One thing you've learnt from life and wish to pass on.

[Blarmy]

Work on having a calm mind as often as possible. Try and find a pastime that helps you achieve this. 

[leicsmac]

All the smarts, strength or power in the world counts for nothing unless you make the world a better place than when you came into it. 

 

And everything modern life relies upon depends on the work of people none of us here will know and likely never will. Humans are interconnected, and no man is an island. 

 

But on a more individual level, as said above, bodily health is taken for granted, so take care of it. Self-care is important. 

[Dahnsouff]

Admitting when you are in error builds bridges.

[Alf Bentley]

1. Make an effort to maintain valued friendships, even if the other person doesn't make as much effort. Longstanding friendships can be invaluable as you age. You still meet new people but never have the same depth of mutual understanding or back history.

 

2. When young, ask your grandparents or older relatives about their lives. As people get older, they often get more curious about the lives of previous generations - and, unless someone else asked, there's nobody left to ask any more.

 

3. "If in doubt, do it!" I mainly regret things I DIDN'T do, rather than things I DID. Have that adventure, make that bold move, risk getting rejected by that woman/man. This motto works for me, as a naturally cautious person of good judgment. If you are a reckless, impetuous individual of poor judgment, instead apply the motto "If in doubt, don't do it!" 

 

Yes, I know the thread title says "one thing you've learnt from life..." That brings me to....

 

4. Rules and expectations are not meant to be obeyed. They are meant to be questioned, bent and/or broken - but always with good judgment, consideration and charm....

[UniFox21]

28 minutes ago, Alf Bentley said:

1. Make an effort to maintain valued friendships, even if the other person doesn't make as much effort. Longstanding friendships can be invaluable as you age. You still meet new people but never have the same depth of mutual understanding or back history.

 

2. When young, ask your grandparents or older relatives about their lives. As people get older, they often get more curious about the lives of previous generations - and, unless someone else asked, there's nobody left to ask any more.

 

3. "If in doubt, do it!" I mainly regret things I DIDN'T do, rather than things I DID. Have that adventure, make that bold move, risk getting rejected by that woman/man. This motto works for me, as a naturally cautious person of good judgment. If you are a reckless, impetuous individual of poor judgment, instead apply the motto "If in doubt, don't do it!" 

 

Yes, I know the thread title says "one thing you've learnt from life..." That brings me to....

 

4. Rules and expectations are not meant to be obeyed. They are meant to be questioned, bent and/or broken - but always with good judgment, consideration and charm....

Some brilliant ones here Alf. 

 

Number 1 especially, in the age where you can send a message in under a minute, spending time every so often just to check in can be worth so much to people.

[SpacedX]

Count your blessings and never take anything for granted. 

[BKLFox]

Chase happiness not money

[Sampson]

Some great stuff here, plenty has already been said, especially in @Alf Bentley’s post but to add a couple more:

1. Get into board/card games. Whether it’s Bridge, poker, modern Euro games, classic diplomacy or wargames or just simple word and party games.There’s few better ways of being social with people you don’t know and making friends as you get older. And. in an age of screens forever being on they’re an amazing way to take you away from your screens and your mind off the world and just enjoy having fun with friends and family for a few hours.

 

2. Kind of related - but we get “play” coached out of us as adults and like we’re not supposed to just do things to have fun anymore. I’m sure if we have young children/grandchildren/nieces and nephews then we’ll all have experienced a time when they found some random object in the garden or street and you spent all day having a whale of a time with them as they made up some completely often nonsensical game that the whole family had to play with them but was just really fun. Then going home and realising you miss that childlike wonder of just having fun or spending time with loved ones. Try and make that happen more often and don’t lose that feeling of play as day to day adult life grinds it out of you. 
 

Took me too long to appreciate that actually me and my friends all missed the old weekend long games or tournaments of Poker, Cosmic Encounter, Dune, Diplomacy and Dungeons & Dragons we used to play in our 20s - as we got into our 30s and 40s, so we ended up starting them

again and really helped us enjoy just playing and laughing with each other through the games and we saw each often way more often again. Wish we hadn’t neglected it for 15-odd years.

Edited 21 September 2025 by Sampson

[Unabomber]

Never back the early KO 

[Foxdiamond]

Don't follow the crowd simply because it seems popular 

[Parafox]

Having kids isn't all that.

[Wymsey]

Just now, Parafox said:

Having kids isn't all that.

Hope everything is ok, after what you've mentioned previously with the struggles.

[Parafox]

Just now, Wymsey said:

Hope everything is ok, after what you've mentioned previously with the struggles.

 

About the same WRT eldest daughter, unfortunately.

 

[Parafox]

 

[Izzy]

2 hours ago, Sampson said:

Some great stuff here, plenty has already been said, especially in @Alf Bentley’s post but to add a couple more:

1. Get into board/card games. Whether it’s Bridge, poker, modern Euro games, classic diplomacy or wargames or just simple word and party games.There’s few better ways of being social with people you don’t know and making friends as you get older. And. in an age of screens forever being on they’re an amazing way to take you away from your screens and your mind off the world and just enjoy having fun with friends and family for a few hours.

 

2. Kind of related - but we get “play” coached out of us as adults and like we’re not supposed to just do things to have fun anymore. I’m sure if we have young children/grandchildren/nieces and nephews then we’ll all have experienced a time when they found some random object in the garden or street and you spent all day having a whale of a time with them as they made up some completely often nonsensical game that the whole family had to play with them but was just really fun. Then going home and realising you miss that childlike wonder of just having fun or spending time with loved ones. Try and make that happen more often and don’t lose that feeling of play as day to day adult life grinds it out of you. 
 

Took me too long to appreciate that actually me and my friends all missed the old weekend long games or tournaments of Poker, Cosmic Encounter, Dune, Diplomacy and Dungeons & Dragons we used to play in our 20s - as we got into our 30s and 40s, so we ended up starting them

again and really helped us enjoy just playing and laughing with each other through the games and we saw each often way more often again. Wish we hadn’t neglected it for 15-odd years.

"We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing"

 

George Bernard Shaw

[Freeman's Wharfer]

Never expect from someone else what you would do yourself.

 

Often find the times I’m most disappointed or angry with someone is when I have expected them to handle or react to a situation in the way that I would have and they have done something else.

 

If someone’s being a bit crappy, don’t hold them to your own standards you set for yourself and it’s so much easier to be the bigger person and move on or not let it affect you. 

[ozleicester]

4 hours ago, Freeman's Wharfer said:

Never expect from someone else what you would do yourself.

 

Often find the times I’m most disappointed or angry with someone is when I have expected them to handle or react to a situation in the way that I would have and they have done something else.

Expectation is the thief of joy

[goose2010]

Work to live don't live to work. Like others have said no one ever says god i wish i had worked more. 

 

Probably more relevant than ever DO NOT waste your vote in elections. Spend some time researching the good and the bad to everything, just because your parents, best mate or colleagues vote one way don't think that is the right thing to do. 

 

and my god dont chase the attractive girls / boys at school, stick to the nerdy ones! 

[brookfox]

If I had to add three (breaking the rules, sorry) that I don't think have been mentioned...

 

1) Get outside and connect with nature, it's great for the soul. If you get 15-20mins spare at lunch or in the evening, go for a walk in the park instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media. The colours are beautiful right now and it'll do loads for your mental and physical health.

 

2) Don't over-stretch yourself or get into debt for things that aren't important. You don't need a flash car, designer clothes, massive TV (or whatever it is) to make you happy and just because someone else has it doesn't mean you can/should. If you can't pay for it, don't get it. If you do have spare money save for something, spend it on an experience or invest it in an asset which will go up in value.

 

3) Think about your nutrition more and don't get fat (controversial maybe!). Learn to cook a meal, there's loads of amazing recipes online that are easy, healthy and sometimes less expensive than an ultra-processed pre-cooked alternative. Eat a diverse range of plants, it's great for your overall health. They don't always take long and again will have a big positive impact on your physical and mental health.

[Tommy G]

1 hour ago, brookfox said:

If I had to add three (breaking the rules, sorry) that I don't think have been mentioned...

 

1) Get outside and connect with nature, it's great for the soul. If you get 15-20mins spare at lunch or in the evening, go for a walk in the park instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media. The colours are beautiful right now and it'll do loads for your mental and physical health.

 

2) Don't over-stretch yourself or get into debt for things that aren't important. You don't need a flash car, designer clothes, massive TV (or whatever it is) to make you happy and just because someone else has it doesn't mean you can/should. If you can't pay for it, don't get it. If you do have spare money save for something, spend it on an experience or invest it in an asset which will go up in value.

 

3) Think about your nutrition more and don't get fat (controversial maybe!). Learn to cook a meal, there's loads of amazing recipes online that are easy, healthy and sometimes less expensive than an ultra-processed pre-cooked alternative. Eat a diverse range of plants, it's great for your overall health. They don't always take long and again will have a big positive impact on your physical and mental health.

On the flip side - don't sacrifice your adult life to pay down your mortgage, or overpay or otherwise. I see a lot of people going without experiences, family holidays or day to day basics that enrich your life because their parents said it was a good idea to clear your mortgage by 55 - like it's a life accomplishment. This is becoming harder and harder for obvious reasons. 

 

You aren't going to lay on your death bed and say yay I cleared my mortgage in my 50s

[ftfagos]

Don’t waste time and energy trying to understand the behaviour of other human beings.

 

Never attempt a wet shave using a cloakroom basin.

 

Never attempt to pick up two dog shits in one bag. 
 

I could go on …

[Tommy G]

13 minutes ago, ftfagos said:

Don’t waste time and energy trying to understand the behaviour of other human beings.

 

Never attempt a wet shave using a cloakroom basin.

 

Never attempt to pick up two dog shits in one bag. 
 

I could go on …

I knew a guy in our village who went into the dog sh*t bins, opened up all the dog poo bags and emptied the poo and pocketed the bags to ''re-use'' never got it out of him what he was reusing them for, he didn't even have a dog. 

 

He's been sectioned now. 

[boots60]

Don't start smoking

 

Don't waste your life in a job you don't like

 

See as much of the world as is financially possible

 

[HybridFox]

Another one is to stop seeking validation from other people. Every single one of us is good enough and you know your self-worth. I've been down the route of constantly feeling like you need to impress people and it's exhausting

Edited 22 September 2025 by HybridFox

[deejdeej]

Exercise! Its amazing what aspects of your life improve when you feel better about yourself.