Most of us, at best, learn from our own mistakes and experiences, which is better than not learning at all, but often leaves us unprepared for things we have yet to encounter. So it is always wise to learn what one can from the folks who have lived a little bit more life.
Someone asked, “People who are 55+ and happy with your life, what is your best advice to those under 25?” So if you are in the right age category, perhaps prepare to take some notes, scroll through, upvote your favorites and if you have some wisdom to spill, be sure to do it in the comments section below.
#1
Dont let work become your life. Your work will not care for you when you’re sick, nor love you when you need care, nor hold your hand when you’re dying.
Image source: Content_Structure118, energepic.com / pexels (not the actual photo)
#2
Live within your means. Use debt carefully. Start saving for retirement early as the others say. Focus on good relationships.
Image source: davetheotter, Mikhail Nilov / pexels (not the actual photo)
#3
Chase what makes you happy, not what you feel obligated to do to please parents (for example). Don’t compare yourself to others: it will suck the joy from your life.
Image source: DogDrools, Andrea Piacquadio / pexels (not the actual photo)
#4
Eat fairly healthy and get daily exercise. I’m now 72 and still run 40 miles/week. However, I have friends 10 years younger than I who can hardly walk to the mailbox. Getting old isn’t bad at all if you can still get out, travel, go out to eat, play catch with your grandson, enjoy life. But, you have to be healthy enough to do all those things. It’s a lot easier to get into shape and keep it that way when you are in your 20s. If you wait, you may never start.
Image source: Silly-Resist8306, Mücahit inci /pexels (not the actual photo)
#5
Experiences can never be taken from you. Get out and see the world, try new things, go to that concert or baseball game or museum or show.
Image source: 02K30C1, Sandra Martins / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#6
Wear sunscreen!!!
Image source: CabinetFluffy8576, Mikhail Nilov / pexels (not the actual photo)
#7
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Sometimes you need to be happy with what you have, it won’t get better but it could definitely get worse.
Image source: londoner4life, Alena Shekhovtcova / pexels (not the actual photo)
#8
If you are in an unhappy relationship, get out of it, and enjoy single life.
Image source: PresentationLimp890, Keira Burton / pexels (not the actual photo)
#9
Learn how to save and invest money now. If you learn how to do this, 55 year old you will be forever grateful to 25 year old you.
Image source: Alembicbass4, Alexander Mils / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#10
The two biggest decisions are your career and your partner. Your career will probably change and its not too bad to change but changing your partner can be a nightmare. My best advice is to be careful who you settle down with. The people I know my age that are unhappy are unhappy because they picked a bad partner.
Image source: Inevitable-Staff9567, Anthony Tran / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#11
A job is just a way to get currency into your bank account, don’t confuse it with who you are. Also, no matter what anyone ever tells you: your work is NOT a family. All but one or two people at your current job will drop you as an acquaintance as soon as you leave for another opportunity.
Additionally, never ever compromise yourself or do any illegal s**t for your boss – ever.
Image source: jthekoker, Andrea Piacquadio / pexels (not the actual photo)
#12
Don’t let your world get small. Travel, have a variety of interests, spend time with family and friends.
Image source: Kmsjvs, Dominika Roseclay / pexels (not the actual photo)
#13
wear hearing protection. tinnitus is a b***h
Image source: revnhoj, Mark Paton / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#14
As someone not quite 55, my main advice to someone looking to get advice from an older person is this-
The world we grew up in changed much slower than the one you’re growing up in, so most of the advice you read here will be from that perspective. What was sage advice for us may not be sage advice for you. How much the world changed between 1990-2000 is likely much less dramatic than the change we’ll see between 2025-2035.
My personal advice? Keep an open mind, be patient (which is *not* the same as allowing yourself to be subjected to abuse), and be thoughtful about your choices (but don’t allow your thinking to keep you from making choices- we often never know how a choice will turn out until long *after* we’ve made it).
Image source: Royal-Procedure6491
#15
Let the little s**t go. Don’t dwell on what you can’t control. Clean out and toss c**p you don’t use every 2 years.
Image source: Whis65, cottonbro studio / pexels (not the actual photo)
#16
Don’t give a damn what anybody thinks of you.
Image source: BlueGreen_1956, Kitera Dent / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#17
Exercise, limit alcohol and find a partner with a good sense of humor.
Image source: Oceanliving32, Miriam Alonso / pexels (not the actual photo)
#18
Stay curious. Take time to notice when something or someone is bringing you joy. Simply being happy about something isn’t frivolous. Beware of pessimism masquerading as wisdom.
I like the Kurt Vonnegut advice: “And I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, ‘If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.’”
Image source: MhojoRisin, Guilherme Almeida / pexels (not the actual photo)
#19
This is the hardest lesson to master. Don’t “give” people the power over your happiness.
Image source: kdubstep, fauxels / pexels (not the actual photo)
#20
You can’t control people, places, or things.
Image source: LongjumpingAd3733, Kasuma / pexels (not the actual photo)
#21
Avoid crushing debt, especially credit cards.
Image source: excitom
#22
Treat your body well now, because you will either reap the rewards of it or suffer the consequences of it later.
Enjoy your life and explore your hobbies and make your friends. Take this time to grow and heal and become the best version of yourself that you can.
Image source: Harriethair, Dane Wetton /unsplash (not the actual photo)
#23
I am 66 y.o. Having a spouse you adore helps you overcome the c**p life throws at you.
Image source: dumbo61
#24
1. Act in good faith. This is fantastically underestimated. Cultivate curiosity, eschew judgment.
2. Tend to your relationships, even when – and especially when – you don’t feel like it.
3. Prioritize being your best, physically, emotionally and mentally.
Image source: joemondo, Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#25
Share your skills or talents freely with others and ask them to do the same for you. Knowledge is power.
Image source: Morning7211, Mikhail Nilov / pexels (not the actual photo)
#26
Take a cooking class and you will be much happier that you don’t have to always order out and maybe meet someone new. It’s also better than the dating apps.
Image source: Morning7211, Edgar Castrejon / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#27
Take risks. At least try everything you always wanted to do/attempt. You don’t want to be my age and be able to say “I wish I would’ve done/tried *X*”. You get one of these lives. Do it all.
Image source: dirtyfacedkid
#28
Be patient and pursue meaningful goals.
Image source: Pretend_Tea6261, Marcos Paulo Prado / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#29
57 here.
Start saving for retirement now. I know it’s decades away, but the sooner you start, the less you have to save out of every paycheck thanks to the magic of compounding interest. By the time you’re 50, you could easily have $1M.
I only aggressively started saving at 42 and probably won’t reach $1M before I retire.
At a minimum, save enough so you get 100% of your employer match.
Have kids by 30 so you’re young enough to spend time with them through high school and to see grandchildren grow up.
My youngest is 11 and I know I might never see his kids. Kinda makes me sad.
Stay away from debt except for a home and maybe a vehicle. Credit card debt is an addiction that enables impulse buying for stuff you probably don’t need or even want. I got caught in a debt trap in my late 20’s and had to file bankruptcy.
All lessons learned the hard way. Take from it what you will.
Image source: FezzariRider
#30
Never love your job. It will not love you back.
Image source: secretredditagent
Follow Us
