"It Will Usually Come Back Later To Haunt You": 24 Eye-Opening Lessons That Older Adults Don't Want Gen Z'ers To Repeat, And These Are Really Smart

As someone in their late 20s, I know firsthand that this decade can be rough , so I'm always looking for those older than me to shed some wisdom. So when redditor u/Gandalfthewhitte asked people over 30 to share the advice they'd give to younger folks , I was all ears. Here are some of the valuable life lessons they mentioned.

1. "Take really good care of your teeth. Floss religiously. In general, don't abuse your health. You are at your strongest now, and things you do to yourself will usually come back later to haunt you."

2. "Take that trip with friends and close ones."

— u/showrov_tj

"This one hundred percent. I was that kid who was always scrimping and saving (for good reasons) and barely went or did anything. I've had to bury a good number of those friends now, and I'm only in my mid-30s. Imagine how foolish I feel. 'Sorry guys, I can't come with you on this once-in-a-lifetime worldview-changing trip. I've got to deliver pizzas.' No amount of money can buy a second of time.

— u/PunkPizzaVooDoo

3. "Your thirties feel like half as long as your twenties. Start them well."

4. "Stay fit. Do yoga, go to the gym, walk, run — your health is the most precious thing. And don't hold grudges; life is too short for unnecessary emotions ."

— u/just_now_2021

5. "You will fail, and that is okay."

6. "Do not fear turning 30 — that's where life begins. Everything before 30 is just your backstory."

— u/5NATCH

7. "Drink more water. At least the first and last drink of the day should be water, and make it a large glass."

8. "Call off work. Have fun. Live life."

— u/keitaro_guy2004

"This one. I'm not saying do it all the time, but if you have an opportunity to do something interesting and fun, and you've got unused sick or PTO days, fucking do it. Go to that air show, concert, or event. Perfect attendance — to school or to work — should be a badge of shame. Nobody ever lay on their deathbed thinking, 'I wish I'd gone to work more often.'"

— u/-RadarRanger-

9. "The age-old story of who you know is more important than what you know. Your education should be done in conjunction with socializing and spending time with other people (networking). So don't live your life behind a screen."

10. "Live now, but don't forget the future. You can live now with 80% of your income, too."

— u/the-hellrider

11. "No matter how much you love someone or how much you want to help them, if they do not want to change, it's not your fault."

12. "Do no harm, but take no shit. Do what needs to be done and have fun in the process."

— u/keshmudzis

"Gonna add a quick quote to this: Life's just a game 'til the game stops being fun. If you're not enjoying life, find a new angle, whether that's looking at it differently or doing something new. We (I'm in the young crowd) are too young to suffer all day. Enjoy what you do."

— u/SureWhyNot5182

13. "Your life isn't 'over' at whatever imagined line in the sand you think it is. You can easily accomplish a lot of things at 30 or even 40 years old in your life. Find the love of your life, change careers, learn new skills, etc."

14. "Contrary to popular belief, dating in your 30s is way better than in your 20s. There are way fewer games. People know what they want. Partners have done cool shit by this point in life, so just talking about life is more enjoyable. They're comfortable in their own skin, and they'll generally be more forthright about their hangups and insecurities because they know themselves better and communicate better. Red flags present themselves way earlier, so getting out of a bad relationship is easier before you're invested."

— u/PsychonautAlpha

15. "Invest your money, and save at least 15% of every dollar you earn."

16. "Learn how to cook decently. Buy a French knife, know how to cut a few basic ways, and know where your fingers should be. Get a few decent recipes locked in, and you can experiment later. It'll save you a lot of money not ordering delivery all the time."

— u/clem9796

17. "Don't get married until you're over 30. The amount of divorced friends with/without kids is wild. Maybe one in five are still together."

18. "Do not take out a loan or go into debt to fuel your need to buy things or spend on shit you don't need. It is a vicious cycle that takes years or decades to end. It also comes with a shit credit score and the unneeded stress of living paycheck to paycheck."

— u/3tu_KEK

19. "See a psychologist for the anxiety."

20. "If you injure yourself, get it looked at straight away. Get physio as soon as possible and follow what they want you to do. You want to recover as quickly as possible, and these injuries will affect you far worse in the future if you don't get them sorted straight away."

— u/Seaworthiness_Jolly

21. "If the relationship didn't work out, it's not meant to be. Don't spend months/years stuck on it. I wasted many years pining for girls I loved, but in hindsight, none of them would be the perfect wife I have now."

22. "Stop caring about other people's opinions. You do you."

— u/razmuff

23. "Do the impromptu stuff. Once everyone in your friend group starts having kids, it's over. We had poker nights, console games, golf, etc. I have to reach out five months in advance to schedule anything anymore, and it still ends up being canceled."

24. "Don't worry if you have chosen the wrong profession. I'm 35 and made a career change at 33. It was the best thing I did. There is enough time and opportunities to do something different later in life."

— u/demmie0

If you're over 30, what advice would you give to younger folks? Comment below or fill out this anonymous form !

Note: Some responses may have been edited for length/clarity.