20 Life-Altering Pieces Of "Adult Advice" That People Wish They'd Learned Much Earlier

When we're young and reckless, there's so much we don't understand about life. But as we age, we begin to see more clearly. So redditor u/Lucky-Ad-288 asked, "What's a piece of adult advice you wish you'd known sooner? Here's what people said.

1. "Maintaining friendships in your 30s and beyond is a part-time job and should be treated as such."

2. "Other people think about you less than you think they do."

— u/theothermeisnothere

3. "Take the time to ask older family members more questions about family and people who came before you while they are still alive."

4. "A piece of adult advice I wish I'd known sooner is that it's okay to say 'no' without feeling guilty. Setting boundaries is crucial for maintaining your mental and emotional well-being, and prioritizing your needs is not selfish. Learning that you don't have to explain or justify your reasons for declining something can be incredibly freeing and helps you focus on what truly matters to you."

— u/throwmeaway456456456

5. "Be careful of who you vent to at work. Just because someone listens or shows some empathy, it doesn't mean that they are your friend or have your best interests at heart."

6. "It's better to be completely alone and find good friends/romantic partners than keeping the toxic ones just because you love them so much. Everyone is toxic to a degree and has something to work on. It doesn't give people an excuse to mistreat you. Don't feel like you're 'giving up' or abandoning someone because they treat you poorly, and you decide to end the friendship/relationship."

— u/Maybe-Later28

7. "Learn to live alone. My psychiatrist told me that at some point, I was going to be forced to 'get comfortable with four walls and myself,' and while it was hard to hear back then, she was completely right. The idea of that used to terrify me, but nowadays, I consider it my superpower."

8. "Someone else’s greater achievements don't take away from your progress. It’s you versus yourself."

— u/Dry_Significance6922

9. "Take lots of photos of mundane things. I wish I had done this: photos of things like my workplace, colleagues, my living room, the street I live on, etc. I am a nostalgic person, so this is big for me. We tend to take photos of special things, like Christmas dinner or the castles and beaches we see on vacation. But we don't think of photographing the day-to-day things that are always there because we take them for granted. But I wish I had more photos of life's everyday joys to aid my memory."

10. "Learn to laugh at yourself."

— Gaudior

11. "Don't be afraid of losing toxic people just because you've known them a long time."

12. "People will come and go in your life, and it’s perfectly ok. Not everyone in your life will be there for the rest of your life. It’s not about how long your friendships last; it’s about what you learn from each one you have."

— brandonbear35

13. "Don't base your success on others' lives, both those you see online and in real life."

14. "Your parents are not always right."

— u/Beo1217

15. "Trust the timing of your life. Not everyone will, or should, follow the same timelines for careers, children, and marriage — and that's fine."

16. "If it won't matter in five years, don't spend five minutes thinking about it... This is the best advice I've ever received."

— pjoc

17. "Prioritize your health! I didn't exercise or go to the gym when I was younger. I ate a bunch of sugar, drank way too much, and smoked cigarettes. All of these lifestyle decisions compound in your 40s."

18. "I'm still relatively young, but one thing I cannot stress enough is to leave your hometown for a solid couple of years or so. I realize this isn't feasible for everyone, but the point is to get out of the bubble of your upbringing and surround yourself with new environments and new people. It changed me for the better. Not all of it was pleasant, but it was incredibly crucial to my personal growth. I think it's detrimental to society as a whole when people can't, or won't, get out of their bubble."

19. "It is best to take most things you see on social media with a grain of salt and maybe also a healthy dose of skepticism."

20. "Everyone's faking it. Yes, even that super-confident, capable person you know from work/school/your friendship circle. So don't feel scared if you are too."

— u/BillyBatts83

What's a piece of advice that you would give to your younger self if you could go back in time? Tell us in the comments or in this anonymous form.

Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.