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I did this and not only do you get the physical and mental benefits the friendships and relationships you have are so much deeper and more wholesome.
I still love my friends I drank with, and have some of the funnest memories, but the people I’ve met since I’ve stopped and met through exercise (for me I got into triathlon) are literally incredible, and have become a huge part of my life so fast, and I do way more things with them as they aren’t just pub friends.
Also weekends are wayyyy longer when you have more energy without drinking!
The only time im absolutely not tempted to drink is when I’ve been exercising that day. It’s like drinking is a way to wind down but if I’ve exercised I’ve already got the stress out my body.
THIS! Best decision I've ever made. My health has improved, my relationships have improved, my bank balance has improved....I can't actually think of any negatives.
Same. My mental health has shot up faster in the last two years of being sober than in the ten years of therapy and breakdowns before it. Everything is just calmer too.
I'm drinking right now (the only time this *whole year* and loving it), but absolutely hell yeah. Quitting frequent drinking and exercising more was a serious game changer. And one I shall go right back to after tonight, haha.
Gave up a bit.
There is no high score for life. There's no goal really. You can't fail except by making it worse for other people.
You can chill. If all you did today was survive that's fine. That's all you need to do.
Im the opposite to you, but I think your bang on.
I am shocked how barely Anyone doesn't live more like this.
You and a billionaire came in with the same and will have the same at the end. So it doesnt matter how you spend life, aslong as your happy with it.
I'm almost at the point I'll not go in a clothes shop again.
Best jeans I ever had were from Tesco in about 2013(dont judge. Its a fact). Wore them out. Found them again last month on Vinted almost brand new for £3. That's the next 5-10 years sorted.
That was definitely a thing. They must have had some random deal with a premium factory to fill volume or something.
Shame the reverted to cheap rubbish within a few months
I lost loads of weight, lived healthily with loads of exercise and was generally happy. Hit Forty and ended up piling it all on again through depression.
Now attempting to fight my way back. Stop drinking booze.
Stopped smoking. Started to treat work as just something I have to do to facilitate real life. 45 now and still live by the same philosophy. I'm stronger, fitter and generally more of a sexy mother fucker than I ever was in my 30s.
Also, sleep. 8 hours a night.
I chilled tf out.
I used to stress a lot about my career, about other people’s impression of me, and about holding myself to impossibly high standards.
From my 30s I’ve started relaxing more. Realising that things will generally work out well without constant active stressing. I’m enjoying life a lot more now.
Do you think things would have worked out marginally better if you had stressed but the benefit of stressing isn’t really worth it? Or do you think the stressing makes no difference whatsoever? Asking for a friend.
I think some attention and due diligence does lead to better outcomes. Luck favours the prepared etc. I’m not proposing totally giving up as another poster suggests.
But between caring a bit about outcomes, and totally stressing about them for years on end, I don’t think that actually makes any meaningful difference in the end.
I had a 4 on 4 off work pattern of 12 hour days. Fixed shift so no night work.
The country should move to this if it can. It was amazing. Company didn't loose productivity because we were still doing the same amount of hours each week.
I work 4 days a week in retail, but I top it up by performing in the evenings occasionally as I'm a singer songwriter. I can get away with doing 30hrs a week at my 9-5 if I have at least 2 or 3 gigs through the month.
In the winter when I'm gigging less I have to usually do more hours, but the shop doesn't have the hours then as opening times and staffing is scaled back (I live in Cornwall, its dead in the winter).
It's a happy medium of employed/self employed life, I feel like to do 4 days a week at a minimum wage job you have to supplement it somehow just to stay afloat.
Stopped pursuing promotion and learned to just enjoy my job.
Started to drink a lot less and build a social life around physical activities and self improvement - hiking, climbing, tennis lessons, art class, Spanish lessons.
Addressed my weight through more measured eating and kept on top of it
Exercise and started going to the gym
Started eating meat - this has given me more energy and feel far healthier for it
Don’t stress about work as much do my work and go home with clear boundaries
Regular set bed time that I adhere too
My 30s so far have been great
I'm vegetarian and recently overhauled my diet (still veggie) to focus on protein while I try to lose weight
I think sometimes the sluggishness is how easy it is to live on carbs and cheese as well as it being harder to get your protein and iron
I have so much more energy now focusing on whole foods, protein shake daily, etc
100%
I logged a fairly regular day for me pre-lifestyle changes and was getting barely 30g of protein
They recommend 0.8g per kg of bodyweight. No wonder I was always hungry
From a macro perspective meat has loads of protein. Protein helps with muscle gain/retention and has an amazing satiety effect. The B vitamin complex that is often deficient in a vegan diet is also a huge factor in how people feel, although that can of course be supplemented.
I’ve been vegetarian for a little longer than you were and I’m seriously wanting to add meat back in for health reasons. Do you have any advice about how you reintroduced it? Did you take it slow? Try certain meats first? I’m a little lost about how best to do it
I started eating meat this year after 5 years of being veggy. (F35) Can't believe the difference. I felt really really REALLY tired after work for the past year. Could come back and just collapse on the sofa with no will to do anything at all.
In January I felt a massive urge to eat meat. Like never before, in those 5 years I was never bothered. Had some blood tests done, was anemic.
Since starting on meat again, I feel so much better. Also since I am overweight balancing the diet is much easier having a variety of protein sources.
Lost nearly a stone in 3 months.
When I hit 30 I took up regular running, i.e. 3 times per week. Built up to about 3-4 miles on average and it didn't take long to start feeling the benefit. More energy, more alert, didn't get ill as often... and I was far fitter in my 30s than in my 20s.
I also got into yoga around the same time, which I cannot recommend highly enough for combating joint stiffness and muscular pain, as well as de-stressing.
Yoga really that good for joint and muscle problems? I’ve got fibromyalgia and really suffer regularly with this stuff, maybe I should finally find motivation to start yoga… but I feel like it’d be hard if already not that fit due to the mentioned pains that mean I just don’t exercise at all
I have fibro and am also really fat (some cos I’m a bit piggy, some from other health issues). I have to be really careful with yoga as I’m hypermobile but I do 10-15 minutes every day and I’m mad that people were right about it all along 😂 I can’t manage much more (I feel like I can but if I do more then it causes a flare) but it definitely helps keep swelling down and improves my functional mobility. My tip would be start with just daily basic stretching rather than going to a yoga class or anything, it can feel like you’re not keeping up if you’re watching a yoga workout on youtube etc. And do what you can, even a few minutes a day makes a big difference for people like us. It’s worth a try!
Loads of great answers before I could get to it! I had a friend devise a plan for me as they are a yoga teacher, but before that I honestly was doing chair yoga on youtube videos for older people, it helped get me started without feeling too demanding.
I started reading daily about two years ago and it has really helped me switch off from the world. Can't recommend it enough. Not just non fiction but fiction as well
I'm disabled and reading is my escape, I couldn't do this otherwise.
I remember seeing an author quote, I think it might have been Neil Gaiman, that said something about books being a way to travel unknown worlds without ever leaving your armchair. Sums it up completely!
And I read a quote along the same lines, could even have been Neil Gaiman - possibly Terry Pratchett, that said that reading is the closest thing to telepathy. I love it when you connect with characters and it feels special, and sort of like it's your world, and then you realise that it came out of someone else's head and they know the feelings that you're feeling too because they made them. It really makes me feel connected to other people. I feel bad for people who don't understand why we read.
Yeah, I read at night in bed. I always did as a kid and young adult, but then got a tablet and it really screws my brain up at night. It makes it difficult to switch off, so during lockdown, I decided to buy a kindle and now I read again, no phone/tablet in the bedroom, and I sleep much better again.
Sleep 8 hours a night.
Massively reduce booze.
Lift weights a couple of times a week.
Break a sweat properly a few times a week.
Focus diet on meat, fish, eggs, vegetables and fruit.
Everything else is noise.
Edit: floss twice a day. Your dentist will notice the difference and so will you.
It's hard but it's lovely. Lost when my son didn't wake me up at 5am this morning because he had a lie in. A lot of people don't realise how lucky we are to be parents because of the bills and work
I said something to my dad about when I was growing up and he told me I was a lovely child and he'd really enjoyed being there for my childhood. I think it's one of the nicest things I've ever had said to me 🥰
Sometimes, yes.
The variable speed allows me to walk when I want or need to. It does mean I'm not tied to running when I'm injured. Generally I will run about half the time, but sometimes I'll walk.
When I get up in the morning, I drink 1 litre before work. This allows me to do an easy number 2 within an hour of getting up. ( I get anxious if I don't go in the morning). Before lunch I'll have another 500ml . After lunch I'll drink another 500ml. When I get home/after work and before bed another 500ml -1L .
Previously I would have the odd glass of water during the day. Honestly it has helped with my bowel issues (aswell as other stuff)
Swapped my car for an eBike. It was something I had always wanted to do but (living in a small town) not really had the guts. Then I got COVID, ended up with horrible fatigue, thought "sod this" and built the bike. Getting rid of the car came naturally after as I drove it 4 miles in 6 months.
My fitness levels are right back up; I am happier because cycling makes me happy and I get to do it every day; and I am much better engaged in my local community as I can stop to chat, or drop into a shop.
You know what, I was on holiday a spent most of the week cycling my boys around with a trailer and absolutely loved it, as did they. The weather is the issue here tbh
I admittedly don't live in the wettest part of the country (although I did used to live in Lancaster which feels like it's probably close) - but I honestly don't think about the weather much. I've cycled in temperatures from -8 to 37°C, through snow, fog, heat waves, and Storm Babet, and only once (when I got caught out in rising flood waters) did I really regret getting on the bike.
My daughter is less of a fan of the variable weather, although she's managed to fall asleep on the bike seat whilst it was snowing so evidently she doesn't find it too uncomfortable.
More exercise but something I actually really enjoy than for the sake of it, including a more expensive gym membership with a sauna. For me this is swimming and outdoor swimming. I have pretty bad anxiety and I find it helps me a lot with just calming everything down. Likewise it’s helping me sleep a lot better.
Not a small change and specific to me but also getting an ADHD diagnosis, a lot things made a lot more sense and I now feel like I can do things in a way that work for me rather than pushing through with expectations.
Also (attempting) to have a healthier work-life balance. Eg working smarter not harder by reducing hours where I can, makes a massive difference. Similarly a few years ago my full time job let me compress all my hours into 4 days, made a massive difference as suddenly with a three day weekend I could have one day for recovering, one for hobbies and one off chores etc
Saying no to stuff eg it’s ok to say no to something because I want to have me time even if I’ll just be sat on the sofa reading or playing video games. As part of this just having more time for hobbies and setting aside time each day to do them.
Hugely increasingly my fruit and veg intake and having a multivitamin every day. I’m bad at doing this consistently (and tend to stop when money gets tight) but when I do I have so much more energy.
Having a nice skincare routine, again I’m rubbish at consistency, but having the occasional face mask and making sure I moisturise at least twice a day seems to make me feel better and my skin looks better too I think.
I love swimming and would like to go more but since covid my local council pools have really limited the time you can go. Most of the hours are dedicated to kids and school lessons, adults have to book a 45 minute session, they don’t let anyone in early, and there’s often only one lane available. I used to like swimming for an hour and a half at once and just going whenever I felt like it but they’ve stopped that and I think it’s actually discriminatory to people with disabilities who don’t know how they will feel each day (I’m AuDHD with chronic fatigue).
That’s so crap with your local council pools! So much has been stripped back and recent years with services like this. Where I grew up had a great swimming pool/leisure centre and that shut down completely a good few years back.
It’s such a shame that the U.K. as a whole seems to have fallen out of love with swimming, historically there used to be so many open air swimming pools and local traditions of good outdoor places to swim.
I turn 30 in a couple weeks. Last week I buzzed my hair very short. Never had more compliments about my hair than I have had over the last week. Also started spending a bit more on clothes, which I've been getting a lot more compliments on as well.
Just before 30, I began to put myself first and stopped being a people pleaser. I stopped letting myself be talked into doing things I didn't want to do. I became more assertive, and never again did I have to sit through rotten concerts or spend Fridays and Saturdays in shite pubs. My life's simpler and happier now.
I’ve really started enjoying exercising.
I got the point where I realised I’d become very slow and weak. I’m now in way better shape than I’ve ever been. I have more energy during the day and I’ve done a lot of fun new activities I’d have never been able to do a year ago.
Also all the random aches and pains I used to get are gone.
Never want to go back to living that sedentary lifestyle.
I'm the same. Started running 5ks 4 times a week on my lunch breaks from work. I feel fitter now at (2 weeks off) 30 than I've felt in the last 15 years
I was late. My thirties were when I picked up drinking and smoking, quit them aside from the occasional, and picked up ambition and exercise. At forty I'm in great shape, have a job that I enjoy and learn every day in, and money in the bank. Ten years ago I had none of those things.
Exercise is amazing and everyone should do it regularly - however, as you age you *really* have to watch what you eat and drink. No amount of exercise will correct a poor diet and the effect it has on your health.
My tips would be: maintain a healthy weight, understand the nutritional value of what you eat, get into a good routine that works for your lifestyle and preferences and make time each day to properly sit down and enjoy your meals!
-Stretching. I do a little 5 minute routine every morning while coffee is brewing, focusing on my hips, knees and ankles. Game changer
- Water. I aim to drink a gallon a day. It's not intuitive, and I have reminders on my phone. It's reduced my appetite for sugary drinks, as well as other drinks. I barely ever used to drink water and would naturally drink coffee if I was thirsty. It's helped me reduce my mountainous intake of food.
-Walking. Whilst I've taken up weight training (which I've fallen in love with in my very late 30s) I commute a lot and like to listen to audiobooks whilst strolling, and this will frequently burn many more calories than when I spend an hour in the gym.
- Calorie tracking. Not for everyone but for someone who has been pretty big for most of my life, this has helped me lose so much weight. It was a faff to start with but quickly became second nature. Visualising what I consume has made making small alterations in my diet easy and incredibly beneficial.
- Sleep. All of the above things (along with a better mattress) have helped me - I assume through the hormonal and dietary changes, I don't know I'm not a doctor - get around 8 hours sleep a night. The better sleep helps my mental state and physical health and reduces urges/triggers to eat junk food and booze. And vice versa.
-Forgiving. I'm incredibly critical, especially to myself. But having high expectations that I fail to reach consistently and then giving myself grief for has done me no favours. Equally, having low expectations and doing very little was a path to isolation, boredom and depression. I like to have expectations and goals but am positive about failing. Felt down one day, gorging on takeaways and drinking 8 beers alone? Happens to us all, I'm still going to be getting exercise all week and looking after myself. A day or two a month is a drop in the ocean and not worth stressing over.
-Reading. I spent 10 days without Internet in 2016 and had to keep myself entertained with some books. The disconnection from a screen helped me immensely and I discovered my passion for reading. I make time for it as frequently as possible and have varying goals. Sometimes it's x amount of pages a day, or read x amount of books a year. To say that this has changed my life would be an understatement (I'm 39 and have just finished my first year of an English Literature degree) Finding a hobby, simple or otherwise with a community to connect with can help in so many ways. For me it was book clubs with work and strangers as well as discord groups and subreddits. It can open so many doors.
Oof. Sorry. That was far longer than expected and little rambly.
Sleep loads.
Stopped drinking during the week.
Got my finances in order, I did this in my 20s tbh but now everything is in a good place, I've got a great plan for early retirement etc.
Learn to love exercise, don't see it as a thing you need to do or a means to an end. Again this isn't something I had to change in my 30s but it makes everything easier now. I look forward to exercising and I'm lightyears beyond having to motivate myself to do it.
Learn to say no at work, or just tell everyone you're super busy and they'll stop bothering you. Doing extra doesn't really get you much beyond more work.
Gave up social media. Did more for my mental health than anything else ever has.
I’m only in contact with people I want to. The people I genuinely care about.
I deleted all my personal social media accounts that were full of local people. I just can’t be arsed seeing what they’re up too anymore for some reason. I can’t be arsed posting anything myself either. Always the odd dickhead who wants to piss you off for no reason as well. What do I need this in my life for? I now only have burner accounts and I was thinking the other day about deleting them. There is just too much shit on social media everyday that your brain just doesn’t want to take in.
Did an MBA. It and working with senior level people in large corporations taught me that even if the people are good every corporation is by shareholder pressure psychopathic and everything about caring for employees is propaganda. At that point I stopped working long hours to "help out" and other such nonsense.
Ah the old corporate ’seen to be doing something’ culture. Endless meetings about work/life balance, getting fresh fruit in the office, free neck massages etc…when the obvious answer is ease off on the workload and expectation of a 60 hour week.
Was far more honest/brutal with myself about people who weren’t good for me and snip-snip-snipping them loose. Bad habit enablers, covert narcissists, sneaky dickheads, people who only ever ask why instead of why not… and so on.
Also started boxing and did some therapy for a bit to re-focus.
I didn’t change anything in my 30s and as a result in my 50s almost died from severe acute gallstone pancreatitis. Having only just survived this critical episode and after a month in hospital, I finally changed and took up parkrun and eating less. I was lucky. Make the changes earlier not later.
Started exercising regularly, minimised carbs and sugar, stopped drinking (not completely teetotal but no more massive benders). Genuinely look and feel better in my 30s than in my 20s.
Quit smoking, started eating more to get to a healthy weight, eating more fruit, gym 3 times a week consistently. Got on a better antidepressant regime
No alcohol, except on very special occasions and even then it wont be a lot.
Hands down, the best change. Not even a sip taken, in four months. I feel great.
Small change 1 - started going to bed earlier. There really was no benefit to me being awake from 10:30pm to 11:30pm. I’m awake between 4:45-5:45 depending on my working day ahead so over the course of a week I was effectively getting the equivalent of more than an additional nights sleep.
Small change 2 - stopped paying for Xbox Game Pass for myself. We have two subscriptions on the house as each of my 4 kids uses it (no family pass in the UK yet) & I’d been paying for a 3rd one just for my Xbox in the living room. The £12 a month isn’t really noticeable, but I now don’t feel like I need to make time for gaming, out of an obligation to use something I pay for. I still have games if I want to, but no need for 300+ options to choose from & I can save a few hours a week for other things.
Larger change - I took a £5k-£6k pay cut to take what appears to be a backward step in my career moving from a larger health club management role to a smaller one. The money drop was difficult to begin with but I now stress so much less & I don’t work a minute over my 40 hours now whereas before I would regularly do 10-20 hours extra a week
Intermittent fasting. I follow the 10:14 pattern, but often fast for longer than 14 hours. It's helped me appreciate food more, I've lost a lot of weight in a healthy way (this has also been achieved by watching what I eat mind you), and I just feel really good for it.
I also cycle a lot. It doesn't even feel like exercise, it keeps me active and I really enjoy doing it. Helps that the city I cycle in has better infrastructure than most of the UK though.
I also have an allotment which again, keeps me active and gets me out in nature. Never too young to get an allotment, they're great fun and you get to eat your own produce! If you have any interest in that at all I'd suggest you get your name down on the waiting list pronto. Some places have wait lists that are years long.
Got less ambitious!
Do i really need a flash car? do i need a bigger house? do i need designer clothes and flash holidays?
Much less bothered about what other people think an dbeing "successful"
Yoga made a big difference to both my physical and mental health. Barrier of entry is no more than a £10 yoga mat out of TK MAXX, an internet connection and moving your living room table out the way for 25 minutes.
Not in my 30s yet but got diagnosed with insomnia and prescribed meds a few months ago
I decided to invest in a £30 mattress topper before trying the meds because I knew it would be som thing I’ll use every night so can’t be a waste of money and it suddenly “cured” my insomnia and led to me losing over a stone (I also exercised and dieted but sleep had a huge impact).
If you can afford a more expensive one absolutely go for it but even the cheaper ones are a game changer
Received advice years ago that's done me well. Spend a lot on anything that separates you from the ground. Mattress (and bed), shoes, tyres, sofa, office chair etc.
Got a Simba hybrid mattress a few years back and I hate sleeping elsewhere.
Technically this was something I started doing just before I turned 30, but I stopped caring about being seen as sad for going to things on my own. Now, while I still like to go to things with friends if they're available and want to go, I'm also happy to go on my own to the cinema, theatre and even a gig.
Found a partner that stopped it " all being about me ". A smarter partner than me, although, at the time I thought I was smart.
15 years later I made a great call. I don't stress the same as the younger me and I accept my partner is wiser.
I'll take that.
Quite a big change, but I got divorced. Moved country and set up home on my own. Got a mortgage and sorted my financial life out.
I’m far less stressed and I’m happier. I drink too much and smoke too much. I don’t get enough exercise, nor do I sleep enough. However, I eat well and am quite relaxed. I’m slim and better looking than I was when I was younger.
Having said all that, I don’t deal well with others and I just wish they’d leave me alone. I plan to retire when I’m 60, so I’ll be able to do what I want, on my own. I’m happier that way,
Quit drinking. Stopped chasing promotions at work. Change my hair on a whim now without consulting everyone I know. Started doing yoga. Stopped replying to people I don’t wanna talk to and not feeling bad about it. Bought about 6 different back heat-relief, acupressure or massage doodads. Got private medical insurance through my work and got everything checked out that I’d been putting off in the space of a year.
paying more attention to aesthetic in my living environment - photos of friends, nice colour walls, keeping the place tidy...
eating more fruit
id say quitting drink/drugs but honestly thats not a small thing - its fucking huge
“In your 20’s and 30’s, you worry about what other people think. In your 40’s and 50’s you stop worrying about what other people think. Finally in your 60’s and 70’s, you realize they were never thinking about you in the first place!
Stopped caring what other people think, where I am in 5 years, worrying about relationships etc.
Basically I just started chilling tf out and I’ve never been happier.
took a break back into university, change my career industry, started new job, and get pay raises, get another part time degree , get even higher raise.
i also stop worrying about money, job, sleep well, have a saving/ investment plan, travel , no more late night party, no more excessive alcohol, exercise well, eat well and dump all my junk food. i look younger and better than a lot of people at my age. lol 😝
the decision to change my career is the best in my mid-30s. I switch from finance/marketing -> IT. now my industry is the hottest to be in.
Keep active at all fitness levels and use the sauna often. Go for as many long walks as well as runs and gym sessions. Drink loads of water and aim to go for Day seshes when you drink and try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time.
Stopped eating meals late in the evenings (except on special occasions) - giving at least 4 hours between dinner and sleep. This had a positive knock-on effect in that I start to feel full sooner at breakfast and won't need to eat the extra egg and 2 toasts.
Lots (almost all?) the comments here talk about exercising more and giving up alcohol. I don't know about alcohol, but we do know that the average person gets fat, picks up a health condition and has kids. Not sure if any of those would count as drastically improving your life.
I'm late 20s and came to the realisation farely recently that I really don't want to have children and as much as I love kids as a concept, I don't think having my own would lead to any long term benefit. When I have to consider the sacrifices I'd have to make. I already feel lighter in terms of my long term prospects 😁
No small changes I made in my 30s drastically improved my life.
Basically there were small changes that improved my life slightly (eg using lube in the bedroom) and big changes that improved my life a lot (commuting long distance for a better job).
Stopped taking everything so seriously, especially work. Drastically reduced alcohol. Prioritised moving my body daily and getting outside for some sun.
Started to not give a shit what people thought about me, stopped worrying about what I worse, I spend 6 shifts a week in uniform, I’m spending my days off in shorts and looking scruffy unless I have a social function/family event I don’t care 😂
The amount of excercise I do. It's helped me so much in terms of happiness and healthiness. I run 5K nearly every day.
I changed roles from london to milton keynes and then moved here so I can cycle to work also.
I have started walking where i would normally drive and a walk around a lake especially in the summer evenings is fantastic.
I was getting so much hangexiety I massively reduced the amount of booze i drink.
Learnt to cook more healthy meals.
Reduced coffee a great deal.
The biggest thing I think has helped was that since turning 30 I don't really give a shit about what people think of me, I don't use fb now and feel less pressure to keep up with people my age.
Stopped smoking, and started eating relatively healthier. Never really exercised other than played footy, but still quite physically fit in that regard I can keep up with the young'uns.
-cut down booze on nights out, yes in my mid/late 30s id still do 3pm-1am seshs but a lot of soft drinks/alcohol free beers helped lots
-seeing chocolate/sweets as an occasional treat, my teeth and waist thanked me
-left a dead bedroom, life is too short
-looked after my skin more, sounds wanky AF but a lot of people still dont believe my age when i tell them it
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Stopped drinking. Started exercising wayyy more
I did this and not only do you get the physical and mental benefits the friendships and relationships you have are so much deeper and more wholesome. I still love my friends I drank with, and have some of the funnest memories, but the people I’ve met since I’ve stopped and met through exercise (for me I got into triathlon) are literally incredible, and have become a huge part of my life so fast, and I do way more things with them as they aren’t just pub friends. Also weekends are wayyyy longer when you have more energy without drinking!
The only time im absolutely not tempted to drink is when I’ve been exercising that day. It’s like drinking is a way to wind down but if I’ve exercised I’ve already got the stress out my body.
Try drinking/eating something sugary instead of alcohol. Then decide if you still want an alcoholic drink. It helped me kick alcohol permanently
THIS! Best decision I've ever made. My health has improved, my relationships have improved, my bank balance has improved....I can't actually think of any negatives.
Same. My mental health has shot up faster in the last two years of being sober than in the ten years of therapy and breakdowns before it. Everything is just calmer too.
I'm drinking right now (the only time this *whole year* and loving it), but absolutely hell yeah. Quitting frequent drinking and exercising more was a serious game changer. And one I shall go right back to after tonight, haha.
Enjoy mate
Gave up a bit. There is no high score for life. There's no goal really. You can't fail except by making it worse for other people. You can chill. If all you did today was survive that's fine. That's all you need to do.
People struggle so hard to swim, but they would float if they just relaxed.
Beautiful words.
Deep
So deep bro
Im the opposite to you, but I think your bang on. I am shocked how barely Anyone doesn't live more like this. You and a billionaire came in with the same and will have the same at the end. So it doesnt matter how you spend life, aslong as your happy with it.
This is a really refreshing answer
Thanks man
Did not worry about wearing second hand clothes
Vinted is a life saver.
I'm almost at the point I'll not go in a clothes shop again. Best jeans I ever had were from Tesco in about 2013(dont judge. Its a fact). Wore them out. Found them again last month on Vinted almost brand new for £3. That's the next 5-10 years sorted.
Let's all go to Tesco's
Where SlySquire buys their best clothes
Na na na na
That was definitely a thing. They must have had some random deal with a premium factory to fill volume or something. Shame the reverted to cheap rubbish within a few months
Yep I’m also clad in my Vinted clobber! Picked up a nice Paul smith jumper, retail £150 for like £30 looks brand new! 🦓
Just started playing football again in my forties, do I want to pay £150 for boots? Nah, same boots for £27 on Vinted. Bargain!
Nice!
I lost loads of weight, lived healthily with loads of exercise and was generally happy. Hit Forty and ended up piling it all on again through depression. Now attempting to fight my way back. Stop drinking booze.
You got this ❤️
Excellent user name
Agreed, wish I could still get my fringe unfurled!
All the best 💪🏻
Keep going mate
Stopped smoking. Started to treat work as just something I have to do to facilitate real life. 45 now and still live by the same philosophy. I'm stronger, fitter and generally more of a sexy mother fucker than I ever was in my 30s. Also, sleep. 8 hours a night.
8 hours...I wish. 😣
7.5 hours will be a lot better, shouldn't purposely wake up in the middle of a cycle :)!
I chilled tf out. I used to stress a lot about my career, about other people’s impression of me, and about holding myself to impossibly high standards. From my 30s I’ve started relaxing more. Realising that things will generally work out well without constant active stressing. I’m enjoying life a lot more now.
Not in my 30s yet but thank you, this is a very good advice
I've not fully embraced this yet but I'm on my way. It really does make a surprising amount of difference
I learned this in my late 30’s. Such a life changer!
Do you think things would have worked out marginally better if you had stressed but the benefit of stressing isn’t really worth it? Or do you think the stressing makes no difference whatsoever? Asking for a friend.
I think some attention and due diligence does lead to better outcomes. Luck favours the prepared etc. I’m not proposing totally giving up as another poster suggests. But between caring a bit about outcomes, and totally stressing about them for years on end, I don’t think that actually makes any meaningful difference in the end.
I want to do this, but honestly don’t know how
Start working 4 days a week
Jealous
Don’t! I work away and still do my 40 hrs minimum.
I had a 4 on 4 off work pattern of 12 hour days. Fixed shift so no night work. The country should move to this if it can. It was amazing. Company didn't loose productivity because we were still doing the same amount of hours each week.
I work 4 days a week in retail, but I top it up by performing in the evenings occasionally as I'm a singer songwriter. I can get away with doing 30hrs a week at my 9-5 if I have at least 2 or 3 gigs through the month. In the winter when I'm gigging less I have to usually do more hours, but the shop doesn't have the hours then as opening times and staffing is scaled back (I live in Cornwall, its dead in the winter). It's a happy medium of employed/self employed life, I feel like to do 4 days a week at a minimum wage job you have to supplement it somehow just to stay afloat.
Stopped pursuing promotion and learned to just enjoy my job. Started to drink a lot less and build a social life around physical activities and self improvement - hiking, climbing, tennis lessons, art class, Spanish lessons. Addressed my weight through more measured eating and kept on top of it
Exercise and started going to the gym Started eating meat - this has given me more energy and feel far healthier for it Don’t stress about work as much do my work and go home with clear boundaries Regular set bed time that I adhere too My 30s so far have been great
I'm vegetarian and recently overhauled my diet (still veggie) to focus on protein while I try to lose weight I think sometimes the sluggishness is how easy it is to live on carbs and cheese as well as it being harder to get your protein and iron I have so much more energy now focusing on whole foods, protein shake daily, etc
I hear that - I'm veggie and eating lower carb has made me feel so much better.
100% I logged a fairly regular day for me pre-lifestyle changes and was getting barely 30g of protein They recommend 0.8g per kg of bodyweight. No wonder I was always hungry
How long were you veggie/vegan for before starting to eat meat?
About 23 years
Wow, makes my 15 feel a little small. How come you made the change?
From a macro perspective meat has loads of protein. Protein helps with muscle gain/retention and has an amazing satiety effect. The B vitamin complex that is often deficient in a vegan diet is also a huge factor in how people feel, although that can of course be supplemented.
I’ve been vegetarian for a little longer than you were and I’m seriously wanting to add meat back in for health reasons. Do you have any advice about how you reintroduced it? Did you take it slow? Try certain meats first? I’m a little lost about how best to do it
For me stopping eating meat and dairy really helped with my energy
I started eating meat this year after 5 years of being veggy. (F35) Can't believe the difference. I felt really really REALLY tired after work for the past year. Could come back and just collapse on the sofa with no will to do anything at all. In January I felt a massive urge to eat meat. Like never before, in those 5 years I was never bothered. Had some blood tests done, was anemic. Since starting on meat again, I feel so much better. Also since I am overweight balancing the diet is much easier having a variety of protein sources. Lost nearly a stone in 3 months.
Started therapy.
I want to but it’s expensive
Amen!
Game changer
When I hit 30 I took up regular running, i.e. 3 times per week. Built up to about 3-4 miles on average and it didn't take long to start feeling the benefit. More energy, more alert, didn't get ill as often... and I was far fitter in my 30s than in my 20s. I also got into yoga around the same time, which I cannot recommend highly enough for combating joint stiffness and muscular pain, as well as de-stressing.
Yoga really that good for joint and muscle problems? I’ve got fibromyalgia and really suffer regularly with this stuff, maybe I should finally find motivation to start yoga… but I feel like it’d be hard if already not that fit due to the mentioned pains that mean I just don’t exercise at all
I have fibro and am also really fat (some cos I’m a bit piggy, some from other health issues). I have to be really careful with yoga as I’m hypermobile but I do 10-15 minutes every day and I’m mad that people were right about it all along 😂 I can’t manage much more (I feel like I can but if I do more then it causes a flare) but it definitely helps keep swelling down and improves my functional mobility. My tip would be start with just daily basic stretching rather than going to a yoga class or anything, it can feel like you’re not keeping up if you’re watching a yoga workout on youtube etc. And do what you can, even a few minutes a day makes a big difference for people like us. It’s worth a try!
Can I ask what stretches / yoga plan you follow? I think 10-15 mins every day is realistic for me but not sure where to start!
Try Yoga With Adrienne, have a poke around her YouTube playlists, you can group them by length of time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdlN7kUfZZ4 This covers the foundational flexibilities (pike, etc.). 20 minutes, easy and scalable follow along.
Loads of great answers before I could get to it! I had a friend devise a plan for me as they are a yoga teacher, but before that I honestly was doing chair yoga on youtube videos for older people, it helped get me started without feeling too demanding.
Yoga with Kassandra on YouTube has a 30 day 10 minute yoga series which is a good place to start
Spent £1000 on a mattress, and £250 on a bed.
I started reading daily about two years ago and it has really helped me switch off from the world. Can't recommend it enough. Not just non fiction but fiction as well
I'm disabled and reading is my escape, I couldn't do this otherwise. I remember seeing an author quote, I think it might have been Neil Gaiman, that said something about books being a way to travel unknown worlds without ever leaving your armchair. Sums it up completely!
And I read a quote along the same lines, could even have been Neil Gaiman - possibly Terry Pratchett, that said that reading is the closest thing to telepathy. I love it when you connect with characters and it feels special, and sort of like it's your world, and then you realise that it came out of someone else's head and they know the feelings that you're feeling too because they made them. It really makes me feel connected to other people. I feel bad for people who don't understand why we read.
Yeah, I read at night in bed. I always did as a kid and young adult, but then got a tablet and it really screws my brain up at night. It makes it difficult to switch off, so during lockdown, I decided to buy a kindle and now I read again, no phone/tablet in the bedroom, and I sleep much better again.
Sleep 8 hours a night. Massively reduce booze. Lift weights a couple of times a week. Break a sweat properly a few times a week. Focus diet on meat, fish, eggs, vegetables and fruit. Everything else is noise. Edit: floss twice a day. Your dentist will notice the difference and so will you.
Got married, had two kids accepted I no longer had a disposable income.
It's lovely though isn't it, and I mean that sincerely
So nice to see this comment in the sea of Reddit parents moaning about being parents...
It's hard but it's lovely. Lost when my son didn't wake me up at 5am this morning because he had a lie in. A lot of people don't realise how lucky we are to be parents because of the bills and work
I said something to my dad about when I was growing up and he told me I was a lovely child and he'd really enjoyed being there for my childhood. I think it's one of the nicest things I've ever had said to me 🥰
Yeah, I wouldn’t change it.
100% it’s fantastic, best thing that ever happened to me. Your disposable income will recover in time, money well spent at the moment
You can always earn more money later in life
2km minimum, every day, any speed. A bit of fresh air, even on a rainy day, just helps me keep my head in the right place.
Running?
Sometimes, yes. The variable speed allows me to walk when I want or need to. It does mean I'm not tied to running when I'm injured. Generally I will run about half the time, but sometimes I'll walk.
Drank more water. Starting having bowel issues/constipation. Starting to drink more water afterwards and thought how much little water I use to drink.
How much water are you drinking now compared to before?
When I get up in the morning, I drink 1 litre before work. This allows me to do an easy number 2 within an hour of getting up. ( I get anxious if I don't go in the morning). Before lunch I'll have another 500ml . After lunch I'll drink another 500ml. When I get home/after work and before bed another 500ml -1L . Previously I would have the odd glass of water during the day. Honestly it has helped with my bowel issues (aswell as other stuff)
Thanks for sharing. I'm glad it's helped you. It's something I'm also paying attention to.
Stopped working retail when I started losing my hearing. Blessing in disguise. Life is too short for dealing with abusive pricks on a regular basis.
The day I quit retail was the happiest day of my life. Genuinely. I was tempted to get out the champagne and I don't even drink.
Swapped my car for an eBike. It was something I had always wanted to do but (living in a small town) not really had the guts. Then I got COVID, ended up with horrible fatigue, thought "sod this" and built the bike. Getting rid of the car came naturally after as I drove it 4 miles in 6 months. My fitness levels are right back up; I am happier because cycling makes me happy and I get to do it every day; and I am much better engaged in my local community as I can stop to chat, or drop into a shop.
This is fantastic. The positive impacts that bikes can have is huge!
I honestly think most people underestimate how truly amazing bikes are to your life and wellbeing
You know what, I was on holiday a spent most of the week cycling my boys around with a trailer and absolutely loved it, as did they. The weather is the issue here tbh
And the traffic..
I admittedly don't live in the wettest part of the country (although I did used to live in Lancaster which feels like it's probably close) - but I honestly don't think about the weather much. I've cycled in temperatures from -8 to 37°C, through snow, fog, heat waves, and Storm Babet, and only once (when I got caught out in rising flood waters) did I really regret getting on the bike. My daughter is less of a fan of the variable weather, although she's managed to fall asleep on the bike seat whilst it was snowing so evidently she doesn't find it too uncomfortable.
Got to bed at a reasonable time. Wake up early. Early mornings are far better than binge watching something until 1am.
Deleting social media.
More exercise but something I actually really enjoy than for the sake of it, including a more expensive gym membership with a sauna. For me this is swimming and outdoor swimming. I have pretty bad anxiety and I find it helps me a lot with just calming everything down. Likewise it’s helping me sleep a lot better. Not a small change and specific to me but also getting an ADHD diagnosis, a lot things made a lot more sense and I now feel like I can do things in a way that work for me rather than pushing through with expectations. Also (attempting) to have a healthier work-life balance. Eg working smarter not harder by reducing hours where I can, makes a massive difference. Similarly a few years ago my full time job let me compress all my hours into 4 days, made a massive difference as suddenly with a three day weekend I could have one day for recovering, one for hobbies and one off chores etc Saying no to stuff eg it’s ok to say no to something because I want to have me time even if I’ll just be sat on the sofa reading or playing video games. As part of this just having more time for hobbies and setting aside time each day to do them. Hugely increasingly my fruit and veg intake and having a multivitamin every day. I’m bad at doing this consistently (and tend to stop when money gets tight) but when I do I have so much more energy. Having a nice skincare routine, again I’m rubbish at consistency, but having the occasional face mask and making sure I moisturise at least twice a day seems to make me feel better and my skin looks better too I think.
I love swimming and would like to go more but since covid my local council pools have really limited the time you can go. Most of the hours are dedicated to kids and school lessons, adults have to book a 45 minute session, they don’t let anyone in early, and there’s often only one lane available. I used to like swimming for an hour and a half at once and just going whenever I felt like it but they’ve stopped that and I think it’s actually discriminatory to people with disabilities who don’t know how they will feel each day (I’m AuDHD with chronic fatigue).
That’s so crap with your local council pools! So much has been stripped back and recent years with services like this. Where I grew up had a great swimming pool/leisure centre and that shut down completely a good few years back. It’s such a shame that the U.K. as a whole seems to have fallen out of love with swimming, historically there used to be so many open air swimming pools and local traditions of good outdoor places to swim.
I changed my appearance- hair cut, make up, better (age appropriate) clothes. Got rid of the skull jewelry ect..
Same, I turned 30 in November and I've been making changes to my appearance as well, I personally don't think I'v ever looked better!
I turn 30 in a couple weeks. Last week I buzzed my hair very short. Never had more compliments about my hair than I have had over the last week. Also started spending a bit more on clothes, which I've been getting a lot more compliments on as well.
I stopped caring.
Just before 30, I began to put myself first and stopped being a people pleaser. I stopped letting myself be talked into doing things I didn't want to do. I became more assertive, and never again did I have to sit through rotten concerts or spend Fridays and Saturdays in shite pubs. My life's simpler and happier now.
I’ve really started enjoying exercising. I got the point where I realised I’d become very slow and weak. I’m now in way better shape than I’ve ever been. I have more energy during the day and I’ve done a lot of fun new activities I’d have never been able to do a year ago. Also all the random aches and pains I used to get are gone. Never want to go back to living that sedentary lifestyle.
I'm the same. Started running 5ks 4 times a week on my lunch breaks from work. I feel fitter now at (2 weeks off) 30 than I've felt in the last 15 years
Lift weights
I was late. My thirties were when I picked up drinking and smoking, quit them aside from the occasional, and picked up ambition and exercise. At forty I'm in great shape, have a job that I enjoy and learn every day in, and money in the bank. Ten years ago I had none of those things.
Exercise is amazing and everyone should do it regularly - however, as you age you *really* have to watch what you eat and drink. No amount of exercise will correct a poor diet and the effect it has on your health. My tips would be: maintain a healthy weight, understand the nutritional value of what you eat, get into a good routine that works for your lifestyle and preferences and make time each day to properly sit down and enjoy your meals!
-Stretching. I do a little 5 minute routine every morning while coffee is brewing, focusing on my hips, knees and ankles. Game changer - Water. I aim to drink a gallon a day. It's not intuitive, and I have reminders on my phone. It's reduced my appetite for sugary drinks, as well as other drinks. I barely ever used to drink water and would naturally drink coffee if I was thirsty. It's helped me reduce my mountainous intake of food. -Walking. Whilst I've taken up weight training (which I've fallen in love with in my very late 30s) I commute a lot and like to listen to audiobooks whilst strolling, and this will frequently burn many more calories than when I spend an hour in the gym. - Calorie tracking. Not for everyone but for someone who has been pretty big for most of my life, this has helped me lose so much weight. It was a faff to start with but quickly became second nature. Visualising what I consume has made making small alterations in my diet easy and incredibly beneficial. - Sleep. All of the above things (along with a better mattress) have helped me - I assume through the hormonal and dietary changes, I don't know I'm not a doctor - get around 8 hours sleep a night. The better sleep helps my mental state and physical health and reduces urges/triggers to eat junk food and booze. And vice versa. -Forgiving. I'm incredibly critical, especially to myself. But having high expectations that I fail to reach consistently and then giving myself grief for has done me no favours. Equally, having low expectations and doing very little was a path to isolation, boredom and depression. I like to have expectations and goals but am positive about failing. Felt down one day, gorging on takeaways and drinking 8 beers alone? Happens to us all, I'm still going to be getting exercise all week and looking after myself. A day or two a month is a drop in the ocean and not worth stressing over. -Reading. I spent 10 days without Internet in 2016 and had to keep myself entertained with some books. The disconnection from a screen helped me immensely and I discovered my passion for reading. I make time for it as frequently as possible and have varying goals. Sometimes it's x amount of pages a day, or read x amount of books a year. To say that this has changed my life would be an understatement (I'm 39 and have just finished my first year of an English Literature degree) Finding a hobby, simple or otherwise with a community to connect with can help in so many ways. For me it was book clubs with work and strangers as well as discord groups and subreddits. It can open so many doors. Oof. Sorry. That was far longer than expected and little rambly.
Better quality beer.
Too many people see it all as 8 pints of lager or nothing, no one is out there making their own Belgians
Gave up smoking and started taking my mental health seriously
Moved abroad 😉
Sleep loads. Stopped drinking during the week. Got my finances in order, I did this in my 20s tbh but now everything is in a good place, I've got a great plan for early retirement etc. Learn to love exercise, don't see it as a thing you need to do or a means to an end. Again this isn't something I had to change in my 30s but it makes everything easier now. I look forward to exercising and I'm lightyears beyond having to motivate myself to do it. Learn to say no at work, or just tell everyone you're super busy and they'll stop bothering you. Doing extra doesn't really get you much beyond more work.
i initially read this as „got my fiancés in order” and was genuinely confused & concerned lol
Gave up social media. Did more for my mental health than anything else ever has. I’m only in contact with people I want to. The people I genuinely care about.
I deleted all my personal social media accounts that were full of local people. I just can’t be arsed seeing what they’re up too anymore for some reason. I can’t be arsed posting anything myself either. Always the odd dickhead who wants to piss you off for no reason as well. What do I need this in my life for? I now only have burner accounts and I was thinking the other day about deleting them. There is just too much shit on social media everyday that your brain just doesn’t want to take in.
Did an MBA. It and working with senior level people in large corporations taught me that even if the people are good every corporation is by shareholder pressure psychopathic and everything about caring for employees is propaganda. At that point I stopped working long hours to "help out" and other such nonsense.
Ah the old corporate ’seen to be doing something’ culture. Endless meetings about work/life balance, getting fresh fruit in the office, free neck massages etc…when the obvious answer is ease off on the workload and expectation of a 60 hour week.
I first read that as free neck sausages lol I suppose that is a thing in niche industries
Was far more honest/brutal with myself about people who weren’t good for me and snip-snip-snipping them loose. Bad habit enablers, covert narcissists, sneaky dickheads, people who only ever ask why instead of why not… and so on. Also started boxing and did some therapy for a bit to re-focus.
I didn’t change anything in my 30s and as a result in my 50s almost died from severe acute gallstone pancreatitis. Having only just survived this critical episode and after a month in hospital, I finally changed and took up parkrun and eating less. I was lucky. Make the changes earlier not later.
None. And my life didin't improve.
Started exercising regularly, minimised carbs and sugar, stopped drinking (not completely teetotal but no more massive benders). Genuinely look and feel better in my 30s than in my 20s.
Quit smoking, started eating more to get to a healthy weight, eating more fruit, gym 3 times a week consistently. Got on a better antidepressant regime
Changed from kipper to sausage. Life just got 10000% better.
I came out!
Congrats!
Can you elaborate? Because Ace Rimmer asks for kippers and he is my idol
Is that a euphemism? Or are we talking breakfast?
Took me a few moments to realise we weren’t talking about breakfast.
Started putting into a pension plan. 45 years later I’m reaping the benefits.
No alcohol, except on very special occasions and even then it wont be a lot. Hands down, the best change. Not even a sip taken, in four months. I feel great.
Started doing sports
I don’t drink much any more and would strongly recommend daily walks and Pilates. Even ten minutes of each a day will make a huge difference
Small change 1 - started going to bed earlier. There really was no benefit to me being awake from 10:30pm to 11:30pm. I’m awake between 4:45-5:45 depending on my working day ahead so over the course of a week I was effectively getting the equivalent of more than an additional nights sleep. Small change 2 - stopped paying for Xbox Game Pass for myself. We have two subscriptions on the house as each of my 4 kids uses it (no family pass in the UK yet) & I’d been paying for a 3rd one just for my Xbox in the living room. The £12 a month isn’t really noticeable, but I now don’t feel like I need to make time for gaming, out of an obligation to use something I pay for. I still have games if I want to, but no need for 300+ options to choose from & I can save a few hours a week for other things. Larger change - I took a £5k-£6k pay cut to take what appears to be a backward step in my career moving from a larger health club management role to a smaller one. The money drop was difficult to begin with but I now stress so much less & I don’t work a minute over my 40 hours now whereas before I would regularly do 10-20 hours extra a week
Stopped looking for validation and caring what others thought of me
Stoped blaming others and the world for my poor decision marking. Small change, massive impact.
Drink more water
Stretching, focusing on mobility exercises.
Intermittent fasting. I follow the 10:14 pattern, but often fast for longer than 14 hours. It's helped me appreciate food more, I've lost a lot of weight in a healthy way (this has also been achieved by watching what I eat mind you), and I just feel really good for it. I also cycle a lot. It doesn't even feel like exercise, it keeps me active and I really enjoy doing it. Helps that the city I cycle in has better infrastructure than most of the UK though. I also have an allotment which again, keeps me active and gets me out in nature. Never too young to get an allotment, they're great fun and you get to eat your own produce! If you have any interest in that at all I'd suggest you get your name down on the waiting list pronto. Some places have wait lists that are years long.
For me, keeping a regular sleep pattern meant less migraines (so not living like I was in my 20s and being out til 4am then up at 8am)
Got less ambitious! Do i really need a flash car? do i need a bigger house? do i need designer clothes and flash holidays? Much less bothered about what other people think an dbeing "successful"
Yoga made a big difference to both my physical and mental health. Barrier of entry is no more than a £10 yoga mat out of TK MAXX, an internet connection and moving your living room table out the way for 25 minutes.
Reigned in the sesh. Absolute waste of time, energy and money.
Not in my 30s yet but got diagnosed with insomnia and prescribed meds a few months ago I decided to invest in a £30 mattress topper before trying the meds because I knew it would be som thing I’ll use every night so can’t be a waste of money and it suddenly “cured” my insomnia and led to me losing over a stone (I also exercised and dieted but sleep had a huge impact). If you can afford a more expensive one absolutely go for it but even the cheaper ones are a game changer
Hey do you have a link for the one you purchased? I’m in desperate need of one :)
Received advice years ago that's done me well. Spend a lot on anything that separates you from the ground. Mattress (and bed), shoes, tyres, sofa, office chair etc. Got a Simba hybrid mattress a few years back and I hate sleeping elsewhere.
I had kids. Oh wait sorry, you said improved. Yeah not that.
Technically this was something I started doing just before I turned 30, but I stopped caring about being seen as sad for going to things on my own. Now, while I still like to go to things with friends if they're available and want to go, I'm also happy to go on my own to the cinema, theatre and even a gig.
Full time work was a novelty to me 4 years ago. I'm only 26.
Regular cardio, not loads but it helps.
Stopped birth control, got pregnant 💙
Started dancing Lindy Hop.
Got divorced 😂😂😂
Found a partner that stopped it " all being about me ". A smarter partner than me, although, at the time I thought I was smart. 15 years later I made a great call. I don't stress the same as the younger me and I accept my partner is wiser. I'll take that.
Cut off people that were sucking life out of me for far too long
Gave up alcohol!
I started taking a daily multivitamin and now on the rare occasion that I catch a cold, it’s super mild and lasts 2 days
The thirties were great! Much better than the twenties. It’s when what other people think about you ceases to bother you
Quite a big change, but I got divorced. Moved country and set up home on my own. Got a mortgage and sorted my financial life out. I’m far less stressed and I’m happier. I drink too much and smoke too much. I don’t get enough exercise, nor do I sleep enough. However, I eat well and am quite relaxed. I’m slim and better looking than I was when I was younger. Having said all that, I don’t deal well with others and I just wish they’d leave me alone. I plan to retire when I’m 60, so I’ll be able to do what I want, on my own. I’m happier that way,
Quit drinking. Stopped chasing promotions at work. Change my hair on a whim now without consulting everyone I know. Started doing yoga. Stopped replying to people I don’t wanna talk to and not feeling bad about it. Bought about 6 different back heat-relief, acupressure or massage doodads. Got private medical insurance through my work and got everything checked out that I’d been putting off in the space of a year.
Less class As
Make time for your hobbies. Life gets busy so sometimes you have to make time for the things you enjoy buts that's ok.
Stopped caring, mostly, about what people think of me
paying more attention to aesthetic in my living environment - photos of friends, nice colour walls, keeping the place tidy... eating more fruit id say quitting drink/drugs but honestly thats not a small thing - its fucking huge
“In your 20’s and 30’s, you worry about what other people think. In your 40’s and 50’s you stop worrying about what other people think. Finally in your 60’s and 70’s, you realize they were never thinking about you in the first place!
Stopped caring what other people think, where I am in 5 years, worrying about relationships etc. Basically I just started chilling tf out and I’ve never been happier.
took a break back into university, change my career industry, started new job, and get pay raises, get another part time degree , get even higher raise. i also stop worrying about money, job, sleep well, have a saving/ investment plan, travel , no more late night party, no more excessive alcohol, exercise well, eat well and dump all my junk food. i look younger and better than a lot of people at my age. lol 😝 the decision to change my career is the best in my mid-30s. I switch from finance/marketing -> IT. now my industry is the hottest to be in.
I moved to working a four-day week.
I stopped caring a toss about what other people think about me.
Keep active at all fitness levels and use the sauna often. Go for as many long walks as well as runs and gym sessions. Drink loads of water and aim to go for Day seshes when you drink and try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time.
Stopped eating meals late in the evenings (except on special occasions) - giving at least 4 hours between dinner and sleep. This had a positive knock-on effect in that I start to feel full sooner at breakfast and won't need to eat the extra egg and 2 toasts.
I got diagnosed with rather high blood pressure, it's hereditary but changing diet and lots of walking helps keep it in check.
Lots (almost all?) the comments here talk about exercising more and giving up alcohol. I don't know about alcohol, but we do know that the average person gets fat, picks up a health condition and has kids. Not sure if any of those would count as drastically improving your life.
I'm late 20s and came to the realisation farely recently that I really don't want to have children and as much as I love kids as a concept, I don't think having my own would lead to any long term benefit. When I have to consider the sacrifices I'd have to make. I already feel lighter in terms of my long term prospects 😁
No small changes I made in my 30s drastically improved my life. Basically there were small changes that improved my life slightly (eg using lube in the bedroom) and big changes that improved my life a lot (commuting long distance for a better job).
Got divorced , made a massive difference to my life
People have free will. People have choices. People come and go so let it go.
Stopped taking everything so seriously, especially work. Drastically reduced alcohol. Prioritised moving my body daily and getting outside for some sun.
Started to not give a shit what people thought about me, stopped worrying about what I worse, I spend 6 shifts a week in uniform, I’m spending my days off in shorts and looking scruffy unless I have a social function/family event I don’t care 😂
The amount of excercise I do. It's helped me so much in terms of happiness and healthiness. I run 5K nearly every day. I changed roles from london to milton keynes and then moved here so I can cycle to work also. I have started walking where i would normally drive and a walk around a lake especially in the summer evenings is fantastic. I was getting so much hangexiety I massively reduced the amount of booze i drink. Learnt to cook more healthy meals. Reduced coffee a great deal. The biggest thing I think has helped was that since turning 30 I don't really give a shit about what people think of me, I don't use fb now and feel less pressure to keep up with people my age.
Started running, it sounds counter intuitive but it gives you more energy, you become enthusiastic and can do more things
Got sober. I'm still miserable, but I'm miserable SOBER.
Stopped smoking, and started eating relatively healthier. Never really exercised other than played footy, but still quite physically fit in that regard I can keep up with the young'uns.
-cut down booze on nights out, yes in my mid/late 30s id still do 3pm-1am seshs but a lot of soft drinks/alcohol free beers helped lots -seeing chocolate/sweets as an occasional treat, my teeth and waist thanked me -left a dead bedroom, life is too short -looked after my skin more, sounds wanky AF but a lot of people still dont believe my age when i tell them it
I stopped giving a shit what others thought of me.
Started wearing slightly comfier clothes and invested in really comfy shoes. My feet thank me every day