What’s something you realized way too late in life?

I realized way too late that being "busy" is not a personality trait it is actually just poor boundary setting. We spend our twenties burning out for companies that would replace us in a heartbeat just to realize that our parents are getting older and our friends are becoming strangers. In 2026 with all the AI automation and economic shifts the only thing that actually matters is your ability to adapt without losing your sanity. Real wealth is not the 10K in your account it is the time you actually own and the people who still answer your calls when you are not asking for a favor

Having a skill—not just any skill, but a highly sought-after one.

Know one knows what the f*** is going on. Everyone is just vibing and trying to survive as best they can personally

You don't have to love the family you were born into. 

That no one is there for you all the time

It's ok to ask for help, there's no shame in it.

That I suck at it

No one is coming to stick up for what you want. You gotta tell people

Nobody gives a f*** about you. Are you sure you have real friends? And nobody at work is your ally. F***.

that most people arent actually listening to you. theyre just waiting for their turn to talk. once i realized that i stopped oversharing with people who never even asked me a follow up question

It's okay to not be okay - ask for help, talk to someone. I'd rather my buddy cry on my shoulder than me cry at his funeral.

I was just diagnosed with autism. I'm 39.

Save up for retirement. No one else will do it for you.

People aren’t thinking negatively about me half as much as I used to think they were, however *they* are probably thinking about themselves, and how negatively people are thinking about them.

J

That if you deny who you are intensely enough you’ll lose your humanity

Everyone uses everyone. Outside of that, you are basically useless. Just my little view of the world

Saving money

That whole chunk of advice where people tell you to stop trying so hard and finding someone/love will just happen when it happens? Yeah, that's a crock of shit. What you end up is like me. 40, single, looks and health fading, and realizing that my worst fear in life, ending up alone, is coming true.

No one will ever love me like my mom did

Do not share anything personal or confidential with your co-workers, they are not your friends

It's all made up. Truly.

The importance of knowing when to leave, whether it be a relationship, job, or a situation.

People are not to be trusted

Not 100% sure yet, but I’m starting to suspect Santa Claus might not be real…

That not everyone who’s nice to you actually cares about you.

Having an opinion and just standing by it is possible. You don't owe anyone an explanation. No matter how long they try to convince you otherwise. If they think you're an idiot, then that's their business.

\- It's not enough to just love someone or to be loved, you have to love yourself first. \- It's okay to move on, you don't have to prove anything to anyone but yourself, if you're not happy where you'e at there's no shame in moving onto something better. \- Communication is probably the best skill you can have, so many problems would be solved if we just learn to communicate our needs, wants, and desires effectively and in turn not be afraid of the result of that

If you hate your job, money and status only distracts you from the pain you are having. Eventually it will all accumulate and burn you out.

I'm in my late 40 s now I never realised until recently how important saving some cash or what super was until the last few years. In saying that I've loved blowing my cash on drugs etc so hay you win some you lose some.

No one cares about what you’re wearing or how you look. It’s taken me until the last half of my life to realize I am happier dressing for me and not taking anyone else, especially strangers into consideration when I’m deciding what to wear or how to do my makeup. It’s liberating and also sad that I wasted so many years trying to dress for people other than myself. The funny thing is I’ve always known that I don’t care about this for anyone else and I never did.

If you cant control your decisions then you control nothing in your life.

That I should have socialized in primary and secondary school more and socialized less in college.

Love isn’t Kind