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People in their 40s share the best life advice that they wish they had known in their 30s

"Trying to maintain friendships with people that are on separate paths is difficult."

Image via Canva

People in their 40s share life advice with people in their 30s.

Wisdom is accrued with years lived. Every generation has advice to pass down, and people in their 40s have a lot of life advice to share with those a decade behind them in age.

In an online forum, this question was posed to people in their 40s, asking, "For those in their 40s, what's something people in their 30s don’t realize will impact them as they get older?"

People in their 40s generously shared their best life advice and aging tips with those in their 30s. These are 16 of their most impactful pieces of wisdom on getting older.

old, getting old, aging, getting older, oldAging Jamie Lee Curtis GIFGiphy

"You wish you’d been more prepared for your family and friends to start dying or getting sick." —@G-base

"How well you took care of your teeth." —@aggieraisin

"Open a Roth IRA. Start small, but don't stop and don't take anything out. I didn't have a decent paying job until I was 39 years old. It's never to old to start saving. I did it and am now retired comfortably." —@FritzTheCat_1

stretch, stretching, stretch routine, stretching routine, doing stretchingGym Stretch GIF by Chance The RapperGiphy

"Stretching." —@SillyDistractions

"For those in their 30s, you need to know this. 40 is not old. Neither is 50." —@Mattynice75

"Posture." —@Prior-Force1068

"Your friendships will shift if you grow and change as a person." —@theprostateprophet

friends, friendship, changing friendships, relationships, friendTv Show No GIF by HelloGigglesGiphy

"It was around 40 that I started to realize that most people you meet are in your life for only a certain period of time, and even though it sucks, it’s actually normal. When I moved to a new city at 30, I had a pretty nice new group of friends. Now that I’m 40, I rarely talk to any of them. But they were perfect for that particular period in time. I think the same thing will continue to happen in your 40s, 50s, etc. Perhaps some will become lifelong friends, but the majority will just be rentals." —@_Toaster_Baths

"Find a life partner. Stop being part of toxic relationships. You are not going to fix anyone. Don't waste time with someone who can't be a good life partner. It's time to grow up and understand that if you are having serious relationship problems, it's because you are with the wrong person and you need to find the right person, not try to fix the relationship." —@RonGoBongo111

"Your childhood traumas." —@Skydreamer6

do it, just do it, motivation, dont wait, take a riskjust do it GIFGiphy

"There are no grownups, and there is no someday. Do it now, or stop saying you will 'eventually'; and stop waiting for the answers to come. Sometimes you need to gamble." —@Bitter_Pilot5086

"When I asked my mom what really changes after forty, she gave it to me straight — no sugarcoating. There’s no magical transformation. Things that used to work quietly start creaking. Fatigue becomes a background noise that doesn’t go away with one good night’s sleep. She said that in your thirties, it feels like you’ve got endless energy, plenty of time, and unshakable health. But then you realize — one bad night’s sleep can ruin your whole day. Your back isn’t 'just sore,' it’s 'this is how it is now.' And everything that once felt automatic — stamina, resilience, even friendship — starts to require intention, care, and effort. The hardest part? You start to feel that 'everything’s ahead' doesn’t quite apply anymore. Some things are already behind you, and you have to learn to let go. Not cling to the past, not drag it with you. Because if you do, you’ll miss how strange and beautiful the now can actually be. And most importantly, she said — stop postponing things. Love, change, taking care of yourself. 'Later' isn’t a guaranteed destination." —@Inevitable-Rice-702

"I think this goes well for any age in all honesty; it is never too late! You are never too young, if you love something and have a passion for it do it! If you love someone , love them so hard! Most importantly be you, I know a lot of people my age (46) who also have come out it’s never too late to live and love fully you will never regret following your heart!" —@UnknownUser

go for it, never too late, soar, never too old, get after itInspire Follow Your Dreams GIF by Positive ProgrammingGiphy

"Wasting time. On jobs, on money, on looks. Instead of living free, focusing on being present, and spending quality time with their family." —@Shiasugar

"Deepen your close friendships now. You’ll see them less as time goes by, but their presence is equally as important." —@Single-Major2055

"I'm bit more mature now so i don't judge people on appearances or face value. Trust is a valuable commodity don't give it loosely. Let people earn it." —@saransh000

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Health

Hospice nurse shares one comforting sign that someone is going to die within 4 weeks

'Visioning' is often a great comfort to people who may be scared of death.

via Canva Photos

A nurse explains how 'visioning' 3-4 weeks before death works.

Death is the final mystery that we all must face and it’s natural to be scared about going through the process. Experts say a few things can help, including using our fear to live a purposeful life and even making jokes, or using 'gallows humor'. One bit of good news is that we tend to get a little bit less afraid of death as we age. But in general, it helps to not shy away from death completely. Learning and talking about it is actually a good thing.

A new video by a hospice nurse shows an excellent reason for people to feel comfortable facing the unknown. Julie McFadden posts videos helping to demystify the dying process and bring comfort to people with a loved one in hospice care, or who may be dying themselves. Her profile reads, "Helping understand death to live better and die better." McFadden is also the author of the bestselling book, “Nothing to Fear.”

Hospice Nurse Julie has earned over half a million subscribers and has witnessed over a hundred deaths. In a recent video, she reveals that people are often comforted by friends and relatives who have passed away in their final days.

She says that when people begin experiencing these visions, it’s a sign that they will be passing away within a few weeks.

"Here's one sign that someone is close to death that most people don't believe happens,” Julie begins the video.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

"Usually a few weeks to a month before someone dies, if they're on hospice, they will start seeing dead loved ones, dead relatives, dead pets. This happens so often that we actually put it in our educational packets that we give to patients and their families when they come on hospice so they aren't surprised or scared when it happens,” she continues.

The experience is called visioning; although no one knows how or why it happens, it’s common among all her patients.

"We don't know why it happens, but we see it in definitely more than half of our patients," she continues.

People often believe that the visions are caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. However, Julie says that isn’t true. “Because when it does happen, most people are alert and oriented and are at least a month from death, so they don't have low oxygen," she said.

The good news is that the visioning experience is almost always comforting for those who are nearing the end.


death, dying, hospice, fear of dying, hospice nurse, mortality, aging, seniors, spirituality, visionsDying patients may be visited 3-4 weeks before death by loved ones, deceased spouses, or even dead pets. Photo by Anirudh on Unsplash

It often involves relatives who 'come from the other side' to let them know everything will be okay and encourage them to let go and pass away. People also experience being taken on journeys with loved ones or having sensory experiences from the past, such as smelling their grandmother's perfume or father’s cigar.

These visitors can also appear several at a time. Patients might report the room feeling 'crowded' like they are being joined by many people at once. It's possible they may be visited by 'spirits' or people they don't know, though that's less common.

Christopher Kerr, a CEO of Hospice & Palliative Care, an organization that provides palliative care in Buffalo, New York, says that the relatives that often appear in these visions are people who protected and comforted the dying parent when they were alive. So, they may see a parent who nurtured them but not one they feared.

Kerr has extensively studied the mysterious phenomena that happen when people die but has no real explanation for why the visioning experience happens. “I have witnessed cases where what I was seeing was so profound, and the meaning for the patient was so clear and precise, that I almost felt like an intruder,” he told BBC Brazil. “And trying to decipher the etiology, the cause, seemed futile. I concluded that it was simply important to have reverence, that the fact that I could not explain the origin and process did not invalidate the experience for the patient.”

In a more in-depth video, Hospice Nurse Julie shares a real video of a dying woman experience visioning. It's extremely powerful:

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Again, experts agree that once your loved one begins experiencing these visions, it's likely that they will pass on in the next 3-4 weeks. Remember that they are not a symptom to be treated or a concern to be addressed, as long as they aren't causing distress. They are simply a comforting sign of things to come.

It's comforting to know that for many, the final days of life may not be filled with pain and fear but instead with a sense of peace and joy. While we may never fully understand the reasons behind these mysterious visions, if they bring calm during such a daunting time, we can simply be grateful for their presence. They’re kind of like life, in general. In the end, we may not really know what it was all about, but we can be happy that it happened.

This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

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A 79-year-old former athlete is documenting his journey to dunk again

Coolest grandpa ever.

Canva Photos

A man who hasn't dunked a basketball in several decades wants to see if he can still do it.

When you think of a person in their late 70s and the things they can do to stay active, you probably imagine things like walking, aqua fitness classes, or using light dumbbells or resistance bands. Easy stuff, right? The most important thing is to not push it too hard and end up getting injuries. At that age, many people are prone to falls and their bones are more brittle—which puts them at great risk of broken bones and other serious damage.

One of the highest impact and most intensive forms of exercise a person can do? Jumping. Even a lot of younger people don't like to do it too much because it's so hard on the knees and other joints. But the benefits for bone density, balance, coordination, and overall physical health are incredible, making it such a catch-22 activity for older seniors.

A 79-year-old recently decided he wanted to try to dunk a basketball. Even better, he's documenting the whole thing on YouTube.


basketball, dunk, seniors, exercise, senior citizens, older adults, aging, longevityCharlie Gross in six months.Giphy

Charlie Gross retired in 2013. He's a husband and grandfather who's always managed to stay fit. Back in his day, he was quite the athlete. "I would say for a 79-year-old I'm physically active and mentally in pretty good shape," he says.

Gross says the last time he was able to dunk a basketball on a regulation hoop, he was around 30. He remembers a volleyball game in the early '80s where he grabbed the volleyball and was able to dunk it. That was the last time he pulled it off successfully.

Gross works and volunteers as a gym teacher for homeschool students and was inspired by a vertical leap test he did with his class. He measured his vertical leap at 11 inches, which he calls "embarrassing"—the average vertical leap for most men is somewhere around 16-20 inches, but those numbers are typically for people much younger. An 11-inch vert at almost 80 years old is already impressive! Gross was teaching and training some of his students to increase their vertical leap, and he got the idea to see if any of the tips would work for him.

"Just seemed like kind of an interesting challenge to take on," he noted. And so be began his journey. He enlisted the help of his grandson, Zach, to create a mini "documentary" for YouTube.

For reference, Gross is 5' 10". He's in generally good physical health but, like anyone his age, he's been through some challenges including a partially torn rotator cuff and a bout with prostate cancer. Dunking a basketball is an enormous challenge, but Gross is up for it.

Toward the end of the first video, he runs a test to establish his baseline. With a light jogging start and after a couple of attempts, Gross can replicate his 11-inch vertical in real-world conditions.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

In a follow-up video about two weeks later, the progress is remarkable.

Gross recounts his workout routine, which consisted of squats, standing jumps, weighted jumps with dumbbells, calf stretches, toe raises, farmers walks, and more. He's super cognizant of not pushing too hard and hurting himself. Gross is well aware that his age makes him an injury risk if he works out too strenuously or engages in too much high-impact training.

Another real-world test out in the driveway basketball court clocked Gross at about a 13-inch vertical. The update finishes up with Gross attempting to dunk on an eight-foot rim.

He's well on his way! Though the task remains daunting.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Gross posted his first video just two weeks ago as of this writing, and today he already has nearly 15,0000 subscribers and over 300,000 total views on his two updates. Commenters can't get enough and are so excited to root for him on his journey:

"What a LEGEND!!! So inspirational."

"The fact that you're 79 and you still have this lively and joyful mindset, and that your body is in remarkably good condition is just awesome. Kudos to you and good luck sir!"

"Yeah this man is who everyone should aspire to be like when they are older. Physically and mentally active at 79 is no easy feat. Kudos!"

"I DO NOT CARE WHETHER YOU SUCCEED OR FAIL...YOU ARE ALREADY A LEGEND FOR THIS!"

The physical benefits for people Gross' age when it comes to staying active are obvious. Regular movement and exercise can do wonders for your longevity, especially in your later years, and also improve your quality of life. He's 79 and so full of life he honestly seems decades younger. But the best thing we can take from Gross' example is his willingness to try something new and set a challenging goal for himself.

According to Pacific Angels Home Care, "In some regards, goal setting is especially important for seniors. It gives seniors control over their lives and allows them to reflect on what is important to them and what interests them. They can determine what will motivate them and give them purpose." The mental boost from working to achieve a goal helps fight off the depression that's so common in seniors. And besides, trying new things and challenging ourselves is a crucial part of being alive.

In one of his videos, Gross quotes Spock from Star Trek: "Live long and prosper," he says. I'd say, whether he ends up dunking or not, he's definitely prospering already!

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Celebrity

Paul Rudd recreated his Nintendo commercial from 1991 and fans have gone utterly wild

"Paul Rudd, sold separately."

Nintendo of America/YouTube

Paul Rudd recreating his first commercial from 1991.

It's official. 56-year-old Paul Rudd has a superpower, and that is he simply does not age. Either that, or he's some sort of adorable vampire who chose the age of 30 and held on for dear life. The internet got reminded of his agelessness again when Nintendo uploaded both Rudd's new spot for Nintendo Switch 2 and the original 1991 Super Nintendo Gaming System commercial, which starred Rudd when he was just 22.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

This was Paul's first time on television, followed shortly by two mid-90s TV jobs, which led up to his 1995 film breakthrough as the "super cute brother" in Clueless.

On Polygon.com, Ian Walker writes that in the original commercial, Paul plays "games like F-Zero and a then-unnamed The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past." Paul is clad in a wooden necklace dangling over a faded red T-shirt, covered by some kind of long blazer,/duster regrettably popular in the decade. It appears that maybe stylists tried to make his hair a bit flowy, à la a '90s grunge singer, powered by an electric windstorm.

In the commercial, Paul walks up to a big drive-in movie screen, while the late British actor Tony Jay's deep, stoic voice narrates: "When you decide to step up to this kind of power, this kind of challenge, this kind of flying, crashing, feeling. When you decide to get serious – there's only one place to come." Paul's baby-faced grin occasionally becomes awe-struck as he grips the controller like he's saving its life.

Now, 34 years later, he's back for the Switch 2 spot, entitled "Now You're Playing Together." And he's still wearing that long duster, which looks like it came straight out of an Ann Taylor Loft sales rack. (He's also still wearing the red shirt and beautifully awful necklace.) This time, it's Rudd himself narrating the commercial, looking equally enthusiastic.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Only now, it's from the comfort of a home with others like comedians Joe Lo Truglio, Jordan Carlos, and a child who refers to him as Uncle Paul heckling him through the game-chat while they play Mario Kart World. Walker points out that it's a "wonderful side-by-side look at how differently video games are marketed in the 2020s compared to the 1990s."

Rudd told People Magazine how much he loved the re-creation. "Joe's one of my closest friends, so playing Switch 2 with him wouldn't be that different in real life. And Evan Goldberg (often Seth Rogen's producing partner) directed the ad, who I've known a long time."

Paul Rudd, Clueless, movies, 90sPaul Rudd GIFGiphy

There are already millions of views for the commercials and thousands of YouTube comments. One person writes, "The self-awareness of this was fun. The fog machine blowing cheaply with the fan? That was just nice. Not just redoing it, but doin' it tongue in cheek. Great job!"

Another jokes, "It only took Paul Rudd 34 years to get a speaking line in a Nintendo commercial." And perhaps this one takes the cake: "Paul Rudd, sold separately."

But it's Reddit who really delivers the fandom. In the subreddit r/gaming, one person exclaims, "Damn, that's how you do a nostalgia reference." A few people have notes on the price and/or quality of the interface. This person would like a word with the location scout: "DAMN... they should have done it in a drive-in movies setting again. Still... it's awesome they got him to do it though."

And in homage to an inside joke with Conan O'Brien, many Redditors pretend to post a link to the original commercial, only to actually link to this gem. (I fell for the trick every single time.)

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

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