The discussion went viral very quickly. At the time of writing, April’s post on Threads had 10k likes, over 3.1k comments, and over 785 reshares. The author said that she was surprised by how “this blew up overnight.” She said she was “overwhelmed with the responses” and promised to read through every single person’s replies.
Bored Panda has reached out to April, and we’ll update our article once we hear back from her.
As a rule of thumb, people tend to regret the things they didn’t do rather than the mistakes they’ve made. Whatever you choose to do for work or school, there are a few non-negotiables that everyone should prioritize—your social life, health, and fitness. And they form a solid foundation that you can rely on to make the most of life. When you have a strong social circle that supports you and you’re physically and mentally fit, you can take advantage of more opportunities, bouncing back quicker after any defeats.
After decades and decades of research, scientists at Harvard found that it’s your positive relationships that make you happier, healthier, and help you live longer—not exercise, healthy eating, money, or your career achievements.
That’s not to say that looking after your health isn’t important (it is!) or that you shouldn’t budget, save, and invest (you should!), but simply that your social fitness is extremely valuable.
In short, when you consistently invest in maintaining meaningful relationships and minimize interactions with negative people, you become more resilient to stress.
Dr. Robert Waldinger, the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, noted that there is a strong association between happiness and close relationships with spouses, family, friends, and social circles.
“Personal connection creates mental and emotional stimulation, which are automatic mood boosters, while isolation is a mood buster.”
Meanwhile, when it comes to your health, aim to sleep between 7 and 8 hours every night, drink 2 to 3 liters of water daily, and aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week.
The CDC also recommends that adults need at least 2 days of muscle-strengthening activity each week.
What you don’t do also matters. You should avoid drinking alcohol, smoking, and eating ultra-processed foods.
No matter who you are, the clearer you are about your values and goals in life, the easier it is for you to make better decisions. On the flip side, if you don’t know what you want or what you stand for, you’re likely to go with the flow and end up in situations that might not be optimal.
For instance, if you theoretically value your family and time with loved ones but barely find any time for them due to your work, you need to either prioritize your relationships again or be honest with yourself about the importance of your financial and career goals.
