When did you "feel" your age?

[Elf Mommy]

From what I've heard, there comes an age in a woman's life (maybe a man's as well, but I haven't heard that as much), that she "feels" her age. My sister's big birthday was 30. When she turned 30, she really felt, old. 30 came and went for me and I still felt nothing. Next Friday I turn 37...and for some reason, it's getting to me. I don't know why.

So, I was wondering if anyone has had that moment. Any tips on how to get through it? I know life won't change dramatically on Friday. Everything just goes on. But...sigh...I guess I just feel like I'll be grouped in with a different set of people now for the rest of my life.

For the most part, that's a good thing. I actually have preferred hanging out with the older people who work at my school anyway. I just never felt like I was one of the young hip crowd. (OK, there was one year that I did...but it was short-lived.)

I've looked young for most of my life. I've always been carded and my last group of coworkers was shocked when I told them how old I am. Now, though...because of my accident (broken leg, wheelchair, crutches, now hobbling like a little old lady), I've gained some weight and haven't covered the grey in my hair (my grandfather was completely white at age 17, and I started going grey at 21...but have covered it up for years...now I'm pretty salt and peppery around the temples and shimmers throughout the rest of my hair), so I know I look older. I definitely FEEL older.

And...well, that's my rant. I'm becoming old, crotchety and intolerant of ignorance and poor grammar (er...that has to be the teacher in me).

And you?

Minda

 

[Elf Mommy]

Really? Just me then? Heh...now I really feel old

time to clean house, fold laundry, and be grouchy

Have a good day all!!!

Minda

 

[bat42072]

I am 36 but I feel way older(aches and pains) I have felt that way for several years

 

[NZminilops]

My last birthday, when I turned 26, I felt REALLY old. I was no longer a young woman, I'm closer to 30 than 20 now. I see wrinkles showing on my face now, drier skin, aches and pains in my back sometimes, and just feel old.

 

[TinysMom]

Forty was tough for me.....very tough. Then I did ok till this year...Art turned 50 and I turned 48.

Now it is like there is a restlessness inside me to "make something of myself while I can".

My bones ache sometimes - I'm feeling grumpier sometimes.

I'll never forget how Art used to lift anything without help...the freezer....washer...dryer...etc. We moved many times and he always did it all. The first time I saw him ask for help (about 5 years ago) and hesitate to lift something - hit me really really hard....because somehow I never thought I'd see him get old.

I wish I had words of encouragement for you - but right now I'm pretty discouraged myself.

The only advice I can give is - start doing things now for yourself - making sure you make time to enjoy life, etc. Because if you keep putting it off for later - later will happen and you'll be older...but will have missed out on time you could've spent doing your dreams.

 

[Elf Mommy]

Thanks for chiming in. I have to get the house clean to start feeling more myself again. I think the coming of this birthday makes me feel like I have to purge all the old junk I'm holding onto and start looking to what is really important for me to keep and what I am willing to accomplish.

Out with the old...in with the new.

And try to walk without hobbling so much...

 

[Sabine]

When I was 37 I had 4 kids, got my first Black Belt in Karate and had all the young guys chasing me (I was seperated then) I actually felt younger and fitter than in my mid twenties. Since I had my fifth baby we moved out of town and I can't go training as regularily. I really feel the difference. For my 40th birthday I had highlights done because it rained all last summer and my hair didn't bleach naturally (that made me feel old)
Also the feeling of being not quite in shape gets me down at times and I'm disgusted i don't pass for under thirty anymore (Oh vanity)

 

[Bo B Bunny]

When I turned 23 I was devastated.... stupid wasn't I?

Then, about 37 or so it got to me also.

I turned 45 in October.... I'm still depressed and definitely feel old!

 

[mouse_chalk]

Bo B Bunny wrote:

When I turned 23 I was devastated.... stupid wasn't I?

I'm only 24, so still fairly young I guess but I feel old! I just can't go out and run around partying at all like I used to, and I find grey hairs often I'm so paranoid that I'll be grey by 30!

It scares me that Steve will be 27 in April.... he's so old! :shock:

I know it sounds silly at my age, but getting old really does scare me lol....

 

[Sabine]

mouse_chalk wrote:

Bo B Bunny wrote:

When I turned 23 I was devastated.... stupid wasn't I?

I'm only 24, so still fairly young I guess but I feel old! I just can't go out and run around partying at all like I used to, and I find grey hairs often I'm so paranoid that I'll be grey by 30!

It scares me that Steve will be 27 in April.... he's so old! :shock:

I know it sounds silly at my age, but getting old really does scare me lol....

Don't despair Jen the thirties are the best and yet to come for you.
One thing I noticed since i turned 40 is that I view ny clothes more critically and have discarded a couple of things or even colours as not "age appropriate"(how sad) I don't really feel comfortable wearing bright reds and pink anymore. My confidence must have got a knock or something

 

[JadeIcing]

I am 26 but due to an oddly sometimes sensitive stomach I am limited on food, due to being hit by a car my body tend to get soar easy. I have migraines so yea I feel older than I am.

I have always been "older" mentally. I don't and most times never felt like I fit in with people my age. I don't drink, I wouldn't smoke if someone put a gun to my head, I like to dance but am content to do it alone, I don't have patience for stupid people though I will pretend to.I have OCD which I get teased for ALOT. I try to control it but I know it is getting worse as I get older which worries me that I will go alittle nuts on it.

 

[Pet_Bunny]

I'm 50+1, and having a ball! :biggrin2:

I just don't feel 50 at all. I don't care if people complainif some of myhair shows some whiteor the clothes I wear. I guess I am busy all the time, and presently obsessed with photography that I don't have time to feel old.
At 40, I wondered what milestones I had in my life. So I trained for a Marathon and eventually completed 2 Marathons. :running bunny

 

[BethM]

I'm 33, but I feel pretty old sometimes. I have arthritis in my hands/wrists, and knees, and some days it's really bad. It's been ok lately, but today my hands hurt a lot. I think because of the crazy weather change. Also, I'm tired a lot. I have chronic sinusitis, and I don't really sleep as well as I should because of it.

Also, in the last couple years, I've gained a little weight. (New Year's resolution is to lose 15 pounds. Last month, a co-worker asked if I was pregnant. No, just not skinny, thank you very much.)

In the last year or so, I've been making more "age appropriate" clothing choices (more dealing with style, I've actually broadened my color choices), and decorating the house in a more "grown-up" style. (Though there still is that yellow Peep bunny pillow in the living room. ) I used to keep my hair dyed red, but now I am too lazy, so the gray is starting to show up. I also recently tossed out all (well, most) of my body glitter. In college I wore that a lot, but I don't think I could get away with it any more.

Oh, and getting married in September made me feel much older.

 

[JadeIcing]

First all I am posting from my iPod. I got married 3 years ago on my birthday I felt so young. You will too.

 

[Elf Mommy]

I think fresh love definitely makes you feel young again. I found new love at the age of 26, when I was feeling run down and unloved. It made me feel young and beautiful all over again. I lost weight, I was so happy. Maybe that's part of it. I guess I'm in a rut.

 

[BethM]

I lived with Jason for 3 years before we got married. So getting married was sort of an "official" thing. When we got back from Hawaii, people kept asking me how married life was, and they were disappointed when I told them it was just like before. *shrug* Well, it is.

Getting married, to me, is something grown-ups do. I'm no longer a youngster, shacked-up with my boyfriend.

 

[Raspberry82]

I've never really felt my age. Seriously. When I was a kid I had a lot of heavy things going on in my life that made me grow up fast all the way through my teens. Since I've been sick for a few years, I actually feel really young at 26 like I'm still 22/23, but my body feels old and my mind feels way too grown up. Sometimes I wish I had not had to grow up so very fast in my life! Ironically, I think I will feel more young as I get older because my body will feel better than it has in a long time and life will finally be becoming easier than it ever has been.

 

[Bassetluv]

I've never felt my age. I'm now 50, and honestly I feel more like 25-30. Been through my share of health issues, and I seem to have some sort of undiagnosed problem (I suspect it's an autoimmune disorder...my dr just shrugs) with vague, yet annoying problems that vary and/or recur. I also have hearing issues (both from heredity and side effects of chemo), dental issues (again side effects, but from radiation), a mild form of IBS, and have worn glasses (now contacts) from the age of 10. But despite all of this - which when written makes me sound very old...lol - I don't feel old. Never have, even during illness and body pain. Age to me has always been a state of mind; always will be. :biggrin2:

 

[wabbitmom12]

Mentally, I've always kept a "your only as old as you feel" attitude. All the way through my 30's, I felt younger (and thanks to my Mary Kay, looked youthful, too ). I even gave creative answers to the question, when asked my age. I was "29" for about 10 years. Then, my oldest son turned 16, and that just didn't sound RIGHT anymore!! So, then I had to be "35" for awhile, LOL. Even now, at 44, when I have to put my actual agedown on something official, I have to stop and subtract my birth year from the current year. I know I'm in my 40's, but I can never remember how far into my 40's I am!

The funny thing is, I have actually noticed a bit of a mental shift thepast 2-3 years. Things like,"Please turn that music down!How can you listen to that cr*p?!" and, "Kids these days...!" or, "Back when I was your age...." GROAN! I can't believe I've actually become a real live grown up!

Physically, however, things have been a bit rougher for about 5 years. Some of myhealth problems are stress-induced, so they will probably always be lurking-waiting to jump on me again at the first sign of being overwhelmed. I was diagnosed with arthritis when I was 35, but never really believed ituntil about 3 years ago. Now I HAVE to take Naporoxen (Aleve) twice a day or I'll be in serious pain. My neck is the worst, but the fingers, wrists, ankles, elbows, and hips also get rebellious depending on the weather, and what I've been doing. (I don't even want to guess how I'll be doing when I'm 60, much less 80!!) I find myself getting tired much more easily. I've actually said, "I'm not as young as I used to be." Gah!! And, I now take at least 4 prescriptions that I'll be taking the rest of my life. THAT makes me feel old!

My mind also isn't as sharp-that's what really bugs me. I know it's common when you get to the pre-menopause years, and also if you have suffered depressive episodes, as I have. But some days I get so discouraged by being scatter-brained. We have Alzheimer's in my family, and that worry is always lurking in the back of my mind. In the long run, I guess I just hope to be doing as well as my 80 year old mother-in-law, when I get to be her age. She's a little slower physically, but she's still chugging along, and her mind is very sharp. She and Pops still live in their home, get around in the car, everything. I hope Dave and I grow old as gracefully as they have.

 

[paul2641]

Sabine wrote:

mouse_chalk wrote:

Bo B Bunny wrote:

When I turned 23 I was devastated.... stupid wasn't I?

I'm only 24, so still fairly young I guess but I feel old! I just can't go out and run around partying at all like I used to, and I find grey hairs often I'm so paranoid that I'll be grey by 30!

It scares me that Steve will be 27 in April.... he's so old! :shock:

I know it sounds silly at my age, but getting old really does scare me lol....

Don't despair Jen the thirties are the best and yet to come for you.
One thing I noticed since i turned 40 is that I view ny clothes more critically and have discarded a couple of things or even colours as not "age appropriate"(how sad) I don't really feel comfortable wearing bright reds and pink anymore. My confidence must have got a knock or something

Prob because you have a new baby and you think you have to look responsible in your black clothes. I think you should try and get to your karate atleast once a week. But I am prob no help at all lol.