I can’t believe I waited my entire life to be an adult. The freedom seemed enticing, but I didn’t realize it came with a burden of responsibilities and disappointments. An individual on an internet platform asked older adults to reveal some nuggets to navigate this uncomfortable growth. Here are their answers.
1. Perfection Is an Illusion
Perfection does not exist. A forty-year-old says you’ll experience relationship problems; others will have better phones, cars, and houses, no matter where you stand on the social ladder. They advise that you will be unhappy forever if you keep looking for perfection.
2. Joy Knows No Age
You’re never too old to enjoy something. Someone shares that it’s okay to grow out of hobbies, but the things that give you joy today will likely always provide you with joy. Never forget that. When you get a spouse and children, you may not have time to game all night, but you can find an hour here or there. You can also build new hobbies.
3. Align Expectations to Reality
The best approach to life is to accept that not everything will go as you wish, and that’s fine. According to a commenter, if you didn’t marry your ideal partner, accept that that person doesn’t exist.
Appreciate the love you have. You didn’t buy the perfect car? The one you have gets you to your destinations. So you can work towards the next one. Didn’t get that promotion? Things work out differently than we think. The whole point is to relax and have fun on the journey. Your goals don’t matter if you can’t have fun along the way.
4 . Lower Your Expectations
Several forum members agree that the most frustrating parts of life are those that don’t go as envisioned. The situation is not objectively bad in most cases, but it’s different from how they wanted it. Work towards controlling the things you can, and accept those you can’t.
5. The Person You Fall in Love With Is Not the Person You Divorce
The person you fall for is not the same person you fall out of love with. A responder adds that they did not understand this until they were older.
In their mother’s first marriage, her partner started doing drugs behind her back and became abusive. She left him and married their dad, who cheated after thirteen years. It’s hard to acknowledge that the person you fell in love with is slipping away into a negative space.
6. Time Is Constant
One hour at night doesn’t magically turn into two hours during the day. One reply states that night owls have the same time as early birds. As long as you get everything done in good time, it’s okay.
Do not push yourself to be an early bird because most people believe you get more out of your day. However, if you are more productive at night, take advantage of that. Go with what works for you.
7. Falling Out of Love Is More Powerful Than Falling in Love
Finding the courage to leave relationships that no longer serve you takes strength. Somebody explains that falling out of love feels liberating and powerful. It will uproot many things you took for granted.
8. Nobody Is Indispensable
Nobody cares about you at work, so you shouldn’t care about them. An internet user replies that they only took time off once they were fired. They accidentally scanned an item twice, and a call to corporate had them packing from a job where they gave their all. Now, they take as much time off as they can.
9. You Can Always Turn Around
If you find yourself on the wrong path, you can always change it. One person writes that many people think they are stuck in their current position. In their twenties, they were a raging alcoholic and thought they’d never be sober.
They couldn’t secure a job with their first degree or master’s as they were always drunk, and the job market was unstable. They’re married, have a great job, and have been sober for ten years. This is after they returned to school in their thirties to do a course they liked.
10. You Only Get One Set of Teeth
Finally, someone confesses that they neglected their teeth and messed them up. Now they have lots of filling that need constant replacement. A filling isn’t as great as a real tooth as it breaks often. Brush and floss daily, get an electric toothbrush, and avoid sugary drinks.
This thread inspired this post.
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