This is a great and necessary reminder, especially in our youth-obsessed culture. I did so many dumb things between 16 and 25. Hell, I still do dumb things, just a lot less than before.

I also spend more time doing things that are important and fun to me instead of trying to keep up appearances and do what is perceived as “cool”,“in-style”, or correct by someone else’s standards.

I tell my fiance all the time, overall I enjoy getting older. Things may seem to have been simpler and better looking back (better sex, more flexibility with time etc.), but I can recall being way more stressed out about things like money, relationships, and job status than I am now. Those things are still important, but they define who I am less now and I’m very happy about that.