As you grow older in life, you realise that regrets are part of life. While you try to live a life with no regrets, every time a problem arises you realise that if you had or hadn't done something in the past, the problem wouldn't be there. And that is regret.
Despite learning to live with regret as you grow older, you've got to admit that regret is one of the worst feelings in the world because you can't go back in time and change what you did or didn't do so now you just have to live with that regret.
To avoid having to live with regret for the rest of your lives, here are some of the things that you should do in your 20s to avoid having regrets in your 30s:
#1 Eat healthily and exercise regularly
In your 20s, you should start building a habit of eating healthily and exercising. Trust me, your body will thank you later! If you start building a habit of living a healthy and balanced lifestyle in your 20s, then you'll probably stick to it in your 30s and it will definitely benefit you in your later in life which is normally when an unhealthy lifestyle starts taking a toll on the body.
So, learn how to cook healthy food for yourself and even if you think you're eating enough vegetables, eat more! Get your body moving at least once a week, do some yoga or follow some quick workout videos on YouTube from the comfort of your own home.
#2 Be picky about who you spend your time with
When you're young, you might think that having a lot of friends and people in your life is important but as you grow older you realise that some of these people only make your life more problematic and make you upset. So while you're in your 20s, don't waste your time on people who are toxic because chances are, the longer they are in your life the harder it will be to let them go.
Learn who to look out for signs or red flags that tell you a person is toxic and immediately start keeping your distance from them or just cutting them out of your life completely. Nobody wants to be in their late 30s and still have friends who attract drama and problems.
#3 Get enough sleep
When you're in your 20s you feel like a superhero, sleeping at 3am and waking up at 7am for work. You'll be going around boasting about how little you slept last night when in reality not getting enough sleep can have long term effects on your mind and body! So start creating a healthy sleep schedule from your 20s and stick to it, your future self will thank you!
#4 If you're in a relationship, talk about the long term plans
Time flies when you're in your 20s, suddenly you'll be in your 30s and wanting to settle down. So if you're in a relationship with someone in your 20s and things are starting to get serious, make sure you talk about your long term goals and also the future. Do they want to have kids? What are their career goals?
Make sure you're with someone who has the same goals as you and want the same things as you. That way, when you're ready to settle down, they won't drop a bomb on you or you won't end up finding out that they don't want the same things as you and have t0 go through the whole dating process again in your 30s.
#5 Be more politically active
With all the political drama happening in Malaysia, most of us think that's staying out of it is the best choice but really, it's the opposite of that! In your 30s, you'll start to realise why being politically active is actually important and regret not starting earlier. Since we live in a democratic country, citizens are encouraged to participate in the political process.
So, in your 20s start being politically aware and stay updated with what's happening in the political world so that when it's time to vote you can make an informed decision for the betterment of society and the country.
#6 Have a plan!
Instead of living life by going with the flow or just living life aimlessly, have a plan even if it changes. Sometimes things don't go to plan and that's okay. Even when you face a small hiccup, coming up with a plan on how you're going to overcome it and how you're going to get back on your feet builds character and helps you grow as an individual.
Having plans and working to achieve it also helps you build a habit of deciding what you want and doing whatever you can to get it! No more overthinking in your 30s!
#7 Try new hobbies that fulfil your creative side
If you're thinking, "I have a hobby! I binge-watch Netflix!", let me tell you that consuming media content gets old pretty quick. Soon, you'll get tired of watching Netflix and you'll feel bored and unfulfilled. So, if you have a creative side, start looking for hobbies like painting or creating something, you can even try it out with a partner (click here for creative date ideas) to explore your creative side!
#8 Develop a good work ethic
In order to succeed in your career, you will need to start trying from the start, not when you're in your 30s but then it will be too late and you probably won't have the energy or time to do so. Start disciplining yourself when it comes to work and build a good work ethic in your 20s so that your boss starts acknowledging you and giving you the credit that you deserve.
#9 Be adventurous!
In your 20s, you will still have a strong body and very few responsibilities so if you're an adventurous person then get out there and explore while you still can. If you skip it during your 20s, as you get older you have more responsibilities like kids and you won't have the time to be adventurous and regret not doing it when you were in your 20s. So go now while you still can!
#10 Learn how to budget!
If you are an Excel pro, then you can start creating your budget with one column for income and another for expenses. But, if you're clueless when it comes to Excel, then check out this article because a local Redditor created a free Financial Spreadsheet for us Malaysian to use! It is useful for beginners who don't have the time to learn how to create their own budget sheet!
Keeping track of your expenses and what you spend your money on helps you understand your spending habits and learn how to save even more for the future.
#11 Find your people
Find a small group of friends that you can connect with and that share similar interests as yours. Make sure that they aren't toxic or problematic and that they are the kind of friends who are supportive and motivating. These are the kinds of friendships that will last forever!
#12 Date! Date! Date!
In your 20s, date, make mistakes and learn from them so that in your 30s you know you have dated enough and you're happy to settle down. You can't afford to make mistakes in your 30s so make them in your 20s when you still have time to learn and grow from them!
#13 Try staying single for a year or two
Before learning how to love someone else, you need to learn how to love yourself so, try staying single for a while. Get to know who you really are and find a way to accept and love yourself. Self-love is important and accepting and loving yourself for who you truly are will make it easier for you to accept and love someone else.
#14 Seek help for your mental health issues
If you have any mental health issues, then make an appointment to meet with a therapist immediately. Therapy is good and it helps you understand, address and overcome the issues you're facing with the help of a professional. 
#15 Learn how to invest
When you're in your 30s it will be nice to be at least halfway on your journey to financial freedom and the best way to do this is by learning how to invest your money wisely. When you're in your 20s, you have fewer responsibilities and don't need to spend that much money so learning to invest is a good way to make more money which can be beneficial for your future.
#16 Explore your own sexual pleasure
It's important to do this while you are still young because you don't want to be in your 30s when you find out that you don't really know what you want in bed. So, keep an open mind and try out different things with your partner or even on your own. Sexual health is also an important part of growing and learning to love yourself.
Are you in your 30s and regret not doing something in your 20s? Leave your suggestions in the comments section so that people in their 20s won't have to live with regret!
