You can look at life as an unending chain of lessons. Some of them we learn incredibly quickly. Others might take dozens of mistakes for us to finally grasp their significance. Hindsight is 20/20 and it’s often hard not to blame your past self for not foreseeing all the consequences of your actions. But that’s life for you. And unless you’ve got a time machine hidden somewhere, all that’s left is either to embrace the hard-won lessons and teach others about them, or to live in regret.

One internet user, u/IndianaC0NES, went viral on the r/AskReddit online community after asking everyone about the important lessons that they had learned the hard way. Many folks were happy to share their wisdom about money, relationships, and health, so that others might avoid the same mistakes that they made. Read on for their advice and upvote the tips that you found the most helpful.

#1

Dental care is expensive!! Never be lazy with oral hygiene.

Image credits: the_rice_life

#2

Just because a person with authority tells you to do something, doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do.

Image credits: queloqueamigo

#3

Don’t let love blind your eyes, red flags are real.

Image credits: Fxk07

We firmly believe that it’s never—and we do mean never!—too late to learn from your mistakes. Changing your habits and your lifestyle, that’s something you can do at any point in life.

Would it have been better to have started living a healthy, frugal, and extremely social life years or even decades ago? Sure! But the next best time is to start developing those habits right now. Try not to be too harsh on your past self: you did the best you could with the knowledge, tools, and energy you had at the time.

It’s easy to be critical of yourself for not going to the gym after a long day’s work, but people tend to overestimate their (past and future selves’) willpower, as well as their capacity for change and putting in massive, sustained effort. That’s why making incremental changes works far better than trying to do everything all at once.

#4

Stand up for yourself. If you get in the habit of letting people walk all over you, it’ll be extremely difficult to reverse. Even if you’re not confident, just fake it till you make it!

Image credits: MISTERDIEABETIC

#5

1000 is not a lot of money to have but is a lot of money to owe.

Image credits: Daleee

#6

It’s possible to make no wrong moves and still lose

Image credits: Tropicsenshi

No, you won’t fix your messy diet, excessive expenses, and floundering social life all in a day or a week. But over the next few months and years, you can radically change your situation for the better.

So long as the discipline is there. And you can maintain that discipline by genuinely being proud of every victory. No matter how small. Whether it’s remembering to brush your teeth before bed (instead of crashing on the sofa in front of the TV) or getting slightly closer to doing the recommended 10k steps per day.

#7

Do not spend like there’s no tomorrow. Tomorrow will come and it won’t be pretty.

Image credits: cpu5555

#8

Not everyone deserves your niceness

Image credits: glamazon_007

#9

A falling knife has no handle

Image credits: el_monstruo

Previously, fitness coach Anna Armagno Toussaint shared some great health tips to keep in mind as we all get older. According to her, the key to fitness and diet is consistency. That’s what lies at the core of healthy living.

“Losing and gaining the same weight is so bad for your body (and mental health). Focus on what you can, even if it’s just drinking enough water or eating one serving of vegetables! And move a little even if that starts as stepping in place or simple short walks,” the fitness expert shared with Bored Panda during an earlier interview.

#10

Sometimes bad things happen to good people.

S**t happens and it doesn’t really need to have a reason.

Sometimes you will be the bad guy, and sometimes you will be the good guy.

It happens

Image credits: KaiJonez

#11

You are not your emotions. You are an awareness who observes them.

Image credits: Medium_Dare_6657

#12

Your family doesn’t always have your best interest at heart.

Image credits: OhMyGodBearIsDriving

“It is so important to improve your sleep hygiene: turn down the temperature in your room, turn off your phone and all screens an hour before bed, keep the room neat, and get at least 7 hours! Sleep impacts so much of our motivation and energy levels, even days after a rough night,” she shared.

“Pick one thing to start, stop, or swap. Take a daily walk in the morning or evening (or whenever you want, but I prefer when it is cooler), drink more water (set a timer if you’re not good about and add in a fun liquid or powder or flavored seltzer if you don’t like water), or focus on eating more whole foods (especially vegetables and fruit),” the fitness coach said that it through all the “little victories” that you’ll get where you want to be.

#13

There’s always other jobs out there. Don’t stay in a s****y one just cuz you think no one else would hire you.

Image credits: 8-Bakugo-8

#14

if something feels wrong, it likely is.

Image credits: drzed47

#15

Money doesn’t exist until the deposit hits your bank account and business promises mean nothing until legal documents are signed

Image credits: FriscoFrank98

#16

WEAR A HELMET

It’s an easy safety precaution you can take when rollerblading, biking, skateboarding, scootering etc. And it can literally save your life

Went all through the 90’s thinking helmets were lame… Fell while rollerblading in my 30’s and got a subdural hematoma, I wasn’t going fast but the momentum from how I fell just slammed my head into concrete.

HELMETS SAVE LIVESSSS

Image credits: Shortiie5115

#17

You can’t use logical arguments to change the minds of those who don’t value logic

Image credits: anon

#18

Never have kids with someone you don’t want in your life forever.

Image credits: pntszrn74

#19

Learn when to stop drinking and call it a night.

Image credits: Gadrilor

#20

Being the smartest person in the room isn’t always a good thing.

#21

Nobody is coming to save you. Get. Off. The. Ground.

#22

When people show you their true colors, believe them

#23

Don’t ignore red flags. Don’t be afraid to get help for dealing with an abusive partner. Don’t be afraid to walk away.

#24

That you can’t take anything for granted in your life. At some point, everything can be taken from you in a second.

#25

Don’t tell people if you have money

#26

Don’t give in to someone being “persistent” in pursuing you. Only date people you’re sincerely attracted to. Reluctantly giving in to someone because they keep making advances and won’t stop isn’t consent.

“If they’re this interested, maybe I should give them a chance” is a thought best ignored. Dating is risky enough. Better to minimize the risk by not gambling on people you aren’t even attracted to to begin with.

#27

HR is there to protect the company, not you.

#28

Dumb people get old too, age doesn’t equal wisdom, nor does it earn you respect

#29

Loyalty to a company does not pay

#30

I don’t need validation from others.

#31

Always take a chance to tell someone you love them. To give them a hug.

Never end a conversation on a harsh word.

Both for the same reason. **You never know if you will get to see that person alive again.**

I learned both those lessons from each of my parents.

#32

Don’t marry someone with mental illness that refuses treatment.

#33

Making jokes about my trauma makes my trauma easier for me to deal with.

Making jokes about the trauma of others is f****d up and not my place.

#34

The pull out Method works until it doesn’t

#35

True love, love that isn’t confusing, judgmental, suffocating, or comes with a price isn’t easy to find so if you catch it hold on to it.

#36

Not everyone is a good person. Some people actually want to see you fail. Stop oversharing. These nasty people will use it against you.

#37

Using substances to cope is actually the opposite of coping and the only thing you can be sure of is the eventuality of everything blowing up in your face.

139 days sober.

#38

Not everyone has the same heart as you do

Image credits: Accomplished_Hat2770

#39

if someone told you a their secret, dont tell anyone.

#40

When you see changes in ur company or at ur job, like ceo leaving, cro leaving etc, it’s time to look for a different job or you might get laid off. Learnt that the hard way.

#41

Learn to distinguish between women being polite and women being attracted to you. It both cost me and saved me a lot of time and aggravation…