Truly, it is a decade defined by improvisation.
Throughout those years, a person sits in a very peculiar sweet spot. On one hand, you are finally a full-blown adult, and you enjoy the freedoms and autonomy offered by that fact.
But you're also the most inexperienced version of adult that could possibly exist. And so you are rather clueless about the best way to live and be.
Anyone that age could use some wisdom and mentorship--someone who navigated that madhouse of a decade and recognized their successes and failures.
ReddBolt5 asked, "What should one do in their 20s to avoid regrets in 30s and 40s?"
Life is Malleable
"Always know that change is an option. Many people, myself included, start down a path and think that since I committed to that path, it's the only path for me. Don't get caught in that thought process."
"If a choice (career, location, relationship, etc) doesn't feel right down the road, know you can make a new one. It may be uncomfortable at first, but you can make it through (and likely for the better)."
-- ap_riv
Stay Above Water
"Don't get into credit card debt!" -- 8Gly8
"This sh** will ef up your life as much, if not more, than smoking or drinking or crappy eating etc."
"You can be taught how credit cards work, and it can still be hard to wrap your brain around, until it's too late." -- Go_Cart_Mozart
Knowledge is Power
"Learn how to budget. Even if it's just a simple excel or google sheets file with one column of income, and one of expenses."
"When you see everything you buy in a month next to each other, you realize where you can save money pretty well."
-- Raze321
Take Care of That Outer Layer
"Sunscreen" -- greatredwoodofawhore
"long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists." -- radiogrill
"And don't go to tanning beds" -- raketheleavespls
In Their Prime
"Go see your favorite musical acts when they are young, together, and /or alive. and not selling out to fu** you price arena tours." -- classicsat
"I'll take this one further and say to just go see as much live music as possible."
"I don't regret any of the concerts I've been to in my life, but there are a bunch I regret NOT going to." -- ghettomagicrooster
YOU are the Only Constant
"Learn how to be independently happy" -- PGMG17
"I wish someone could have screamed this in my face with a megaphone whenever I was about to do something codependently stupid in my 20s and early 30s, lol." -- sulesko
Pragmatic Love
"Make sure that if you have a relationship with someone you actually nail down the long term goals and agree on them... Like kids? How exactly will that work? Marriage?"
"Find your deal breakers and take them seriously... From 20-30 the time really flies and you don't want to miss it."
Go Where You're Good
"When choosing your job/profession/career, ignore the horrible life advice to 'follow your passion.' Instead, you should follow your aptitude."
"Identify what you are good at, find a way to use it to bring value to others, work like crazy to do that."
"The happiness/meaning/life-satisfaction will come as a result of being able to build a good life for yourself and those you care about."
Before Leaping Gets Harder
"If you yearn for adventure, go now. You are young, your body is strong, and your obligations are few. Go now."
"It's so much easier to drop everything in your life for a 6-month hiking trip and then slide back into regular life when you're 25 than when you're 35." -- LowCalPal
" Travel. Experience the world. Spend your money on making memories. Hike the Appalachian Trail. Don't be afraid to do things scare you. Sky dive."
"I am grateful for everything I have but I wish I would have realized that there was another option to the regular old 9-to-5. I'm 43 now and physically limited due to an auto accident."
"You never know what life has in store so enjoy it to the fullest while you can." -- babyhaby
Zoom Out
"Invest in yourself by making healthy choices both physically and financially" -- Kaste90
"Included in this: learn to cook." -- raketheleavespls
"So hard to do since people have a hard time showing any empathy for their future self." -- 5yn3rgy
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