There are a lot of lessons we learn the hard way. There are also plenty of things we may do now, that we probably wish we would’ve known to do a lot sooner .
On Reddit, the question “What improved your quality of life so much, you wish you did it sooner?” was asked . And of course, plenty of people had plenty of answers.
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1. “A good mattress, followed by a good pillow.” – dudecheckthis
“We went down the rabbit hole of mattress reviews on YouTube (seriously, you can get lost out there for more hours than you think), but settling on our new one we made the right choice.”
You never realize how important a good mattress and pillow are until you have both.
2. “Actually listening instead of waiting for your turn to speak.” – runesplease
“You understand so much more, and people have so many nice things to say about you when you just listen.”
Conversations don’t need to be all that difficult, I guess.
3. “Switched to a job where I have a consistent, balanced schedule.” – dullchristmas
“Has let me exercise again, socialize more and spend time on other hobbies.”
As important as it is to work hard, it’s equally important to have a life. Some jobs don’t let you have both, and you have to decide if the money’s really worth it.
4. “Getting glasses.” – Prank_Owl
“I put it off for way too long and only got around to seeing an optometrist when I failed the vision test at the DMV as I was trying to get my driver’s license renewed a while back.”
Yeah, that was probably a good call.
“I really didn’t appreciate how much my vision had deteriorated or how much I was straining to focus on things until I got them.”
“It was like going from an old CRT TV from the ’90s directly to a top of the line UHD display.”
It’s amazing how many people don’t realize how much better their vision can be until they get glasses. It’s like they don’t know what they’re missing.
5. “I stopped putting other people and their needs before my own well-being and sanity.” – No-Dragonfruit-6970
“Pouring from an empty pitcher is exhausting and when I finally put myself first I felt free.”
Taking care of others is great! But don’t forget to take care of yourself first and foremost.
6. “Cooking for myself, rather than relying on microwave meals.” – SYLOH
“Eating better, healthier and cheaper at the same time.”
Not to mention how much fun it is to look up and try new recipes. Cooking for yourself is honestly one of the easiest changes you can make to your life.
7. “Reading.” – No-Tumbleweed4775
“Luckily I did start reading early on – mostly in my early 20s – I’m 27 now. I’ve read so many books which have given me much more insight to the world and my own views, especially my place in the universe.”
Yes! Reading is so much fun!
8. “I started thinking of cleaning as ‘resetting’ an area.” – bubblebobble_of
“After I cook I have to ‘reset’ the kitchen. The little shift in perspective made me a much more neat person.”
That… that’s actually really cool advice. I’m going to have to try it!
9. “Saving up money.” – Arctic_Snowfox
“Once I had 6 months expenses saved, the pressure goes down so much. I can make good decisions instead of desperate ones.”
Yes, saving money can be tough. But it’s definitely worth it.
“I don’t get stressed about losing my job. I can schedule my bills every month without worrying about balances.”
“A car repair bill doesn’t faze me anymore like a wrench in the monthly cash flow. Life’s just easier with money behind.”
It’s amazing how much simpler things seem when you have a bit of a buffer to fall back on.
10. “Trying to get 8 hours of good sleep every night.” – fattymcassface
Getting a comfy mattress is one thing, but actually sleeping in it is totally different. Sleep is probably the most important thing you can do for your health. Even more important than exercise!
11. “Weightlifting. I wish I had started weightlifting so much earlier.” – Abominationally
“I look better, feel better and it’s done wonders for my mental health.”
Some people think that weightlifting is only for people who spend their lives at the gym. But it’s actually super rewarding, and a great way to stay fit!
12. “Buying an electric tooth brush!” – PeppermintFrapp
“Haven’t gotten a new cavity since, and my dentist said I shrunk the start of one.”
They really do seem like a pretty good investment, don’t they? I guess this is a sign to get one, if you don’t already have one of your own.
13. “Cutting off a toxic friend.” – UnknownL_13
“After having cut off said friend I felt that I could finally breathe without the stress of setting them off or getting into fights with them. I don’t regret my decision at all.”
Ending a friendship is never easy, especially if it’s with someone you’ve known for years. But sometimes it needs to be done.
14. “This will sound a bit dark, but it’s ultimately not: confronting my abusive parent.” – Terpsichorean_Wombat
“I’m 50 and I finally did it a few months ago. I no longer have a relationship with that parent, and doing it was very hard, very scary, and very rough.”
If you thought ending a friendship was hard, this is probably way harder.
“But as soon as I did it, I felt like an immense weight had been lifted from me.”
“I had spent most of my adult life pretending to have a normal relationship with someone who physically and emotionally abused me throughout my childhood.
“It took years of therapy for me to even grasp how deeply that affected me or how much it cost me to keep it up. I just feel so free.”
I applaud this person for sharing their story, and I hope it inspires others to make difficult decisions too.
16. “Drinking way more water.” – MrBirb_
Drinking a good amount of water in a day actually works wonders. Our bodies are mostly made up of water, anyway, so of course it’s going to be really good for us.
15. “I stopped caring about my job.” – DontShootTheFood
“I still go every day and I’m good at it… but I don’t care anymore. Other things interest me now. 13 years of obsessing over work… what a waste.”
Not caring doesn’t mean not doing a good job. It just means not stressing over work as much as you probably are right now.
17. “Focusing on things I actually have control over, as in my actions and choices, versus what others ‘should’ do.” – Pernty_no0ples
You can’t control everything, but there are plenty of things you can control. Just focus on that, and the rest will fall in to place. Hopefully.
