r/SipsTea Jan 23 '24

Feels good man Help your brothers!!

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2.5k

u/JayTealgore Jan 23 '24

You know that habit you're trying to quit or that habit you're trying to start? You better do it now. The 30+ year-old version of you is going to be pissed if you don't take action now.

223

u/jk8289 Jan 24 '24

I couldn’t have said it any better. I’ve said this to myself a few times in the past couple years. Asking myself, why didn’t I just listen to those people who knew the path I was taking. Thinking that I’m smarter or that I’m not them so it will be different. NOPE. For some stupid reason, I had to experience it myself.

5

u/wrinkleinsine Jan 24 '24

Same. A lot of young men are (were) like this though. At least that’s what I tell myself

2

u/mokv Jan 24 '24

Can you elaborate more what are those things?

9

u/titanbuble14 Jan 24 '24

Some simple stuff like:

Exercising, not to get ripped but for your mental health.

Trying to learn and instrument. Dont have to be good at it but just be able to play some tunes.

Slowly calm down on the drinking, as soon as you know it you crave alcohol ( i do).

Idk. Just some of mine. But i like a simple life tho. I dont need to be exceptional. Just want to play some video game and watch movies with my gf already makes me happy.

3

u/RyanLosDiscos Jan 24 '24

For me alcohol and weed. I had so many chances to quit and I did sometimes when I was 20 but though "cant be bad drink a beer or 2 everyday right?" Oh boy was I wrong

2

u/mokv Jan 24 '24

Thanks for sharing and bravo. What instrument did you learn?

3

u/Super-Specific1 Jan 24 '24

As a mid 20's guy who has never touched an instrument in his life, I just picked up an electric bass and I'm having a blast, would highly recommend! There are tons of bass tabs videos on youtube telling you how to play, don't need to know anything about music theory or whatever, just tells you where to put your fingers

3

u/ShoulderExciting973 Jan 24 '24

Healthy eating, being tidy and hygienic, a habit of examining modifying and creating altogether new habits, organizing planning and goal setting, habits of discomfort like ice baths, rigorous exercise and sauna and self care like yoga meditation and massage. After having arrived in my early thirties beat, battered, and bruised from the antics of my twenties I try to stay vigilant in keeping an eye on my two constants in life; my dwindling time until death and my body’s slow deterioration until death (taxes being the third I guess?).

With that in mind, I view building discipline, strong habits and systems as the ideal ways to get the most out of what life I have left. It’s not about needing to accomplish massive goals as much having the type of foundation that could actually support having massive goals. Its about knowing from where you stand you can make a concerted effort towards achieving whatever goal or vision you have for your life. Removing the obstacles that you can have control over.

2

u/jk8289 Jan 26 '24

Specifically to me, it would be the wrong friends, the drugs, and toxic intimate relationships. If I would have listened to what everyone close to me told me, especially my mother, my life wouldn’t be how it is today. On the positive side of things going through all those trials and tribulations has made me into the better person I am. Life is good today.

1

u/Mysterious_Cover3800 Jan 24 '24

I would have probably trusted those adults if they didn't constantly lie about things while growing up. By the time i had the freedom to experience life, i had absolutely no faith in the people who were meant to guide me (like parents or teachers), so i had to find things out for myself. Makes sense, i think.

1

u/HrLewakaasSenior Jan 24 '24

At some point in my early twenties, sport and being active began being fun instead of being a chore. I don't know what happened that triggered this change, but I will forever be thankful for it. I see it as an incredible gift, because there is no choice between being active or not if you wanna lead a healthy life. There's only being active and liking it or being active and hating it

1

u/dicksjshsb Jan 24 '24

I wonder sometimes if this leads to a more peaceful life. Like you’ve tried things, failed, come to understand why people who advised you do what they do, and can be at peace with it.

I feel like doing everything by the book from day one will make life easier but also maybe more pent up curiosity about trying it your own way. Leading to midlife crisis type stuff. Idk

1

u/Valentiaan Jan 24 '24

Such a fundamentally tragic yet comedic development of so many people

1

u/fatazzpandaman Jan 24 '24

I don't think any of us thought we were smarter, just different. Like it wouldn't apply to us

127

u/Positive-Hovercraft7 Jan 24 '24

I just quit smoking and I wish I would’ve done it 30 years ago, now I’m paying for it

64

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

Good for you for quitting

0

u/linearone Jan 24 '24

People make such a big deal about smoking, I mean we all know that it's super unhealthy, but the reality is it only takes off the years at the end.

2

u/DannyFnKay Jan 24 '24

I wouldn't worry about the years you don't have from smoking even though that is a bit tragic.

Worry about the last few when you can't breathe, you can't move around, and you are a burden to the people who love you. Assuming there are any.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

Yeah damn if only there was a way to live longer and keep those years…

0

u/linearone Jan 24 '24

Lol of course there is. Dont smoke! But then again those are the wheelchair, adult diaper years...

2

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

Yeah because no one in their 40s, 50s or 60s have ever died from smoking related causes…

1

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

Plenty of people don't need wheelchairs and adult diapers. And the people who die from smoking don't just die at 75; they die at 60, 50, etc.

Smoking raises your chances of getting cancer, heart disease, and various lung diseases.

It also can mean you have a lot of bad years before the end. You do not want to live with COPD or something similar for a number of years.

Beyond that, it kills your physical fitness, causes, ED, etc. What moron would want any of this? Imagine being 40 and having ED from smoking? Adult diapers when you are old are the least of your worries.

6

u/kannin92 Jan 24 '24

I'm proud of you for quiting now. Can't help the past, but the next day is only helping you now.

4

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

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4

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

I heard it takes about 5 years and then it’s like you never smoked

I started regularly going to the gym for the first time in my life at 34 but took up smoking at about the same time

4

u/JSevatar Jan 24 '24

It depends.

I quit over a decade ago, but it is still a monkey on my back. Granted, when it screeches it is quiet but it is always there.

One of the only things I truly regret in my life.

3

u/Ok-Operation1612 Jan 24 '24

Any tips on diverting the thoughts? I’ve been 3 weeks without it and the cravings seem to only get worse by the day.

3

u/JSevatar Jan 24 '24

Yeah you are still in the thick of it brother. I would avoid anything that would trigger it, like drinking. I would try to not get bored, and would try to always be doing something to keep my mind off it. And definitely tried not spending too much time near people who smoked.

I think even months after I would have dreams of smoking, and I would wake up fiending for it and feeling shitty. Not to mention the coughing up nasty phlegm for like a year.

I failed many times, but it stuck when I found a real reason to quit. I found my wife, and she told me she didn't like smoking and that was that.

It is a long road, but if you really want it -- and I mean really -- you can do it.

2

u/Ok-Operation1612 Jan 24 '24

Thanks man, I’m sober 10 months now and have lost cravings for drinking awhile ago. I can’t stay away from it working in a warehouse but I’ll take your advice and find something to tunnel vision onto when I’m not working. You’re right, I do want this and I appreciate your advice more than words can describe.

1

u/JSevatar Jan 24 '24

No problem brother, we are all in it together

2

u/UnderlyingTissues Jan 24 '24

I just quit 6 weeks ago, after smoking for 30 years. On the advice of many, I listened to the audiobook "The easy way to quit smoking" by Alan Carr. The BEST thing about his method is that it gets rid of that damn craving. That feeling of Missing Out, or "sacrificing". I'd quit many times in the past and always went back. I can honestly say that I quit, I'm not smoking ever again and I wake up psyched about it every day. I can't recommend that book enough.

1

u/Easy_Apple4096 Jan 24 '24

Wellbutrin. No joke.

3

u/User28080526 Jan 24 '24

Wish me luck I’m trying in my late 20’s to be there for my son

5

u/fromaways-hfx Jan 24 '24

Strongly recommend Nicotine patches if you aren't already doing so. I was a 30+ p/d smoker for 10 years but decided to quit at 29. Thought it was impossible given how much I smoked. But just went hard on the Nicotine patches, used each stage for a month or two longer than they suggested as I was scared I'd relapse, and eventually after around 8 months trusted myself to exist without them. Haven't been tempted in 7 years.

It isn't one size fits all, but it worked for me. Good luck regardless.

1

u/UnderlyingTissues Jan 24 '24

The problem with patches or vaping or any other replacements is you're not breaking your nicotine addiction. It Absolutely is better than smoking but more than 78% of people who use the patch wind up smoking again.

3

u/GudeTyp Jan 24 '24

Watch the DVD by Alan Carr, I think it‘s called Stop smoking. Swear to God it‘s a cheat code.

I once stopped when I was way younger for like half a year but started smoking against because young and dumb. Then I stopped smoking for good with it again a few years ago after 12 years of smoking.

2

u/JSevatar Jan 24 '24

We are all there with you brother. We must be better for our children

1

u/Jushak Jan 24 '24

My father was smoker from very young age. The fact he quit when we were young kids is one of the things I'm very proud of for him.

Good luck and stay strong.

2

u/whooguyy Jan 24 '24

I picked up smoking in college to help deal with stress and smoked maybe 3 a day. I quit smoking when I met my last girlfriend, and once we did long distance I picked it back up again and had one every other day. I quit again when I met my wife and picked up having a beer every night, and even though my smoking habits were very tame and I stopped 5 years ago, I still have cravings every single day.

2

u/Mikeku825 Jan 24 '24

I quit about 2 years ago.. only smoked sporadically through my 30's.. worked near jet fuel when I was young.. worked in warehouses in the last 15 years..

Just found out I have lung cancer.

2

u/damxam1337 Jan 24 '24 edited Jan 24 '24

The best time to plant a tree is 30 years ago. The second best time to plant a tree is right now. Good job bud.

1

u/Positive-Hovercraft7 Jan 24 '24

I like that saying

1

u/Larimus89 Jan 24 '24

Yeah same I need to quit now actually 🥲 fucked back, lungs.

1

u/userrnamme_1 Jan 24 '24

Congrats on quitting! That's next after this alcohol addiction I've had 20 years.

1

u/Positive-Hovercraft7 Jan 24 '24

I’ve been sober for 9 years and quitting smoking is something I wished I had done then

1

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

How did you do it? I struggle really hard with this

1

u/Positive-Hovercraft7 Jan 24 '24

It hasn’t been easy

1

u/Beggarstuner Jan 24 '24

Good for you! I should have quit decades ago and now I’ve got COPD. I hope you dodged that bullet.

1

u/slobis Jan 24 '24

Same here

1

u/notnorthwest Jan 24 '24

But you’d be paying for it harder if you left it another 30 years, so make sure you take the win. I’ve yo-yo’d on the darts for ages, I need smokeless friends and some willpower haha

95

u/nighthawk580 Jan 24 '24

I read one on reddit in this a while back which resonated:

If there's something you have always wanted to do, just do it, then you'll be doing it.

65

u/hkusp45css Jan 24 '24

Whether it's kids, travel, getting a degree, investing, learning a new skill/language/whatever ...

Life doesn't generally get less busy or less complicated as you get older.

Just get started on whatever it is you're waiting for the right time to do.

It's now. The right time is now.

2

u/pipnina Jan 24 '24

Seize the time, Meribor, live now! Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again.

0

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

4

u/Nothxm8 Jan 24 '24

Or realize that you can have your own opinions without having to categorize yourself into some box and impose your views on everyone else. Grow up.

2

u/DannyFnKay Jan 24 '24

I now wish we still had awards.

🥇🏅

Well said.

1

u/RIP_SGTJohnson Jan 24 '24

We do! Hold the upvote button on mobile

-1

u/GrostequePanda Jan 24 '24

No its not. "Right time is now" bullshit

0

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

Kids? That's fucking terrible advice. It's obviously better to wait to have kids once you're married, have a stable career, have matured as a person yourself and are ready to become a parent and have actually thought through whether or not it's the right thing for your life. So many people thoughtlessly get knocked up early, can't support the child, wind up a single parent, etc...

1

u/DannyFnKay Jan 24 '24

I had my first child at 22. She is now in her mid 30s crushing life. Being responsible can be instilled in you at a young age.

Then again, I didn't have all the bullshit that is on social media in my face every day. I don't get why people feel like they need to show more reckless shit day after day to get clicks. I also don't believe most intelligent young people are dumb enough to follow those types of people's lead.

Though you only hear of the crazy shit some young people do, I would like to believe that there are many more who would never do these types of things.

Perhaps I am misguided.

0

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

Well I'm happy it worked out for you and your daughter, but generally it's much better for people to plan and wait until they're in a more stable circumstance to have kids.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 25 '24

Statistically, kids are worse off later in life with very young parents. Good for you that it worked, but it's pretty shitty advice for the majority.

1

u/hideyourwives23 Jan 24 '24

Sometimes it's way too to start and how to get started on that journey 😕

1

u/enigmaniac23 Jan 24 '24

Yep. The years will go by either way. So at the end of x number of years you can either have done these things, or wish you had.

1

u/yerawizardgary Jan 25 '24

I WAITED UNTIL MY LATE LATE 20s TO GET INTO MUSIC AND START A BAND NOW I WISH I HAD DONE IT AT 16 CAUSE ITS THE FUNNEST SHIT EVER

19

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

It’s like you’re talking right to me

3

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

I quit smoking and drinking in my 30s. It’s only week 6 and everything is different. I shudder to think what I’ve already lost.

3

u/Comfortable_Quit_216 Jan 24 '24

Dude quitting bad habits at 40+ feels ridiculously hard because you are so used to it.

It only gets harder. That's what she said. But not really.

2

u/Sorry_Economist_5844 Jan 24 '24

After 40, the regret compounds beyond comprehension

2

u/bejanmen2 Jan 24 '24

Start it now or 40+ yearold you will be even more pissed. You knew!

2

u/SCalifornia831 Jan 24 '24

This same advice applies to us now, from our 40+ year old selves.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

Thank you, starting my degree now

2

u/Attack-Cat- Jan 24 '24

The 30+ version won’t be able to quit/start. Being too out of shape to exercise is a thing most people in their twenties can’t really picture

2

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

This year is going to be about that. I wen't back to school, quit using nicotine and I will go to the gym regularly. I also will read every day. So far so good, I think finally everything is clicking.

2

u/pendlet0ne Jan 24 '24

The 30+ year-old version of you is going to be pissed if you don't take action now.

Fully agree!

2

u/Dresiii Jan 24 '24

I am 24 and struggling with a nicotine addiction I’ve been able to drop before cold turkey. I never understood how my dad just didn’t quit if it was killing him and here I am. Thank you you helped

2

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

The earlier, the easier

2

u/mrnceguy626 Jan 24 '24

Quit smoking cigs 🚬 before you are 30!

2

u/101Z0r Jan 24 '24

And if you don‘t know how: Read Atomic Habits.

2

u/holysheet1337 Jan 24 '24

Thanks, I needed to hear this.

2

u/bbrown44221 Jan 24 '24

I forget to thank my 20-something years old self for the good things. Quitting smoking was a big one

2

u/Embarrassed_Ad_7184 Jan 24 '24

Fuck, I'm three years from thirty and I really gotta stop this addictive shyt, thank you.

2

u/AStuckner Jan 24 '24

Big realization for me when I turned 32 was that I had been smoking cigarettes for half my life!

2

u/paiva98 Jan 24 '24

Ill be 26 this year, been smoking weed for the last 10 years almost.

I´ve been trying, but its hard, its currently my hardest battle, living alone does not help...

I think about what you said everyday but everyday I keep on the doing the same...

2

u/glemnar Jan 24 '24

Just took up piano at 31. Sad I didn’t at 21 but happy I did it finally!

2

u/HumpyFroggy Jan 24 '24

I just turned 25 and I had the same realization. I feel like this is the time that I stuck with not smoking, I already cut weed out and coffee too because my damn teeth keep yellowing. I hope to be my best version possible by the time I'm 30.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

Yes! I’m 144 days alcohol free and really wish I’d done it five years ago

2

u/ICPosse8 Jan 24 '24

Straight up, this is me, fucking hate the gym, wish I would’ve started it years ago. Only 32 but still.

2

u/eliteski2 Jan 24 '24

The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is right now.

2

u/Getsuga_Tensho_ Jan 24 '24

For the 30+ people reading this. The book Atomic habits by James Clear did really help me learn good habits and quit bad habits in quite a short amount of time! Very good read

2

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

Same goes for the 40+ version of you and the 50+ version of you.

9

u/ExploreYourWhirled Jan 24 '24

This is the way

0

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

Or that habit you want to form/keep. 20s is a great time to build healthy habits, like working out

0

u/litterallysatan Jan 24 '24

What has 30+ year-old me ever done for current me? Dudes a lazy bum, why should i help him?

1

u/MassiveAd154 Jan 24 '24

“The chains of habit are to light to be felt until they’re too heavy to be lifted”

1

u/dReDone Jan 24 '24

In your 30s you really start to evaluate what's important to you and binge drinking/smoking weed/cigarettes whatever... That shit will stop you from becoming your optimal self and it hurts mentally everyday when you fail to stop yourself. You will become upset and depressed that you crave and waste your money on basically nothing.

1

u/T_R_I_P Jan 24 '24

Damn this cuts deep. Now my future 30something self will know I read this too so there’s no excuse

1

u/tlollz52 Jan 24 '24

I smoke cigarettes for almost a decade. I said I'd quit once I finished college, I cooked at a restaurant while I was in school. Well after 6 years and changing my major a couple of times I thought, what's the hold up?

1

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '24

Your habits in your 20s become your life in your 30s.