Adulting is hard, not just because you can no longer depend on your parents and be sure where your next meal comes from. Often, adulting is realizing that things are way different from what you imagined them to be when you were little. When you are older, you first learn that it’s not Santa who puts all the gifts underneath the Christmas tree or that your beloved pet did not actually “leave to live on a farm in the countryside.” Though learning truths as such is often sad and disappointing, those are still seemingly innocent facts we learn early in life.
However, you know you are getting older when you start to understand why Peter Pan never wanted to grow up, why Squidward just wanted peace and some alone time, why Garfield hated Mondays, and why Moe might be the most relatable character in The Simpsons. Adulthood is full of discoveries, and learning harsh truths about life is a part of it. To learn more about those, some time ago, a user on AskReddit asked, “What’s a sad truth you only realize when you’re an adult?” And hundreds of people jumped on the thread to reveal the many harsh truths they only learned once they became older.
Below, we’ve compiled the many adult realizations and sad facts about life that many have learned once they become adults. Any sad truths about adulthood that you can relate to? Give those an upvote. Also, what’s a sad truth about life that you have learned only recently or years into becoming an adult? Share your thoughts in the comments!
#1
"At some point doors start closing and some of those things you thought you’d do “someday” are no longer an option."
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45points
#2
Wildlife_King said:
"You never finish cleaning your kitchen."
"You never finish cleaning your kitchen."
Fighting_Patriarchy replied:
"I recently saw where someone referred to it as "resetting the kitchen" instead of cleaning, and that's helped me a little."
"I recently saw where someone referred to it as "resetting the kitchen" instead of cleaning, and that's helped me a little."
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39points
#3
moto_x_crash said:
"Very few people actually know what they're doing."
"Very few people actually know what they're doing."
flyingninja129 replied:
"Actually it’s pretty encouraging, because I too have no idea what I’m doing."
"Actually it’s pretty encouraging, because I too have no idea what I’m doing."
Oxygene13 also replied:
"My career is IT, and the field is filled with jokes about people googling answers and just turning it off and on again. However also horrifically prevalent in all the chat rooms and groups about career IT people is the constant sense of Imposter Syndrome. The ever-prevalent feeling that any second someone is going to discover that you don't actually know what you are doing (despite regular evidence to the contrary). Such a high percentage appear to suffer from this, probably because there is so much to know in the field. Just because you are 'good at IT' doesn't necessarily mean you are an expert at programming, or network engineering, or hardware repair or excel."
"My career is IT, and the field is filled with jokes about people googling answers and just turning it off and on again. However also horrifically prevalent in all the chat rooms and groups about career IT people is the constant sense of Imposter Syndrome. The ever-prevalent feeling that any second someone is going to discover that you don't actually know what you are doing (despite regular evidence to the contrary). Such a high percentage appear to suffer from this, probably because there is so much to know in the field. Just because you are 'good at IT' doesn't necessarily mean you are an expert at programming, or network engineering, or hardware repair or excel."
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36points
#5
whatwoulddiggydo said:
"That your happiness needs to come from you. You can’t depend on others for it. If you’re going to find joy, you need to find it in yourself every day. Your choice."
"That your happiness needs to come from you. You can’t depend on others for it. If you’re going to find joy, you need to find it in yourself every day. Your choice."
allsoldoutoflimes replied:
"Change your way of thinking. You can be happy now without doing anything physically different. Hold gratitude for the things that make you feel happy and warm, whether your family, friends, pets, bed, blankets, coffee, wine, whiskey, playlist, car, hobby, book, nature, exercise, whatever. Embrace and be thankful that you have it, and that you can smile from it. Happiness is an ongoing attitude, it isn't a destination."
"Change your way of thinking. You can be happy now without doing anything physically different. Hold gratitude for the things that make you feel happy and warm, whether your family, friends, pets, bed, blankets, coffee, wine, whiskey, playlist, car, hobby, book, nature, exercise, whatever. Embrace and be thankful that you have it, and that you can smile from it. Happiness is an ongoing attitude, it isn't a destination."
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28points
#9
"Most things about life suck. Honestly. Bills, work, taxes, maintaining a car, getting nowhere, fear of poverty... screw it all."
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20points
#10
HopelessTrousers said:
"The simple act of existing is incredibly expensive."
"The simple act of existing is incredibly expensive."
StoicEnglishMajor replied:
"Existing is not simple, it's probably the most complicated thing you'll ever experience."
"Existing is not simple, it's probably the most complicated thing you'll ever experience."
BurpYoshi replied:
"I find it odd that humans are forced to live in society. Like, I personally like it and wouldn't choose to leave, but it's strange that you can't just go book a flight to an untouched region of the world, renounce yourself from society and live as a wild animal like the natural way humans once were."
"I find it odd that humans are forced to live in society. Like, I personally like it and wouldn't choose to leave, but it's strange that you can't just go book a flight to an untouched region of the world, renounce yourself from society and live as a wild animal like the natural way humans once were."
samwoo2go replied:
"You can though. You don’t have to file tax returns if you make under the min amount required to pay taxes and there is nothing stopping you from just withdrawing from society and live off of BLM land somewhere. I’m sure there are people out there doing exactly that right now. Someone told me once that there are only 3 kinds of people in Alaska, those who don’t like people, running away from something, or both. Seems to be top destination for disappearing from society."
"You can though. You don’t have to file tax returns if you make under the min amount required to pay taxes and there is nothing stopping you from just withdrawing from society and live off of BLM land somewhere. I’m sure there are people out there doing exactly that right now. Someone told me once that there are only 3 kinds of people in Alaska, those who don’t like people, running away from something, or both. Seems to be top destination for disappearing from society."
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18points
#13
thumbwarvictory said:
"At some point, everything you do, you'll do it for the last time, but you won't even know it."
"At some point, everything you do, you'll do it for the last time, but you won't even know it."
babyybirch replied:
"I think about this a lot with final interactions/touches/conversations with people, how you never know when it’s the last time. It’s really sad."
"I think about this a lot with final interactions/touches/conversations with people, how you never know when it’s the last time. It’s really sad."
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17points
#14
"Growing up watching movies and hearing stories and seeing the good things in life only as a kid, but growing up and realizing that quality of life is actually really sh***y for people, and being an adult is hard. Everyone wishes life was a simple as being a kid again."
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17points
#16
PieBarm69 said:
"The older you get, the faster time appears to pass by. A year when you’re 10 is a tenth of your whole life, a year when you’re 40 is much less significant."
"The older you get, the faster time appears to pass by. A year when you’re 10 is a tenth of your whole life, a year when you’re 40 is much less significant."
imbuzzedatm replied:
"Especially if you have kids. The days get longer and the years seem shorter."
"Especially if you have kids. The days get longer and the years seem shorter."
BOSH09 replied:
"School weeks are forever and the weekend is a blink. I hate it. I’m tired."
"School weeks are forever and the weekend is a blink. I hate it. I’m tired."
the_stoned_ranger also replied:
"Having children permanently warped my perception of time. You won’t notice much of a change in appearance when catching up with an old friend after a year or two, but kids development and change at such an exponential rate that it blows my f***ing mind. Then you get into the day-to-day grind of work, cooking/cleanup from dinner, baths, bedtime, and once the kids are asleep trying to catch up on laundry or in general tidying up. When your days are full they go fast. When I worked as a line-cook I’d look up and 7 hours had flown in by. Having kids is kind of like that. Wouldn’t change it though. There is a reason people say, “Cherish it — it goes so fast.” It really does. My days are full and crazy, but I’d rather them be that way than empty and lonely."
"Having children permanently warped my perception of time. You won’t notice much of a change in appearance when catching up with an old friend after a year or two, but kids development and change at such an exponential rate that it blows my f***ing mind. Then you get into the day-to-day grind of work, cooking/cleanup from dinner, baths, bedtime, and once the kids are asleep trying to catch up on laundry or in general tidying up. When your days are full they go fast. When I worked as a line-cook I’d look up and 7 hours had flown in by. Having kids is kind of like that. Wouldn’t change it though. There is a reason people say, “Cherish it — it goes so fast.” It really does. My days are full and crazy, but I’d rather them be that way than empty and lonely."
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14points
#17
lilapplesaucy said:
"There aren’t any really safety nets for people with mental illness and disabilities and if you don’t have a support system to lean on you’re pretty much f***ed. I’m bipolar and ADHD and have no healthcare or family that can help me. I live alone and most days can’t even get out of bed. I’m lucky to have found a job that I can handle but it’s not consistent work and I often have to let bills lapse or go without things. The older I get, the harder it gets because I’m supposed to have more security when increasingly I have less and less. If I were hospitalized at any point, I’d likely lose my apartment and my cat. There’s not much I can do except keep trying to get on Medicaid so I can get back on meds and back into therapy. When I was a kid I thought I’d get treatment and then be able to live somewhat normally while managing my meds. My experience hasn’t been anything close to that and as a result, has led to me being a lot of traumatizing and toxic situations. It’s relatively impressive I’m not addicted to any hard drugs at this point. But yeah, I’ll just read Enders's game and keep trying really hard."
"There aren’t any really safety nets for people with mental illness and disabilities and if you don’t have a support system to lean on you’re pretty much f***ed. I’m bipolar and ADHD and have no healthcare or family that can help me. I live alone and most days can’t even get out of bed. I’m lucky to have found a job that I can handle but it’s not consistent work and I often have to let bills lapse or go without things. The older I get, the harder it gets because I’m supposed to have more security when increasingly I have less and less. If I were hospitalized at any point, I’d likely lose my apartment and my cat. There’s not much I can do except keep trying to get on Medicaid so I can get back on meds and back into therapy. When I was a kid I thought I’d get treatment and then be able to live somewhat normally while managing my meds. My experience hasn’t been anything close to that and as a result, has led to me being a lot of traumatizing and toxic situations. It’s relatively impressive I’m not addicted to any hard drugs at this point. But yeah, I’ll just read Enders's game and keep trying really hard."
FutureNostalgica replied:
"I have a family member who is a rapid cycler- I wish no one had to deal with such issues, and there absolutely should be support and more options than figure out how to take care of it or be hospitalized. Not that does anything for you, but If I lived near you I would absolutely take care of your cat for you if that ever happened. With my family member animals are a big part of keeping him grounded/ reminding him to here is a reason to keep taking care of himself when he wants to give in to the depression (and when he’s manic he shops, so they get a lot of treats."
"I have a family member who is a rapid cycler- I wish no one had to deal with such issues, and there absolutely should be support and more options than figure out how to take care of it or be hospitalized. Not that does anything for you, but If I lived near you I would absolutely take care of your cat for you if that ever happened. With my family member animals are a big part of keeping him grounded/ reminding him to here is a reason to keep taking care of himself when he wants to give in to the depression (and when he’s manic he shops, so they get a lot of treats."
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14points
#18
goatsandwich43 said:
"That old age isn’t a sudden drop off of a cliff, it's a constant process that you will never be able to stop, you might not even notice it’s happening until you look back at old photos of yourself."
"That old age isn’t a sudden drop off of a cliff, it's a constant process that you will never be able to stop, you might not even notice it’s happening until you look back at old photos of yourself."
UnicornPanties replied:
"Or all the clothes you're no longer willing to wear. I have a bunch of skirts and dresses that seem a bit too short for my tastes and inappropriate for my age now."
"Or all the clothes you're no longer willing to wear. I have a bunch of skirts and dresses that seem a bit too short for my tastes and inappropriate for my age now."
cleo_wafflesmack also replied:
"My BF and I have been together for about 12 years and we're in our early 40s. 2 nights ago I looked across the table at him and for the first time he looked middle-aged to me. Not saying that I didn't notice him getting older over the years and I certainly look my age, but it just really hit me that night."
"My BF and I have been together for about 12 years and we're in our early 40s. 2 nights ago I looked across the table at him and for the first time he looked middle-aged to me. Not saying that I didn't notice him getting older over the years and I certainly look my age, but it just really hit me that night."
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14points
#20
Redditor said:
"For 99.99% of us, within about 3 generations, no one will remember you and no one will care to remember you."
"For 99.99% of us, within about 3 generations, no one will remember you and no one will care to remember you."
smolspooderfriend replied:
"I don't quite know why but I find this comforting."
"I don't quite know why but I find this comforting."
Probablyprofanity replied:
"I think it's because all the mistakes you make will sort of be erased. If nothing matters, then all the bad stuff doesn't matter, and that's comforting when your life is mostly bad stuff."
"I think it's because all the mistakes you make will sort of be erased. If nothing matters, then all the bad stuff doesn't matter, and that's comforting when your life is mostly bad stuff."
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13points