"You Feel A Lot Less Shitty When You’re Hydrated": 19 Life Tips People Wish They'd Realized Way Sooner
Recently, redditor u/GhostRooster60 asked, "What life tip do you wish you'd figured out sooner?" As a twentysomething who is simply trying her best, you can bet your butt I clicked on that thread immediately. People shared tons of great advice that they wish their younger selves had known, from small hacks that made their lives easier to lessons that changed their perspectives altogether. Here are 19 of the best tips they shared:
1."That the 'never go to bed angry with your partner' rule is bullshit. It's okay to go to bed angry. My husband and I have found that a lot of issues aren't important and we were just tired. A good night's sleep will fix many problems, or at least give you some perspective on how big the problem actually isn't."
2."I wish I'd known how to say no to people, especially at work. No is a complete sentence."
—u/GeauxFarva and u/ShitBagTomatoNose
3."That you feel a lot less shitty when you’re hydrated."
4."That just because they are family doesn’t mean you can’t cut contact with them and their toxic ways."
5."Pay your credit card IN FULL at the end of every month, and use it for all your purchases. Your credit score will soar. Put your groceries on there, or your gas; it doesn't have to be big purchases."
6."If you are not satisfied with what a doctor tells you, get a second opinion."
"I know insurance and doctor availability can make this difficult, but if you can, do it. I was having a weird lower abdominal pain that wouldn't go away. Turns out, I have PCOS and we found a precancerous polyp in my colon at age 28. Now I take a daily supplement and have colonoscopies every five years. I can rest easier now."
7."Trying to avoid suffering usually causes more suffering than just facing it head on."
8."Discipline rather than motivation is the key to success. I wasted so much time early on waiting for that ‘spark’ of inspiration, but it doesn’t work that way. Successful people aren’t necessarily more motivated, but they certainly are more disciplined."
9."That doing a 15-minute, full-body stretch routine two to three times a week when you start to get older will stop a lot of those aches and pains. Even light exercise is very beneficial."
10."I've hit that age where it really starts to sink in that nothing really matters except the relationships you build and foster along the way. It's like a slap in the face thinking about how much time I wasted chasing bullshit material goods instead of enjoying what I had in the moment."
11."Own your weirdness. My dog has a Reddit profile and it's very wholesome. I sometimes get nice messages from people who like it, and I find that it helps me remain stable and hold onto a sense of humor in a sometimes frightening world."
12."Not everyone is going to like you and that's fine. People can find petty and illogical reasons to dislike someone. They could simply not like your face, for example. While it is good to reflect on your actions, don't take it personally if you don't 'gel' with someone. There's a very good chance it's their problem, not yours. Just try to be decent to people, and if you don't get on with someone, don't worry too much about it."
13."Wash your hands first thing when you get home. It really cuts down on those family illnesses that go around. Also, wash your hands before you eat, always."
14."Stop worrying about what other people think of you. They're too busy worrying what you think of them to care."
15."Love (of all kinds) really only works when it's mutual."
16."Popularity in high school, followers on Instagram, etc. do not matter and are only a temporary flex."
"I really want to tell every kid having a bad time in school how inconsequential it is. School seems like the be-all and end-all because as a kid it's all you know, but as you grow up to become an adult, you will experience so much more and meet so many more great people."
17."I wish I had figured out that I don't have to spend all my time trying to make others happy, especially when most of the time they aren’t going to be there for me when I need them to, too. I wish I had spent more time prioritizing myself over everyone else. Now it feels like I don't even know what I like anymore because I was always trying to please others and didn't even have time to take care of myself or my needs."
18."Never take anything personally. Sometimes people will be angry for their own reasons. Taking in their emotional poison is a choice."
19.And finally, "Sometimes, the smartest thing you can say is, 'I don't know.' Most people try bullshitting their way through things and make it way worse instead of just saying they don't know."
"Either educate yourself or get out of the conversation, but admitting you don't know is not a crime. It won't open a hole in the time/space continuum or anything. No one knows everything."
Now it's your turn! Is there a life tip you've learned over the years that you really wish you'd known waaay sooner? If so, tell us about it in the comments below!
Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
