At eighteen, it seems that adults understand everything, life is logical, and love can solve any problem… Twenty or more years pass, and you realize that the world is much more complicated, and our youthful beliefs are a mix of naivety and far too high expectations…

Adults After Thirty Are Not Always So Put Together

At eighteen, it seems that after thirty a person will definitely become calm, confident, and know exactly what they want! In reality, this is often not the case… People continue to doubt themselves, search for who they are, and sometimes feel lost, they just know how to hide it better now. 

Adulthood does not come automatically with age; it has to be created by working on yourself every day! And this is absolutely possible at any age…

Do Adults Understand Politics? Well, Sure…

When we were younger, it seemed that all adults read the news, analyzed it, and knew what was going on in the world. In practice, most people get their news from headlines, memes, or friends’ retellings. 

Moreover, many of them rarely check the facts… Age does not make people smarter, it only makes them more confident in what they think…

Love Is Not All-Powerful

In youth, it seems that love can solve everything. If you love someone strongly enough, the relationship will be happy! In reality, love is not enough, and for a relationship to last, you need to know how to compromise, be patient, work on yourself, and accept your partner as they are. 

But there is a positive side — love is only the beginning, the rest can be built, as long as both people in the relationship really want it…

Social Media Has Not Made the World Better…

When Facebook and other social networks first appeared, it seemed that they would bring people together and help discuss important topics. 

Time passed, and we saw the reality: people share more selfies, argue over trivial things, and forget about serious conversations. So, as you can see, technology does not change people, it just shows their true nature…

Loving Dogs Is Not a Guarantee of a Good Character

In youth, it is easy to believe that a person who loves dogs cannot be a bad person. It seems that love for animals automatically means kindness, empathy, and reliability… 

Over time, a rather sobering understanding comes: people can sincerely love their pets and at the same time be selfish, cruel, or completely unbearable in relationships with other people. So it is better not to be naive…

The Thought That Life Will Never Get Better

At eighteen, emotions feel especially intense, and the sense of hopelessness seems final and eternal. In such moments, it is easy to believe that nothing good lies ahead and that any attempts to change anything are pointless. Later it becomes clear that this was not the truth about life but a state that seemed permanent only because there was no other experience at the time… 

Time does not automatically solve everything but it almost always brings new opportunities that were simply not visible before! So, as banal as it may sound, it is always necessary to try to believe in better…

The Confidence That This Is “The One”

In youth, relationships are often perceived as something final. It seems that the person you are with now is your future spouse because otherwise it simply cannot be. 

Over the years, this thought is remembered with a smile and… a little embarrassment. People change, perspectives diverge, and what seemed like destiny turns out to be just a stage…

Are Poverty And Laziness Connected Or Not?

One of the most common beliefs of youth is that poor people simply do not want to work. The logic seems ironclad: if you try hard, you can earn money, and if you have none, it means you did not try hard enough. However, over time this idea begins to crack at the seams... yes, sometimes it really is true but far from always. 

It turns out that many of the most hardworking people have several jobs, are exhausted to the limit, and still struggle to make ends meet. Yes, lazy people exist but much more often financial difficulties arise not because of a lack of effort but because honest work is often paid far too little...

The Dream Of Making A Living From Music!

In youth, creativity strongly attracts many people! You want to believe that if you truly have talent and work hard, success will definitely come. Over time it becomes clear that abilities alone are almost always not enough. 

The chances increase sharply if you have connections, money, the right appearance, or useful acquaintances. This does not mean that success is impossible but only a few can become stars, both in music and in acting... but maybe you will be among them?

If You Are Good, People Will Respond In Kind

Many people grow up believing that kindness works like an exchange: you treat people well, and they respond the same way. In reality, kindness does not always come back... Sometimes it is taken as weakness, sometimes as something taken for granted. 

This is not a reason to become cruel but it is a good lesson that when you do good, you should not expect it in return... even though you really want to!

Success As A Reward For Effort?

At a young age it seems that effort almost automatically leads to success. Supposedly, if you put in enough effort, the result will definitely come. With age comes the understanding that effort is only one component of success... Circumstances, starting conditions, chance, and timing matter! 

Effort may lead to nothing, and sometimes results appear where they were least expected. But in any case, you should not give up, because without action there will definitely be no success!

Belief In A Just World

Probably one of the most painful disappointments is the realization that the world is not fair... People who do everything “right” may achieve nothing, while others get more than they seem to deserve. But there is also good news – the paradox is that sometimes this injustice suddenly works in your favor. 

It happens that a person who at eighteen almost deprived themselves of any chances for success later achieves more than those who had everything “by the rules”.

The Feeling That Life Will Somehow Work Itself Out

For a long time in youth it seems that everything will somehow sort itself out... You can fail your studies, not really try, and still be sure that everything will work out in the end. Some people really do get lucky for a long time but at some point that luck runs out. 

And then you have to admit that the world is not obliged to fix what you yourself treated irresponsibly. That is when it is time to take responsibility for your life into your own hands!

The Oath To Never Become An “Office Person”

The image of a boring office job is often perceived as the worst possible scenario. You want to believe that you will never end up there, that you will stay with your guitar, your cool ideas, and music in your headphones. 

It sounds nice but then it suddenly turns out that a stable job can bring pleasure, and tastes change! And there is nothing tragic about that, quite the opposite!

Denial Of Taxes

Taxes are easy to hate when you do not see any sense in them. They seem imposed and unfair but over time the attitude changes... 

Yes, excessive and dishonest taxation is still irritating but without taxes you cannot live in a good country and receive benefits in the future... so nothing in this world exists for no reason.

Trying To Change Yourself For Someone Else’s Love

The desire to be accepted can go very far. Sometimes so far that a person sincerely hopes to stop being themselves if they just try hard enough. But this is a trap! And what is most sad is that years are spent fighting something that cannot be changed... 

And only later comes the realization that the problem was not in the personality but in the expectations of others. Accepting yourself ultimately turns out to be more important than any approval!

Awareness Of One’s Own Intolerance

Looking back can be uncomfortable... Some views from the past now seem not just wrong but outright stupid and cruel. But rejecting them is exactly what shows that a person has grown and become wiser! 

The ability to admit that you were wrong is a valuable skill that does not come immediately.

Political Certainty At 18!

Once, in youth, this Redditor wanted a small state, no taxes, and harsh punishments, including the death penalty. It seemed that everything in this world could be so simple!
But decades passed, and the view changed almost to the opposite... 

Attention to social support and affordable housing appeared, and an understanding came of the cruel reasons why a huge number of people end up behind bars... The most telling thought is that now there would be no desire to have anything in common with one’s eighteen-year-old self.

Belief In One’s Own Worthlessness

When a person lives for a long time with the feeling that they are unattractive, unworthy of love, and deserving of self-hatred, it begins to feel like an objective reality... Thoughts of eternal loneliness look not like fear but like fact. But fortunately, for many people, over time these beliefs change... 

Even if life does not turn into a fairy tale, another understanding comes: hating yourself only makes things worse for yourself. We hope many will come to unconditional self-love, because without it it is impossible to build a happy life.

Rethinking What Matters!

And such ambiguous topics are raised on Reddit... you can observe how a person’s opinion changes with age. When knowledge appears about real people who ended up in prison by mistake, this confidence collapses. 

The realization that the state can take the life of an innocent person radically changes one’s position! Life imprisonment begins to be perceived not as leniency but as a much harsher and irreversible punishment...

Condemning Small Joys For The Poor

The idea that people with low incomes are not entitled to small pleasures seems logical only until you look at life more closely. 

Denying the right to a cup of coffee, new shoes, or a rare joy is not about saving money but about depriving human dignity. When life already consists of constant limitations, small joys become not a weakness but a way to survive!

No More Radicalism?

Voting for radical ideas often seems like a simple solution, especially if you grew up in relative comfort and are not used to counting every dollar at the end of the month! In such a position it is easy to blame others for problems you only encounter superficially... 

Everything changes when you start working next to poor people, the sick, or people with disabilities. An understanding comes that the difference between a “normal life” and the street is sometimes just one bad decision or pure chance. And yes, radicalism fades away...

A Guarantee Of A Great Future?

In youth, everything seems extremely simple: get into the top-rated university — and life will automatically turn out perfectly. A diploma with a big name supposedly opens all doors but... often that is just an illusion.

With time comes the understanding that a degree from a prestigious university is only one factor. Yes, a good education can give you a start, connections, confidence.... But it does not replace character, communication skills, the ability to survive failures and start again. You can graduate from a top university and get lost, or finish a completely ordinary one and build a brilliant career!

Is Fifty Old Age?

To teenagers, fifty seems like something very far away... People of that age in childhood looked “grown-up,” serious, not especially energetic... It seemed that after that number, aging begins. But time passes — and it turns out everything is not so sad! 

Many fifty-year-olds today look young, travel actively, build businesses, start new relationships, change professions. So you could say that 50 is the new 20, just with a little more experience!

“The Love Of My Life” — Is That Even Possible?

Once the idea of calling someone “the love of my life” seemed ridiculous and even funny... And then everything changes! Suddenly you realize that you yourself are happy and in love… with the love of your life. 

And it no longer sounds stupid. And yes, there is nothing wrong with being sentimental. The cold teenager inside gradually gives way to an adult who is not afraid to feel and to say it out loud.

Are Teenagers Destroying Society?

When you look at your peers in youth, it is easy to be outraged. It seems that their “stupidities” are a catastrophe, that society is rolling into the abyss...

Later a simple thought comes: we all did stupid things. Just in different ways and Everyone was trying to figure themselves out, made mistakes, said too much, made strange decisions. And that is normal! Because without mistakes there is no experience, right?

Will The Internet Unite The World?

When the internet was just becoming part of everyday life, there was a feeling of miracle. It seemed that now humanity would finally begin to understand each other, and how much interesting communication there would be!

But Reality turned out to be more complicated... The internet really gave access to knowledge and new opportunities but along with that it amplified conflicts, hate and a lot of misinformation... It is just a space where everything human shows itself — both light and dark, just like in real life.

Success By The Template?

An eighteen-year-old brain really likes a clear instruction for life: school, then work, then marriage, then everything in a circle without deviations. Such a scenario seems the only correct one, almost mandatory.

Nevertheless, with time comes the understanding: success does not live in a single template. For some it is family and stability, for others — travel, creativity or changing professions every five years. Someone else’s life does not have to become yours!

Can You “Fix” Anyone With Kindness?

When you believe that every person is good inside, you want to prove it to the world. It seems that if you treat people gently and patiently enough, they will definitely become better. You just need time...

Then comes a painful but useful discovery: not everyone can be “fixed.” Some people feel perfectly comfortable in the role of toxic characters and have no intention of changing. And all that remains is to accept this and try to stay away from such people.

“I’m Not Like Other Girls”

Once it seemed that to be “cool,” you had to distance yourself from other girls. That they were too ordinary, too emotional, too “not like that.” You wanted to stand out at any cost and prove that you were special.

With time comes honesty with yourself: it was internal competition... And the truth is that other women are cool, strong, interesting. They are not rivals by default! And being part of that circle is much nicer than standing aside and pretending to be “not like that.”

Ideologies And Maximalism

In youth it is so easy to fall in love with loud ideas... Socialism, anarchy, harsh views on religion — everything seems absolutely clear. The world is divided into the right and the stupid, the “awake” and the “backward.”

However, years later comes the Understanding that the world turns out to be much more complex and multifaceted...

Relationships As A Game Of Dominance?

The idea that interacting with women is a struggle for control and superiority once seemed almost like a strategy for success. Whoever “wins” is the main one.

Today it sounds frankly stupid! Healthy relationships are built not on competition but on respect and partnership and Attempts to dominate create only tension and distrust. Real strength shows itself not in suppressing another person but in the ability to be open and confident without the need to prove something.

Such Sad Thoughts...

Thoughts like this redditor had could appear for many people At nineteen, against the background of severe depression When there is no support nearby, and instead there is pressure and condemnation, you begin to believe that the problem really is in you.

But everything is not so bad! More than ten years pass... Therapy appears, medication, slow steps forward. Bad days still happen but now they are not followed by catastrophe!

“Our Generation Will Change Everything”

At some point it seemed that young people would build a more honest and humane world. That they would choose professions not for money but for meaning and That politics around the world would become more adequate...

But reality turned out to be less romantic. Instead of discussions about the future — parties, fashion, a race for prestige and salary. This is not necessarily bad but definitely not as inspiring as it seemed at nineteen.

A Mission That Seemed Like Destiny

At eighteen, the decision to devote two years to missionary work looked right and important. It seemed like the work of a lifetime — to go to another country, persuade people, change their views, spend time and your parents’ money for a great goal.

However, even this can disappoint over time... The memories remain mixed: disappointment from the resources spent and at the same time gratitude for the beautiful landscapes of Australia... but if you look from another angle — it is priceless experience! For which you should be grateful...

The Image Of “Good People” And Reality

Once it was pleasant to believe that most people are naturally kind and reasonable, and that problems come only from governments... A convenient picture of the world: the people are good, the власти are bad.

However, with time you understand that yes, there are many decent people but they do not necessarily make up the overwhelming majority. The illusion of “almost everyone is good” shatters completely...

Einstein And The Disappointment Of Growing Up

When you read the phrase about infinite human stupidity at eighteen, you want to argue. It seems that the older generation was simply wrong, and that the younger one will definitely learn from mistakes and do better. Supposedly you just need to wait for the смена of generations — and everything will improve...

But years pass, generations change, and strange decisions and illogical actions do not disappear anywhere. And all because in different times people are actually the same by nature... And now that very quote stops sounding like pessimism and begins to sound like truth... The world is still full of smart people but stupidity has not gone anywhere.

Equal Opportunities For Everyone?

When you grow up in a comfortable environment and financial stability, it is very easy to believe that in the Western world everyone has the same starting point... That if a person works hard, makes an effort and does not slack off — they will definitely achieve the same things as everyone else. But the issue goes much deeper...

At first it seems that real poverty exists somewhere far away, “in Africa, Asia or in war zones.” That is how we were taught as children: there is us, and there are abstract “poor kids somewhere out there.” But how poverty in the next neighborhood affects a person, how racism, a dysfunctional family or a lack of connections shape someone’s life — that was almost never discussed. And sometimes the realization only comes in adulthood.

Is Business More Honest And Efficient Than Government?

There is a popular belief that private business works faster and more honestly than government structures. Supposedly, the market will put everything in its place, and competition will cleanse the system of injustice...

But here too, everything is not as simple as it seems in youth! Business is also made up of people, and people are capable of being greedy, selfish and dishonest... Eventually a more sober view appears: no system guarantees honesty automatically, everything depends on people.

Is Vacation Always Joy?

In youth, it seems that traveling is pure pleasure. Airplanes, new countries, beautiful photos, a sense of freedom. How could anyone not love vacation?

But when you are the one handling the planning, bookings, transfers, documents and even work tasks during your time off, the picture changes. And suddenly the idea of “not going anywhere and just resting at home” no longer seems strange!

The Classic Plan: Family, House, Kids, and a Stable Career

At eighteen, this scenario seems almost mandatory. It seems that everyone will reach it, just at different speeds but reality turns out to be much less predictable. Some people never marry, some never buy a house, some do not have children or a stable career, and many have all of this at once. 

Over time, it becomes clear that life rarely follows ready-made templates, and not meeting expectations does not always mean failure, even if it seems that way at first…

Only Awful People Have Abortions?

Teenage views are often rigid and categorical. The world is divided into black and white, with no in-between shades. It is easy to judge without knowing the circumstances...

Later comes the understanding that behind every such decision there is a complex personal story. Health issues, violence, financial instability, fear, pressure — there can be many reasons. And real life almost never fits into the simple formula of “good person — bad person.”

Will I Be Superman Forever?

Once it seemed possible to be strong forever. To support everyone around you, never show weakness, never cry, keep a straight face and handle any load…At twenty-seven, life already looks different and even the future one year ahead seems blurry, and a couple of months ahead is already difficult enough to predict.

So sometimes growing up means admitting that you are not obligated to be a superhero... and there is absolutely nothing scary about that!

The Dream Of Living Forever

In youth, the idea of immortality seems tempting. If it were possible to live endlessly, see everything that will happen, never disappear — why not?

But with age, the attitude changes... The body grows old, the energy is no longer the same... The awareness of your own finiteness stops being so frightening. There is no desire for death but there is a calm acceptance that everything eventually ends, even if it sounds sad.

“I Know More Than Most”

Many young people feel that they have already figured everything out: how the world works, who is right, who is wrong, and why others simply have not understood things as deeply as they have. With age comes a far more interesting discovery — every person knows something that you do not. 

Everyone has their own experience, their own information, their own perspective. This does not mean you have to agree with everyone, and critical thinking has not been canceled! But it does mean that you are not nearly as smart and wise as you thought you were at eighteen.

Thin Forever?

If you were skinny in your teenage years without much effort, it is easy to believe it will always be that way. The metabolism seems to work on its own, and a beautiful body does not require any effort.

Then your body quietly reminds you that you are no longer sixteen... Habits, stress, lifestyle — everything starts to matter. And it turns out that “forever” is a very bold word!

Wash Your Hair Every Time?

When you are a bit obsessed with cleanliness, the idea of not washing your hair every time you shower sounds almost like a nightmare. It seemed that otherwise it was impossible — that was the only way to be truly beautiful.

With time you discover that your hair survives less frequent washing just fine, and sometimes even looks better. And the world does not collapse just because you reconsidered a habit!

“All Medicine Is Evil”?

Youthful maximalism worked here too! But it is good that many people do become wiser with age and reconsider their beliefs.

For some people, giving up old convictions and switching to antidepressants and diabetes medications can literally change life for the better. And then it becomes clear that the world of medicine is not divided into black and white...

Unworthy Of Love...

When a child is bullied for a long time and cruelly, a very dangerous thought settles inside: something is wrong with me. If I am not accepted, then I truly must be nobody…But fortunately years pass and life turns in an unexpected direction. 

Now you work at an elementary school, and the children gravitate toward you, hug you, laugh with you. Every day becomes a small step toward healing. It is a special feeling — to give children the warmth and support that you once lacked yourself. And it is beautiful that this Redditor did not grow bitter toward the world...

Surely The Boss Knows What They Are Doing?

When you are young, it seems that people in higher positions possess some special intelligence and abilities. If they are up there, it must mean they know more, see further and definitely understand how everything works.

With time comes a slightly disappointing realization: they are just people too... With doubts, mistakes, and sometimes a complete lack of understanding of what is going on. And this is more of a reminder that no one has the ability to “know everything” — and that is okay.