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Original poster

What do you wish you could warn younger you about?

131 replies

OneUmberJoker · 12/12/2025 17:42

Inheritance tax

OP posts:
Checknotmymate · 12/12/2025 19:07

Don't bother trying at school. The pay gap means it'll be a waste of time and you'll have to stop your career by 30 or you will be cast as a soulless witch for attempting to pursue the career you were told to work towards whilst neglecting your children by leaving them with 'heartless strangers' in wraparound.

Just style your hair nicely and smile.

easytoremember · 12/12/2025 19:05

Not flossing. The dentist is bloody expensive, and by the time they can fit you in for a filling, you'll probably need root canal.

taxguru · 12/12/2025 19:04

Not wasting time on crap people, whether boyfriends or friends generally. Not ignoring the bright flashing warning signs over "dodgy" people. Having the self confidence to respect myself. I wasted far too much time and headspace on wasters and selfish "takers". Looking back, I should have trusted my instincts and not got involved with several people, but I was naive/stupid enough to give people the benefit of the doubt and every sodding time I did it, it came back to bite me on the bum. My big wish would be warning myself not to ignore my instincts about other people.

Songlines · 12/12/2025 19:02

scalt · 12/12/2025 18:54

That you don’t have to be a people pleaser. I wish I’d known this as a teenager and young adult.

This

Muffsies · 12/12/2025 19:02

Sometimes when you're nice to a man he will deliberately misconstrue it as a "come-on" and behave like an utter creep towards you, then you're left shocked and feeling guilty like it was your fault for "encoraging him".. but yet you are always being told to be nice and smile, etc.

Fuck that. I wish I could go back in time to 14 year old me and warn about that utter bullshit.

jackadoo1 · 12/12/2025 19:01

Know your self worth and don’t worry what others think.

Dweetfidilove · 12/12/2025 19:00

Fun and frolicking in my twenties was good, but there can be balance. I should've taken the advice to by a property, as after a certain point, time just flies away from you.

pforpig · 12/12/2025 19:00

Time goes fast and you cannot wait for something to fall out of the sky or for a sign. Just do it. Those people doing it aren’t better than you or cleverer they just don’t have the crippling anxiety that you do. Keep on trying and trying and don’t stop.

nonevernotever · 12/12/2025 18:59

Exercise - it will make you feel better. Diet - your eating problems are partly the result of childhood emotional issues, but you absolutely can tackle it. Changes in your breast shape need to be checked out when you notice them, even if you can't feel a lump.

DarkEyedSailor · 12/12/2025 18:57

The much older man.

Stillreadingalot · 12/12/2025 18:56

Start contributing to a pension as soon as you can.

ComfortFoodCafe · 12/12/2025 18:56

In laws. Don’t get involved with them & save yourself two decades of stress only to go no contact with them at the end of it!

Redhairandhottubs · 12/12/2025 18:55

ChristmasinBrighton · 12/12/2025 18:15

Men

This!

scalt · 12/12/2025 18:54

That you don’t have to be a people pleaser. I wish I’d known this as a teenager and young adult.

TomatoSandwiches · 12/12/2025 18:54

To center myself, take up every genuine helping hand, it's not a weakness to have help, you have shit genes unfortunately, you look fine but your health quickly goes down hill at quite a young age, better to prevent than remedy.

Don't be afraid to love and lose people.

Wowzel · 12/12/2025 18:51

Stay away from unattractive older men!

Thepeopleversuswork · 12/12/2025 18:50

Marriage. Usually a waste of time (unless you want/need not to work)

Wasting time and emotional energy on men who aren’t good enough. They’re a focus sponge

Alcohol. So many of my contemporaries have suffered health issues as a result of heavy drinking when young.

Not believing in yourself. The world will knock your confidence if it can. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will.

Sometimessmiling · 12/12/2025 18:49

To learn to say no, to stand up for myself. Put myself 1st

WhosMadeline · 12/12/2025 18:48

Sun damage to my face. Wear sunscreen.

FieldInWhichFucksAreGrownIsBarren · 12/12/2025 18:44

ChristmasinBrighton · 12/12/2025 18:15

Men

Came on to say just this.
Men, avoid or at least don't tie yourself to one.

LargeJugs · 12/12/2025 18:43

Narcissistic pigs

PortSalutPlease · 12/12/2025 18:42

It’s ok to feel that marriage and children isn’t for you. You don’t have to do it.

Buy a property as early as you can, don’t wait!

Changingplace · 12/12/2025 18:38

Sign up for that final salary pension, just do it.

Don’t get into debt.

Get a deed or trust, or better still, get out while you can and don’t marry him.

LifeBeginsToday · 12/12/2025 18:35

That I'm not broken, I'm autistic. That I will find out in my early 30s and by 40 I will love myself and not try to fit in to a world I was never meant for.

Anotherdayattheforum · 12/12/2025 18:18

Don’t settle or compromise for fear of being single. Still single. 😵‍💫