13 Beliefs Older Generations Now Embrace Thanks to Life's Lessons

They say with age comes wisdom and that hindsight is 20/20. If you knew then what you know now, well, things might have been easier. The olden days were a lot different from modern life. And with time—much like your diet or hairstyle—sometimes your beliefs change.

1. Fat-Free Food

Anything “free” is supposed to be good for you, right? But being fat-free doesn’t always mean being healthy. Now we know that healthy fats (emphasis on healthy) are great for a balanced diet.

2. Religion

Many people grow up in a religious household and are taught their way is the right way. When they become adults, more folks seem to realize it isn’t about one specific religion being better than another but rather your spiritual relationship and connection that you should focus on.

3. Cigarettes

Believe it or not, doctors in the 1930s through 1950s recommended “healthy cigarettes.” Advertisements even claimed smoking would be refreshing for your lungs. It sounds silly now, of course, but many people thought this was true.

4. Mornings

As youngsters, mornings are for sleeping in. The older you get, however, you’ll find mornings are the perfect time to go for a walk, do some tai chi in the park, or catch up on the news. The most productive people are up before the sun.

5. What Is Success?

high-five-success — Image Credit: Shutterstock.

As a kid, you’re pitched a stereotypical idea of success: going to college, getting a corporate job, getting married, and having 2.5 kids with a white picket fence — the nuclear family. Life experience teaches you that success comes in all shapes and forms.

6. Exercise

When you’re young, your body can do all sorts of amazing things on its own, so why bother exercising? As you age, you realize your limitations. Daily walks and exercising become something you appreciate and don’t take for granted.

7. Equal Rights

We’ve come a long way from women’s suffrage, LGBTQIA+ rights, and segregation. We still have a long way to go, but the young aren’t the only ones fighting for equal rights. Older generations are participating right there with them.

8. Marriage

Getting married was the end-all-be-all goal for many young adults. Nowadays, couples and partners live fulfilled and happy lives, never having walked down the aisle to say “I do.” Now, it’s not about being married but being life partners in whatever way works for you.

9. Liberalism

Political parties aside, many older generations have found that as they’ve aged, their perspectives have shifted into being more liberal. As they see it, what’s it to them if Jack wants to marry Dave?

10. Tattoos

If you had a tattoo, that meant you were involved in risky, rebellious behavior. No upstanding citizen would deface their body with tattoos. Of course, almost everyone (and their grandma, probably) is sporting fresh ink these days.

11. Motherhood

The idea that women should become wives and mothers at a young age is now a thing of the past. More women are choosing to have children later in life or not to have kids at all. And that’s their right.

12. Doctor Visits

No one likes going to the doctor, especially as a young adult; there are so many other things you could do. But as we age, it’s important not to skip your yearly checkups and stay vigilant with your health. Your life could depend on it.

13. Youth

kids playing outdoor — Image Credit: Shutterstock.

When we’re kids and young adults, we think we have all the time in the world. Come to find out, life is short, and it only becomes crystal clear as we age. As the saying goes, “Youth is wasted on the young.”