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Millennials nearing 40 are sharing their 21 biggest mistakes so everyone can learn from them

Great ideas for people of any age.

via Pexels

Millennials are now old enough to seriously reflect on life.

It seems like only yesterday a millennial was a college kid that baby boomers chided for being entitled and Gen Xers thought were way too sincere and needed to learn how to take a joke. Today, the oldest millennials, those born around 1980, have hit their 40s and have lived long enough to have some serious regrets.

They also have enough experience to take some pride in decisions that, in hindsight, were the right moves. The good news is that at 40 there is still plenty of time to learn from our successes and failures to set ourselves up for a great second half of life. These lessons are also valuable to the Gen Zers coming up who can avoid the pitfalls of the older generation.

A Reddit user who has since deleted their profile asked millennials nearing 40 “what were your biggest mistakes at this point in life?” and they received more than 2,200 responses. The biggest regrets these millennials have are being flippant about their health and not saving enough money when they were younger.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com



They also realized that the carefree days of youth are fleeting and impossible to get back. So they should have spent less time working and more time enjoying themselves. Many also lamented that they should have taken their education more seriously in their 20s so they have more opportunities now.

The responses to this thread are bittersweet. It's tough hearing people come to grips with their regrets but the realizations are also opportunities to grow. Hopefully, some younger people will read this thread and take the advice to heart.

Here are 21 of the most powerful responses to the question: “Millennials of Reddit now nearing your 40s, what were your biggest mistakes at this point in life?”

hearing, millennials, regrets, millennial lessons, millennial regrets, loud music, headphonesA big millennial regret is not taking care of their hearingImage via Canva

1. "Not taking care of my hearing, not even 35 and going deaf." — Kusanagi8811

2. "Not getting healthy earlier." — zombiearchivist

millennial advice, work life balance, regrets, millennial regrets, workMillennials wish they had learned about work/life balance soonerImage via Canva

3. "Staying too long at a job in my 20s, just because it was safe and easy. When I finally got the motivation to leave, ended up with an almost 50% pay boost." — Hrekires

4. "Thinking that I could and should put myself on the back burner for anything and anyone else." — lenalilly227

millennials, smoking, cigarettes, quitting smoking, millennial regrets, millennial adviceMillennials smoke less than previous generations but it's still a big regret for manyImage via Canva

5. "Smoking and not dealing with my shit the right way." — Allenrw3

6. "Pining after the wrong person." — runikepisteme

7. "I turned 40 this year and just started liking who I am. Why the fuck did it take 40 years for self acceptance?" — guscallee

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

8. "Take care of your fucking back. Lift with your knees. Sure it's rad when you grab a fridge by yourself and lift it in the back of a moving truck unaided, but one day that shit is going to have consequences that won't just magically go away by resting and "taking it easy" for a week." — GuyTallman

9. "I wish I spent more time with my dad while I had the chance." — CharlieChooper

10. "I'm 37. I absolutely could have taken better care of my body, but I'm in relatively good health. I'm starting to realize how important it is to maintain my health. I do also think I drank far too much in my 20 and early 30's. I'm trying to rectify that now, but it's hard. So that I guess." — dartastic

millennials, millennial regrets, millennial advice, indecision, life choices Indecision can be a bigger regret than making the wrong decisionImage via Canva

11. "I'm not sure if people have experienced the same but when I entered my 30s I became convinced I was rapidly running out of time. Rather than using that as motivation I let it paralyze me with indecision because I "couldn't afford to make the wrong choice." Consequently, I'm now 39 and, though I've had great things happen in my 30s, I regret spending so much time worrying and so little time committing to a course of action." — tomwaste

12. "Work to live, don’t live to work. You have half your working life after you turn 40 but only 20-25 years to really live it up before the responsibilities become heavy and your joints start to ache. Live life. Really LIVE it. Experience as much you can. Every sensation, sight, sound, touch. Be open. Be brave. Live your first few decades in the fast lane. You have the rest of your life to take it easy, when you have no choice." — MrDundee666

How To Save $10,000 FASTwww.youtube.com

13. "I should have paid more attention to my parents telling me to save money and less attention when they were teaching me about purity culture." — Arkie_MTB

14. "If I could tell my 18 year old self one thing, it would be to save 10% of every paycheck I ever got." — PutAForkInHim

15. "Thinking that I have time to do everything I want only to find myself loosing time, and the endless energy I used to have in order to purse them." — ezZiioFTW

sunscreen, skin cancer, millennials, millennial regrets, millennial adviceMillennials were the first generation to really adopt wearing sunscreenImage via Canva

16. "Not wearing sunscreen." — blueboxreddress

17. "Not recognizing the importance of work/life balance earlier in life. My late teens, all 20's, and early 30's were spent pulling 60-100+hr weeks because I thought it was what was required to succeed. How wrong I was. Others stabbed me in the back and reaped the reward.1.) Putting work first for too long. Work is my #1 priority during work hours now. After quitting time, I don't think about it (much) anymore. I don't vent to my wife or friends about it anymore either.2.) Investing more into fast cars than solid long-term investments. Sure, it was fun, but I could have made bookoos more had I put that towards less-fun investments.3.) Not using PTO and just waiting for the payout. All those years, missed. I'm in my mid 30's and I didn't actually have a real vacation until 3 years ago.4.) Not realizing that "the good guy" often loses. Just because you're morally justified doesn't mean you're going to win. Just because there's a number to call doesn't mean anyone will actually help you. Just because "law" exists, doesn't mean people follow it, enforce it, or create justice. The world is dog eat dog and cynicism can be healthy in moderate doses."

18. "When you get out of college, keep your friends. No matter how hard it is. Hold on to them." — mpssss22

19. "I imagine these are kinda universal: Not getting fit and healthyAssuming I'd be offered proper guidance on how to achieve my goalsAssuming higher education would help me achieve my goalsSpending far too long caring what people thinkNot taking risks that might better my life when I was younger and had nothing to loseStaying in relationships too long after they were clearly done." — katapultperson

millennials, finance, fair pay, salary, millennial advice, financial advice, millennial regretsLearning to ask for fair pay was a big challenge for most Millennials Image via Canva

20. "Always ask for more pay. Starting, yearly, before leaving, whatever. Get that money." — SensibleReply


21. "Spending too much time in front of a screen and not enough enjoying life." — BellaPadella


This article originally appeared three years ago.

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These beautiful, haunting photos show how we might eat in the future.

Imagine you've been invited to a dinner party in the near future.

The place is a small home along the New England coastline. Not too many years have passed since today, but the world is noticeably different. The Earth is warmer. Sea levels have risen. Ecosystems have changed and society — and the way society feeds itself — has changed with them.

"Flooded" is a project by artist Allie Wist, with photographer Heami Lee, food stylist C.C. Buckley, and prop stylist Rebecca Bartoshesy. As part of the collection, the team combined predictions, scientific research, and art to create a near-future dinner.

This hypothetical dinner party might start with an appetizer: oysters with slippers.

‌All photos from Allie Wist, Heami Lee, C.C. Buckley, and Rebecca Bartoshesky.‌

The hosts might dip into the kitchen for soup — mollusks in a broth with mustard greens — and a seaweed and sea kale caesar salad.

Mollusks, which are a relatively easy and sustainable form of protein, might make up a much greater portion of our diet.

Then comes the main course:

‌

Burdock and dandelion root hummus with sunchoke chips...

...hen of the woods mushrooms...

...and jellyfish salad, dressed with mustard, chili, and pickled cucumbers.

It might be uncommon in the current American diet, but jellyfish, cut thin, tastes and feels a bit like noodles.

Throughout, there'd be wine — though not from the vineyards you're familiar with now — and desalinated water.

‌Two bowls, a stone, and plastic wrap placed in the sun is a simple way to desalinate ocean water.

As the world has become warmer, vineyards will either move north or grow different varietals.

Dessert would be a simple carob agar-agar pudding.

Agar-agar is a gelatin made from algae.

While the futuristic images of "Flooded" might seem dreamlike, there's a serious undertone to this project.

None of these dishes is preposterous. Jellyfish and seaweed are common ingredients in Asian cuisine, for instance, and while they may be a departure from our current mainstays, this is what adaptation could look like.

Red meat and large fish might be rare. Environmentally sensitive crops, like chocolate, might be replaced with hardier fare like carob. A focus on sustainable or restorative agriculture would see more clams, oysters, and seaweed on our tables.

And while certain changes to our diet would be out of our control, that doesn't mean "Flooded" is meant to be gloomy.

“It’s also about our ability to adapt and be creative," says Wist. It's an opportunity to imagine enthusiastic, proactive, and purposeful changes as well.

“Eating seaweed isn’t as terrible as someone might think," says Wist.

The story of how we eat is, in a large way, the story of who we are.

"Eating engages all of our senses, not to mention our memories, our culture, and our identity," says Wist. "We all eat every day, and the fact that it's a part of our daily lives makes us relate to it in a more personal way."

The futuristic dinner party in "Flooded" is only one piece of a larger project, which also includes location photography, writing, and recipes. More information and photos can be found on Allie Wist, Heami Lee, C. C. Buckley, and Rebecca Bartoshesky's websites.

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16 reasons beans may be the food of the future.

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Gates Foundation: The Story of Food

Let's get one thing straight here: Beans may get a bad rap, but they're fantastic.

It's not uncommon to hear people say negative things about beans. "They don't give you enough protein! They're gross! They make you fart!" But don't let those naysayers get to you. There are two big things these folks are missing.

This kid is not excited about his beans. Don't be like this kid. Image via iStock.

The first is that the word "bean" doesn't refer to a single food so much as an entire category. A "bean" is simply a large seed from the plant family Fabaceae. "Beans" don't just include black beans or green beans, but also lentils, soybeans, chickpeas, and even peanuts. Yes, peanuts are beans!

The second thing to remember about beans is that they're criticalto global food security, especially in the face of climate change. As our global population continues to expand, it's so important to have a supply of crops that can survive a variety of growing conditions.

A farmer in El Salvador holds beans. Image via Marvin Recinos/AFP/Getty Images.

With those things in mind, let's get to it.

What's all the bean fuss about? Here are 16 reasons why beans are great:

1. Beans are inexpensive.

A can of black beans at most grocery stores in the U.S. will cost you less than a dollar. Even if you're pretty hungry, that's two servings at 50 cents each, tops. Still out of your budget? Opt for dry beans — they're even cheaper.

2. They're high in fiber.

A single cup of boiled lima beans has 13.2 grams of fiber. If you're an adult woman, that's more than half your recommended daily fiber.

3. And they're low in fat.

We all need some fat in our diet to stay healthy, but scientists generally agree that foods naturally low in fat are good for you.

Beans make burritos excellent. Image via iStock.

4. Beans don't require much water to grow.

The production of one gram of bean protein uses about five gallons of water. In contrast, one gram of a starch protein (like rice) uses eight gallons of water, and one gram of beef protein uses 40 gallons of water. This can help farmers preserve water and can protect crops during a drought. Speaking of droughts...

5. Beans can be drought-resistant.

Scientists have recently developed strains of beans that mature faster and use even less water than typical bean crops (qualities that make them more resistant to drought). These strains are already in use in Uganda.

6. They can be heat-resistant, too.

20 years ago, a scientist in Colombia cross-bred the common bean with the tepary bean, which is much more tolerant of heat. Most common beans don't do well in temperatures that stay above 66 degrees, but the heat-resistant hybrid beans thrive. This means that as global temperatures rise, areas where beans can still grow won't shrink as drastically — in fact, bean-viable areas could even expand.

Green bean harvest. Image via iStock.

7. Beans are versatile.

Refried beans, hummus, lentil dumplings, bean burgers, bean brownies, chili, fudge, salsa, lentil soup, samosas, lentil sprouts, doughnuts, bean dip ... you get the idea.

8. And they're delicious.

Don't like hummus or green beans? See above. There's a type of bean dish out there for everyone.

9. Beans are high in iron.

A cup of boiled lentils has about 6.6 mg of iron — about a third of the recommended daily intake for an adult woman. Iron transports oxygen around the body.

10. They're good for your heart.

Remember all that fiber beans have? And all that fat they don't have? Scientists say these qualities help reduce cholesterol and lower your risk of heart disease.

Beans and rice — a classic. Image via iStock.

11. And they're good for your digestion.

Another benefit to high-fiber foods: They "move you" and can help relieve constipation. Hey, that's not a bad thing!

12. Beans are even the subject of rhymes.

Beans, beans, they're good for your heart. The more you eat, the more you fart. The more you fart, the better you feel. So eat your beans with every meal!

13. They are high in zinc.

A single serving (2 tablespoons) of store-bought hummus has 0.55 mg of zinc. Come on, who doesn't love hummus? That's almost 7% of the daily recommended zinc for an adult woman. 7% from a couple spoonfuls of hummus!

Soybeans growing in Germany. Image via Daniel Roland/AFP/Getty Images.

14. Beans have a lot of protein.

A cup of canned black beans? 16 grams of protein. People who don't get enough protein risk a form of malnutrition called kwashiorkor, which is all too common in developing countries. Having access to inexpensive, protein-rich foods is a huge deal for people facing a limited food supply.

15. They're great nitrogen fixers.

More accurately, the bacteria that live on the roots of beans are great nitrogen fixers. This improves the quality of the soil and helps other plants thrive, even long after the beans are gone.

16. They come in many strains.

International seed gene banks hold about 40,000 bean varieties. This variability is a huge deal in a changing climate. Need a bean that tolerates a certain type of soil? A certain temperature or rain level? You've already got hundreds of strains to choose from, and conventional breeding allows scientists to combine and manipulate those traits.

Beans are a big deal for food security.

Let's recap: They're high in protein, they have a multitude of other health benefits, they can survive heat and drought while improving soil quality for future crops, and they're pretty inexpensive.

Sure, beans aren't going to solve the global food crisis on their own. But they're definitely going to be an important crop in the years — and growing conditions — to come. So next time you hear someone being negative about beans, you've got 16 new facts to choose from to change their mind.

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