30 OVER 40'S SHARE WHAT LIFE ADVICE THEY'D GIVE THEIR YOUNGER SELVES.

Sunday 13 May 2018

It took me a while to decide what demographic to choose for this, and what to name the post without offending anyone. I feel like I may have received hate mail if I included 'middle-aged, old or senior citizens' in the title. So in the end I decided on people over 40 - because by then I feel like people have their s*** together and have lived through their twenties where we're still figuring life out, and their thirties where I guess things start to make sense and fall into place. As much as you and me probably ignore all the advice our parents, grandparents and relatives throw at us, they have essentially 'been through it all' so can offer us quite a few words of wisdom. So I searched for 30 people to share what advice they'd give their younger selves and our generation.

younger self


1. "Don't skip out on that piece of birthday cake because you're on a diet, your friends and families birthdays only come around once a year" - Sandy, 50

2. "You are almost certainly better looking than you think you are." - Simon, 45

3. "It's okay to have a smaller group of friends instead of a big one. Remove all the toxic people from your life because they will only bring you down. Just because they were once part of your life does not mean they should stay there, sometimes you have to learn how to let them go and accept the fact that your journey together has come to an end. The friendship that really matters are the ones you know you can really count on to, the people that has been through your best times and who has seen and witnessed your behaviour and attitude during your worst but still chose to stay. Friendships where you can genuinely call them your "sister" are the best kind." - Dani, 40

4. "Understand that to achieve anything requires belief in yourself, hard work determination and dedication. Follow your passion and don’t let anyone limit your dreams!" - unknown, 53

5. "No-one is looking at you and thinking badly. They are too busy looking at everyone and thinking why are they judging me, and probably haven't noticed you at all. So, stop thinking badly about yourself, love yourself, and see the best in yourself." - Liz, 43

6. "Look after your teeth! You don't want to be an old codger with falsies like me, do what your parents and dentist have told you and actually look after them." - Bill, 59

7. "You never know what is round the corner, so, if the chance to do something life changing or genuinely 'once in a lifetime' arises, jump at it even if it's scary, because there might never be time to again. Go somewhere you want to without kids, spend a frivolous amount on something you want to see, and make memories that will make you think that no matter what you lived the best and fullest life you could." - Mike, 58

8. "That you can exceed your expectations and be amazing if you decide the niche you wish to excel in and pursue it with energy." - Mike, 41

9. "Take risks, don’t be reckless. Live alone and travel alone once. You can always try again or start again. You are a work progress always don’t expect to be complete or look to others to complete you. Bravery and curiosity are more valuable than property and gold." - Kate, 47

10. "Embrace your pale skin, as lovely as a tan looks when you're 20 looking leather skinned with skin pigmentation by the time you're 40 isn't such a good look!" - Stella, 58

11. "Don't let your age define what you should be doing in your life. If you're 30 and still single, don't rush to find the first man who looks your way just because you think you should be married. If you're 18 and enjoy staying home with a book instead of going out, that's ok. Same goes for if you're 25 or 40 and still like dancing with your friends every weekend. Do whatever makes you happy, no matter what stage of life you're in." - Linda, 55

12. "Sleep with as many people as you want and embrace life, before you have to settle down and behave. Also book as many trips as you can to Amsterdam." - Fifi, 45 

13. "Don't revolve your life around money, materialistic objects and focusing too much on your career. Life experiences are worth a lot more than having 'things' and making six figures a year." - Helen,  53

14. "Of all of the things you might end up regretting, you will never regret being kind." - unknown, 50

15. "Stop wishing your life away by making statements like 'I can't wait for summer' or 'I can't wait for my holiday next year' and find little moments of happiness every day, even if it's meeting a friend for a coffee or spending an hour with your favourite book. You may think you have time, but that is not always the case." - Tony, 48

16. "Too much alcohol is been consumed by the younger generation. You can socialise and have a good time without the influence of alcohol. It will also make you more aware of your actions and avoid wrong decisions you might have taken under the influence, which you might regret later in life." - Teresa,  49

17. "Don't be normal, don't be beige, Don't conform- be the You you are!" - Kim, 58

18. "Always put yourself and your dreams first. Let people worry about themselves because they aren’t worrying about you." - Jan, 53

19. "Be true to yourself always. Often when you do that you will find your own tribe and it is better to be liked for who you are by a few than who you are not by the many. Focus not on wealth and status but on happiness and making memories because they are fun to make and because they sustain us after loss." - Kate, 49

20.  "Never wait “for the right time” to do anything, whether that’s travelling, changing job or career, starting your own business or taking on a challenge. As a wise sports brand once said - just do it! And there’s no such thing as a failure, it’s finding out how not to do something." - David, 40

21. "Never stop learning. I wish I would have paid more attention in school instead of being the class clown. Knowledge is power, so even when you finish university take every opportunity you can to learn about other people, cultures, life and the world." - Brian, 52

22. "Always follow your dreams." - Nick, 61

23. "Always think twice about making big decisions and what the different outcomes and consequences are going to be. Be careful about the people you let into your life and who you share it with, as you get older you realise the number of friends you can count on grows smaller, but it's better to have a couple of good friends you can trust than loads who won't have your back" - Giovanna, 52

24. "We all go through a period of life where we can live life to the fullest without many commitments. We learn from generation to generation how to do that, and through their mistakes how we can avoid them. Always think about your actions and look towards the future, but above all enjoy what is essentially the best period of your life." - William, 53

25. "Look after your money, and save for the future because time flies. When you're in your 60s and have to retire you want to be able to live the life you had before you had other commitments." - Maruja, 71

26. "Don't be naive, don't let someone in to your circle properly until you know you can trust them and get to know them. There are a lot of evil people in the world and a lot of people who are ready to take advantage of you" - Oscar, 83

27. "When you find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, make sure that they also support you and your dreams and wishes and wants the best for you." - Margot, 79

28. "When you're thinking about marrying someone, make sure you live with them for a period of time and go on holiday together so you can get to know the real them. " - Maria, 49 

29. "Don't leave for tomorrow what you can do today." - Mariebel, 69

30. "If I could change anything, and my advice I'd give to your generation is to spend more time with your family and loved ones. Other than that, I don't think I would do anything differently." - Victoria, 74


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Funnily enough, I actually wrote a post back in 2016 about advice I'd give my teenage self, and even reading that now there are things I would tell 2016 me. We learn and get wiser as we get older, but most importantly we should live every year without regrets and embracing new opportunities that come our way, so that when we do reflect on our 'best years' there is nothing we wish we would have done differently.

Who's advice resonates with you the most? I hope you guys have enjoyed this post and big thanks to everyone who has contributed! 

G





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