The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.
Have you ever heard that quote before?
It basically means that it’s never too late to get started on something or to make a change, so you might as well stop making excuses and get on with it!
AskReddit users talked about major changes they wish they would have made earlier in their lives.
Let’s see what they had to say.
1. No more laziness.
“I must have spent a good 3 years of my 30s thinking it was all down hill from here. Minor aches and pains that add up. Sore bones and joints.
Turns out I was just being lazy and getting fat. In my 40s now. Exercise daily. Lift weights 5 days a week and mountain bike twice a week and just ran 6 miles this last weekend.
In better shape now than at any point in my 30s and feel great so why did I ever let myself feel like a sloth before?”
2. Sober.
“I quit drinking just over 8 months ago.
I don’t feel terrible every morning, I have way less anxiety, I’m a better dad.
Just happier overall.”
3. A new person.
“Starting anti-depressants.
I literally am a different person than I used to be, in a good way.
I feel more confident in myself, more caring about other people while still having very defined boundaries.
Life changing.”
4. No more house!
“Selling my house.
Don’t get me wrong, home ownership is great at times. But I was drowning in debt, and selling the place allowed me to reset my entire life.
A huge weight was lifted from my shoulders overnight.
Also, no more mowing the lawn.”
5. Made some adjustments.
“Fixing my relationship with food.
- Portion sizes
- Decimating junk food intake back where it should be: a rare treat
- Increasing veggie intake
- Limiting red meat
- Limiting dairy
- >Limiting refined sugars<
I haven’t actually stopped anything 100% cold turkey (chocolate, crisps, candy, take-out etc.) cold turkey, in that I don’t punish/scorn myself for “buckling” and having some, but I’ve just wound it back completely.”
6. Let it out.
“Accepting at 28 that I was a very emotional guy and letting myself cry whenever I needed to.
I swear I cried constantly for about a year straight, as if catching up on all the feelings I repressed my whole life. However, it tapered off about a year ago and it kinda sucks.
It’s as if I literally grew thicker skin through truly allowing myself to feel the painful things I felt and it’s become increasingly difficult to cry like I used to. It felt really good to just let everything out!”
7. Good riddance.
“Finally developed the “ovaries” to tell my ex to get out!
He was verbally & emotionally a**sive to me & my kids. Had me believing I was a useless piece of c**p for a human being & incapable of existing without him.
Good riddance!!”
8. Freedom.
“Decluttering.
Having less stuff and more space ment it would always be tidy or easily tidied.
I got rid of the things people passed on to me because they felt too guilted to get rid of it themselves.
So freeing.”
9. Goodbye.
“I cut my mother out of my life, a few years ago, and I wish I had done it as soon as I moved out (just as I did to my father).
My life has been so much better since she hasn’t been in it. I feel better about myself, I’m not being treated badly, and I can do what I want without fearing judgment.
I’m glad I never reconciled, either. From what I hear from siblings, she hasn’t changed a bit. She still has to be right all the time, she still lies about s**t, and she still pulls authoritarian bulls**t.
I’ve pretty much written her off. She has seven years left to come to me, apologize for the nasty s**t she did, take responsibility for aforementioned actions, and prove she has changed or is in the process.
But if she doesn’t do that within the next seven years, there’s no way in hell I’d reconcile with her.”
10. Songbird.
“Taking singing lessons.
I’ve played music my whole life, but never learned to sing.
It’s opened up a whole new world of creativity for me and I wish I would have done it sooner.”
11. Stand up straight.
“Fixing my posture. So many pains went away with just standing straight.
No more back pains or aches. The hard skin on my feet even cleared up.”
12. A big improvement.
“My breast reduction surgery. Before, I was a K cup.
My back hurt, they were heavy and in the way, the smell underneath them bad, despite regularly washing there, and finding clothes was difficult. The doctor took off almost 10 pounds of tissue.
Now I can go into any store and buy a bra off the rack, and my upper back doesn’t hurt.”
13. Cut them out.
“Stopped having toxic friends and avoided toxic family members.
My life has improved exponentially since then.”
How about you?
Have you made any life changes that made a big difference?
Talk to us in the comments and let us know.
Thanks!
