25 people over the age of 50 share helpful advice for young people

Learning from the wisdom and experience of our elders can save us from unnecessary mistakes and provide valuable guidance in navigating life's challenges. Elders have accumulated a wealth of knowledge throughout their lives, and their perspectives can offer us unique insights and alternative viewpoints that we may not have considered. Elders have likely encountered a wide range of experiences, both positive and negative, throughout their lives. They have faced various situations, made decisions, and observed the outcomes. By listening to their advice, we can tap into their wealth of experience and gain valuable insights helping us make better choices.

Taking sage advice from elders allows us to benefit from their wisdom while accelerating our personal growth. By embracing their guidance, we can learn from their successes and failures and incorporate their lessons into our lives. It not only helps us avoid unnecessary pitfalls but also helps us develop a broader perspective and become wiser individuals ourselves. For this reason, Reddit users above the age of 50 have shared some wisdom with the younger generations, and here are some of the best of them:

1. 

Unless you don't mind hearing EEEEEEEEEEEE like all the time day and night, use hearing protection in loud situations. Tinnitus is a bitch. u/revnhoj

2.

Marriage/relationships should be fun, and happy. Life is hard, things get tough. Find someone that makes the tough times easier, not harder. u/InevitableMine6466

3. 

Everybody f***s up, it's what you do after that matters. u/SwampAssMan

4.

60 year old checking in. You can greatly improve your mental health.
I have been involved in men's groups for over 20 years. I have done counselling, therapy, 12 step programs and even hypnotherapy. I tried meditation but was consistent. I am having so much fun with my life right now because I spent 30 years cleaning up the damage done by my dysfunctional family and the school system. If you aren't happy with the your life, take action to change your mental health. u/arkofijoy

5.

If you die, your employer will have your job posted before you are buried. Remember that on when making work/life choices. u/Justin9314

6. 

I heard a saying once that has proven to be very true. When you're young you constantly worry about what everyone else thinks of you. When you're an adult, you stop worrying about what everyone else thinks of you. And when you're old, you finally realize that nobody else was thinking about you all along. u/AnDroid5539

7. 

Inheritance is not a retirement plan. u/CafeTerraceAtNoon

8. 

Nobody else ever thinks about the things you did that you think were embarrassing or cringeworthy. You are not important to them. The only one who remembers those moments are you, and you shouldn’t let them define you to yourself.u/Rune_Council

9.

Reading for pleasure. u/invalidpassword

10. 

Not everything that you disagree with deserves an argument. Pick your battles and let trivial things slide. u/hail2theKingbabee

11. 

Wear sunscreen! When I look at my 50-year-old upper chest (frequently exposed to the sun in my youth) compared to my 50-year-old belly (which has always been clothed and covered because I have never liked two-piece swimsuits), I can't believe the difference. u/HootieRocker59

12.

If there was abuse in your childhood of any kind and no one helped, get help now. If you can’t afford therapy use online resource, they’re not the best, but still helpful. Don’t have your own children until you’re sure you won’t repeat the cycle. u/JonesinforJonesey

13.

Take care of your body. Exercise, keep your weight reasonable, and keep the “bad habits” in moderation. It really does make a difference later in life. u/quarterinchseams

14. 

1. It's usually not about you. 2. Sleep is incredibly important. 3. The most important conversations you have will be with yourself. Monitor your self talk and speak positively, kindly and respectfully to yourself. 4. Sleep is incredibly important. u/96tearsand96eyes

15.

Travel. Do it now. Before the stresses of later life limit you to short scheduled holidays around your kids' school breaks. Also do it now, while your body will allow you to travel cheap. Fly coach, sleep on overnight trains, take rickety old buses full of people and livestock, stay in cheap hostels - all those things take a toll on a 50-year-old body. But they are some of my most memorable experiences of being 20-22. u/Pinipped1

16.

I’d say invest in your health by regularly exercising. My wife got me into running when we were in our twenties, and it has been a big part of our lives ever since (I’m 63). Nothing crazy, no marathons, we don’t time ourselves or follow a strict training plan, we just pick a route, go at our own pace and have fun. We still go 3-4 miles, 3-4x per week. u/lanky_panky

17. 

You don’t feel 50 when you’re 50. I feel 27 or 28. Change happens slowly so you don’t always notice it. u/Whatever-ItsFine

18.

Every skill takes determined practice to master. I see my young friends/relatives try, and give up on so many things because "they weren't very good at it". If you keep doing that, you'll never be very good at anything. u/EarhornJones

19.

When you're 25, you look back at your 15-year-old self and think, "Man, I sure was foolish back then." And you assume you've stopped being foolish now that you have reached your final, mature form. Nope. When you're 35, you will look back at your 25-year-old self and think the same thing. Same at 45 and 55. Embrace this with humility, accept that some of your beliefs about yourself and about the world are probably wrong, and treat it as an opportunity to keep learning and growing. u/Koreth

20.

The habits you get into during your 20's & 30's are going to be damn near impossible to change. Make those habits good ones. u/anonymousmetoo

21.

Learn to let it go. Don't watch too much MSM. Don't hold grudges. Don't get pissed in traffic. Don't feel the need to correct the dipshits. Don't stress about the weather. Don't go to bed angry with your spouse. Just let it go. u/PublicEnemaNumberOne

22.

Everything you post on the internet is there forever and could come back one day to haunt you. Be careful what you post. u/lylisdad

23.

Never stop learning. Not just about academic topics, but about the world. Take non-binary gender identities. It is NOT for us to declare that "silly", or "made up". Instead, listen, and learn. Just because a concept is new to you, doesn't make it nonsense. Not least because, as I quickly discovered during a wikipedia trip, the idea has existed for thousands of years, just not in the West. u/level 1ibiacmbyww

24.

Stop thinking you life is about been the most productive person you can be. Find interesting hobbies that make you feel good and are good for you. Your soul deserves to experience some of your own dreams, don't waste all of your time working towards the dreams of your companies owners.u/Boxing_day_maddness

25.

Being impulsive is the best way to ruin your life. So work hard on not making impulsive decisions based on the emotions of the moment. u/kalysti