Younger people sometimes grumble about receiving advice from older people. However, more life experience typically translates into better advice available.
Happy, successful people in their 40s have a lot of great advice to impart to younger people, and it might help them repeat their successes and avoid mistakes.
Following are some great tips from people over 40 who wished they had known these things when they were younger.
Take Care of Your Teeth
Brush at least twice daily with a good toothpaste. Floss. Get a night guard if you grind your teeth. Your teeth have a big impact on your appearance, so you want them to look good. Also, restorative dental work is expensive and sometimes painful.
Use Sunscreen
A deep tan looks great on a lot of people, but many of them, especially people who are naturally fair-skinned, pay for it later in life. Sun exposure can lead to unwanted moles and splotches, and, of course, there’s skin cancer.
Be Kind to Your Knees and Back
Knee and back pain plague many people as they get older. Wear supportive shoes for all activities, practice good posture, sleep on quality mattresses, and avoid abusing your back and knees as much as possible.
Love Yourself
You’ll be you for your entire love. Accept and love who you are. If you struggle with that, seek counseling that can help you develop a better sense of self-worth.
Love and Respect Your Partner
The lack of either one of these in a relationship is a sure predictor of unhappiness and failure. Bad relationships are painful, and divorces are often expensive and messy.
Stay Physically Active
You don’t have to go to the gym and work out hard 6 days a week, but you should find activities that keep you physically active. You’ll be in better shape and will feel happier and healthier, and there will be less physical pain and injury as you age.
Look Beyond Looks
It’s common advice from childhood to look past a person’s physical person and get to appreciate the person inside, but there’s a lot of truth to it. This is especially true for choosing long-term partners; with very few exceptions, no one looks as hot at 45 as they did at 25.
Don’t Let Small Things Get To You
Life is full of stress and worries, and it’s easy to get bogged down by little things and let them overwhelm you or become big things. Separate things that truly matter from those that don’t and put most of your focus on the former.
Live Life for Yourself
It’s your life. Live it the way you want to as long as it’s not harmful to you or others. Don’t live according to how others tell you to be or what you think they expect.
Time Moves Fast
In your teens and twenties, it seems you have all the time in the world. Then you’re suddenly in your forties and wondering how you got there so fast. It’s really true that time goes faster than you think, so take advantage of the time you have.
Don’t Throw Away Money on Expensive Cars and Homes
Instead of a new car, buy a late-model used car in good condition. You also don’t need the biggest, most expensive home you can afford. Find a place that meets your needs and which is in a safe neighborhood.
Do Something You Like and You’re Fairly Good At
The saying that doing what you love means you’ll never work a day in your life really isn’t true for most people. Very few find a way to get paid for doing what they most love. It’s more realistic to find something you’re good at and enjoy/tolerate and do that for a living.
You’re Never Too Old to Go Back to School
Changing careers or getting an advanced degree can have a huge impact on your life path or earnings. It’s never too late to learn something new or build on what you already know.
Save and Invest Money
Put money away for retirement and emergency expenses. If your work offers a 401K, take it and contribute to it with every paycheck. Invest at least the max employer match if that’s available.
Getting a Raise Doesn’t Mean You Have to Spend More
If you get a raise and then spend that much more money, you’re not really getting a raise. With your higher income, you can be adding to your retirement and emergency funds, saving for a down payment on a house, etc.
Cut Toxic People Out of Your Life
Toxic people infect others with their drama, hostility, and negativity. You can’t always avoid them entirely, but keep as much distance from them as you can, and when it is possible to cut them out, do it.
Eat Your Veggies
It’s simple advice that you probably first heard from your mom when you were little, but it’s sound. Vegetables are healthy for you because of fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients, even when you’re an adult and you’ve stopped growing.
Laughter Really Is the Best Medicine
Okay, this isn’t always true, but in a lot of situations, it is. Being able to laugh at most things helps you place them in perspective and can be a massive stress release.
Don’t Chase Material Success
It’s okay to earn a good living– financial security is important to long-term success. But don’t make the pursuit of material goods your main driver; life is really about experiences and relationships, not things.
You Should Work to Live, Not Live to Work
It’s a cliche, but for a good reason. Don’t let your job define who you are and everything you do. Find a healthy life-work balance. When you’re not at work, try to put it out of mind and do things you get enjoyment from.
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