“You Think You Have Time”: 30 Things To Take Seriously, As Shared By Older Netizens
Age before beauty is a pretty old saying, old enough to go ahead of beauty itself if you will, but it’s a bit of wisdom that is perhaps too often overlooked. The truth is, we have a lot we can learn from older folks if we actually sit down and listen.
Someone asked “Older people of Reddit: What ISN’T BS? What’s absolutely worth leaning into?” and aged netizens gave their best answers. So perhaps take at least a few notes, it might save you some pain down the road. Get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorite suggestions, and comment your own ideas below.
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Regular exercise is hugely important for quality of life. The older you get the stronger the effect. Lack of exercise ages like nothing else.
And swimming is the best! No impact on the knee joints. No unpleasant sweat. No overheating. Negates gravity for those with spine problems.
You meet very few people in your life you *actually* really connect with. Make sure you keep in touch with them.
The problem is...you think you have time.
Life is very short. When you're young and the days and years seem long, you think life will last forever. That is a trick. You cannot buy more time. Stop wasting it on c**p like being on your phone, arguing over piddly things, being hateful or angry. You're wasting your precious time, and none of that matters in the end.
Learn to let go of the BS and be grateful for your time.
"And then one day you find 10 years have gone behind you. No one told you when to run. You missed the starting gun" 🎶
Stretching. The answer is abso-f*****g-lutly stretching... and water.
Education.
If you do a search for "education" all you ever hear is how lousy the system is. Who cares. Do whatever you can to educate yourself. It doesn't even matter whether you get good grades or not. Just learn stuff. Read books. Knowing how to do something is always better than not knowing anything about it. Even Latin and Trigonometry.
"Only the educated are free" --Epictetus
I met a former student at a wedding, and he said to me "Hey, you know how often I use that trig stuff you taught me?" I knew he had not gone to college so I braced myself, I said "I don't know. How often?" "About every minute and a half", he replied. He was a tool and dye maker.
Management isn’t for everyone… know when to stop climbing the corporate ladder.
The Peter Principle is when people get promoted to a job beyond their ability. Then they make everyone below them miserable.
Staying active in retirement...both physically and socially. You retire and sit...you die.
And the exercise is the key to pain reduction as it stimulates production of endorphins.
Just remember, if someone offers you a breath mint, take it!
Live below your means.
This one is so important. Never had a new car until I was 43, never had a reliable car (Toyota!) until I was 59. Still live in the tiny rowhouse we bought when we were married four decades ago. Didn't care what other people had or thought. It all paid off big time. Now retired, we are debt free, come and go as we please, go to the gym, take trips on cruise ships and the senior citizens' tour buses, and enjoy everything produced by two local dinner theaters. Added bonus: less to clean out of the attic and basment. Stuff doesn't make you happy. Experiences and the memories they create are priceless!
The best day to plant a fruit tree was years ago, but the next best time to plant one is today.
Somebody planted an oak years ago at my new house. I had to pay to have the enormous thing cut down before it fell on the house.
Learn how to be wrong. Understand that what you thought you knew yesterday May in fact be incorrect when presented with new facts, and that changing your position based on new facts is a sign of intelligence and maturity.
That describes science. Science is self correcting. There are always other scientists trying either prove what one claims or disprove it. Religion, on the other hand, discourages pointing out its errors and nonsense.
Everyone is interesting. No matter who you are or what you do. Approach people that way. Be curious about the lives and trajectories and stories of other people.
But I read a Bored Panda last week about the miserable little cow bellyaching that old people have the nerve to talk to her children. Got some acclaim as I recall.
Those boring things old people like? Going for a walk, reading a good book, cups of tea with friends, doing a bit of gardening?
Get into that.
Cultivate friendships while you are young. It is mch harder to make true friends when you are older, especially if you are a man.
Not sure if it's been said already, but the only people who remember the extra overtime you worked, missed birthdays, or weekends aren't your company, coworkers or bosses. It's your family, and pets they remember you weren't there.
So true. Your boss won't remember 3 days from now but your spouse or kids will be holding that grudge/hurt on for decades
Taking care of your damn knees. Trust me on this.
But if your doctor says you need knee replacements, get them. I've never known anyone who wasn't glad they did.
A healthy diet and exercise because it is easier to stay in shape than it is to get in shape, keep learning because the world keeps changing, find an inexpensive hobby . Learn how money works, make and continue to refine a budget and live within your means, save money. I have never heard in all of my years on this planet someone say " I'm way too healthy", "I wish I didn't put all that money into diversified investments when I was young", or" I am too well informed and knowledgeable".
But you do hear people say "I wish I hadn't obsessed so much about my diet, and just eaten the damn cake" "I wish I'd travelled more, and taken the kids to disney when they were young, and not been so worried about saving every penny." and "I wish I had done more extra curriculars/hobbies/sports/made more friends - I was so focussed on my grades that I missed out on a lot of fun and friendship." Everyone has regrets.
Flossing
Yes! Nothing is as good as Original Equipment Manufacture. You can get implants but they're not as good as your own toofies.
Look after your teeth.
My dentist says he doesn't want to see me in his office except for my bi-yearly cleaning, and the best way to do that is by flossing and brushing properly.
Not every old person is dumb or senile
Unfortunately, many employers these days think everyone over 40 is too old, even though they legally cannot discriminate based on age.
Investing for retirement. Start early even if you think you can’t afford to
Work smarter not harder.
Call your grandma
Be the person your dog thinks you are.
The final truth may be that the relationship with your dog is the best you ever have.
Goddamn it, wear earplugs at loud events, and be aware of your headphone volume. Hearing aids are expensive, and insurance does not cover them.
Hearing aids are free in the UK, but I'd still prefer my own hearing back, and no tinnitus. All those loud gigs in my teens & twenties have caught up now.
The effort that you make to better yourself and your life between the ages of 18 and 25 will be reflected in the quality of your life after you turn 40.
On the other hand, it's never too late to try to turn things around. I spent my 20s descending into substance abuse, and my 30s in recovery. I'm now 41 and my life is finally getting on track. I've never felt better about myself in my entire life.
Travel, one day you will reflect on your life experiences and remember the highs and lows! I can guarantee you that travelling, experiencing different cultures, food and sights will be primarily your highs and a life worth lived!
Oh and wear sunscreen!
Traveling makes you realize that there are more ways to live than what you are used to, especially if you live in a highly commercialized society.
Taking care of your skin!
Work to live, dont live to work.
Therapy. We’re all carrying around a ton of baggage and so many of us are trying to silently slog through life with it. Therapy literally saved my life. It will be a permanent fixture in my life until I’m in the dirt. The only thing I regret about it is that I didn’t start earlier.
Therapy is like going to the mechanic. It's better to do it regularly as a 'check up' than wait until you have a break down and have big problems.
The problem with these "suggestions" - ALL of them - is that they assume one has the resources already (could be tangible *or* intangible) to incorporate them :-(
Exactly. Still bringing up that live within your means, budget and invest young c**p. You need a living wage which most don't make.
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F late 50s here: not everyone has the same symptoms, but the menopause could mean your energy drops, your brain won't multitask, your BS tolerance disappears and your body doesn't work as well as it used to, so from 18 to 50 work as hard and save as much as you can in case you want to change direction for the second half of your adult life. That's the big thing I'd do differently if I could go back. Basically aim to be financially secure at 50 so you're free to choose.
Stop worshiping money, it is not as important as you have been led to believe.
The problem with these "suggestions" - ALL of them - is that they assume one has the resources already (could be tangible *or* intangible) to incorporate them :-(
Exactly. Still bringing up that live within your means, budget and invest young c**p. You need a living wage which most don't make.
Load More Replies... F late 50s here: not everyone has the same symptoms, but the menopause could mean your energy drops, your brain won't multitask, your BS tolerance disappears and your body doesn't work as well as it used to, so from 18 to 50 work as hard and save as much as you can in case you want to change direction for the second half of your adult life. That's the big thing I'd do differently if I could go back. Basically aim to be financially secure at 50 so you're free to choose.
Stop worshiping money, it is not as important as you have been led to believe.
