Age before beauty is a pretty old saying, old enough to go ahead of beauty itself if you will, but it’s a bit of wisdom that is perhaps too often overlooked. The truth is, we have a lot we can learn from older folks if we actually sit down and listen.
Someone asked “Older people of Reddit: What ISN’T BS? What’s absolutely worth leaning into?” and aged netizens gave their best answers. So perhaps take at least a few notes, it might save you some pain down the road. Get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorite suggestions, and comment your own ideas below.
#1
Regular exercise is hugely important for quality of life. The older you get the stronger the effect. Lack of exercise ages like nothing else.
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66points
#2
You meet very few people in your life you *actually* really connect with. Make sure you keep in touch with them.
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66points
#3
The problem is...you think you have time.
Life is very short. When you're young and the days and years seem long, you think life will last forever. That is a trick. You cannot buy more time. Stop wasting it on c**p like being on your phone, arguing over piddly things, being hateful or angry. You're wasting your precious time, and none of that matters in the end.
Learn to let go of the BS and be grateful for your time.
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57points
#4
Stretching. The answer is abso-f*****g-lutly stretching... and water.
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57points
#5
Education.
If you do a search for "education" all you ever hear is how lousy the system is. Who cares. Do whatever you can to educate yourself. It doesn't even matter whether you get good grades or not. Just learn stuff. Read books. Knowing how to do something is always better than not knowing anything about it. Even Latin and Trigonometry.
"Only the educated are free" --Epictetus
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55points
#6
Management isn’t for everyone… know when to stop climbing the corporate ladder.
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54points
#7
Staying active in retirement...both physically and socially. You retire and sit...you die.
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53points
#9
Avoid debt. Very few things are worth going into debt for.
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50points
#11
The best day to plant a fruit tree was years ago, but the next best time to plant one is today.
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47points
#13
Learn how to be wrong. Understand that what you thought you knew yesterday May in fact be incorrect when presented with new facts, and that changing your position based on new facts is a sign of intelligence and maturity.
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44points
#14
Everyone is interesting. No matter who you are or what you do. Approach people that way. Be curious about the lives and trajectories and stories of other people.
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42points
#15
Those boring things old people like? Going for a walk, reading a good book, cups of tea with friends, doing a bit of gardening?
Get into that.
Get into that.
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41points
#16
Not sure if it's been said already, but the only people who remember the extra overtime you worked, missed birthdays, or weekends aren't your company, coworkers or bosses. It's your family, and pets they remember you weren't there.
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41points
#17
Taking care of your damn knees. Trust me on this.
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40points
#18
A healthy diet and exercise because it is easier to stay in shape than it is to get in shape, keep learning because the world keeps changing, find an inexpensive hobby . Learn how money works, make and continue to refine a budget and live within your means, save money. I have never heard in all of my years on this planet someone say " I'm way too healthy", "I wish I didn't put all that money into diversified investments when I was young", or" I am too well informed and knowledgeable".
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36points
