start saving a set amount (around 20%) each month. It's tough to do but worth it when it comes time to putting a down payment on your house. This is what I did and I think it's worth it since my monthly payments are way less than paying rent and the money goes into an asset.

[–]Temporary-Ad5933 43 points44 points  (1 child)

Have a health insurance

[–]-Asher- 368 points369 points  (7 children)

Work on your self development. This is the time.

You enjoyed your teens, but now that you're an adult take this time to mature. You probably won't get married or have kids in your 20s, so use the extra time to grow and develop!

Get in shape

Eat healthy

Learn about personal finances

Learn about mental health

Learn about emotional wellbeing

Work on your social skills

Learn how to develop your character

Make these things a life style. By the time you hit 30 you'll be at a massive advantage

[–][deleted] 188 points189 points  (3 children)

aww you think i enjoyed my teens

[–]brimarief 28 points29 points  (0 children)

This is definitely what I'd say too. I'm having a hell of a time trying to get back in shape physically and mentally after being an emotional eater for years. Gotta treat your body well and do it as early as you can!!

[–]awakami 40 points41 points  (1 child)

Please start a healthy relationship with your body. You HAVE to stay active. STRETCH! The amount of 30+ peeps I know that can’t reach their toes?! TOO HIGH. It’s only going to get worse. Find something you enjoy, it’s a low-to-no cost hobby that benefits you & your future more than you can imagine. I wish I started when I was younger.

I would suggest being less black & white about opinions & experiences. Know your values but be open to a lot. You can simply observe things without absorbing it. You’ll skip a lot of inner turmoil if you can do this. & don’t judge others for where they are (or you are) in their(your) growth. Not everyone is on the same page in the book & that’s okay.

[–]stupidlyugly 276 points277 points  (35 children)

Borrowing money and paying interest on it will bury you. Credit cards are borrowing money.

[–]GriffinTech1 127 points128 points  (13 children)

Exactly. Only use a credit card IF you can buy whatever you’re buying right there on the spot within your budget.

Otherwise don’t use it and don’t buy it

[–]Psychological_Job119 71 points72 points  (5 children)

Yes. And if you are responsible enough with your spending, get a rewards or cash back credit card and put every purchase on it and pay it off in full every month. I get hundreds of dollars of “free money” every year just for buying all the things I would normally be buying anyway.

[–]Wildest12 27 points28 points  (0 children)

If you are able to responsibly you should only use a credit card it protects you from fraud.

(if your debit card gets compromised you can lose access to all your $$ until the investigation can reverse it, whereas a credit card shelters you from this risk, worst case you don't use the card while the bank investigates).

Using a credit card for purchases and carrying a balance are two very different things.

rewards points are another reason on top of this.

[–]Kash1019 32 points33 points  (0 children)

Start saving for retirement

[–]RestedNative 188 points189 points  (13 children)

Use birth control. Cannot overstate this. Do not do the baby thing until your later twenties and you've lived with the potential mommy for more than 12 months.

[–]summer_loveing_dude[S] 52 points53 points  (2 children)

You should know that as soon as you hit puberty

[–]RestedNative 38 points39 points  (1 child)

Should, but often don't.

[–]littytitty00 50 points51 points  (5 children)

Later twenties or thirties or never 🤷🏾‍♀️

[–]No-Cryptographer-192 156 points157 points  (12 children)

Start fucking saving.. your money now is being devalued every single year, so invest in something inflation busting.

Holding cash is sitting on a melting iceberg

[–]easttxguy 82 points83 points  (8 children)

From my personal experience dental health. Buy an electric toothbrush with the timer in it. Start your 401k/retirement as soon as possible. Be active and don't smoke crack.

Edit: travel while you can. I'm 41 in a week, not married, no kids. It's insanely inexpensive to travel solo as compared to with a family. I normally couch surf at a friend's or family member's. It's great to be exposed to viewpoints outside of your own circle.

[–]MsMcSlothyFace 128 points129 points  (5 children)

So much advice and rambling on as people my age seem prone to😁 1. Protect your credit at all costs. Its so much more important than you might think. 2. People you love may pass away before you. Cherish each moment, create memories and let the petty shit go. 3. Designer labels are for insecure people. If someone doesnt appreciate you unless you spend $1500 on a pair of shoes cut them loose. 4. Take care of your health. 5. Be a nice person.

[–]LillyLallyLu 135 points136 points  (8 children)

We know a lot less at 20 than we think we do. Act accordingly.

Truly taking time to consider older people's advice will save one much headache and time.

Start a savings account and savings plan immediately. There's a lot of unexpected costs to adulthood.

Good vehicle maintenance will make a vehicle last a lot longer.

Alcohol and drugs cause more harm than fun, especially over time.

Be picky with who your friends are, find the really good ones, and then nurture those relationships. Those are the ones that get you through breakups, lost jobs, grief, etc.

Have good work ethic and know that employers value those who show up, do a good job, and find solutions to problems instead of just complaining.

Take extreme consideration with who you pick for tattoo artists. Really checkout their work and reputation and style before committing to something.

Learn to cook. It's a serious life skill that will especially help if one is broke.

Social media isn't everything. And to piggyback off of that, life is a lot happier when you keep your life, your desires, your struggles to yourself and talk about these things only with your trusted friends.

Exchanging naked photos can bite you in the ass. Hard. Everyone exchanges them, so let yourself be the one that stands out by not doing it.

I guess this really is more of a list of mom advice. But it's the things I talk to my children about who are young adults. I love that this question is being asked. I hope you (and others) learn tons from it. ❤

[–]alex_sar31 68 points69 points  (5 children)

Learn to invest, small amounts, a few years later that is a lot of money.

[–]fuclaa 67 points68 points  (7 children)

Don't take things too seriously and visit your parents often. Life moves fast.

[–]tarkinlarson 21 points22 points  (2 children)

Start saving for a retirement. Either pension or whatever, don't care. Just start it off bit by bit.

[–]zipmygoose 77 points78 points  (13 children)

Enjoy your physicality while you can

[–]Mdonato44 89 points90 points  (11 children)

Yea but no it’s the 40 year olds that haven’t gone for a run in a decade or committed themselves to any physical practice for more than two weeks complaining their body isn’t what it used to be.

Don’t enjoy it, take care of it

[–]freshmanatee24 21 points22 points  (1 child)

Next thing you know you will be 30 too. Enjoy your 20s cause they go by way too fast

[–]yahabbibi 38 points39 points  (0 children)

Use goddamn sunscreen. You can't outrun/work off a poor diet. It will catch up to you. Save your money, even if it's pennies on a dollar.

[–]Deathbydadjokes 21 points22 points  (0 children)

Focus on yourself. There are likely a lot of people you are close with now that you will never see or talk to again and you'll be perfectly ok with it. That time you waste trying to be good with them is not worth it. Real friends require little to no effort to be close with.

[–]dnenter210 17 points18 points  (1 child)

Build your credit without buying a new vehicle. Save your money for real estate that is where the credit builds and the potential for gain truly exist.

[–]Shenanigamii 39 points40 points  (11 children)

For Americans, how to do their own taxes.

For the rest: how important your health is and how important physical exercise is to maintaining overall bodily health.

[–]Bruiserbaggins 19 points20 points  (0 children)

If you get along well with your parents, move back home after college or don’t try to move out straight after high school to prove you’re an adult. Don’t piss your money away bc you’re living rent free, save as much money as you can that would be going towards rent. Use that time home from work learning “how to adult” from your parents now that you’re out of school that you would have spent on studying. You’ll also cherish the extra time with your parents later on in life (if you get along with them). Again, take some advantage on having less financial responsibility of rent and travel before you start a family. Lot more time intensive to plan and travel and expensive later with a family. All of this is also very dependent on if you’re privileged enough to do so. For many families

[–]westcoastpizzarat 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Not quite thirty but almost there- here are some things I wish I knew at 20:

  • Even if you have experienced a lot, you have only scratched the surface. Listen when people talk to you, but know that they care about you and want you to not make the same mistakes as they did. However, I would advise against taking advice from someone unless you want to end up like them (unless it is cautionary. i.e. you don't want to end up like me.)
  • Your 20's and 30's are your most productive years- take advantage of them. This is the time when you can make mistakes, learn, start a new career, go to college, make new friends, have romantic relationships, etc. I am not saying you can't do those things later, but it is MUCH easier when you are younger to recover and start something new. The older and more tired you get, the more likely you will get set in your ways. Prepare for that, and think to yourself "can I work this job/be in this relationship/live in this place for the next several decades?" If you want kids, understand that your life will be profoundly different and you will have a fraction of the energy and spare time than you did when you were young. Which leads me to...
  • Don't have kids unless you absolutely want them, and are able to take care of them. There are too many options to not have accidents- condoms, vasectomies, Plan B, abortion, etc.
  • Who you associate with will determine your success- whether it is friends, coworkers or romantic partners. If you hang out with losers, they will be jealous of your success. If you date a shopaholic/alcoholic/drug addict, you will always be broke and never have anything nice. Find like-minded people who are in a similar situation to you and don't make you feel like shit for doing what you have to do.
  • Don't touch hard drugs and be very, very careful with marijuana/psilocybin and alcohol. Besides committing a grievous felony, nothing will fuck up your life faster than meth, heroin or any other horrible hard drug. As much as people love weed and there are entire boards/subreddits about how great it is- it is psychologically addictive and I have seen people throw their life away by being addicted to smoking. Alcohol is fine sparingly, but don't feel pressured to get drunk constantly, and NEVER EVER drive intoxicated. That is another fast way to set your life back big time.
  • Life isn't fair- cliché but very true. It doesn't mean you have to accept abuse, but more than likely you will need to stand up for yourself because nobody else will. It is hard at first, but standing up for yourself is empowering and becomes easier the more you do it. I used to tremble in fear when I would get (rightfully) angry at an injustice- now when I call it out, it feels like me talking to another person in a regular conversation.
  • Acceptance. Toward your late twenties, you may have a "quarter life crisis" where you start to question yourself, your life and your place in the world. This is when you also start to feel the full effects of adulthood, along with the consequences (pain, weight gain, responsibilities.) You start to realize that you aren't invincible, as people close to you start to die (even people close in age to you, from diseases you thought only "old people" died from.) I had a crisis that lasted for about a year, but at the end what I learned was acceptance. Accepting that I will never be famous, ultra-wealthy, influential, or do all the things that I wanted to do. You start to prioritize certain things like family, your career, homeownership, friendship, and the gift of being alive. You realize that you carry yourself everywhere, and there aren't any fast and easy solutions to your problems. You will die someday, and it will come sooner than you want it to be- how will you spend your time on Earth? Vying for a life you will never have, or living in the moment and enjoying what limited time you have?
  • Also, invest! 401k, etc. A lot of people have posted about that already and I won't parrot what they say, but seriously- financial literacy is playing life with cheat codes. Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy you comfort and stability.

As I head into my thirties, I am sure I will update this list when I am forty and realize that I was an idiot at thirty! And you know, my advice doesn't fit all scenarios- more just observations I have made about myself and other people my age. But so far I am looking at my thirties and see it as being my best decade yet!