Let’s be real nobody hands you a manual for aging. One day you’re 25 and skipping breakfast, and the next you’re debating fiber supplements and stretching before getting out of bed 😂

For me, it was realizing how crucial maintaining friendships is. If you don’t make an effort, people just quietly drift. Not out of malice just life.

Another one: “Your body will invoice you for everything you did in your 20s. And it charges interest.”

What’s something you know now that 28-year-old you had no clue about?


45 comments

  1. Nobody told me that sleep becomes sacred, back pain becomes personal, and social events start requiring a 48 hour recovery period 😂Also, you don’t just bounce back after a cheat meal anymore. You negotiate with your metabolism like it’s a grumpy landlord.

  4. Sleep

    Recovery takes a lot longer after drinking, all nighters for work or what have you.

  6. For the love of god, if you’re sleepy, go to bed. Dont stay on the couch. Your back will thank you

  9. Stretch. Seriously. Not just before the gym like, as a lifestyle. Your 30s are when your body starts throwing shade for stuff you did in college.

  10. Sleep, keeping weight low and being in shape. Also, if you’re not at the goal you want, work harder now. Almost impossible in the 40s and 50s. Stop chasing women.

  11. Dont marry that girl. If you’re 26 and you’ve been together since highschool, ok go ahead and marry her. If you’re 26 and u met 3 years ago… no. Dont do it. Your brain has just barely finished developing. Its too soon for a lifetime commitment. Speaking of which- if u want a tattoo, wait a whole year. If u still want it then do it.

  13. Seek out quality friends and invest in those relationships. No, drinking buddies that you only connect with when alcohol is involved do not count.

  14. “If you’re gonna be dumb, you better be tough. Dumbass.” – me to me before that L5S1 herniation after years of abusing my back.

    I also know I wouldn’t have followed the advice. I had the internet in my 20’s. There were books and shit. I knew all the things. I just preferred riding motorcycles, mountain bikes, playing sports, and jumping off of roofs into bushes to make home movies with friends.

  15. My grandfather was injured in Vietnam by a grenade. Lived his entire life with it.
    I have spine and joint damage connected to my service.

    I see the pain my grandfather is in and know that is what I have to look forward to roughly in 50yrs.

    Different injuries, but being in chronic pain now and knowingfor decades to come it is gonna get worse is gonna be a bitch.
    That is life.

  19. 2 things I don’t see that often in these reposts:

    Learn to ask for help. Fuck pride and ego. This is also a good way to build relationships – if you can manage to return the favour.

    Learn what your anxiety limits are. At work and in personal life and work towards overcoming them.

  20. Most things are about balance.
    Those that aren’t:
    1) choose the right relationship and make it work
    2) choose the right values and live them
    3) take care of your soul, body, finances, and “family”

  22. You cant just get up and go out on a whim.
    Youll need at least a days notice so you can plan your nap before you go out.

  26. Travel, invest, train and keep training, get a good paying job / start company, dont settle for the wrong girl

  27. Don’t ever let yourself become “old”. Push yourself. Do better. Be better. Physically. Mentally. Don’t give in to the easy way. I’m almost 50 and people think I’m in my early 30s. Good genetics helps, but so did the 1,000 push ups I did 2 days ago just to see if I could (my prior record was 500). It took 3.5 hours, but when my arms stop feeling like wet noodles, I’ll go back to my regular workouts and try it again in a few months. Seriously, you’re only old if you let yourself be.

  28. You can do everything right and still get unlucky with an injury. When it happens, you’ll have to work through the psychology of it whether you want to or not.

  29. There’s a really fucked balance of “Gotta do what’s best for me” and

    “Damn, I should have listened.”

    Especially since you’re so new at adulting you don’t *know* what’s best for you, because it depends on what you’re trying to do. Of course if you let someone point you in a direction, that potential midlife crisis might be about having a life where not a single achievement feels like *yours*.

    You’ve worked so hard to be somewhere you don’t even want to be. Because someone told you you’re supposed to. That you’d get it when you’re older

    Listening is a bad idea. So is not listening.

    So wing it, and whatever you bother to do, do it with passion. Make the best decisions you can with what you have. A fuckup because there is no way you could have known better is better than a thousand congrats on something you hate.

    It’s fucked to get a compliment, and it feel like being slapped and pisses you off. That person doesn’t deserve that.

    Neither do you.

  30. 37M, receding and thinning hairlines are real and a pain in the ass. Also, don’t be surprised if your dick doesn’t want to cooperate from time to time. Not often, but occasionally he just doesn’t want to show up at game time.

    also, working out as hard/long as I used to is tough. Like an hour + in the gym used to be no problem. Now after about 45 minutes I’m wiped if I’m going hard.
    And naps. Embrace the naps.

  31. Your parents are getting old if you’re lucky enough to have them still alive and in a good relationship

  32. Getting active. Admittedly I didn’t do it till my 40’s but dear god and I glad I did. Life changing.

  34. You guys are “debating fiber supplements and stretching before getting outta bed”?

    Jesus.. I’m off.

    Whats a good stretch to do before I get outta bed? My current routine is stretching my eyes open and going “awww fuck… another day?” 🤣🤣

  35. Friendships fade not because you stop liking each other you just get busier. Work, relationships, kids etc. So enjoy your friends and try to set up things you can do to keep hanging out in your 30’s game nights, working out together, trips etc.

  36. Any pain or minor injury requires you limit using the impacted muscles or joints. Do not overuse or push through it, you are far more likely to cause permanent damage. Rest it for 2 weeks

  37. One piece of advice I ( 54 m) give younger guys is this : when you get a promotion or a sizable raise ( really any raise …) resist the urge to gush and tell your significant other, your kids, your parents, your friends.

    Get in your car or mode of transportation, look at yourself in the mirror. Hot damn. You did it. And You’re gonna keep doing it. Think about the road to this moment. All the things that led to it.

    Celebrate quietly and alone. They didn’t do it. You did. Get an ice cream sundae, or a beer. Whatever little indulgence you please .

    Invest as much of the raise into your savings whether it be 401k, Roth, piggy bank, whatever as you can ( optimally 100%)

    Pat yourself on the back for about 5 minutes and immediately get back to work doing the things that brought you here. Redouble your efforts. Go to sleep early. Wake up early. ACQUIRE MARKETABLE SKILLS.

    Sadly , when people hear your ship ( or dinghy ) has come in they usually just have their hand out or it elicits toxic envy.

    As far as anyone knows , “ times are tight , the company or boss is cheap and you’re doing the best you can …”

  38. People told me lots so I don’t really have one that people didn’t tell me. One people told me that I didn’t listen to was to don’t let a raise change the way you live. Really should have listened.

  39. 1. You are responsible for the upkeep of your body and no one can do it for you.
    2. Take a glass of fiber every day. Diverticulitis is painful and the little pockets in your colon are irreversible.
    3. Friends who drink every day or who have no career goals are going to be more of a burden than a friend. Make friends with people who have their act together.
    4. Pick the right spouse. They should be your friend first and foremost. Looks are much less important.
    5. Stay out of debt. Only borrow money for things that go up in value.
    6. Don’t work somewhere that doesn’t make money or reward you for performing well.
    7. Choose a career that pays well and where you can always find work or freelance.
    8. Avoid angry, toxic people, including family.
    9. Getting angry at someone rarely works out well. Be the one who stays calm while the other person gets mad.
    10. Track your spending so you know where the money is going, then create realistic budgets that include money for investing and retirement.

  40. Good sleep is a major deciding factor for daily happiness and that in turn makes you stay up late. I still suck at going to bed on time, but it was worst during Covid and I had no idea I was stuck in that spiral.

    Other than that: a lot of things you need to figure out by experiencing them. I wouldn’t be doing any of the things I’m doing now if someone had adviced me to do them earlier on.

  42. Get off the piss it’s just wasted dough.
    Add extra money to your super each pay prior to tax. Even if it’s just a nominal amount you’d be surprised how much difference it makes.

    Stay active, use it or lose it.

  43. At 30 you are done with playing around, and evaluate what is important to you.
    30-40 you spent building yourself up to the man you are surposed to be.
    At 40 you are ready to live your authentic life, and start a serious relationship that lasts for the rest of your life.

  44. – Invest in at least a basic retirement account, no matter how scary it seems.

    – Repressing your emotions is the biggest lie of our time. “Suck it up”, and all similar sentiment that lead to ignoring how you feel will lead you to pain later. It stops the energy from flowing, and stores it in your body. It will later manifest as a physical ailment. Stay present, never ignore how you feel.

    A classic example of point 2 is just what happens when you’re working a job you hate, or even a good job you are stressed about: you feel bad every morning, and you bury it because it’s “wrong” to feel that way, then  you cover it up with coffee or sugar to get through the day. Eventually your body is going to tell you to stop in a not fun way.

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