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People Over The Age Of 50 Are Sharing Pieces Of Advice They Think Younger People Haven’t Realized Yet, And Here Are 30 Of Their Best Thoughts
In the wise words of Taylor Swift, “How can a person know everything at 18 but nothing at 22?” We’re constantly learning new things as we age, but not every lesson needs to be learned through making mistakes. Sometimes, it’s best to just take sage advice from our elders.
Redditors over the age of 50 have recently been sharing words of wisdom that might enrich the lives of younger people, so we’ve gathered some of their best insights down below. Whether you’re 17 or 67, there might be something on this list you need to hear too, pandas. Keep reading to also find a conversation with Lisa Storer of Midlife Pursuits, and be sure to upvote the life lessons you wish you had learned sooner.
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#1
Unless you don't mind hearing EEEEEEEEEEEE like all the time day and night, use hearing protection in loud situations. Tinnitus is a b***h.
Seb Benson 1 year ago
Can confirm that Tinnitus is indeed a b***h. However, it's not always loud situation which can cause it. If you start to suffer from it, start to work out what makes it worse during any given day/situation. Sometimes diet can make it worse, sometimes certain noises, sometimes certain activities. And if you do suffer from it, there are different coping techniques which can help you learn to live with it. There is no cure at the moment. Seeking help is not a weakness.
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#2
The right person will bring out the best version of yourself. If you find yourself shrinking around them, compromising your values, or trying to be someone you’re not, it’s not the right person.
To gain more insight on this topic, we reached out to Lisa Storer, the woman behind Midlife Pursuits. Lucky for us, Lisa was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda about some of the best lessons she learned by the age of 50. First, she noted that, "Everyone has the same worth."
"One of my therapists explained this to me, and I was like, 'What? How is this possible?' l mean, don't the people who do super special things, like win the Nobel Peace Prize, have way more worth than a regular person, like me? Nope, ALL humans have the exact same worth," Lisa explained. "It doesn't matter what you do or don't do. We are all equally worthy of everything that is available in this world. When we know this, there is less pressure on us to achieve and DO all of the time."
#3
Marriage/relationships should be fun, and happy. Life is hard, things get tough. Find someone that makes the tough times easier, not harder.
Spencer's slave 1 year ago (edited)
And if you don't find "that person" be content on your own. Being on your own doesn't mean being lonely, it means making yourself the priority. I'm 59 and I have never been as content as I am now. I have been married, I have been divorced, I am a Mum, a Mother in Law, a Nana. Being Me now is the absolute best I have ever been. I love being a Mum, a Mother in Law and a Nana because they give back to me a hundred fold what I give to them. They, all of them, give me the time and space to just be me, doing what I want and I love all of them for giving all of that to me. If I could turn back the clock I wouldn't have got married but I would have stayed with him to have my children.
#4
Everybody f***s up, it's what you do after that matters.
CHRIS DOMRES 1 year ago
The difference between an amateur and a professional is that the professional knows how to correct his mistakes without panicking.
Another lesson Lisa says she's learned is that, "There is no such thing as perfect or perfection. It's just not possible. So, there is no reason to strive for it and no reason to hold yourself back if you think something is not perfect. There is no 'perfect' time or 'perfect' way of doing something or 'perfect' situation. It's just not a thing."
"Perfectionism can keep us from even starting something, because we are worried that it won't be perfect," she added. "But in fact, the most important thing is to get started, to take the step, to try! Once I got past that perfectionism tendency, I began trying a lot more things and my life got more exciting!"
#5
60 year old checking in.
You can greatly improve your mental health.
I have been involved in men's groups for over 20 years. I have done counselling, therapy, 12 step programs and even hypnotherapy. I tried meditation but was consistent.
I am having so much fun with my life right now because I spent 30 years cleaning up the damage done by my dysfunctional family and the school system.
If you aren't happy with the your life, take action to change your mental health.
SholomThePoster 1 year ago
Just be careful of some men's group ... some are highly misogynist.
#6
I heard a saying once that has proven to be very true. When you're young you constantly worry about what everyone else thinks of you. When you're an adult, you stop worrying about what everyone else thinks of you. And when you're old, you finally realize that nobody else was thinking about you all along.
Nikki Sevven 1 year ago
Not caring about other people's opinions of you is incredibly freeing. The only standards you should be upholding are your own. (The next time someone criticizes you, think about this: would you take that person's advice? If the answer is no, then don't take their criticism either.)
Lisa noted that another important life lesson she learned is that, "It's important to be unattached to a specific outcome. Enjoy the journey! Don't spend all of your time being concerned about the way something is supposed to turn out."
"That will take away from you enjoying the present moments. And, if you are not attached, and it doesn't turn out the way you wanted, you are okay," she continued. "You may be disappointed, but you remain flexible and able to go with the flow of life. I learned this when I began my journey of living a mindful life. Practicing mindfulness helps us to be present and really enjoy the little things, which is really what life is made up of - not those one-off special events!"
#7
If you die, your employer will have your job posted before you are buried. Remember that on when making work/life choices.
Robin Hawkins 1 year ago
I believe the advice was geared more about where your loyalties lie with jobs. I'm 65 and so many jobs want more than your blood,sweat and tears. They act like they own you. No pto,lack of benefits etc. If you love where you work, that's great. But that's usually not the case for most people.
Lisa also shared with Bored Panda what she would go back and tell her 20-year-old self if given the chance. "Take the risks. Do all of the things. Don't let your fears (thoughts) hold you back. Try whatever you want. You CAN push through fears and allow yourself to experience it all. Fears are just feelings in our bodies that come about from our thoughts. Changing our thoughts is totally possible. Our lives are within our control."
#9
Nobody else ever thinks about the things you did that you think were embarrassing or cringeworthy. You are not important to them. The only one who remembers those moments are you, and you shouldn’t let them define you to yourself.
Carrie de Luka 1 year ago
This is so true, everyone is thinking about their own, not yours. When those memories surface I tell myself that no one else is thinking about it, that I wasn't thinking about it an hour ago and won't be in an hours time, so why bother thinking about it now! I then forcibly think of other things and they go, really quickly.
#10
Not everything that you disagree with deserves an argument. Pick your battles and let trivial things slide.
Katie Lutesinger 1 year ago
I still have fond memories of the time when I remarked that not all opinions deserve to be given any attention, whereupon not one but two Trump supporters immediately went off at me and then became more and more enraged when I said their childish behaviour indicated they were not worth arguing with and left it at that. They took the usual route of calling me a "Nazi" and screaming about "freedom of speech" and when that got no reaction they clearly had no idea what to do next and gave up.
Lisa also says there is never a time when we stop learning life lessons. "Life teaches us new things every day. I have many 'aha moments' - even at age 55!" she shared. "And I love it. Just the other day, I heard someone say that things keep coming up until we learn from them. And, it's true. I didn't really understand what that meant, when I was younger. But, it's really like being triggered. If we keep getting triggered by similar things, it means we really haven't learned that lesson and made peace with whatever it is that originally led to being sensitive about that certain thing."
#11
Reading for pleasure.
Babsevs 1 year ago
I would literally shrivel up and down without the escape of the written word! I really wouldn't survive...plus keeping an active mind is excellent for brain health as well as your mental health, escapism is a wonderful gift, delivered by little blocks of paper covered in marks...
#12
You might not want kids or be able to have kids, and that's okay. Never let anyone tell you you're making a mistake or will have regrets if you choose not to have a baby.
Winnie the Moo 1 year ago
Also, they are only a baby for two years. Then they will become kids. And then teenagers. And then adults. If you aren’t up for s lifetime of responsibility for another human being. Don’t make a baby…
Finally, Lisa share that she has no plans to stop exploring any time soon. "I'm hoping to learn more about the big wide world. I'm planning to do more traveling and learn more about different cultures," she shared. "Being open to learning and growing is one key to living your best life!"
If you'd like to hear more words of wisdom from Lisa or gain some guidance during the second half of your life, be sure to visit Midlife Pursuits right here!
#13
Wear sunscreen! When I look at my 50-year-old upper chest (frequently exposed to the sun in my youth) compared to my 50-year-old belly (which has always been clothed and covered because I have never liked two-piece swimsuits), I can't believe the difference.
#14
Comparison is the thief of joy. Stop comparing your looks, whether your successful, or your happiness to anybody else's.
#15
If there was abuse in your childhood of any kind and no one helped, get help now. If you can’t afford therapy use online resource, they’re not the best, but still helpful. Don’t have your own children until you’re sure you won’t repeat the cycle.
Tucker Cahooter 1 year ago
And the younger people of today have the advantage that so much knowledge, and where to find it, is at your fingertips
#16
Take care of your body. Exercise, keep your weight reasonable, and keep the “bad habits” in moderation. It really does make a difference later in life.
Take me to dinner first 1 year ago
Define later so I can calculate how many years of bad habits I still have left
#17
Travel.
Do it now. Before the stresses of later life limit you to short scheduled holidays around your kids' school breaks.
Also do it now, while your body will allow you to travel cheap. Fly coach, sleep on overnight trains, take rickety old buses full of people and livestock, stay in cheap hostels - all those things take a toll on a 50-year-old body. But they are some of my most memorable experiences of being 20-22.
#18
1. It's usually not about you. 2. Sleep is incredibly important. 3. The most important conversations you have will be with yourself. Monitor your self talk and speak positively, kindly and respectfully to yourself. 4. Sleep is incredibly important.
#19
Go for experiences and not things.
David Wambold 1 year ago
Exacly, do you remember what toy you got for you 7th birthday or that trip you took?
#20
You don’t feel 50 when you’re 50. I feel 27 or 28. Change happens slowly so you don’t always notice it.
#21
I’d say invest in your health by regularly exercising.
My wife got me into running when we were in our twenties, and it has been a big part of our lives ever since (I’m 63). Nothing crazy, no marathons, we don’t time ourselves or follow a strict training plan, we just pick a route, go at our own pace and have fun. We still go 3-4 miles, 3-4x per week.
I also started working out at the gym 3x a week with free weights in my 30s, and have been doing it ever since. I’m no Schwarzenegger, believe me, but I can still work around the house, move furniture, shovel snow and have fun tossing a ball around with the kids without injuring or exhausting myself.
Between aerobic fitness and the weights, I’ve been able to stay remarkably healthy my entire adult life, knock on wood. It’s also been great for my mental health and managing stress.
You don’t have to go nuts and set unreasonably strict requirements for exercise goals or diet that a normal person can’t possibly maintain - just do the best you can, make exercising a few times per week a habit, eat a reasonable diet (avoid fried stuff, eat fruit and veggies, lay off the sweets), and 40 years later you’ll really thank yourself, believe me!
#22
*Every* skill takes determined practice to master.
I see my young friends/relatives try, and give up on so many things because "they weren't very good at it". If you keep doing that, you'll never be very good at anything.
Auntriarch 1 year ago
Top tip from Auntie here: you don't have to be very good at something, as long as you enjoy doing it. And you will still be better at it than someone who doesn't
#23
When you're 25, you look back at your 15-year-old self and think, "Man, I sure was foolish back then." And you assume you've stopped being foolish now that you have reached your final, mature form.
Nope. When you're 35, you will look back at your 25-year-old self and think the same thing. Same at 45 and 55.
Embrace this with humility, accept that some of your beliefs about yourself and about the world are probably wrong, and treat it as an opportunity to keep learning and growing.
Michael Largey 1 year ago
Also be humble enough to say that you were a better person at 25 than you are now.
#24
The habits you get into during your 20's & 30's are going to be damn near impossible to change. Make those habits good ones.
#25
Learn to let it go.
Don't watch too much MSM. Don't hold grudges. Don't get pissed in traffic. Don't feel the need to correct the dipshits. Don't stress about the weather. Don't go to bed angry with your spouse. Just let it go.
#26
Everything you post on the internet is there forever and could come back one day to haunt you. Be careful what you post.
#27
Stop thinking you life is about been the most productive person you can be. Find interesting hobbies that make you feel good and are good for you. Your soul deserves to experience some of your own dreams, don't waste all of your time working towards the dreams of your companies owners.
#28
Never stop learning. Not just about academic topics, but about the world. Take non-binary gender identities. It is NOT for us to declare that "silly", or "made up". Instead, listen, and learn. Just because a concept is new to you, doesn't make it nonsense. Not least because, as I quickly discovered during a wikipedia trip, the idea has existed for thousands of years, just not in the West.
SholomThePoster 1 year ago (edited)
Travelling , and an open mind, would give some of the extreme Conservatives a different take on non-binarism. I've seen those in the US claiming its a modern phenomenon which the 'liberals' wish to impose on the world: they are ignorant of such people in many cultures for all of recorded history ... see Hijra in India, Kathoey in Thailand & Fa'afafine in Samoa.
#29
With the notable exceptions of actual competitions, humans are not in regular competition with each other. It doesn't matter who looks better, dresses, better, eats better, travels better or lives better. We can both have good lives and be positive and kind to each other without losing anything. Be happy and celebrate other people's successes.
SholomThePoster 1 year ago
'Humans are not in regular competition with each other' ... sadly this is often untrue.
#30
Being impulsive is the best way to ruin your life. So work hard on not making impulsive decisions based on the emotions of the moment.
What do you think ?
Mari 1 year ago (edited)
Learn yourself to be happy in normal situations, you don't need to go out, drink or travel far to be happy. Just be pleased with little things around you and so you will find more hapiness in life.
LokisLilButterknife 1 year ago
I am not over fifty, but this is such an important comment.
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Phobrek 1 year ago
Surprised nobody mentioned back care. Sit properly, in a decent chair, don't slouch, hunch over a keyboard, etc. I did these wrong things for way too long, and it led to two of my lower vertebrae weakening and popping. My back hurts every day, doing minimal simple activity is often painful, and it can never heal. Sit f'ing properly, get consistent exercise, please take care of yourself.
BananaMonkey(she/they) 1 year ago
I read this sitting on risers in a classroom while hunched over my school chromebook and it made me sit up straighter.
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Aiden Brough 1 year ago
Here's mine. Happiness - You can never always be happy. It's a positive emotion and no-one should always be positive all the time. We need to be feel down etc at times. So be content with what you feel. Don't buy cheap - You'll end up paying twice. You might thing life is short, but it'll be the longest thing you do, so try to make some meaningful purpose. Don't waste time on people who don't matter - do they really think about you? And finally, the world isn't as bad what you read on your screen. Don't live your life by what someone you've never met has said - use you brain.
Mari 1 year ago (edited)
Learn yourself to be happy in normal situations, you don't need to go out, drink or travel far to be happy. Just be pleased with little things around you and so you will find more hapiness in life.
LokisLilButterknife 1 year ago
I am not over fifty, but this is such an important comment.
Load More Replies... Phobrek 1 year ago
Surprised nobody mentioned back care. Sit properly, in a decent chair, don't slouch, hunch over a keyboard, etc. I did these wrong things for way too long, and it led to two of my lower vertebrae weakening and popping. My back hurts every day, doing minimal simple activity is often painful, and it can never heal. Sit f'ing properly, get consistent exercise, please take care of yourself.
BananaMonkey(she/they) 1 year ago
I read this sitting on risers in a classroom while hunched over my school chromebook and it made me sit up straighter.
Load More Replies... Aiden Brough 1 year ago
Here's mine. Happiness - You can never always be happy. It's a positive emotion and no-one should always be positive all the time. We need to be feel down etc at times. So be content with what you feel. Don't buy cheap - You'll end up paying twice. You might thing life is short, but it'll be the longest thing you do, so try to make some meaningful purpose. Don't waste time on people who don't matter - do they really think about you? And finally, the world isn't as bad what you read on your screen. Don't live your life by what someone you've never met has said - use you brain.
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