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“Now That I’m Older I Very Much Regret It”: 30 Life Lessons That People Regret Learning Too Late
Life’s curveballs usually come with a valuable lesson. These realizations may reinforce old ones. But sometimes, they are entirely new and catch you like a slap in the face, like what these people experienced.
A Reddit thread from a while back came with a loaded question: “What’s a hard-hitting life lesson you learned way too late in life?” Many answers were deep and heavy, whether about accepting failure, the “fantasy” of romance, or how “tomorrow is never promised.”
These responses align more with common sense, but they hit differently once you experience them firsthand. Feel free to share your own learnings in the comments below.
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#1
Being alone is less lonely than being married to the wrong person.
Child of the Stars 1 day ago
And it's important to acknowledge that the "wrong person" isn't necessarily a narcissist or an abuser or an otherwise toxic person. Sometimes, you just outgrow each other, and that's okay too.
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#2
Don't k**l yourself working at a job that would replace you without a second thought.
Trisec Tebeakesse 1 day ago
It took me 7 years to realize this. I had a literal, violent, mental breakdown in the office. Stormed out, never to return. I'm better now.
#3
It is okay to walk away from toxic family. I am not the monster they paint me as. I can't fix or save them. I can only protect my kids.
Uncommon Sense 1 day ago
Needed to hear that. 43 years old, disowned and disinherited by my father a few months ago. Because I said I didn’t feel obliged to tell my brother I had a new job and had moved house.
#4
It's okay to fail. That's how we learn. I used to be so afraid of failing that I never tried.
Child of the Stars 1 day ago
My oldest is 11. She recently wanted to do a wild haircut (she wanted one side shaved). I encouraged her to do it because the best case scenario was that it would look amazing on her (which it does, btw. It totally suits her personality!), and the worst case is it looks awful, but then grows out and she has a funny story to tell about a risky decision she made.
#5
That the disappointment of your parents will be far shorter lived than the unhappiness you'll endure by trying to make your life fit their perfect picture.
Sven Horlemann 1 day ago
Honestly, the parents expectations are their business. Has nothing to do with me or my life choices. Accept them. Or not.
#6
Listen to your grandparents' stories and ask them as many questions as you can about their lives and family history, etc. All 4 of mine passed when I was too young to truly appreciate any of the above.
ॐBoyGanesh 1 day ago
I’ve two undergrad degrees, an advanced degree, several certifications and licenses that have nothing to do with my formal education & I can say with absolute certainty that the lessons I learned from my grandparents, specifically my maternal grandfather, have been the most valuable education. My life would be drastically different if I hadn’t taken his oral history on 28 cassette tapes as we’d sit around taking story or if I hadn’t taken his advice to ♡.
#7
No matter how much scientific evidence you show some people, they refuse to believe anything that doesn't fit their narrative.
Phantom Phoenix 1 day ago (edited)
I've been accused of always having to be right when I'm told something contrary to my understanding and want to look it up. No. Not at all. I'm looking it up for evidence of "what's" right, not "who's" right. When my existing understanding is shown to be incorrect, I win by learning and appreciate it. But if you think I should just take your word as solid truth and not verify that shıt, then I hafta ask: Um, who's afraid to be wrong here, aka must be treated as always right?
#8
When someone shows you who they really are, believe them the first time.
#9
Some people just won't admit they're wrong. Don't waste time trying to get them to accept it. Wasted too much of mine own time trying to correct people.
#10
If someone talks s**t about other people to you, they are probably talking s**t about you to other people.
ॐBoyGanesh 1 day ago
If someone is talking shít about others to you, the conversation is a waste of your precious time.
#11
Sometimes the people who seem the happiest are the ones that are struggling the most. Be kind, be kind, be kind.
I've lost two friends to s*icide who were always the ones smiling and trying to make everyone around them happy. I think because they understand such deep pain, they try to make sure their loved ones don't ever feel the same.
#13
The importance of dental health.
I didn't take care of my teeth in my youth and now that I'm older I very much regret it.
#14
Smoking isn’t worth it.
#15
I can do it myself. Now that we're in the digital age, I learned how to change my windshield wipers, trim my rabbit's nails, repair screen windows, replace my sub pump, ect. I always felt like I missed out learning hands-on thing because my dad checked out early. N'ah, girl, you can do that s**t on your own!
Willie D'Kay 20 hours ago
I managed all this thanks to libraries back in the before time when internet was still just a fictional fantasy. But yes, you can do it yourself.
#16
That EVERYONE is making it up as they go along. Your teacher, parents, pastor, Army Generals, CEO's, everyone. No one has 100% true answers.
However, success in life IS about being decisive. Get enough information to make an intelligent decision then confidently act on it. Others will THINK you have all the answers.
Michael Largey 1 day ago
People who think they have all the answers haven't heard all the questions.
#17
You can't really help people who don't truly want to help themselves. Unless a person realizes, admits, and is receptive to being helped **and** helping him/her/itself, you're just wasting your energy and probably adding to your own stress.
#18
People who can frame everything to make themselves the victim are actually pretty toxic and most likely are the actual problem.
#19
The Human Resources (HR) department is there to protect the company, not you. Don’t ever think you can lean on HR for anything.
Michael Largey 1 day ago
HR's number one priority is to protect HR. Who they help after that depends on that aforementioned priority.
#20
Buy a good mattress and a good pair of shoes. You spend lots of time on those.
Cosmos in your eyes 1 day ago
Spend money on what separates you from the ground: bed, shoes, tires.
#21
Mental health issues left unchecked will ruin your life.
#22
People can leave your life at anytime for any reason and there's nothing you can do about it.
#23
Work life balance is critical, and hustle culture is stupid. The only people who notice all those extra hours you put in at work are your family and friends.
pfeils wife 1 day ago
"The only people who notice all those extra hours you put in at work are your family and friends" ---- So true.
#24
That other people don't care what you think. They're more worried about themselves, and you aren't the first thing on their priority list.
Could've saved so many headaches if I knew this years ago.
Dorothy Reiser 1 day ago
Best advice I ever got "No body cares". Even if your pants fall down in the middle of 5th avenue, people forget about it 5 seconds later. So don't sweat it.
#25
If you wait 'til you're ready, you'll be waiting forever.
keyboardtek 1 day ago
Not true. Taking on a new responsibility before one is ready just creates a ton of unhealthy stress and anxiety. Just because an opportunity is presented to you, if you are not prepared to do the job you will be miserable. Opportunity + preparation = success.
#26
It’s okay to say no.
PhaseWitFact 1 day ago
And No is a complete sentence. You don't need to explain or make excuses.
#27
Just because someone seems nice at first, doesn’t mean they’re a good person.
#28
You don’t need a million friends. Maybe less than 10, maybe 5, good friends. Put a LOT of effort into those relationships instead of spreading yourself too thin.
#30
For me it’s all about tomorrow is never promised. My husband died very suddenly and for a while I gave up on life. I became very ill and had to be flown to hospital from the tiny island we lived on. Somewhere during that scary flight I chose to live.
That was 7 years ago and I’m now living a very full life. Working p/t and travelling as much as possible.
Note: this post originally had 81images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
What do you think ?
Willie D'Kay 19 hours ago
Honestly, no lessons are really learned too late. Most likely the lesson popped up in your life early on, you just weren't ready to pay attention to it until the consequences of ignoring it finally mattered. The lesson is learned exactly when you are developmentally receptive to it.
Willie D'Kay 19 hours ago
Honestly, no lessons are really learned too late. Most likely the lesson popped up in your life early on, you just weren't ready to pay attention to it until the consequences of ignoring it finally mattered. The lesson is learned exactly when you are developmentally receptive to it.
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