to ask what advice you would give your 24-year-old self?

[cheekyrobot]

I have Name Changed for this.

I am 24 years old and over lockdown have had the time to reflect. I want to make big changes to my life. I am hoping some advice from others can help me choose the right path so thank you in advance for your time to respond.

What advice would you give to your 24 year old self regarding finances, friends, family, career, travel, and anything else?

I'd say "Spend time with Dad, chat to him and ask all the questions you want to ask, as he's only got two years left..."

Travel

Have adventures

Enjoy your freedom

Find your place in life surrounded by people who bring out the best in you

wow these responses were so funny, moving, and inspiration at the same time, thank you everyone for sharing 🥰

Take more notice of that TA course you're looking at and apply for it. You'll have started it by the time you're 30 anyway, but it'll be easier before you have the children, first of which will be arriving in just over 2 years.

Don't waste your money partying. Choose your friends wisely. Look at what he does, not what he says. You're not too young to settle down. You know yourself. Ignore all those who say you should wait until you're past 30 to have kids. If he's not ready accept it and move on. Don't wait for any man.

This is too hard, my dear. It's not love, it's pain. Yes, he is unhappy, and that is NOT YOUR FAULT - you will turn yourself inside out for ten years trying to make him happy, and it will not work and you'll completely lose track of yourself in the meantime, so you don't even know what you want any more except to give him whatever he wants. Which, incidentally, he won't like either.

Either stand up for yourself now and see if he can rise to the challenge, or cut your losses and move on. Believe me, there are far far far worse things than being alone, although as the world's most romantic 24 year old i don't suppose you'll believe me right now. Bless your poor heart.

Enjoy this time with your mum. You'll drift apart and then she'll die. You'll never be as close to her again as you are for the next few years. Embrace her with all her imperfections, remember every minute, every evening huddled over pints that keep coming laughing like drains about men, sex, philosophy, life. You are going to miss her so much.

Don’t get married so young. Travel. Don’t waste time on stupid relatives.....

Have as much (safe) sex as you want with people worth having sex with. Don’t let anyone play with your heart and don’t play with theirs - if it works it works, if it doesn’t it doesn’t. No amount of forcing it will make it right if it’s not. You are hotter and thinner than you think. Wear the red lipstick if you want - you can TOTALLY pull it off. Don’t waste money on uncomfortable shoes. Prioritise your health and well-being. If you go to a gym visit a number of them and prioritise spending on one you love. An £80 a month gym works out at £5 a time If you go 4 times a week. A £15.99 gym is overpriced if you never use it. Be a good friend to the people you love.

Stop taking so much shit.

Work harder on your marriage. Turns out the grass isn't greener after all, you don't know what you've got till it's gone. Be careful what you wish for.
On a lighter note- take loads more photos (back then I didn't have a camera and camera phones weren't a thing, so I have hardly any pictures of my children when they were little ( they were 3 and newborn when I was 24), I thought I'd remember more of their childhood than I actually do.

Get out of the marriage now before years of drinking and misery.

Walk away from him now.

You don’t have to stay because you’re pregnant. Just leave.

Invest in a company pension.

Don't assume it's the right thing to leave working life to raise a family. Always have a small working week so there us opportunity to return to a profession.

Save hard and do buy to let before the tax benefits disappear.

Address any weight gain immediately.

Live every day

Practice gratitude daily

Sorry PP I'd say spend loads of money on partying and travelling- sensible time is way in the future.

Never underestimate the value of financial knowledge, you can make a little money go a long way if you understand how to.

Don’t compare your self to others , your success and value should be determined by you. You gain nothing by making comparisons.

Be kind. You will feel better for it and people notice it.

Look after your skin, you live in it a long time.

You only fail when you repeat your mistakes as you didn’t learn the lesson from them. If you learn something it’s not a failing.

Travel and adventure can teach you more than you anticipate and you never forget what you see and experience.

Exercise - you will always feel better for it.

Be flexible with plans and life - it never turns out how you planned.

Have relationships with people who have the same values as you. Looks fade, but agreeing on money, religion and how to raise kids is pretty fundamental.

Anger and bitterness only affects you. It’s like drinking poison and expecting someone else to die.

I'd tell my 24 yr old self to LTB, he's abusive.

Take the opportunity of that posting abroad, you'll be able to save a lot of money, and invest in property as soon as you can.

And have fun, you were never bad looking, you just needed to keep an eye on your weight.

Go on as many holidays and weekends away that you can afford.
It's ok to let old friends go, you'll make plenty more along the way.
Never settle for any boyfriend because you think it's better than being alone.
Spend time with your Grandparents, you will really miss them when they're gone.

Travel. Have kids asap

Save save save.

Get a decent career - don't piss away your 20s and get left behind those who do.

Don't leave off kids and think it's more important to fit in that last big holiday first. Those 3 miscarriages are going to really ruin you & you will wish you had kids at 28.

Get fitter for life
Focus on your career
Move up the housing ladder quicker
Go on even more holidays
Don't drink

Agree with lellymackelly. Fuck more people.

Also, use sunscreen every day.

Oh and stop caring what other bitches think.

You look better than you realise. Confidence and not giving a damn are attractive - own it.

If it doesn't feel right, it's not.

Trust your instincts, they're never wrong.

You look beautiful, don't nit pick the small things. In a decade you'll look back and wish you still looked like that!

Put yourself first... because not everyone abides by the same morals (personal experience)

Choose a better paid career....

What @GhostCurry said.

Couldn't have put it better.