Things it took you far to long to work out (or admit)

You really should keep trying to do it standing up, it's fantastic to keep your balance as you age.

That the diet that works for most people during the menopause doesn't really work for me because cutting out bread and cereals is pretty pointless when your a poor celiac who doesn't eat bread or cereals or breakfast or lunch for the most part 🤔

That the joint pain, weird symptoms, constant tiredness and endless UTIs were because I was chock full of oxalates.

Once dumped and with an awareness of oxalate in food, my life has improved by magnitudes.

That it's fine to say no to stuff you don't want to do, just because you think you should.

That exDP who is an alcoholic will never stop drinking, despite the promises, apologies, declarations of turning his life around.

Would have saved me alot of tears and trauma had I known sooner that drink is (and always will be) his first love.

Very sad all around.

Same!

Parents don't always love their children, no matter how much they declare that they do.

That fasting plus massively reducing white bread and pasta in exchange for complex carbs was the only way to shift weight after 40 without loads of exercise and more importantly to help increase my energy levels. Increased protein too.

And self care. Not feeling guilty about putting myself first sometimes.

It took me waaay too long to work out that romantic relationships are hugely overrated and can only make you happy for a short time. And that most (not all men) are a bit shit and in most instances you are better off on your own.

I could have saved myself a huge amount of pain and time if I had known this in my 20s and 30s. And achieved a lot more.

Just recently found out that your inner lips (labia minora) appear in puberty, and then just disappear during menopause.

And it's true. I checked!

That it's ok to be single!

You don’t have to make friends with everyone. Quiet courtesy is fine.

Stand up for yourself firmly the very first time someone steps over the line. They’ll pretend you overreacted & you might feel embarrassed doing it but they’ll know not to do it again & it will go a long way to preventing a long term bullying situation,

The only people who really matter are your children.

That elders aren't always betters and they don't automatically deserve respect. That actually, I don't owe my employer more than a fair day's work for a fair day's pay. That the reason I've never fitted in is because I was brought up not to.

That Vyvyan from the Young ones was played by Ade Edmunson. Like in the past couple of months I realised. The head piercings and ginger hair just camouflaged it for me.

Rather than learning how to bake, I should have focussed on main meals first. You can't survive on cake! Takes me so long to plan and then cook for the family.

I've only just realised at 50 that working hard doesn't always pay, and it's ok to take your foot off the gas and relax.

Darn those "you can have it all" advocates I took it literally and now I'm very tired!

This is such a good one. Why does it take us so long to learn this. And even then to still do it. I think for me the key point is most people don't actually want it. I still do it and want to zip my mouth up.

I have seen a lot of assholes get their comeuppance though in the end so maybe karma does exist, I like to think it does but really I just think these particular assholes took their behaviour a step to far and caused their own downfall 😂

That I would eventually regret being so heavily tattooed. I was 18 and thought I'd be a punk rocker forever. I was only in my early 20s when the moment of regret hit me all at once, it still took me a while to even properly admit it to myself, nevermind out loud.

I've learnt to live with them and don't really "see" them anymore but I know people meeting me for the first time definitely see them!

My mum was right!

Same! It's all downhill now.

Job interviews are not deliberately designed to make you feel as terrified and useless as possible, and interviewers are not setting you up to fail and desperate to catch you out. They want you to be good; they need to fill the role! It seems so obvious when you think about it properly, but every bit of careers advice at school made the process sound like something from The Hunger Games.

Karma doesn’t exist. The universe is not going to punish the shitty people out there for us; it’s just something people convince themselves is real because the alternative is miserable. The reality is that vile people often do well in life and lovely people end up being crapped on from a great height.

That my mother is often right (sigh!)
IME at least, there is often a reason for a particular friendship. Try and identify that reason and then work out if that is worth it. For example, I can be friends with some people who create drama wherever they go provided I keep them at arms length and observe rather than become personally involved in the drama.

That it’s ok to end friendships ( even long term ones) if you are no longer happy in their company or if they become toxic

Also, standing up to bullies is actually easy enough after you have done it the first time and bullies are usually very weak people underneath

Be a shepherd not a sheep and haa as be a mind of your own, just because everyone else is doing it, Dosen’t mean it is right

That tubes with the little foil tops (like bonjella) have a pointy bits in the lid to pierce it.

I spent 40 years sticking scissors or my pen knife in them. Oops

I can relate regarding the spelling issue, it’s slightly concerning, I think it’s probably an age thing but maybe not, I’m 49