Time has a sneaky way of flying by, and the things you put off today can quietly pile up into regrets down the line.
No one wants to look back in 30 years wishing they’d lived a little differently. Whether it’s fear holding you back, a lack of confidence, or sheer laziness, it’s time to get off your backside and start making life happen while you’re fortunate enough to be able to. These are the little (and not-so-little) things that future you might really wish you’d made time for if you don’t get started now.
1. Telling people how much they mean to you
We assume the people we care about already know how we feel, but the truth is, they often don’t, or they just need to hear it. Whether it’s your parents, a mate, or someone who shaped your life in a small way, saying it out loud matters more than you think.
Years from now, you won’t remember why you hesitated, but you’ll definitely remember the moments you shared something real. Holding it in out of awkwardness just means missing the chance to make someone feel valued, and those chances don’t last forever.
2. Taking care of your body earlier
It’s easy to brush off healthy habits when you feel fine, but your future self will wish you’d stretched more, drank more water, and actually gone to those checkups. You don’t have to be a gym fanatic, either; just looking after yourself in simple ways adds up.
In 30 years, you’ll likely care more about how your joints feel than how you looked in photos. Starting earlier means fewer aches, fewer regrets, and a better shot at feeling strong and capable well into later life.
3. Travelling when you had fewer responsibilities
There’s a window of freedom that can close faster than you expect. Jobs, kids, bills—all of it piles up. And while travelling later in life is still great, it’s never quite the same as hopping on a plane in your twenties or thirties with nothing but a backpack and a vague plan.
The regret isn’t just about the places you didn’t see; it’s about the version of you that never got to experience the world when everything felt wide open. Even a few short trips can shape your perspective in ways you’ll carry forever.
4. Saying no to things just because they scared you
Fear has a clever way of disguising itself as practicality. You say no because “it’s not the right time” or “it’s not for people like me,” but deep down, it’s fear calling the shots. Weirdly enough, it’s the things you don’t try to tend to echo the loudest later on.
A few decades from now, you might regret more of the things you didn’t even attempt than the ones that didn’t work out. Trying and failing stings for a bit. Wondering what could’ve happened if you’d been brave enough? That stays with you longer.
5. Learning to handle your emotions
We all carry some emotional baggage, but ignoring it doesn’t make it lighter. Figuring out how to process feelings rather than burying them makes life easier in ways that ripple through relationships, work, and even health.
Your future self will be grateful you took the time to unpack things and build emotional awareness. Avoiding your feelings might seem easier now, but it often just means bigger messes to clean up later.
6. Sorting out your work-life balance
It’s easy to get caught up in the grind, especially when you’re building something or trying to prove yourself. But when work consistently eats into your weekends, your sleep, and your time with people who matter, it takes a toll.
When you’re old and grey, you won’t be reminiscing about emails or late nights at the office. You’ll be thinking about who you were with, what made you laugh, and how fully you lived outside your job. Finding balance now is a gift to your future self.
7. Documenting your life while you remember it
You think you’ll always remember the little things, such as that funny night out, that perfect song on a road trip, the way someone looked at you. However, memories fade, and sometimes it’s the smallest moments you wish you’d captured.
Photos, journals, voice notes—whatever works. You don’t need to document everything, but future you will love flipping through reminders of the life you were building, long after those moments are gone.
8. Walking away from friendships that no longer feel right
Some friendships are seasonal, but we cling to them out of guilt, nostalgia, or fear of hurting someone’s feelings. Meanwhile, the friendship drains us, and we shrink ourselves to fit into something we’ve outgrown.
Even if it’s hard right now, down the line, you’ll be glad you protected your peace. Letting go of friendships that no longer align doesn’t make you a bad person; it just means you’ve learned to value quality over history. That’s something worth learning sooner.
9. Spending more time with older relatives
It’s easy to take for granted that the people you’ve known your whole life will always be there, but time with older family members is limited, and those quiet chats, old stories, and Sunday lunches become golden memories you can’t get back once they’re gone.
Future you will remember the moments when you listened, learned, and showed up. You won’t regret the time you made for them, only the times you put it off for later and ran out of time.
10. Chasing what felt right rather than what looked good
It’s tempting to follow the path that looks impressive on paper: the job title, the relationship that photographs well, the house with the perfect postcode. Of course, if it never really felt like you, those things can become heavy to carry.
Years from now, you’ll want a life that felt aligned with who you are, not who you thought you were supposed to be. Choosing authenticity over aesthetics might feel risky now, but it’s often what leads to peace down the line.
11. Having uncomfortable but important conversations
No one enjoys confrontation, but avoiding difficult conversations doesn’t make tension disappear; it just delays the inevitable. Whether it’s asking for what you need, clearing up a misunderstanding, or setting a boundary, silence often creates more distance.
Looking back, you’ll wish you’d been braver in saying the hard things. It’s rarely the conversation that causes regret; it’s the years spent avoiding it and wondering what might’ve changed if you’d just spoken up.
12. Indulging in your creative urges
Writing, painting, singing, building things—whatever your creative itch is, ignoring it can feel like shutting a part of yourself down. It doesn’t have to be your job or something you’re amazing at; it just has to be something you love doing.
Future you will wish you’d made space for it. Not because of what you created, but because of how it made you feel while doing it. Creating something, even badly, is often better than spending decades wishing you’d tried.
13. Being kinder to yourself
Most people are far harder on themselves than they’d ever be to someone else. You dwell on mistakes, beat yourself up for not having it all figured out, and talk yourself out of joy because you feel you haven’t “earned” it yet.
In 30 years, you’ll look back and wish you’d gone easier on yourself—laughed more, let things go quicker, and celebrated small wins instead of chasing constant improvement. Self-compassion isn’t a weakness. It’s one of the best things you can give yourself.
14. Going for what you want instead of waiting for “the right time”
That course you wanted to take. That city you wanted to move to. That person you wanted to call. We all wait for the perfect moment—the one where things feel safe, ready, and certain. Sadly, often, that moment never arrives.
Future you will wish you’d started anyway. Not everything needs a green light or perfect conditions. Some of the best things you’ll ever do begin when you simply decide it’s time. Because one day, it won’t be fear holding you back; it’ll be the realisation that the chance quietly slipped away.
