30 Harsh Life Realities 20-Somethings Don’t Realize Yet, According To People In Their 40s

Real talk here, and this is not something I am seeing elsewhere in this thread.

Learn that it CAN be you. You are NOT immune and you will, in some way and at something, become a statistic.

Everyone thinks it won't be them:

You won't get in a car accident, you're a safe driver.
You won't get diabetes, you've always been good about sweets.
You'd never fall for propaganda, you're too smart for that.
You'd never end up in a cult, only gullible people believe in stuff like that.
You'll never end up on the streets or in prison, you would never commit a crime.
You'll never get cancer, that's something that happens to old people, or smokers, or people exposed to radiation.
You'd never fall for obvious advertising, you're too smart to be caught by tricks like word choice or urgency or edited photos.
You'll never fall for a scammer, you know better than that.

Become comfortable with the fact that things WILL happen to you. That you'll get sick or injured or develop a chronic illness. That you'll get taken in by what in hindsight will be an obvious scam. That you'll believe someone's lies, or end up impoverished or desperate, or if YOU were in such-and-such situations you very probably would make the same mistakes that anyone in that situation would.

Being aware that you aren't likely to be the exception to the rule is a kindness to yourself and others.

Example: People don't fall for elder abuse scams because they're *stupid.* Elders fall to these scams because when cognition begins to decline, medically speaking, one of the first things to go is our suspension of disbelief. It's a normal and expected part of aging, and while it might NOT happen to you, remembering that it could will help you be more compassionate to others victimized in this way. It will also allow you to develop habits that will prevent you (or elders you love) from being taken advantage of in this way before it happens.

The same applies to everything else — reminding yourself that you aren't some elite being who avoids all trauma because you're smarter/faster/stronger/better makes you kinder and allows you to prepare in the event that something bad DOES happen to you.

And oh, my friend, something will happen to you, sooner or later. You will be a statistic in one way or another before (or after) you die.

Cynicism. You'll disguise it as "realism." But you gotta get past that s**t to wisdom. And even then, you get maybe a tiny kernel of wisdom, if you're lucky. But it's better than sauntering through life feeling hard done by. I've moved on from friends who thought this way, people who don't lift you up and are only too happy to help you down.

Lots of great responses in here mainly related to health and lifestyle choices... but let's not forget one of the most important ones:

GET RID OF THE NEGATIVE ENERGY IN YOUR LIFE. that includes bad habits and bad people... even if they're family. i've seen some people keep losers (male & female) around for far too long, and they got bogged down with their problems. then, when they needed help, the losers pulled them down even more.

the people you choose to have in your life can greatly affect the course of your life... make sure they're adding and not subtracting.

Save money. When I was 20 I used to say, I’ll start saving when I get a good job. Well, my dream job came at my 40 and I spend 20 years just spending money and not saving. When i say save money I mean save and invest

If you have a job in your twenties where you keep hurting your back, get the f**k as far away from that job as possible. It's going to be hell in your 40s if you don't smarten up now.

Like everyone else said - Your health goes downhill after 40. Get active. Enjoy it. Love it.

Find out your family’s medical history. In some cases, doesn’t matter what you eat or drink, you’re gonna get nailed with diabetes or heart disease or cancer. Find out if it runs in your family history and prepare/plan for it.

Save your money. And if you already are, save even more. Inflation / Cost of living has shown us that a million dollars doesn’t even buy a home here. Doesn’t keep you comfortable for retirement. Save, invest, become financially literate.

People will come and go. Don’t get attached or take it personally. We are all on our own journey. Enjoy them when they are with you and be happy for them from afar when they drift away.

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of ‘99
Wear sunscreen

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it
A long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists
Whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
Than my own meandering experience, I will dispense this advice now

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth, oh, never mind
You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth
Until they’ve faded, but trust me, in 20 years, you’ll look back
At photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now
How much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked
You are not as fat as you imagine

Don’t worry about the future
Or worry, but know that worrying
Is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing Bubble gum
The real troubles in your life
Are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind
The kind that blindsides you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday
Do one thing every day that scares you

Saying, don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts
Don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours

Floss

Don’t waste your time on jealousy
Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind
The race is long and in the end, it’s only with yourself
Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults
If you succeed in doing this, tell me how
Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements

Stretch

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life
The most interesting people I know
Didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives
Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don’t
Get plenty of calcium
Be kind to your knees
You’ll miss them when they’re gone

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t
Maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t
Maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the ‘Funky Chicken’
On your 75th wedding anniversary
Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much
Or berate yourself either
Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s

Enjoy your body, use it every way you can
Don’t be afraid of it or what other people think of it
It’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own
Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your own living room
Read the directions even if you don’t follow them
Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly

Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good
Be nice to your siblings, they’re your best link to your past
And the people most likely to stick with you in the future

Understand that friends come and go
But a precious few, who should hold on

Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle
For as the older you get
The more you need the people you knew when you were young
Live in New York City once but leave before it makes you hard
Live in northern California once but leave before it makes you soft

Travel

Accept certain inalienable truths
Prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too, will get old
And when you do, you’ll fantasize that when you were young
Prices were reasonable, politicians were noble
And children respected their elders

Respect your elders

Don’t expect anyone else to support you
Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you’ll have a wealthy spouse
But you never know when either one might run out

Don’t mess too much with your hair
Or by the time you’re 40 it will look 85

Be careful whose advice you buy but be patient with those who supply it
Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past
From the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts
And recycling it for more than it’s worth

But trust me on the sunscreen

Never expect too much from ppl.. Some ppl enters your life to stay , some are like travelers will pass you by, some are there to give you a lesson then walk away.. So keep your distance from others and protect your boundaries so you won't get disappointed . .. Always tell yourself " THIS TOO SHALL PASS "

Being mean to their knees. Take care of them. You only get one set.

I never really thought about it until now but in my teens and 20s I was always into rough sports, Rugby, Skateboarding, Dirt Biking etc and I always pushed it too far and would get hurt. Older folks would say “you are going to feel it when you are older. I’m 40 now and feel great. I have friends that didn’t do much physical their whole life and they have back and knee issues and stuff. I continue to stay active, I shoe horses for a living, still dirtbike, ride horses and snowmobile. I feel great.
So my advice is stay active, even if it’s risky.
EDIT: Also take your mental health seriously and get help soon even if you are just slightly depressed or anxious. Putting it off for years can have devastating lasting effects.