Sometimes in life, you learn things the hard way (and often about a gazillion years too late).
In a bid to help others avoid making the same mistakes they did, Reddit users have come together to discuss the life lessons they wish they’d learned earlier.
From the importance of being kind to others, to why you should endeavour to go out of your comfort zone, here’s what they had to say.
1. Take Control Of Your Life
“The more you let others, especially parents, control your life and don’t establish boundaries, the more likely it is that you will be doing something you absolutely hate but let others push you into doing.”
2. Stop Eating Crap
“A good workout routine doesn’t balance a bad diet.”
3. Socialise More
“Even if socialising fills you with anxiety, it’s best to force yourself to just suck it up and do it anyway. Otherwise you could end up very lonely later in life.”
- enigbane
4. Stop Comparing Yourself To Others
“It took me a really long time to learn that you shouldn’t compare yourself to others all the time. While some competition and ambition is healthy, you should try to focus on yourself, because comparing yourself to others almost never bodes well for your self-esteem.”
5. Exercise
”Working out helps with depression. I started working out over three years ago and I’ve got to say, the gym has been my sanctuary. More often than not I’m leaving the gym feeling good about myself/my life. Plus it works wonders with how you feel about yourself. I really wish I had started sooner.”
- ICantEvn
6. Stop Trying To Be Perfect
”You don’t have to be perfect. Still working on that one, to be honest”
- DeviMars
7. Always Be Kind
”Always treat people well while you can. I lost my mum when I was 16 and I still get flashbacks to every time I snapped at her.
“It’s funny, she was always preaching love and kindness to me. I guess I just never expected to learn that she was right so suddenly.”
8. Avoid Debt
”It’s much better to save up for something than to buy it on credit. Especially when you want multiple things. That cost me seven years of cashless hell as I fought to repay huge debts.”
- tvbeth
9. Study Hard
”Adopt good study habits. In my sophomore year of college and just now trying to get a handle on studying.”
10. Have Courage To Leave A Bad Relationship
”Don’t be afraid to leave a bad relationship. What are you going to do? Just be unhappy the rest of your life?”
11. Go With Your Gut Feeling
”Listen to your gut/instinct, whatever you call it, it knows how to keep you safe.”
12. Be Honest With Your Partner
”Be honest and authentic with your feelings in a relationship. Not wanting to share them to avoid an argument is just putting off the inevitable. If you can’t be yourself in your relationship it is not a truly connected relationship. This may expose incompatibilities or deficiencies in yourself or your significant other that you can learn from and get better at. Going along to get along is not worth it in the long run.”
13. Be All About The Gains
“When making decisions, think about what you have to gain, not what you have to lose.”
- Kastol
14. Be Confident (Or At Least Pretend To Be)
“Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, hiding in your shell only hurts yourself. I read somewhere that confidence is entering a room and already believing that the people there like you.”