SG man who feels he wasted his 20s asks netizens: Is it too late to turn life around?

SINGAPORE: Many people look back on their 20s and claim that they made poor decisions and feel a sense of lacking direction in life. With this, many are trying to build their lives as they reach their 30s, especially in terms of the financial, professional, and emotional aspects of life.

A netizen took to Reddit to openly share that he wasted a lot in his 20s not knowing what to do with his life. “I keep thinking about where I could be if I had made better decisions and pushed myself more in my 20s. Now I’m trying to rebuild, but it’s hard not to feel like I’m already behind,” he wrote.

He then asked for advice from other people who have experienced and are experiencing the same, hoping to find comfort as he makes decisions and rebuilds his life at this stage of time. 

Others shared their thoughts and opinions in the comments section of the post, sparking a very interesting discussion. One claimed that it is ‘insanely common’ for people to be lost in their 20s, but regardless, it is important to be kind to oneself. 

“Nobody has a crystal ball. Some mistakes could be expensive, but not all of them are fatal,” the commenter remarked. 

Another netizen stated that it helps when one reframes his/her mindset in life. The comment added: “It's ok to mourn lost time for a bit, but at a certain point (to me at least), nothing will change unless I actively take steps to do something about it.” 

“Better to make those mistakes in the 20s than 30s, as it is still recoverable then. To some degree, it is okay to make them in their 20s while we still have the energy—life is a marathon, and be kinder to ourselves too,” one more commenter declared. 

More netizens gave assurance that everything will be okay since he is now smarter and knows better in life, and that it is okay to make mistakes—there is still much more that is bound to happen in his life. 

“What matters is that it's your own life you're travelling. It's okay to feel a bit behind, but in due time it shouldn't get in the way of you living your life. Rather, it should more probably be a motivation to live a life you really want. All the best!,” a netizen claimed. 

“No matter how behind you feel, you are always ahead of someone else. Keep that in mind,” a comment concluded. 

The regrets may still be there, but so is the chance to do things differently. For those who feel they lost time in their 20s, their 30s can still be a chance to start rebuilding.

It is important to take small steps to rebuild one’s life and be kinder to oneself, knowing that there is still time to grow and start again.