The past can teach us a lot about how to live thoughtfully and meaningfully.
Although we’ve evolved in many ways, making life easier and more convenient, that doesn’t mean most people can’t still learn something important from old-school tricks. In fact, people with their lives are still doing old-fashioned things that most people gave up long ago, and they are better off today because of it.
People with their lives together do 9 old-fashioned things most people gave up long ago
1. They budget with cash
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Most young people today have gotten rid of their cash completely, unless they get it for Christmas or on their birthday. User exclusively digital wallets and physical cardsthey can swipe and spend without the hassle of counting out dollar bills. It has made spending more convenient, but not necessarily healthier for people without budget habits.
Even if someone doesn’t intentionally put money in envelopes to budget like older generations did, simply using cash can be a great way to “trick yourself” into spending less. Those people who have it all together and don’t deal with money stress constantly can use this to protect themselves from the lure of overspending.
2. They take real breaks from screens
When we doomscroller from bed, we sabotaging our sleep. When our phone screens are the first things we see in the morning, they give us anxiety before we even get out of bed. When we rely on our phones for entertainment, we miss out on the mindfulness and beauty of silence offline.
According to a Georgetown University studyeven small amounts of disconnection from our phones, which is a digital detox, is great for our mental health. We are better off living in the real world instead of trying to run from social interaction or alone time by scrolling on our phones.
3. They go outside without headphones
How many times have we missed a conversation at the grocery store or held on to stress by missing the sounds of nature on a walk outside just because we had music playing through headphones? It may feel like an obvious habit for older generations, but for many young people today it feels impossible, scary and strange to go outside without headphones.
This is why so many people are so anxious and troubled out in the world. They are used to constant stimulation and distraction, and anxious about silence. Even running errands and saying “hello” to people is the kind of socializing and community we miss today.
4. They make small talk with strangers
According to experts at Harvard Healthwe live longer, healthier lives when we have strong connections and a sense of community. But what must we do to find these people and places? We need to talk to our neighbors, talk to strangers at the grocery store, and put ourselves out there socially, even when it’s not always comfortable. The more practice we get, the easier it is to build community wherever we go without a second thought.
Although it is sometimes uncomfortable, we end up being happier after talking to strangers. Yes, it may seem old-fashioned to actually interact with people in real life or make plans when our phones are more convenient, but is it worth missing out on true and honest community?
5. They write letters and notes by hand
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Although it takes more time and effort than sending a text or an email, writing handwritten letters and notes is a lost practice that we could all benefit from introducing back into our lives. According to psychology researcher Pamela Rutledgeit’s better for your brain, and it’s also extremely beneficial for emotional health.
On top of all the personal feelings and goodness it brings out, other people find handwritten letters more meaningful. They strengthen our relationships and make people feel valued, despite it being such a seemingly small gesture of love.
Really, what does it say about our culture that something as readily available as a one-page handwritten letter is a sign that someone has their life together?
6. They get dressed for the day
Even when there’s nowhere to go and no obligations to leave the house for, the people who really have their lives together dress up for the day. Even if it’s just comfortable clothes and an easy hairstyle, they’re getting ready to feel better. Yes, it takes more effort than rolling out of bed and putting on the nearest clean clothes, but it gives people a sense of important accomplishment and empowerment.
Seam a study from the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology explains, we often feel more confident when we are prepared. If getting ready for the day helps someone feel prepared for whatever comes their way, why wouldn’t it be worth the 30 minutes in the morning? You set yourself up for success.
7. They still make time for family dinners
Whether it’s grown children with solid family traditions or family dinners in their own homes, these kinds of social gatherings are an old-fashioned routine that so many miss. Of course there is all kinds of developmental benefits for childrenbut even for adults, these undeniable spaces of support and affection are so wildly influential to their well-being.
Family ties in adulthood are essential to our well-beingand while it takes effort to work through our issues and figure out how to spend quality time together, it’s almost always worth it.
8. They keep going back to the same third places
Of course like a study in the journal Health and Place explains that the deterioration of third spaces (places outside home and work where people gather) and community environments is largely due to economic barriers. The parks, coffee shops and restaurants we love may still be there, but most of the people can no longer access them at such high costs.
But just a few decades ago, these spaces were what gave people’s lives true meaning. Not only did they facilitate the kinds of conversations, connections and relationships that make people happier, but they were also spaces where people could discover who they really were.
9. They sit in silence without needing a distraction
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Of course, in our age of constant stimulation and a need for endless mind-numbing entertainment, it feels impossible to sit still. While it’s easy for young people to dismiss this practice as old-fashioned or old-fashioned because their parents and grandparents didn’t have the technological access we have today, they could benefit from taking a page from the book of loneliness.
Even if it looks like we don’t, people need a certain amount of solitude to feel truly understood, connected, healthy and fulfilled. Without it, we are never truly grounded and regulated internally, and we rarely feel as though we truly have our lives together.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & politics and gender studies, focusing on psychology, relationships, self-help and human interest stories.
