One of the things that affected my outlook as I grew older: More empathy. I became more empathetic toward my parents and my family members, some of whom aren't necessarily the best people. I have to say that working to understand a lot of their behavior––if not necessarily forgive it––gave me peace of mind, more so than reacting negatively, that's for sure.
People were keen on sharing the life lessons they've picked up along the way after Redditor GeneralAd_4617 asked the online community,
"What are some of the life perspectives that changed while you grew older?"
"Most of the time..."
"That everything I did had to be perfect. Most of the time "good enough" is just that; good enough. Perfection is rarely required in the real world."
It is such a relief when you accept that you don't need to be perfect at all.
"I spent a lot..."
"I spent a lot of time when I was younger worrying what other people thought of me, when actually most people are just thinking about themselves and worrying what other people think of them."
"Just because..."
"Just because I find something easy to do, it doesn't mean it comes easy to others. Just because someone else can do something doesn't mean I can. I only fully understood this in my forties."
Everyone has a talent and a skillset and you should lean on those people. You are not perfect and you are not a robot who can do anything! It's fine!
"The fact that..."
"I became less of a judgmental person as I grew older. The fact that I used to make comments without thinking of others' feelings or situations, made me realize how much of a jerk I was. I regret all of it of course, but we all go through situations where we are judged without thinking. Looking at other people's perspectives changed my life entirely."
"The world's problems..."
"The world's problems do not solely rest on my shoulders. I can do things at my own pace to get to where I want to be eventually."
That is correct. And accepting that is freedom!
"The older you get..."
"The older you get, the smaller proportion of your life a year is. When you're ten, that year is 10% of your life; when you're 50 it's 2%. All we can do is fill it with amazing experiences and memories, so when we look back it seems fuller and more real."
Time flies! The older I get, the more I notice how quickly it zooms by.
"Happiness..."
"Happiness is only possible when you act in ways that make you happy, not in ways that impress other people."
Don't necessarily do things for other people: You will only set yourself to an impossible standard.
"For the most part..."
"For the most part, it doesn't matter what strangers think of you. Unless you're at a job interview or in a very serious situation, it really doesn't matter - you will likely never see those people again. Where what you like, make a fool of yourself, do what makes you happy."
"When I was young..."
"When I was young I thought that all I need to be successful in life is money. Everything around me seemed to be blocked by money."
"I hate..."
"I hate loud exhausts on cars. When I was a teenager I thought it was cool when someone put a loud exhaust on their car and revved the hell out of it… now it's the single most annoying thing ever."
Isn't it so much better to know these things? Life is much simpler. The older you get, the less stress you willingly take on.
I call that a win.
Have some opinions of your own? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!
Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
@SarahHuckabee/X
@paige_loverde/Instagram
@iimarlieii/Instagram
@brainfreestv/Instagram
@meatloafmaggie/Instagram
@gretchen.m.goodell/Instagram
@patomaru/Instagram
@brianneleigh96/Instagram
@teo_ctinescu/Instagram
@calebscuriocabinet/Instagram
@rascallygoose49/Instagram
@melmarpur/Instagram
@myda.rkparadise/Instagram