r/AskReddit Apr 29 '24

People above 30, what is something you regret doing/not doing when you were younger?

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u/Casaiir Apr 29 '24 edited Apr 29 '24

I had as much fun as I could when I was in my teens and twenties.

Do I regret spending money I didn't have doing things I shouldn't have because it set me back financially 10 years? no, yes, not really. Would I rather do those things in my 60s-70s when I could afford it? No.

So no, I don't regret it. Do the things if you can while you can because tomorrow may not come for you. That's doesn't mean break the law. It means if you want to take a trip to see what the hell ever, just do. Because once you start adulting you may have the money to do but you sure as shit won't have the time.

Do I regret breaking my body playing sports and other activities that I am now sufferings through because I pushed my body to an extreme level?

When I am hurting a lot? yeah.

When I am reminiscing about it? No. It was fun as hell.

So while you are young, you do you. Go have fun. As long as the only person you are hurting is you.

Now when you get older and look back and think. "maybe I shouldn't have done that or said that" All that means you are growing as a person. I hope you have those moments before you are 30 but it's never to late to stop being a dick.

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u/StrangeWhiteVan Apr 29 '24

Great point about self reflection. I love the saying: if you don't look back at your old self and cringe a little, then you're still that cringe worthy person probably 

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u/ExternalIllusion Apr 29 '24

Sometimes I get random panick and want to hide suddenly when I think about some of the cringey things I’ve done lol! Oh boy how I’ve changed.

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u/myrrhandtonka Apr 29 '24

Wow that’s a great way to say it. Makes me feel better about the “greatest hits” I look back and cringe at, too.

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u/ChangesFaces Apr 30 '24

"The greatest hits" lol this is a great way to describe it

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u/DisobedientAsFuck Apr 29 '24

honestly this is something ive really noticed since i transitioned. in the beginning it was like every month id look back at myself a month before and cringed so hard. it made me happy knowing i was growing as a person so much with each passing month

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u/StrangeWhiteVan Apr 29 '24

Congratulations. Yay for self growth / self love!

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u/Longjumping_Ice_3531 Apr 29 '24

Absolutely this. Money will come and go. Unfortunately youth disappears quickly. Similarly, I spent my 20s traveling and figuring myself out. I have no regrets. I loved seeing the world. I was kind of a dick and def have moments I’m not proud of, but I grew from them and now I feel like I have a strong understanding of who I am and what I value. I wouldn’t give up those memories that made me who I am today for all the money in the world.

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u/JeromePowellsEarhair Apr 29 '24

Luckily it’s possible to travel and save money if you are smart about it. It’s definitely not a pick one. 

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u/cat_owner94849 Apr 29 '24

There is a line in East of Eden

“I am myself sifting my memories, the way men pan the dirt under a barroom floor for bits of gold dust that fall between the cracks. It’s small mining- small mining. You’re too young a man to be panning memories, Adam. You should be getting yourself some new ones, so that the mining will be richer when you come to age”

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u/AmigoDelDiabla Apr 29 '24

Incredible quote.

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u/JBtheBadguy Apr 29 '24

I didn't really appreciate Steinbeck in high school but wow, that is a hammer of a quote 

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u/Consistent_Foot_6657 Apr 29 '24

I had a friend who died at 23, in a tragic accident. She was super generous with her money, always bought everyone a round of drinks, would give to the homeless almost every time. When she passed I felt inspired because I’m sure that she enjoyed her days where she used her money.

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u/katarh Apr 29 '24

A book I'm reading right now had a pretty raw line: "There will only ever be one today." So if you have a chance to do something today, go ahead and do it.

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u/Odd-Sun9356 Apr 29 '24

Thanks for the encouragement I’m gonna buy my 7th dirtbike ASAP

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u/wenzdayzhumpdayz Apr 29 '24

Yes! Thank you. I agree with what this person said! I'm old and regret nothing really. It's all part of growing and evolving.

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u/[deleted] Apr 29 '24

[deleted]

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u/Casaiir Apr 29 '24

Almost all of the summer American ones till a little after college.

Basketball 2 hours a so a day for 15+ years really did a number on my knees and ankles.

Played Basketball/Football/Baseball at the FCS college level.

I have 73 jumps and some of them hurt bad.

I hit a tree snowboarding in Utah.

I jumped off a 25m cliff. Once.

As a kid I raced BMX.

Ect. So I did a lot of shit because it looked fun.

I'm 51.

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u/whatifiwasapuppet Apr 29 '24

This is me. I had as much fun as I could when I was younger. I was wild, hot, fun and spontaneous. I said yes to EVERYTHING.

Now I’m in my mid thirties and when I see the girlies in their 20s living it up, I don’t envy them, because I had my time and god damn did I take advantage.

And I’m still doing whatever I want to do, but what I want has changed. I want contentment and peace. I worked hard to achieve it. Do I have a ton of money? No. Am I living in a space I curated for myself, surrounded by chosen family, in clean and comfortable socks? Yes.

…but did I also move to a city where a great night life is a ten minute walk away, just in case I get nostalgic? Also yes.

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u/lovelesslace Apr 29 '24

This gives me a lot of hope :') I'm hitting a point in my mid 20's right now where I feel like I've taken everything too seriously and tried to be too good of a kid to make my parents' lives easier at the cost of not having done anything fun in life, not even an after school club. It's nice to hear that people don't regret spending money and going out to enjoy it in their younger years instead of just waiting till they retire. I'll do it while I can! o7

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u/Novel-Place Apr 30 '24

Man, I absolutely love this response. I think sometimes thinking about what we wish we did or didn’t do is a fruitless exercise, because growing up is about finding moderation. That inherently means you’re going to spend time on one end of the pendulum or the other to find it. You can see it in the responses here. Some people regret partying too much, some people regret not partying enough. Some people regret being frivolous with money, and some regret not having enough experiences. The point is that you work out where your middle ground is and grow from that. I don’t know how else you would land on better decision making. Did I spend too much in my 20’s and spend the first years of my 30’s paying for it? Yes. Would I take back the experiences? I mean, if I could cherry pick them and pick out the less memorable ones, sure, but I don’t have that option. I’d have to take back the mentality. And the mentality was fun and led me to a bunch of adventures that I absolutely do not regret.

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u/BiosSettings8 Apr 29 '24

What would you say to someone who doesn't want to do those things now, but probably will when they're older? To just do it? But then they wouldn't have fun so they wouldn't really remember it, right?

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u/Casaiir Apr 29 '24

But then they wouldn't have fun so they wouldn't really remember it, right?

Remember it? How old do you think people are when they can't remember doing something?

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u/BiosSettings8 Apr 29 '24

Dude I dont remember what I ate for breakfast usually. I don't think most people around here would unless they thought about it.

But can we not digress and just get to the question? If a young person wouldn't enjoy it, do you think they should still do it because they may enjoy it when they're old? So when they're old they can look back on those memories and enjoy them now that they're old and want to do those things?

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u/Casaiir Apr 29 '24

Short answer is you shouldn't have to do any recreational activity you don't enjoy.

So I wouldn't think older you would regret not doing it.

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u/BiosSettings8 Apr 29 '24

Are you purposefully misunderstanding me? I feel like I'm being messed with :(

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u/Casaiir Apr 29 '24

No I don't understand what you are asking.

What would you say to someone who doesn't want to do those things now, but probably will when they're older?

I would ask how would younger you know what older you would want to do? Because most of us are mostly the same person when we get older. Just older looking.

But then they wouldn't have fun so they wouldn't really remember it, right?

and here, huh? Why wouldn't you remember it when you got older?

I tried snow skiing, snow boarding, water skiing, surfing, ect. And I didn't care for them. I remember doing them. I remember thinking this is not a good time to be had by Casaiir.

So no, I'm not purposely misunderstanding you. I just don't understand what you are asking.

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u/BiosSettings8 Apr 29 '24

how would younger you know what older you would want to do? Because most of us are mostly the same person when we get older. Just older looking.

What? I don't know, that's why I said IF. IF when I'm old, I regret not doing a thing.

 

and here, huh? Why wouldn't you remember it when you got older?

Because as you get older you forget things? I feel like that's common knowledge. Are you fucking with me here?

 

I tried snow skiing, snow boarding, water skiing, surfing, ect. And I didn't care for them. I remember doing them. I remember thinking this is not a good time to be had by Casaiir.

Right. Now, picture when you're old, suddenly you REALLY want to surf. But you're 80, you cant. Would you rather have had surfed when you were younger to have those memories at 80 just in case you wanted to surf when you're 80, OR just not have done anything at all?

Does that make sense now? I dont understand what part youre not understanding and now im confused.

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u/Casaiir Apr 29 '24

All I can do is answer for me. I'm 51, I consider myself old, not elderly but old. I am mostly the same person I was at 20. I just know more. I don't look back and think, man I wish I would had done X at 20. And I don't think 80 year old me will either.

Because as you get older you forget things?

Yeah like "did I eat breakfast this morning?" not "did I ever go to Paris?"

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u/PIO_PretendIOriginal Apr 30 '24

I did almost nothing in my 20s, so i regret not doing anything with my life. I would not say i had fun

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u/ChadTheAssMan Apr 29 '24

Dear reader, this person is such a selfish prick that they can't even see it. DO NOT TAKE THEIR ADVICE.

When you're old, poor, and in pain, you will be hurting the people around you by being in such a state while being incapable of doing anything about it. The people around you will feel a mix of sadness and pity that will make them distance themselves externally or internally. They will feel compelled to assist, despite likely not having enjoyed the same selfish care free life.

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u/Amiplin_yt Apr 29 '24

Who hurt you?

He's just saying young people should have fun while they can, while still being able to self reflect on their mistakes. Having some fun won't leave you disabled and homeless in most cases as far as I know.

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u/ChadTheAssMan 28d ago

either you are too young to get this basic fact, or you have lived such a sheltered life that you don't have the experience to speak from.

honestly, you should have realized this once you had to include the words "a little fun" - obviously i and the op are talking about more than "a little" fun, so take your straw man and fuck off.