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“They Look Ten Years Older”: 20 Things About Aging That Folks In Their 20s Never Think About
Article created by: Indrė Lukošiūtė
When you’re in your 20s, you have your entire life ahead of you. The world is your oyster, and your lack of experience and wisdom may make you feel naively invincible.
However, Father Time waits for no one. Before you know it, you’ll be in your 40s, remembering what you’ve taken for granted. You’ll also likely be one of those answering this Reddit question: “What’s something people in their 20s don’t realize will affect them when they get older?”
Commenters shared the mistakes they feel young people could avoid committing, from ignoring bad posture to poor financial planning and settling for second best.
If you’re part of the younger crowd, feel free to take some notes. But if you’re at least 30, hopefully, this list doesn’t make you feel too old or regretful.
- Read More: “They Look Ten Years Older”: 30 Things About Aging That Folks In Their 20s Never Think About
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#1
Know when to walk away. From buying something, to terrible jobs, to relationships.
You will look back at periods of time when you should have walked away.
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#2
Taking care of your teeth!
Dental pain is awful and treatment is expensive - and insurance coverage can be poor.
Brush and floss twice a day!
#3
You are going to have to be responsible, clean, organize, and cook until the day you die. The earlier you learn how to do these things efficiently, the better off you will be later on.
#4
It’s important to find hobbies or interests outside of work. In your 20s, it might feel like you have all the time in the world, but those passions can keep you grounded as life gets hectic.
#5
In your 20s, it can be easy to overlook how important it is to save and invest early. I wish I had started building my savings and understanding finances back then, as it makes a big difference in your 30s and beyond. Take some time to learn about financial planning; it really pays off later.
#6
Not using sunscreen. I have friends who use to spend their entire summer laid out in the sun with no kind of sun protection, and now they look ten years older than their age.
#7
Spend money to get quality products for things that separate you from the floor. Mattress, shoes, desk chair, couch, etc.
Over time your body will thank you.
#8
Racking up debt. It gets you into a cycle that can be hard to break, even if you have a high paying job.
#9
Being obese. You can deal with it in your 20's. It's like a frog in a pot of boiling water by the time you hit your 40's. You'll feel "normal", but being obese puts CONSTANT physical strain on your body.
#10
Don't mess with your eyebrows!
Because at least in my day we would tweeze the heck out of them and now that I'm older they're spotty. If I could go back I'd leave them the hell alone.
#11
Always lift with your legs, absolutely always. You don't want pain from just bending over slightly because "you've got it".
#12
Many people in their 20s don't realize that poor eating habits and lack of consistent exercise can lead to significant health issues in their 40s and beyond.
#13
Posture.
I'm in my early 30s trying to correct downright abysmal posture and if it's this bad now I can hardly imagine what 10 more years of this would do to me.
#15
Not sleeping enough! You think you can get by on 4 hours now, but trust me, your 40-year-old self will be begging for naps like it’s a luxury.
#16
Wear good shoes! Allthose cheap shoes with no support really come back to haunt you later in life!
#17
Work your core! It will help strengthen your back and prevent a LOT of back problems when you're older. Plank for 3 minutes a day is all it takes.
#18
Do not sit around too much and never stop moving. Some of my coworkers, family and friends are already having problems with stairs, hills and such and frankly it's kind of scaring me. There is a fine balance between rest and movement - you don't need to overdo it but don't sit down too long as it will catch up with you!!!
#19
A lot of things that you find so important in your 20s will not be important at all in your 40s.
#20
Marriage.
I'm not really being flippant. What you want in a partner when you're 25, and what you want when you're 45, are very different things. Now, it's entirely possible your partner will, as they age and mature, grow in to whatyou need as you need. It's also very possible they will change in ways that are very much not what you want, and now you're got a house and 2 kids making things complicated.
I would never straight up say people shouldn't get married in their 20's. But I would say don't rush anything, and don't get married because you've been together for x months or years so it's time. Go in with your eyes open, and having really talked with your partner about what they want and where they see themselves in 10 years. If that doesn't align with where you see your self, and they are incompatible, it's time for another serious talk.
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