What do you regret about not doing in your 20's and would change?

[Trainermat]

Title says it all. I'm 20 and looking for some pointers! Feeling very lost atm.

No regrets here - I lived my best life!

Went to uni and partied hard, plus qualified to do the career I’d always wanted and still love 35 years on.
Moved to London and still partied.
Played the field, had a few bad boys, settled down with one - knew we were really a bad match long term, which made me realise what I should be looking for.
Made loads of friends.
Travelled.
Bought a flat (regret selling it and not renting it out, but that was in my 30s!)
Was ready to settle down in my 30s.

Ooops

Not married someone I felt sorry for. Destroyed my life.

You regret in your twenties not doing weights and stretching?
It wasn't me who posted that but I do regret not laying the foundations of future good health in my 20s.
I did all the usual partying, travelling and hedonistic stuff, but it would have been posiible to do both and I didn't.

I wish I had had orthodontics, got my driving license, and had some long term contraception so I could make proper reproductive choices instead of the choice between termination and continuing a pregnancy. My advice to my daughter will be just that. Always have your vaccinations. Always take your antibiotics. Don't be afraid to cut toxic people out your life, there are worst things to be than lonely. Yes really.

I wish I'd had children in my early 20s.

@DonateBloodNCheckSmokeAlarms I live with my bf, I'm 24, currently unemployed for the first time since I was 16 and legally ever able to work! Partner is wealthy and is giving me the option either work or not work. I don't know what to do.

@merryhouse just started lifting weights! 😊

Eeeek.. what I'm doing @Suprima 😆

I wear SPF50 most days! I always worry it's a myth so glad to see it's not.

Wish I went travelling

Work! Never be a dependent on a man. There are more abusive ones than you would imagine and they don't usually show it straight away. There aren't always obvious red flags, although trying to get you to be financial dependent on them is a red flag in both my opinion and experience.
Also, relationships don't always last and it's always good to have your own money, independence and career.

Omg! Work! - he’s your bf and it’s in his interests, not yours, for you not to work. If you split up In 4 years you’ll have lost 4 years of prime career progression.

I wish I’d travelled, and then had my DC. I was 38 when I had DS and will be old by the time he’s independent!

I also wish I’d had therapy much earlier in life, and set proper boundaries.

This!

Absolutely this. My biggest regret is wasting years on mediocre/abusive relationships when I should've been working on my career and myself.

Not saying that your boyfriend is any of those things, but you will regret becoming financially reliant on him.

That's what I think too :/ I've felt hopeless for months and kept wondering what it was. I think it's because I don't have something to work for.

@SkirridHill totally- they don’t need to be abusive for this to be a bad idea. When I was 23 I was dating a guy a little older who has v wealthy- salary and family money ( own flat in Chelsea owned outright etc) . I hated my job and he was always saying’ so just quit. You can move in here. I’ll pay for everything’ . Honestly, nothing in his subsequent relationships suggest that he was anything other than well meaning and at the time we were very much in love but it would have been a terrible idea because we didn’t work out ( just didn’t- no one really at fault) and I would have stepped off the career ladder at a critical time.

Use it as an opportunity to pursue a career you are interested in. Being dependent (even on the kindest, most reliable man in the world) is not good for your MH IMHO.

I'm 35 and in my 20s I wish I'd:

• traveled more
• got a brace for my teeth
• looked after my body and mind
• not stayed with a BF for so long because it was safe
• stood up for myself more
• gotten a career that will allow a comfortable life as an adult
• surrounded myself with good people

Oh yeah and don't do drugs, wear sunscreen every single day, and most importantly...........don't fake orgasms for the benefit of someone else!!

I wish I had knuckled down and worked harder on my career in my 20s, rather than pratting about thinking I had all the time in the world.

I wish I’d have found a career that suited me. I qualified in librarianship and honestly I might as well have gone to RADA and had more fun for all the good it did me. Still stumped as to what would suit me, TBH.

Bought a house and exercised more

Why is that weird?

Honestly people, listen to all the 50-something women banging on about exercise...