First time making a “personal” post and I just wanted to share some thoughts.
I find it appalling how society pressures people, especially women, to remain youthful - appear younger, have clear skin, stay the same weight since their early years. I see the effects of this on my older sister who loathes wrinkles and grey hair. She grew up with reality shows in the 2000s that highlighted appearances and superficiality, all about how to look on the outside…
I feel grateful to spend so much time with my parents (in their 50s). My mother has started growing grey hair and I find it beautiful. She, just like my father, has wrinkles and “imperfect” skin that I can’t help but admire. Wrinkles tell such a story; of the times you smiled, laughed… they tell people you have lived a life of joy.
I can’t wait until I grow older. Grow grey hair (it’s like being blonde but without the yellow… and as a brunette, it seems like such a fun shift), grow wrinkles from laughing and spending time doing things I like. I look forward to travelling in my young years and looking back on it in my older years. I can’t wait to drink coffee with fellow 60-year olds and speak of how fast the world seems to change, yet time for us moves so slowly whenever we spend time together.
I don’t know. Maybe it sounds ridiculous. But I can’t wait to grow as a person. Become 20, 30, 60… I hope one day society will embrace aging and see how pretty life can get at the later stages.
I feel like I’m a kid in an adult body trying to pass off as an adult. Always walking on my toes mentally. Being expected to know and do things way beyond what I’m able to.
I feel like aging only makes it worse.
That’s a great perspective. What you’re missing though are the non-cosmetic physical changes that occur as you age. Your bones get brittle, your hormones get out of wack, your skin and muscles lose elasticity, you lose muscle mass, get weaker, sustain injuries easier, and take longer to heal. Aging gracefully is great, but it’s still pretty unpleasant when you throw your back out buttoning up a shirt.
Not really, but less because of changing appearances and more due to having to deal with the health issues that come along with it. Also, I feel like the human lifespan is way too short including even the best case scenarios with our current technology, but that may change in the future.
I’ve got to tell you as a 50 year old: everything hurts – all the time.
It shouldn’t. Do you have a healthy lifestyle?
Heh. I do. But artritis is a bitch
Welp. I know life isn’t perfect… but I try to be optimistic.
Just take care of your body and it won’t hurt all the time. Knees and back are the ones you really want to protect. Work out regularly even if you don’t feel like it. Do some yoga to keep yourself limber. Do this early in and life and make it a habit so later in life you won’t have to worry about your body hurting like some 50 year olds.
I agree overall with what you are saying but as someone who for decades has worked out daily, eats well (or at least conscientiously), has never smoked or done rec drugs, rarely drinks, etc… age still catches up to you. It feels unfair since I’ve been trying pretty hard to keep my body together for so long but I’m attempting radical acceptance. Seeing everyone I know who all have healthy lifestyles also having to deal with shoulder and knee pain and other things is also leading me to acceptance. Also having close friends in their 30s and 40 die of cancer changes one’s perspective on what one can control in life… We just do what we can and roll with the rest.
I’m at an age where aging isn’t fun any more.
Turned old this year. Would prefer to not do this aging thing anymore.
I don’t hear anyone complaining about the alternative.
Well, I’m 51 and female, and I thoroughly enjoy being the age that I am. In fact I would say that I would rather be this age than any other age I’ve experienced yet. I highly recommend it. I know getting older is not going to be an entirely pleasant experience, but menopause was very like a second puberty, but instead of being self-conscious and insecure, this time I have run out of fucks to give and just do as I please, regardless of what people think. I had hot pink hair for most of the last year, I only gave it up because I’m too lazy to maintain it.
It’s great hearing this. I’m glad at least somebody is having an ok time with being older.
Maybe it’s just how things turned out for me, but when I was younger my brain and body were stronger but things were situationally pretty bad until I got to college. Now that I’m around 30, situationally my life couldn’t be better, but exercising doesn’t feel good any more so it’s a chore, the world is on fire just like I was warned it would be as a child, I don’t have the drive to learn any more, and it feels so unfair that I don’t get to experience the life I have the way I imagined because getting here took too much out of me. But hey, at least it’s not bad. Maybe there’s hope I “get better”.
I think healthy aging is beautiful, but I don’t think most people age healthy. If my wrinkles are based on the first 25 years of my life, they’re going to show frustration and exhaustion. I hope your winkles do show you’ve lived a life of joy though. Keep up with exercise and healthy eating, that’s more than half the battle
it feels so unfair that I don’t get to experience the life I have the way I imagined because getting here took too much out of me
Fuck, that’s relatable.
Are you on the younger side? Generally younger people want to be older mostly to be able to do more adult things or have the things in life older people have built over time.
Getting older isn’t just looks although that is just a matter of personal preference. There are health concerns and things like lower energy. Taking care of yourself helps a ton but sometimes you get bad genetics or some kind of aliment anyway. And age will eventually catch up with most people.
I do still recommend things like exercise so you can feel 30 at 60 instead of 60 at 30.
I miss eating spicy food. I’ve cut out a lot of it because of the acid reflux it gives me.
In my early 20s I lifted a TV with my back because I didn’t know better. The back pains seem to come back more frequently these days.
I used to play so much tennis. Any injuries now seem to take forever to heal.
I don’t and never have, but I’ve always known this about myself. You know yourself best, if you think you’ll be someone that enjoys the changes that come with age then don’t let anyone else’s experiences make you doubt. Enjoy and live your best life, we all experience life differently and that is a good thing.
I’m in my 40s, and I’m still not ready to have grey hair. I’ll keep dying it until I’m ready for it. As for the rest of the stuff people put themselves through, no thanks. I’m not trying to spend huge sums of money on treatments, peels, products, or plastic surgery.
I have a bunch of younger cousins who are like you, they just don’t give a shit about it. They and their friends don’t think it’s required to shave their legs/pits. They aren’t dying their hair, or any of the other things to keep looking younger. They saw they parents doing it all, and just don’t want to participate. I’m a little envious of their no fucks to give, but like I said, I’m not there yet.
That’s okay - it’s important to do things your own pace and not give in to peer pressure or whatever else people say. My mom recently stopped dyeing her hair and is now embracing the grey look. Everybody should take their time with things, and not being ready yet is just as okay.
