25 Older Adults Discuss Things They Didn’t Value Enough In Their Youth

Many people think regret is a wasted emotion since you can’t change the past. But for others, it’s a lasting ache, a reminder of missed chances that never fades. Recently, someone on Reddit asked a thought-provoking question: “What do you regret not appreciating more when you were younger?” The responses flooded in, with people sharing stories about wishing they had spent more time with friends or listened to their parent’s advice. Though these stories carry a sombre note, they also serve as a powerful reminder to live life fully.

#1 My grandparents’ life experiences. I wish I had asked and preserved their stories. One grandmother was born in1899 and lived to 95. Think of all she saw and lived through. Damn it, why didn’t I ask her when I could?

Image source: melina26, Andrea Piacquadio

#2 My spine and knees being pain-free. Just walking the dog hurts these days.

Image source: Thoracic_Snark, Karolina Kaboompics

#3 Where I lived. It’s so easy to find a reason to hate wherever you are. But at the end of the day, you still live there. Might as well try to appreciate the good things about it.

Image source: HimboVegan, Stephen Ilkiw

#4 My metabolism.

Image source: BunnyHopScotchWhisky, Nguyễn Khanh

#5 Wearing sunscreen.

Image source: rabbigouez, Mikhail Nilov

#6 How much potential I really did have. I just lacked the self confidence. I’m trying to instill that in my children right now. One in particular. The fear of failure is real for everyone, but so is actually FAILING. EVERYONE fails. Nothing worthwhile is accomplished easily. It took me almost forty years to learn that.

Image source: Nonchalant_Khan, Andrea Piacquadio

#7 My parents youth. Mom’s 70 now, and it’s incredible hard to see her slow down.

Image source: Routine-Argument485, Ron Lach

#8 Time spent with friends who have since drifted away. We thought we’d always be together, but life had other plans.

Image source: Delicious_Tits003, Maxim Hopman

#9 The opportunity to have a good education.

Image source: anon, Abby Chung

#10 My body. Think most women can relate to looking back at pictures and thinking “wow, I was hot!” I just wish I would have flaunted my beauty more or taken advantage of it while I could. Like wearing the daring outfit in my closet that I thought was too sultry to be seen in public with. When you no longer have the option to wear it because it doesn’t fit, you realize you should have taken that chance.

Image source: Ok_Energy9693

#11 Being able to sleep was something I took utterly for granted. I miss those days so much.

Image source: helcat, Isabella Fischer

#12 Well, I definitely regret not appreciating the fact that I could eat a whole pizza and not gain a pound. #MetabolismMatters.

Image source: AbalonePotential8805

#13 The elasticity of my body!!

Image source: Imtifflish24, Tim Mossholder

#14 How easy it was to socialize in college. It’s frustrating and difficult to make new friends as an adult, and even more so to date.

Image source: KingBassTrombone, Charles DeLoye

#15 Not appreciating my parents’ patience and advice. I thought I knew it all back then.

Image source: Adorable_baby_5143, Elina Fairytale

#16 The simple joys of being carefree—like long summer days and endless playtime!

Image source: Right_Cabinet_7721, Ron Lach

#17 My free time. I really didn’t think that having a 9-5 and kids would leave me with so little of me time.

Image source: ilikeballs2048, Lisa Fotios

#18 20/20 eyesight. Damn genes.

Image source: yunaamizuki, David Travis

#19 Having disposable income.

I wish I had what I blew back then on dumb s**t.

Image source: uknowhowchoicesbe

#20 Doing things with my mom while she had the physical energy. So many “we’ll do it next year” moments. And you just keep putting it off… and then your mom is older and living with stage 4 cancer and you realize all those big dreams you put off may never become reality.

Image source: SlowerThanTurtleInPB

#21 My cat. We were always together and I spent multiple days just lying in bed holding him, but I still feel like I didn’t spend enough time with him.

Image source: Oddish_Femboy, Manja Vitolic

#22 I was always clever, but for some reason, I was ashamed of it. Being academically gifted was somehow uncool. So I dumbed myself down and d**ked around and kind of didn’t fulfill my potential.

Image source: fewerifyouplease

#23 Having energy….

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#24 Time with my grandparents. I was just so f****d up and couldn’t see how much they loved me and WANTED me around and protected me. I wish so badly I could tell them both that they changed my life and thank you for everything and how I miss grandpa playing us trumpet in the morning and at night. I miss the way my grandmas hug felt, and her bad cooking and watching are you being served with them after dinners.

I wish I had understood that time isn’t something you can get back, and when they’re gone there’s just an empty space where they used to sit on the couch.

Please don’t waste your time with people who love you, it sounds obvious but it wasn’t to me.

Image source: nigel_bongberry

#25 Being like everyone else. As a late kid/early teen I believed myself so special because I had more intellectual maturity than my peers, and because I wasn’t interested in what people my age were interested in. Now I am lying in the bed I made for myself – alone and lonely.
I’d slap my younger self if I could.

Image source: aydnic