Despite what you might hear some of your friends tell you in a panicky voice, turning 30 is not the end of the world. And the same goes for any other impressively big-looking jubilee! With life experience, you accumulate lots of knowledge about how the world works.
And even though it’s impossible to turn back time, you can use your hard-won wisdom to improve your future and give other people a helping hand in making the most of their youth. We’ve collected some of the best life advice that people aged 30 and over have shared in a couple of spot-on online threads. Check out the tips as you scroll down—you might find something useful no matter your age!
Bored Panda got in touch with Jodi Wellman, MAPP, who was kind enough to explain why big birthday milestones are so important to us, as well as how to separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to the overwhelming amount of information and advice found online. You’ll find her insights below. Wellman is the founder of Four Thousand Mondays and the author of You Only Die Once: How to Make It to the End with No Regrets.
#1
Don’t EVER feel bad for taking days off work. If you got PTO, use it.
Image source: Ziodynes, Brooke Cagle
#2
Stop worrying about other people think, you can’t control how other people feel. Focus on yourself.
Image source: reddrambler, wavebreakmedia_micro
#3
You only get one body. Take care of it. Exercise, even if it’s just regular walks. Eat better. Get good sleep. Any movement beats sitting on the couch.
And don’t amass STUFF when you’re young. You have to move it all and live with it all.
Image source: Mokelachild, freepik
#4
Become someone that you can put up with… The older you get, the harder it becomes to change, even when you don’t like who you are.
You’ll meet awful, miserable people, who continue to be awful and miserable because they’ve been doing it for too long and it’s all they know… Being an a*****e is both a crime and a punishment.
Image source: NormGthePaintballGuy, kroshka__nastya
#5
Save money, have fun and enjoy your ability to recover faster. It will fade.
Image source: anon, Helena Lopes
#6
Stop putting every minute of your life on social media, your young and stupid actions will haunt you.
Image source: Tawebuse, Artem Podrez
#7
Save money.
Look after your teeth. Clean them a lot
Time flies in your 20s. Your 30s come around faster than you think. Have fun but also be mindful of this. Dont waste too much time.
Image source: ProD_GY, Oleg Ivanov
#8
Keep learning. Every day. It accumulates so much over 10, 20, 30 years. The difference between people who are learning and those who don’t is already noticeable at 20. At 40, it’s huge. At 60, I believe it will be astronomical.
With learning I mean everything that’s important, in particular things such as how to make friends and to be good friend, how to be a good parent, how to make sound financial decisions, and anything fun you want to learn. Just don’t think you’ll ever be done learning.
Image source: FancyDimension2599, Chris Benson
#9
Get off the internet and learn to actually live in the real world.
Image source: Bloody_Champion, Dan Russo
#10
Work sucks.
Even if you like what you do, know that good feeling may not last.
Find value and enjoyment elsewhere in life.
Work is just for making money and paying bills.
You work so you can do the other stuff.
Image source: Fair-Literature8300, fabrikasimf
#11
Floss. Prioritize sleep. Learn to be alone. Move your body every day try not to eat c**p or drink a lot of alcohol if you can because it’ll ruin your body Meditate meditate. Meditate.
Image source: Gingersnapspeaks, Andrej Lišakov
#12
Invest some spare money. It’s insane what compound interest can do even with lower amounts if you start early.
Image source: Plastic-Suggestion95, Photo By: Kaboompics.com
#13
Don’t pre-reject yourself. Apply for that job. Ask that person out. Even if the odds aren’t in your favor. If you’re too scared of a “no”, then you’ll never get a “yes”.
Image source: Truck_Stop_Sushi, wavebreakmedia_micro
#14
Take care of your body and never stop working out. And start saving for retirement. You will age, and you are responsible for your care until you die. Make sure your 90 year old self is okay. Be there for yourself. Start now.
Image source: HellTrent, Ketut Subiyanto
#15
Marry someone smarter than you.
Be good to your teeth.
Make Dependability your most important quality.
Image source: StarbuckPirate, teksomolika
#16
Travel often. Travel everywhere. Travel while you’re young enough to enjoy it. Money will return. Memories won’t. My dad saved every paycheck he’s ever had, as many in that generation did. “Save for retirement! You’re crazy if you don’t save every penny!” he used tell me I would work every day the rest of my life if I didn’t stop traveling and start saving. My dad died a few years back, about 6 months before his very first trip abroad. We used his retirement savings on a funeral.
Image source: Any-Walk1691, Curated Lifestyle
#17
Be able to distinguish a ‘need’ versus a ‘want.’
Also, stop thinking 30 is old. I know OP doesn’t outright say it, but the implication is that people in their 30s have it all figured out. Never stop learning new things.
Image source: d13vs13, Chermiti Mohamed
#18
1. **Invest in Yourself:** Focus on personal and professional development. Acquiring new skills and knowledge will pay off in the long run.
2. **Build Strong Relationships:** Cultivate meaningful connections with friends, family, and colleagues. Relationships play a crucial role in personal and professional success.
3. **Financial Planning:** Start saving and investing early. Establish good financial habits to secure your future.
4. **Embrace Change:** Be adaptable and open-minded. Life is full of changes, and being flexible helps you navigate challenges more effectively.
5. **Prioritize Well-being:** Take care of your physical and mental health. Establishing healthy habits now will contribute to a happier and more fulfilling life.
6. **Set Realistic Goals:** Define clear, achievable goals for yourself. Break them down into smaller steps and celebrate your successes along the way.
7. **Learn from Mistakes:** Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. They are opportunities for growth and learning. Use failures as stepping stones to success.
8. **Travel and Explore:** If possible, explore different cultures and perspectives. Traveling broadens your horizons and enriches your life.
9. **Time Management:** Mastering time management is crucial. Prioritize tasks, avoid procrastination, and make the most of your time.
10. **Be Present:** Enjoy the present moment. Life moves quickly, and it’s essential to appreciate the journey rather than constantly focusing on the destination.
Image source: seeyam14, cookie_studio
#19
Get a toilet stool to prop your legs up while pooping. It lessens the likelihood of getting hemorrhoids.
Image source: anon, Miriam Alonso
#20
Never stop learning and always be curious.
Travel, career, hobbies, relationships, etc.
My favorite piece of advice that was ever given to me was: “break down the walls of second hand information and experience the world first hand.”
Obviously very generic but the point they were trying to make (I think) was to see things with your own eyes before making any sort of judgement.
Image source: heykebin, lookstudio
#21
Its way easier to stay in shape than get in shape.
Exercise.
Image source: MariachiArchery, Pixabay
#22
Start saving for a house at 10 years old. You might have a deposit by you’re 30.
#23
Wear earplugs at concert and doing other loud things. I wish I had.
Image source: Ms-Anthrop, goffkein
#24
***(1) Everyone who is really good at something was really bad at that same thing at one time***, unless they were a prodigy (extremely rare). Don’t let fear of “failure” or embarrassment keep you from working towards your goals or experiencing new, great things. And nobody is really looking at you anyway.
***(2) Don’t stress about keeping your life on some sort of timeline.*** Don’t fall into thinking “I should be married by now” or “I should be well on my way to my career by now.” Everyone finds their way at a different pace, and a lot of people make poor decisions when they become impatient to stay on this fictitious timeline.
***(3) At your job, find the good departmental/divisional administrative assistant that knows the ropes and is super competent, befriend this person, learn from them, and treat this person like gold***. These are the people who save your a*s and really get things done, and usually know a lot more about what is really going on and how things work than even the big bosses. Always ask nicely, always say thank you, nice gift at Christmas.
***(4) Being alone for a while is a lot better than being surrounded by toxic people***. Find friends who are emotionally healthy, fun, stimulating, and supportive. It’s important to be supportive yourself when a friend has rough patch, but beware of people who are always in these rough patches.
***(5) If you are having trouble finding a good romantic relationship or making friends, take a break from the chase and work on yourself.*** Get yourself in good working order mentally and develop your interests. Interesting people who are relatively emotionally healthy rarely have trouble making good friends and dating.
***(6) Long term relationships are often a series of shorter term relationships where you fall in and out of love, in and out of infatuated periods.*** Not every rough patch means you should break up.
***(7) Don’t stay in romantic relationships where you are more into them than they are to you***, this will end up draining you and shredding your self-esteem.
***(8) Don’t listen to past-you who berates you for not starting things sooner. Listen to future-you who is so happy you started now.***.
Image source: zazzlekdazzle, marymarkevich
#25
Don’t listen to us old farts, live your life, make your own mistakes and learn from them.
Image source: gegg1, Maria Orlova
#26
Take care of yourself first. Make sure you’re doing what **you** need to do to get by in life & to have the life you want. The right people will find you / you will find them. If someone feels like they’re not a match for you or your personality, don’t push it! Don’t try to change for them and don’t try to change them. And of course, don’t change your goals for anyone but you.
Your 20’s are all about exploring and trying new things. Have fun, be safe, make good choices. Try to get outside every day even if it’s just for a walk. Save money and try to make good habits stick. Learn how to cook, do your own finances, fix a leaky sink, garden, etc. Enjoy life !
Image source: mwbrjb, Cedric Fauntleroy
#27
Study hard while you can. It gets harder to experience and learn new things as you get older, so grab what you can now.
Image source: Pollyjuice22, Craig Adderley
#28
Start a good workout routine and diet before you gain weight and your metabolism slows.
Image source: anon, Drazen Zigic
#29
Enjoy life with your loved ones, save, and watch what you eat.
Image source: anon, Taha Samet Arslan
#30
Sunscreen.
Image source: Fingercult, freepik
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