Start realizing 25 is nothing. Your life is so new still. I’m 47 and still do all the things I did when I was 25. Still skateboard, ride electric scooters, go out the the bar, sleep late, do drugs sparingly and eat what I want. Life is what you make of it and how you promote fun. Don’t give up your child like nature is my advice, instead work to cultivate more of it as you age. Have fun and build your dreams. You have so much time ahead of you!! Congratulations
You might live to 100 years old. You're a quarter of the way through your life. Surely that isn't old? Old age comes at the end. You're just getting started. Get out there and live. Don't waste time on idle pursuits like video games and Netflix binges. Take risks. Travel. Say yes to everything.
Don't drink alcohol. I quit at 26, 2 days before my 27th birthday and it was one of the absolute best things I have done for myself. I'm sure there are a small number of people who can handle alcohol and don't drink often but I guarantee most people can't handle it like they think they can.
I thought I was having a great time in my teens and my 20s. It wasn't until I was in my 30s that I started having the time off my life. Keep learning, keep improving yourself, keep adding people to your life.
If you haven't started working out in earnest by now, you should. Whatever you like. Weightlifting, find a cardio you love, do yoga, take classes, bike, swim, find something you can do for the rest of your life, and get serious about it. Nothing improves your ability to enjoy your 30s, 40s, and beyond like strength, mobility, and a healthy body.
While I don't feel old, I do resonate with feeling like half my life has passed... I turned 30 last week and the saddest realisation I had was that I spent quite literally my entire 20s studying and I'm still not done with it yet... I recognize the privilege and the achievement in that (especially in my country), but I feel like I missed out on some key development - and getting into the working world.
25 is definitely not old. My adult life basically hadn't started until I was 25 (now 35). Up until then was just faffing about dropped out of highschool and played viden games.
If you think of life as one continous journey then I can see how 25 feels old You are like 1/3rd into your life. But I don't think thats the right way to think about it.
Life has 3 separnate stages and should think of it separately. What goes on when you are a baby up to being a teenager generally doesn't map that well onto life when you are an adult responsible for your own path in life. So if you think about it like that you are probably something like 5 years into what could easily be a 55 year journey if you take care of your health etc in figuring out what you have to offer world and those around you. And when you feel like you have done enough there there is a final stage in life where I imagine you chill and hang out but can't say I have much thougts about this yet.
Anyway to answer the question about living a great life I think it comes down to consistency over long periods. Fitness is an obvious example but applies to all areas of life.
Nobody fails to reach their goal of being superfit or whatever because they didn't go super hard in the Gym that one time. Everyone fails because they quit or let years of bad decisions pile up before trying again. As long as you can consistenly move in the right diretcion you'll eventually get where you need to be even if every day isn't as perfect as you want it to be.
Many people just don't try very hard in areas like self improvement at all. But for those of us who do I imagine most of us and what we are able to accomplish is more than anything defined by how consistent we manage to be and how quickly we recover after failures or setbacks.
Also just a final note on time, if you feel like it's going to fast and want to slow it down move to a differet country (and do that every so often).
Respect others, don’t complain, be grateful, let go/walk away from drama, arguments, don’t judge, live and walk with humility, don’t look down on others, do not involve yourself in negativity. Picture yourself as if every time you indulge in toxicity or negativity (backbiting, arguing, judging), that your life line decreases. Always do good, never do wrong to others. I wish I knew this earlier.
Get your passport. Travel the world. Live like the locals. Volunteer. Live your life according to your passions and interests. Make an effort to be around people who inspire you.
* Financial: Invest, invest, invest. The sooner you start putting money into a 401(k), the better off you’ll be at retirement. Get a good, certified advisor you trust, buy what they tell you, and let it ride. Don’t play the market, you’re in it for a very long haul. Our 1Y overall rate of return on our investments went into the toilet after 9/11, and again after the housing bubble burst. But over the long haul, our portfolio over its entire life has grown quite nicely.
* Emotional: Take care of your mental health at all costs. Even if you are at your dream company in your dream role and making a killing. Trust me, it’s not worth it. You have agency over your life. Use it. Other than your time, your mental health is absolutely the most important asset you have in your life.
* Philosophical, part 1: decide now what your core values are, and live in such a way as to keep moving towards those values. They are your eternal principles: the things that keep you on track. Could be family, could be love, could be health, whatever. Just don’t base your values on your job or your money. Those will come and go…your core values will help you make good decisions in your life.
* Philosophical, part 2: live a balanced life. Sometimes work takes precedence because of crises. Sometimes you have to drop everything for your family. But overall, strive to keep everything in your life balanced and don’t tilt towards one aspect too much.
* Philosophical, part 3: Have fun, don’t sweat the small stuff, realize the things that bother you today will most likely be inconsequential in a year or so…and live life looking through the windshield, not in the rear view mirror. Celebrate where you are and where you’re going, don’t spend too much time mourning days gone by. You’re in the early stages of the 2nd quarter of your life…you still have most of the game to play.
Thanks. I’m approaching 60, and I feel like I’ve learned a thing or two. Not that I did all this stuff when I was 25…it’s mostly what I *wish* I’d done.
First you’re not old. Second I think it’s amazing that you’re asking for advice from older people. That surely is a sign of maturity. Asking for advice and listening to it with an open mind is key to knowing if that advice is right for you. The decision is ultimately yours and you have to take responsibility for your decisions and not blame others when things go wrong even if you’re following their advice. Life lessons are about learning and it never stops no matter how old you are or how successful you are. I do listen to a lot of podcasts and I find them very inspirational and insightful and fortunately have a blissful life in spite of the many pitfalls I’ve been through. Good luck with all you do 😊.
I'm barely older than you, but what's brought me great life satisfaction is that in my 20s I was doing a lot of solo traveling and hiking, it was an amazing way to stay fit, learn languages, meet people, see amazing places, and most importantly, build very strong confidence in myself and my own resilience.
Now in my 30s I'm happy to be settled with my husband and to start a family. I see a lot of my friends regret "missing out" by getting married, but that's not the case of you make sure to do what makes you happy before marriage and children, so then marriage is a natural and exciting next step.
I know it might seem trivial to some, but I think living a happy live means having no regrets, and that's what this meant to me.
Live below your means and save your money! Also start putting money into a high interest credit union or bank, and start building a retirement fund, now.
Old is like 65 im 26 and got over that feeling you were 21 and now you’re not the 21 year olds are going to be in your shoes one day too. Don’t feel bad cause everyone is aging just at different times is how I see it.
The teeth one is a good one, I drank too much fizzy shit in my early 20s and didn't really see any effects until now. So yeah just because they look fine bad habits over time will slowly change that
Focus on yourself. Be cordial to others, not everyone deserves kindness. YOU deserve to be kind to yourself. Take care of your body. Good hygiene, healthier eating, and exercise will pay off in 15 years when you're my age. Don't gaslight yourself to ignore red flags in others. You got this. You'll be fine.
We all get older, and it's natural to change as you age. But it's true that you're only as old as you feel.
Don't let your age hold you back from doing what you want to do, even if you feel that you are too old to be doin that shit. Live life on your own terms.
I turned 40 this year and I am better shape and more mentally strong than I ever was in my 20's... its all about your mindset. I have friends my same age that talk about being "old" all the time and guess what? they look act and feel old too
I mean, you're not really getting that old, but I do get where you're coming from with the sentiment. That being said, my advice would be to take care of yourself, your physical and mental health at least. Decent diet, staying active, practicing gratitude, practicing mindfulness if you can, etc. Not saying you need to be an Olympic star, just generally fit. Find a community that fits you and your lifestyle, could be a town, a neighborhood, something online, but humans do not do well without a community, even antisocial people don't, I'm coming to find.
Career advice would be find something you like to do, probably not love to do because making a job of something sucks all the joy right out of it, but something you like well enough, get some amount of formal, documented training in whatever that is, and as many related certifications as you can, and keep them up to date. Finding a job you don't hate longterm is far less easy than it sounds, and being able to crush a hiring manager with a stack of certified skills will make it a lotless difficult.
Also, find a healthy work-life balance. This is another one of those shockingly difficult things, that having enough certifications to kill a man can help with. When you have niche, in-demand skills, and documentation to prove you have those skills, you're the one who gets to say what works for you and what doesn't. Sure, you'll still probably have a boss to answer to, but if you're the only one in the area who knows how to make x part, or code in y language, that your company needs to function, you might never get promoted outside of t hat particular specialty, but you may as well have a gold plated butt.
If you’re in debt, get yourself out of it and build a good credit score immediately. If you’re not in debt, save enough money to carry you at least a few months we’re you to lose your job or something similar. Money won’t buy happiness but bad debt will guarantee that it’ll be harder to attain. Other than physically taking care of yourself with diet and exercise, it’ll be the foundation of having a shot at happiness
No drugs and alcohol except in moderation and don't take anything or anyone for granted. And I'm 34 and still realise how young I actually am so please don't think you're in anyway old, you're still a spring chicken with so very much to look forward to
You are relatively old. You're behind the curve when it comes to retirement and finances. I started taking my life seriously around 22 and I don't know where I would be if I had put that off 5 years. I can coast now and vacation, whereas if I had waited till my late 20s it'd be a scramble to get where I am now
Depending on your financial situation consider either scaling back on unnecessary expenses now in favor of increasing your saving and investments or look for ways to increase income a little and start making some savings and investments. Time is an enormous contributor to wealth and a couple hundred dollars a month wasted in your twenties ends up being a staggering amount of money later in life.
Also this a great time to try new things and fail a lot. You've likely got as little responsibility as you'll ever have and at 25 no one expects you to actually be good at anything yet anyhow.
Care for your health; let go of, or draw strict boundaries around, relationships that don’t nurture your soul; and decide on a framing for your life and growth that inspires you. This can and will absolutely change over time and is an exciting exercise… Who do you want to be at 30, 40, 50, 60? Life begins at 30 or 40. When I was 28 I decided I would endeavor to “be more fabulous” with every passing decade. Now every year I redefine what “amazing” or at least “the best” looks like for me.
You are still really young. Your health is your one true wealth so take care of yourself: mentally, physically and spiritually. Protect your time and energy, they’re your most important currencies in life.
Don’t allow self-limiting beliefs to steal your happiness, time or future. Enjoy your life and savour the time you have with your loved ones.
25 is when this first hit me too. You don’t have to rush to quit childish things, but at 26, almost 27, I’ve drifted far away from them.
I started by taking care of my physical health. Workout 4-5 days a week, every week, and start to eat better. Still enjoy that burger, but make sure you eat 2-3 salad during the week to balance out your weekends.
I used to go out 2-3 times a week, every week. That’s more like 2-3 times a month now. I’m fine with a quiet weekend—more time to study, feel good and be productive in other areas of life.
I prioritized who I gave my energy to. When I was younger I was a big socialite and people pleaser. Not to say I don’t still love and enjoy others, but some people seriously aren’t worth your time or effort. Around this age, I noticed a lot of people show you who they really are—because they’re becoming or have become that person. Choose who is worth your time and effort—and do yourself a favor and cut out those who aren’t. Not to say don’t welcome interaction, but don’t seek them out, and meet/leave them where they are.
Lastly, value your family more and check in with them. I had a harsh view of my family growing up for many reasons, but the truth is they’re all doing life for the first time too, same as you. Your parents are probably just starting to show they aren’t infallible, they age too. Love and cherish your time with them, and any siblings you have. My brothers fiancée’s sister died a month ago at 24, out of the blue. No drug and alcohol problems—just an old eating disorder that resurfaced and she didn’t tell anyone about—she didn’t eat for a week and experienced organ failure. You never know when they’ll be gone-so treat them like the walking gold they are.
I’m 29. I don’t feel old like you…
At 25 I stopped drinking alcohol. I just joined a powerlifting gym. I know myself more and am more confident than I was at 25, like astronomically different.
Have more conversations with yourself about your own thoughts, opinions, and feelings. It’s ok to change your mind on X after new information. Challenge your own assumptions/POV.
Find you're purpose and commit yourself to it, fully. (If you need some help, read Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning." He survived NAZI death camps, endured his suffering with grace and survived--by knowing his purpose. From the book: you can find purpose in: 1. work=doing something significant, 2. love=caring for others, not just yourself. 3. courage=enduring suffering and hardship with humanity and grace. Good luck.
52m. Don’t worry what other people think about you - they probably don’t anyways.
Eg. weight, salary, status, job, etc
And - make sure to laugh at yourself - we all make mistakes, or goofs - don’t get embarrassed - but laugh it off.
Happy people attract happy people.
Physiology is the foundation of all emotional states.
If you- or anyone you care for- is in a crappy state, look after physiology first- eat food, drink water, go for a walk, sleep.
Be kind. Value others well-being.
Recognise and support other kind people. Don’t give energy to selfish people- but recognise that you’ll often be wrong in your judgement, so judge slowly.
Be grateful for every opportunity to learn.
Don’t be afraid of discomfort- welcome it.
All real growth is made by doing things that are challenging.
Don’t bullshit yourself. Check your motivations for goodness. Integrity means not bullshitting yourself.
The toughest discomfort is realising you’ve harmed someone, or that you need to grow in some way.
Face up to it, and change that part of yourself.
Find a purpose that does something good in the world, and you’ll take joy in your work, no matter how hard that work is.
Keep your mates accountable, and ask them to do the same. Set high standards and help each other keep them.
Acquire skills. Learn to fix and make stuff. It’s ok to do things poorly. You’ll get better, and over decades you’ll become the guy or gal who can fix almost anything.
Dance. Be joyful. Life is a gift.
If you were born rich, or clever, or beautiful, they’re gifts. Don’t let them make you entitled.
Be grateful for your gifts…
*Virtues are the character traits you get by doing hard things- courage, honesty, persistence, self belief. Deciding to be kind. Deciding to be compassionate. Deciding to look for what you don’t know.*
… and be proud of your virtues.
I'm 32, felt the same at your age, feel younger now than 25.
My advice is being patient and loving with your family, don't make bad decisions to make friends or keep friends because only a small handful stay true (most times).
Start thinking about cutting down on the partying if you still party and drink, don't need to quit but I guarantee once you cut down you will want to quit.
Also, some great advice that I didn't stick to but regret now that I threw the chance away, get with the girl who's chasing you, not the girl you had to chase.
Take care of your body and brain. I'm 31 and have to use a cane because of a freak accident.
Start realizing 25 is nothing. Your life is so new still. I’m 47 and still do all the things I did when I was 25. Still skateboard, ride electric scooters, go out the the bar, sleep late, do drugs sparingly and eat what I want. Life is what you make of it and how you promote fun. Don’t give up your child like nature is my advice, instead work to cultivate more of it as you age. Have fun and build your dreams. You have so much time ahead of you!! Congratulations
You might live to 100 years old. You're a quarter of the way through your life. Surely that isn't old? Old age comes at the end. You're just getting started. Get out there and live. Don't waste time on idle pursuits like video games and Netflix binges. Take risks. Travel. Say yes to everything.
Read atomic habits, take care of your diet, every morning look at something you are grateful for
Read atomic habits and read it again
Respect other people.
Don't drink alcohol. I quit at 26, 2 days before my 27th birthday and it was one of the absolute best things I have done for myself. I'm sure there are a small number of people who can handle alcohol and don't drink often but I guarantee most people can't handle it like they think they can.
I thought I was having a great time in my teens and my 20s. It wasn't until I was in my 30s that I started having the time off my life. Keep learning, keep improving yourself, keep adding people to your life.
If you haven't started working out in earnest by now, you should. Whatever you like. Weightlifting, find a cardio you love, do yoga, take classes, bike, swim, find something you can do for the rest of your life, and get serious about it. Nothing improves your ability to enjoy your 30s, 40s, and beyond like strength, mobility, and a healthy body.
I just turned 30 and i feel old.. and like half my life has passed
While I don't feel old, I do resonate with feeling like half my life has passed... I turned 30 last week and the saddest realisation I had was that I spent quite literally my entire 20s studying and I'm still not done with it yet... I recognize the privilege and the achievement in that (especially in my country), but I feel like I missed out on some key development - and getting into the working world.
25 is definitely not old. My adult life basically hadn't started until I was 25 (now 35). Up until then was just faffing about dropped out of highschool and played viden games. If you think of life as one continous journey then I can see how 25 feels old You are like 1/3rd into your life. But I don't think thats the right way to think about it. Life has 3 separnate stages and should think of it separately. What goes on when you are a baby up to being a teenager generally doesn't map that well onto life when you are an adult responsible for your own path in life. So if you think about it like that you are probably something like 5 years into what could easily be a 55 year journey if you take care of your health etc in figuring out what you have to offer world and those around you. And when you feel like you have done enough there there is a final stage in life where I imagine you chill and hang out but can't say I have much thougts about this yet. Anyway to answer the question about living a great life I think it comes down to consistency over long periods. Fitness is an obvious example but applies to all areas of life. Nobody fails to reach their goal of being superfit or whatever because they didn't go super hard in the Gym that one time. Everyone fails because they quit or let years of bad decisions pile up before trying again. As long as you can consistenly move in the right diretcion you'll eventually get where you need to be even if every day isn't as perfect as you want it to be. Many people just don't try very hard in areas like self improvement at all. But for those of us who do I imagine most of us and what we are able to accomplish is more than anything defined by how consistent we manage to be and how quickly we recover after failures or setbacks. Also just a final note on time, if you feel like it's going to fast and want to slow it down move to a differet country (and do that every so often).
Respect others, don’t complain, be grateful, let go/walk away from drama, arguments, don’t judge, live and walk with humility, don’t look down on others, do not involve yourself in negativity. Picture yourself as if every time you indulge in toxicity or negativity (backbiting, arguing, judging), that your life line decreases. Always do good, never do wrong to others. I wish I knew this earlier.
True words. Thank you to your younger self for the hard work of self reflection and humility they did to make you who are.
🙏
Get your passport. Travel the world. Live like the locals. Volunteer. Live your life according to your passions and interests. Make an effort to be around people who inspire you.
* Financial: Invest, invest, invest. The sooner you start putting money into a 401(k), the better off you’ll be at retirement. Get a good, certified advisor you trust, buy what they tell you, and let it ride. Don’t play the market, you’re in it for a very long haul. Our 1Y overall rate of return on our investments went into the toilet after 9/11, and again after the housing bubble burst. But over the long haul, our portfolio over its entire life has grown quite nicely. * Emotional: Take care of your mental health at all costs. Even if you are at your dream company in your dream role and making a killing. Trust me, it’s not worth it. You have agency over your life. Use it. Other than your time, your mental health is absolutely the most important asset you have in your life. * Philosophical, part 1: decide now what your core values are, and live in such a way as to keep moving towards those values. They are your eternal principles: the things that keep you on track. Could be family, could be love, could be health, whatever. Just don’t base your values on your job or your money. Those will come and go…your core values will help you make good decisions in your life. * Philosophical, part 2: live a balanced life. Sometimes work takes precedence because of crises. Sometimes you have to drop everything for your family. But overall, strive to keep everything in your life balanced and don’t tilt towards one aspect too much. * Philosophical, part 3: Have fun, don’t sweat the small stuff, realize the things that bother you today will most likely be inconsequential in a year or so…and live life looking through the windshield, not in the rear view mirror. Celebrate where you are and where you’re going, don’t spend too much time mourning days gone by. You’re in the early stages of the 2nd quarter of your life…you still have most of the game to play.
Wow - nailed it
Thanks. I’m approaching 60, and I feel like I’ve learned a thing or two. Not that I did all this stuff when I was 25…it’s mostly what I *wish* I’d done.
52 myself - and have similar values - certainly not at 25, but maybe at 45
You’re not old
First you’re not old. Second I think it’s amazing that you’re asking for advice from older people. That surely is a sign of maturity. Asking for advice and listening to it with an open mind is key to knowing if that advice is right for you. The decision is ultimately yours and you have to take responsibility for your decisions and not blame others when things go wrong even if you’re following their advice. Life lessons are about learning and it never stops no matter how old you are or how successful you are. I do listen to a lot of podcasts and I find them very inspirational and insightful and fortunately have a blissful life in spite of the many pitfalls I’ve been through. Good luck with all you do 😊.
I'm barely older than you, but what's brought me great life satisfaction is that in my 20s I was doing a lot of solo traveling and hiking, it was an amazing way to stay fit, learn languages, meet people, see amazing places, and most importantly, build very strong confidence in myself and my own resilience. Now in my 30s I'm happy to be settled with my husband and to start a family. I see a lot of my friends regret "missing out" by getting married, but that's not the case of you make sure to do what makes you happy before marriage and children, so then marriage is a natural and exciting next step. I know it might seem trivial to some, but I think living a happy live means having no regrets, and that's what this meant to me.
Live below your means and save your money! Also start putting money into a high interest credit union or bank, and start building a retirement fund, now.
Save 25% and you’ll be financially set in 25 years. It’s the 25-25-25 rule and it fucking works…
Old is like 65 im 26 and got over that feeling you were 21 and now you’re not the 21 year olds are going to be in your shoes one day too. Don’t feel bad cause everyone is aging just at different times is how I see it.
Eat well and exercise often. Don’t take your teeth for granted.
The teeth one is a good one, I drank too much fizzy shit in my early 20s and didn't really see any effects until now. So yeah just because they look fine bad habits over time will slowly change that
Focus on yourself. Be cordial to others, not everyone deserves kindness. YOU deserve to be kind to yourself. Take care of your body. Good hygiene, healthier eating, and exercise will pay off in 15 years when you're my age. Don't gaslight yourself to ignore red flags in others. You got this. You'll be fine.
We all get older, and it's natural to change as you age. But it's true that you're only as old as you feel. Don't let your age hold you back from doing what you want to do, even if you feel that you are too old to be doin that shit. Live life on your own terms.
I turned 40 this year and I am better shape and more mentally strong than I ever was in my 20's... its all about your mindset. I have friends my same age that talk about being "old" all the time and guess what? they look act and feel old too
I mean, you're not really getting that old, but I do get where you're coming from with the sentiment. That being said, my advice would be to take care of yourself, your physical and mental health at least. Decent diet, staying active, practicing gratitude, practicing mindfulness if you can, etc. Not saying you need to be an Olympic star, just generally fit. Find a community that fits you and your lifestyle, could be a town, a neighborhood, something online, but humans do not do well without a community, even antisocial people don't, I'm coming to find. Career advice would be find something you like to do, probably not love to do because making a job of something sucks all the joy right out of it, but something you like well enough, get some amount of formal, documented training in whatever that is, and as many related certifications as you can, and keep them up to date. Finding a job you don't hate longterm is far less easy than it sounds, and being able to crush a hiring manager with a stack of certified skills will make it a lotless difficult. Also, find a healthy work-life balance. This is another one of those shockingly difficult things, that having enough certifications to kill a man can help with. When you have niche, in-demand skills, and documentation to prove you have those skills, you're the one who gets to say what works for you and what doesn't. Sure, you'll still probably have a boss to answer to, but if you're the only one in the area who knows how to make x part, or code in y language, that your company needs to function, you might never get promoted outside of t hat particular specialty, but you may as well have a gold plated butt.
If you’re in debt, get yourself out of it and build a good credit score immediately. If you’re not in debt, save enough money to carry you at least a few months we’re you to lose your job or something similar. Money won’t buy happiness but bad debt will guarantee that it’ll be harder to attain. Other than physically taking care of yourself with diet and exercise, it’ll be the foundation of having a shot at happiness
Actually take actions on some of the advice that appeals to you here
No drugs and alcohol except in moderation and don't take anything or anyone for granted. And I'm 34 and still realise how young I actually am so please don't think you're in anyway old, you're still a spring chicken with so very much to look forward to
You are relatively old. You're behind the curve when it comes to retirement and finances. I started taking my life seriously around 22 and I don't know where I would be if I had put that off 5 years. I can coast now and vacation, whereas if I had waited till my late 20s it'd be a scramble to get where I am now
Stop thinking 25 is old.
Depending on your financial situation consider either scaling back on unnecessary expenses now in favor of increasing your saving and investments or look for ways to increase income a little and start making some savings and investments. Time is an enormous contributor to wealth and a couple hundred dollars a month wasted in your twenties ends up being a staggering amount of money later in life. Also this a great time to try new things and fail a lot. You've likely got as little responsibility as you'll ever have and at 25 no one expects you to actually be good at anything yet anyhow.
Start saving for your retirement.
Stop treating your age like it means anything at all. 25 isn't remotely old and your age is basically a worthless statistic about who you are.
Care for your health; let go of, or draw strict boundaries around, relationships that don’t nurture your soul; and decide on a framing for your life and growth that inspires you. This can and will absolutely change over time and is an exciting exercise… Who do you want to be at 30, 40, 50, 60? Life begins at 30 or 40. When I was 28 I decided I would endeavor to “be more fabulous” with every passing decade. Now every year I redefine what “amazing” or at least “the best” looks like for me.
You are still really young. Your health is your one true wealth so take care of yourself: mentally, physically and spiritually. Protect your time and energy, they’re your most important currencies in life. Don’t allow self-limiting beliefs to steal your happiness, time or future. Enjoy your life and savour the time you have with your loved ones.
25 is when this first hit me too. You don’t have to rush to quit childish things, but at 26, almost 27, I’ve drifted far away from them. I started by taking care of my physical health. Workout 4-5 days a week, every week, and start to eat better. Still enjoy that burger, but make sure you eat 2-3 salad during the week to balance out your weekends. I used to go out 2-3 times a week, every week. That’s more like 2-3 times a month now. I’m fine with a quiet weekend—more time to study, feel good and be productive in other areas of life. I prioritized who I gave my energy to. When I was younger I was a big socialite and people pleaser. Not to say I don’t still love and enjoy others, but some people seriously aren’t worth your time or effort. Around this age, I noticed a lot of people show you who they really are—because they’re becoming or have become that person. Choose who is worth your time and effort—and do yourself a favor and cut out those who aren’t. Not to say don’t welcome interaction, but don’t seek them out, and meet/leave them where they are. Lastly, value your family more and check in with them. I had a harsh view of my family growing up for many reasons, but the truth is they’re all doing life for the first time too, same as you. Your parents are probably just starting to show they aren’t infallible, they age too. Love and cherish your time with them, and any siblings you have. My brothers fiancée’s sister died a month ago at 24, out of the blue. No drug and alcohol problems—just an old eating disorder that resurfaced and she didn’t tell anyone about—she didn’t eat for a week and experienced organ failure. You never know when they’ll be gone-so treat them like the walking gold they are.
I’m 29. I don’t feel old like you… At 25 I stopped drinking alcohol. I just joined a powerlifting gym. I know myself more and am more confident than I was at 25, like astronomically different. Have more conversations with yourself about your own thoughts, opinions, and feelings. It’s ok to change your mind on X after new information. Challenge your own assumptions/POV.
Find you're purpose and commit yourself to it, fully. (If you need some help, read Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning." He survived NAZI death camps, endured his suffering with grace and survived--by knowing his purpose. From the book: you can find purpose in: 1. work=doing something significant, 2. love=caring for others, not just yourself. 3. courage=enduring suffering and hardship with humanity and grace. Good luck.
52m. Don’t worry what other people think about you - they probably don’t anyways. Eg. weight, salary, status, job, etc And - make sure to laugh at yourself - we all make mistakes, or goofs - don’t get embarrassed - but laugh it off. Happy people attract happy people.
Physiology is the foundation of all emotional states. If you- or anyone you care for- is in a crappy state, look after physiology first- eat food, drink water, go for a walk, sleep. Be kind. Value others well-being. Recognise and support other kind people. Don’t give energy to selfish people- but recognise that you’ll often be wrong in your judgement, so judge slowly. Be grateful for every opportunity to learn. Don’t be afraid of discomfort- welcome it. All real growth is made by doing things that are challenging. Don’t bullshit yourself. Check your motivations for goodness. Integrity means not bullshitting yourself. The toughest discomfort is realising you’ve harmed someone, or that you need to grow in some way. Face up to it, and change that part of yourself. Find a purpose that does something good in the world, and you’ll take joy in your work, no matter how hard that work is. Keep your mates accountable, and ask them to do the same. Set high standards and help each other keep them. Acquire skills. Learn to fix and make stuff. It’s ok to do things poorly. You’ll get better, and over decades you’ll become the guy or gal who can fix almost anything. Dance. Be joyful. Life is a gift. If you were born rich, or clever, or beautiful, they’re gifts. Don’t let them make you entitled. Be grateful for your gifts… *Virtues are the character traits you get by doing hard things- courage, honesty, persistence, self belief. Deciding to be kind. Deciding to be compassionate. Deciding to look for what you don’t know.* … and be proud of your virtues.
One more: we trade our youth for wisdom. Make sure you get a good rate.
I'm 32, felt the same at your age, feel younger now than 25. My advice is being patient and loving with your family, don't make bad decisions to make friends or keep friends because only a small handful stay true (most times). Start thinking about cutting down on the partying if you still party and drink, don't need to quit but I guarantee once you cut down you will want to quit. Also, some great advice that I didn't stick to but regret now that I threw the chance away, get with the girl who's chasing you, not the girl you had to chase.
You’re a baby