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Before we reach adulthood, most of us spend over a decade in school. That education is important, no doubt, but there’s one thing it rarely teaches—life experience. And that’s a whole different kind of lesson, one that no textbook can ever prepare you for.
Luckily, some Redditors were kind enough to share adult “cheat codes” that changed their lives so the rest of us don’t have to learn everything the hard way. We’ve rounded up the best ones below. Scroll down and pick up a few worth keeping.
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#2
If youre not enjoying something you can stop and leave.
#3
Saying “let me think about it” instead of automatically saying yes. It saves you from a lot of stuff you didn’t even want to do in the first place.
#4
You can cut toxic people out of your life like a tumor. Even if they are related to you, you don’t have to allow them time or space in your life.
Upstaged75 12 hours ago
Too many people think they're obligated to other people just because they're family.
#5
I’m a dude. I went to a few Codependent Anonymous meetings after leaving a long violent relationship. It completely changed the way I communicate and conduct myself in relationships.
I grew up in a broken home. So I never learned how to advocate for myself or speak up for my needs. I also had zero idea whatsoever on what a healthy relationship looked like. I was essentially a people pleasing doormat/punching bag the vast majority of my life.
Just celebrated a 2 year anniversary for my first healthy and loving relationship. 💪🏿💪🏿.
#6
You can literally walk into a cake shop and by an entire tiramisu for no reason!
Phantom Phoenix 9 hours ago
You can. In fact, you can walk by all the cakes in the cake shop. You can actually walk into any shop and walk by whatever they're selling. Alternatively, if there's something you want, you can buy it...
#7
Buying many of the same pair of sock. No more pairing, pull any two out of the draw for a match 😎.
Breadcrumb. 8 hours ago
I have different socks for different activities. I'll sometimes change mine three times a day. Work socks, running socks, home socks that change between the seasons..
#8
When you have a family gathering/party/etc. always come with your own vehicle, so you can leave whenever you please.
#9
Learning to keep my mouth shut.
#10
I stopped caring what people think of me.
People are too focused on themselves and their own problems to care about that random embarrassing or cringy thing I did. Even if they do care, people will quickly move on and forget about me once something else catches their attention. Once I learned that, I became A LOT more confidant and it was much easier to deal with my anxiety and depression.
Upstaged75 12 hours ago
I wish I had learned this when I was younger. I would have been a whole lot happier. It's very freeing to stop caring. ❤️
#11
Not sharing everything on social media. Be invisible.
Upstaged75 12 hours ago
For the most part I only share pics of my cats. And all my social media is private - I have to actually know the people who follow me.
#12
Learning how to cook saves a ton of money.
Upstaged75 12 hours ago
I don't mind if there are others I'm cooking for, but when it's just me I really struggle with motivation.
#13
Setting a 15-minute timer before every impulse purchase saved me thousands of dollars because 90% of the time I realize I don't actually want it.
Upstaged75 12 hours ago
I keep lists on Amazon and save the things I might want in them. Then I go back later and see if I really still need/want something or not. It keeps me from impulse buying and having to return things afterwards.
#14
Prepping things the evening before: work lunch, gym bag, etc etc.
Doesn't take that long and morning you is very grateful for that effort.
Upstaged75 12 hours ago
This is why I love working from home. I hated having to worry about all that stuff.
#16
Honestly? Treating my energy like a budget, not just my money. I stopped saying yes to things/people that drain me and suddenly life got way less chaotic. Protect your peace is cliché but…it works.
FlamingoPanda 6 hours ago
I wish I had figured this one out before burning out. Oh well, had to learn the hard way. But it definitely has made life so much better when I started saying no to things.
#17
Dont tell anyone your days off and you will be able to enjoy it without being hassled to do something.
Automate payments.
Rick Murray 5 hours ago
Automate payments, but only with trustworthy companies. I *refuse* to automate payments to EdF (here in France) because despite most people having a smart meter, they apparently still persist in taking fictitious amounts based upon past usage rather than what you actually consumed; whereas when they have to send a bill it is for actual consumption. There's no excuse for this other than corporate greed and government apathy. So they send me a bill every two months and I pay online. No surprises, easy to budget for, and unlike my neighbours up the road they don't get to whack out a few hundred euros "just because" and have a long and tedious process for getting the excess refunded.
#18
Just because everybody else is doing something it doesn't mean you have to do it too.
#20
No explanation required. You can do what you want in your personal life - get a new job, cut someone out, sell a car, wear pink shoes to work - and when people ask why, you don't have to tell them. No explanation is owed to anyone.
#21
Ironically, my adult cheat code is to treat myself a bit like I would a small child. So many problems in life become infinitely more manageable if you have a snack and take a nap first.
#22
Admit to yourself when something is not working and reverse course. The sunk cost fallacy keeps people moving in the wrong direction way longer than they need to be.
#23
Consistency beats motivation every single time.
#24
Nobody cares about you as much as you do. Similarly, no one cares about you more than they care about themselves.
It's not that you're not important. It's just that you're less important to them.
Beak Hookage 9 hours ago
Think of the people you know and see if you can remember anything really embarrassing they did in the past. If you can recall something, note whether you still judge them for it or ever did. That's how the people who know you likely feel about the embarrassing things you've done, if they haven't long since forgotten about it.
#25
As an adult time is extremely scarce, if you want to extend your weekend (or at least have the illusion of it being longer) have some activity planned on your last day of the work week, as soon as you’re done with work you go out and do something fun, this will kind of make you feel that the weekend was a day longer than it really was.
#26
Invest in yourself.
DIY Tools, DIY skills, professional development etc.
Become a contributing "useful" person instead of a detractor.
#27
Your hobbies do not have to be a side hustle, or you’ll find yourself looking for another hobby.
#28
No one else can help me but myself.
It’s great to have family and great friends around you. But at the end of the day, you’re on your own.
So don’t waste time and energy tryna be hero or something. Just share/give what you can. Learn how to say NO.
#29
Scheduling in tasks I don't particularly like doing. If I don't allocate time in the day to go the gym then I'll never go or cleaning the house or cooking dinner. .
#31
Treat yourself as a best friend.
Smeghead Tribble Down Under 7 hours ago
I've never had a best friend so I wouldn't know how to do that.
#33
Live simply. Yes, you might be able to afford the BMW but buy the CRV instead. You might be able to afford the 5 bedroom in the gated community but buy the 3 bedroom on the nice block down the street. It’s amazing the feeling of having all your expenses covered with extra in the bank.
#36
Sleep, stretch, hydrate.
#37
Writing things down at work. When a thought comes to mind I quickly email myself so I don’t forget it when I get back to my office. It gives me a to do list and I stay on top of everything I need to. Relying on memory alone is impossible for me.
Don't listen to me 2 hours ago
I now have a Diary app that functions as a short term todo list. I just quickly stick things in the current day/week & sort it out evenings/ weekends to work out when I can fit everything in. My memory is useless nowadays.
#38
Only value the opinion of ppl you value.
#39
“You might be on to something “ is what I tell people when I don’t feel like arguing or proving a point. I don’t got the energy to change the way people think.
#40
Sleeping early. Completing 7- 8 hours sleep.
Colleen Glim 8 hours ago
Know yourself and how much sleep you need. If you’re one of those fortunate people who only needs 6-7 hours sleep a night, cool. If you’re like me and need 9-10, schedule it. And refuse to compromise. Look after yourself first
#41
Don’t live your life based on reactions pause, feel, then choose your response based on your values, not your emotions or the situation.
#42
Living a walking or biking commute distance from work and DOING IT. fantastic!
Rick Murray 5 hours ago
I don't have the energy, the stamina, the time, nor the deathwish required to ride a bike on country roads where large vehicles treat speed limits as mere suggestions.
#43
Letting go of anger.
You realize how ridiculous you were with it, and how crazy everyone else looks expressing it afterwards.
Anger just really isn't needed. It never does any good.
FlamingoPanda 6 hours ago
Actually anger does do some good in the right situation with the right outlet. Humans feel a full range of emotion and need to be able to safely and freely express that without hurting others in the process. But what you should not do is hold any emotion in or hold onto any emotion long after it has served its purpose.
#44
Learn to be comfortable with your shortcomings, faults, and idiosyncracies about which other people might tease you or criticize you. Accept those things... embrace them... and defend them if they add to your understanding and belief of who you are.
BUT: If any of these shortcomings, faults, and idiosyncracies are harmful to you socially and/or mentally, do everything you can to come to an understanding about this aspect about yourself, and figure out how to control it, recognize it, do your best to avoid it, and learn to quickly apologize for it if you fail to do so.
Understand who you are. The good and the bad.
It took me 50 years, but I finally got it.
#45
Humans refrain. Animals don't.
Just because you can doesn't mean you should. You don't generate (self) respect by doing things, but also by NOT doing things .
#46
Keep your mouth shut and get your body strong and healthy as you age. Also work doesn’t matter as much as your relationships. Build a life.
#47
Don't let yourself be upset about something until it happens.
#49
Being a part of a men's group. Having a place to take the annoying things that happen to me through the week and being listened to without judgement or advice giving is so life changing.
Rick Murray 5 hours ago
Tried that in the UK when I was younger. The level of toxic misogyny and beer adulation was so off-putting I excused myself partway through and just left.
#50
I used to be a little intimidated by people in the so-called respectable professions, such as medicine, education, finance, government bureaucracy etc. I used to think that they are all intelligent and well-rounded people who could, in conversation, producce insightful opinions across a broad range of topics. But after completing my own education and interacting with many of these types of people on a daily basis, I've come to the conclusion that, in general, most people don't have a clue about anything outside of their immediate area of expertise. Realising this helps me to interact with society with more confidence.
#51
Not a "cheat code", but it might as well be: All that super simple stuff *actually works*.
Going for a little walk outside in sunlight works. Staying hydrated with water (not coffee, not soda, water) works. Eating dark green vegetables works.
Life is hard, but the fundamentals of human biology have been known for some time. They work, you just gotta make the conscious effort to do them.
#53
Never underestimate the power of an email asking for a refund. 10 times out of 10 when I’ve emailed a company asking for a refund or to exchange an item (typically because of impulse buying) they’ve given it to me. These emails typically do go to an actual person and that person most likely either doesn’t want to deal with an angry customer or just doesn’t care. Make sure to be as respectful and WASPy sounding as possible and you’ll most likely get your way.
meeeeeeeeeeee 3 hours ago
Getting refunds is a right where I live. Where can you not get them that this is a tip?
#54
Re-think your relationship with food. Most of us were taught wrong and now we’re overweight, under-nourished, and tired all the time.
A bowl of cereal and orange juice for breakfast. A sandwich, chips, and a soda for lunch. And a meal at a restaurant for dinner. None of these are cutting it, not even close, but that’s how me and so many people grew up.
Whole foods, prepared yourself, high protein, plentiful amounts of vegetables and fruits, and MUCH smaller portions of carbs.
It’ll change your life.
#56
Asking myself: "do I need it, or do I want it" has saved me a lot of money over the years. Becoming a minimalist has been one of my greatest cheat codes. The less things you have in life, the better your quality of life.
That's not to say I don't treat myself sometimes, but when I do, I REALLY treat myself, and keep those moments special.
#60
Every adult should own a detachable shower head.
#61
Working in a field society values will make your life infinitely easier than “following your passion.”
In fact, it might even finance the things you actually like to do.
#62
When it comes to your job, it’s just better to lie to be positive then it is to tell the truth and be negative.
#63
Don't complain at work unless its in the form of suggesting an improvement .
Rick Murray 4 hours ago
The person that wrote this is a manager of some sort and they *are* the problem. Because us little employees are under no delusions about the fact that management doesn't care what we think, want, or need. They only care about revenue, turnover, and profit. So complaining and suggesting are met with the same response - apathy. But when the staff aren't actively complaining they, the management, can tell themselves that the employees are happy. And most of our complaints, by the way, are over suggestions that were completely ignored. *We* know the job on the factory floor a hell of a lot better than anybody at head orifice ever will, yet they're the ones that say "no, you don't need that". Well, I'm sorry, the number of people off work for back/shoulder problems might disagree. But, hey, people's wages are less than buying a piece of equipment to improve conditions so why not do nothing, right? Are you surprised we complain? It's all we have left, really. That or quitting. 😡
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What do you think ?
Annik Perrot 4 hours ago
I'll add: pick your battles. Some things really aren't worth your getting in a tether about. The better you choose your fights, the more energy you have to put into them.
David Paterson 2 hours ago
I used to do all 63 of those. I've learnt to occasionally do the opposite, it adds variety and spice to an otherwise boring life.
Annik Perrot 4 hours ago
I'll add: pick your battles. Some things really aren't worth your getting in a tether about. The better you choose your fights, the more energy you have to put into them.
David Paterson 2 hours ago
I used to do all 63 of those. I've learnt to occasionally do the opposite, it adds variety and spice to an otherwise boring life.
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