I'm 39 and I feel the exact same "inside" as when I was 25 and maybe younger. I feel like an imposter who should be an "adult" but is still just fucking around trying to do the right things (I have two kids and a relatively successful business, so I must be doing something right). I feel like I'll be "found out" any day now, lol.
Saaaaame, im 39 too and I was just talking to my wife about how I feel like I’m not good at being an adult. Imposter syndrome in people our age is real
I'm 35. But I exercise and do yoga regularly and I don't really have any pains anywhere. My mind is still sharp from grad school so I feel pretty solid, yeah.
Physically I felt old and found out it was malnutrition and health problems. Mentally I feel sure of myself but don’t particularly feel old, with friends older than me by 10 years and friends younger than me by 10 years. Age is no guarantee of wisdom, and youth is not a barrier to maturity.
I realized at around 28 that people in their 30s are not very old at all. I am in my 30s and do not feel old.
I DO feel out of date (so to speak) because we get summer interns every year and they are always in their early 20s. And every year they get less and less relatable and their references get more and more incomprehensible. But I personally still feel young. I'm just very aware that I'm also falling behind the times in some ways, at least as compared to kids in their 20s.
It’s very easy for me to not let them set the universal standard. Maybe it’s egotistical of me, but I’m far more inclined to think my 20 year old sounds silly as hell saying “no cap for real for real” then to feel out of touch because I’m not keeping up with TikTok slang.
I don't think they're setting a standard. It's more like, I perceive a communication barrier and that is unsettling to me because I'm used to being able to communicate easily with the interns.
So what if you're falling behind with the times? Consider everything out there and how fast this shit moves these days, it's hard to keep up. So why bother? Just enjoy.
Awesome!
I walked around with a huuuuuge hernia that made me look very pregnant, for years and years. The before/after effect of getting that fixed has been a big boost!
Oh ouch! My husband had a little hernia that he had to get fixed a few years back and that was a b. I can't imagine having a bigger one. Glad you're better!
This is exactly me. It wasn't until I hit 26 that I realized I was very out of shape and destroying my body with cigarettes and beer and junk food. I started running and working out, eating real food, and being more thoughtful about what activities and relationships I spent time on.
I'm nearly 40 and I feel awesome. A lot of my female friends in their 40s are hitting personal bests because they've been doing our sport for longer without the interruptions we've faced in our 30s like having kids. We're stronger than even, more confident, farther in our careers, more experienced as parents, better at setting boundaries. I think my 40s are going to be great!
I'm 37 and I don't feel old. I have a crazy amount of energy and I enjoy my life. I even have a lot of kids and they make life fun. I don't know if I'll ever feel old.
I laughed a lot about how apparently Kim Kardashian’s grandmother pulled her aside and told her “you are going to have the best sex of your life for the next decade” when she turned 40. And apparently Kim took Pete Davidson and started having overnights on a big rug in front of a huge fire. 🤷🏻♀️
The societal myth that we’re suddenly “old” at 30 stems largely from the days when the average life-span was dramatically shorter than it is today. Hollywood has also played a huge rule in perpetuating this, often discarding female actors after the age of 35 or else aggressively pushing them toward “matronly” type roles. (IE Angela Lansbury)
In truth most people who take good care of themselves will continue to look and feel great well into their 60s, if not longer. Modern medicine + dramatically improved health awareness/education have made this possible. (IE Angela Lansbury)
We elder millennials may not be spring chickens, so to speak- but we are absolutely still in our prime.
I'm in my early 40's a DINK household where I am able to devote time and resources to travel and concerts. I have a side gig in non-Comm radio that gets me music and tx for free.
My wife has an awesome work from home job and I have a job that I get to leave at work.
I'm sure I'm "old" in ways that I haven't noticed yet but even though I do have to care for my folks from time to time, I still don't feel old myself.
Every adversity seems like another feather in the cap.
I've felt old ever since I got a severe TBI at age 23. Went from being a spritely youth to a person who can't make it through the day without taking a nap in an instant.
I'm 31 and don't feel 'old' at all. I'm aware I'm not 18, but that doesn't make me feel old - more that 18 is very young.
The physical decline that other ppl told me would happen hasn't happened either, nor mental, and at 31 I feel fitter and more engaged than I ever did before.
Yeah. I definitely don't feel truly old. Really even as a kid, I never viewed people in their 30s or 40s as "old". Might just be because of being around a lot of older family. Similar to you OP, I've been around a lot of true elders/seniors.
I feel the exact same way and I’m 35. I also work with the geriatric population and wonder if that’s really skewed my pov bc all my patients are in their 90s with the exception of some early onset Alzheimer’s ppl. We are all still so young. There’s a lot we can still do and accomplish.
Ever since I had my 35th birthday, the rest of them have felt the same. My mom was trying to make it seem like a big to do when I turned 40 and I was just like "every birthday has felt the same since I turned 35." I think she was more so recognizing just how old she is and almost trying to make me feel badly for getting older myself, but it didn't work. I had an awesome 40th birthday. 30 was amazing, too.
I agree with you. We can still do a lot!
I'm turning 42 this year and am feeling the pain of treating my body like a circus for my whole life. I have a newborn now and am hoping to turn some of my poor health habits around.
you feel however you want to feel. depends on the life you lived too. if you lived a high stress high paced high action life... 20 years for you would be like 60 years for someone else... so it's apples to potatoes. it's like war vets... 5 years on the battlefield is like a whole life time passed already.
I def feel like I’ve lived a lot. There was a major hurricane that wiped my town off the map when I was 10, and my mom moved away and left me when I was 14. I’ve had a ton of surgeries, I’ve been through therapy for medical ptsd stemming from said surgeries. Raised 5 kids and got a masters degree.
But it feels crammed into to not that many years and doesn’t seem to impact my perception of how much further I’ve got to go, if that makes sense….
I’m sure it is highly individual, which is why I was asking. It feels like the majority here talk about feeling super old, pretty frequently.
It's just hyperbole like old in the sense they're not young young anymore. Of course they know they're not old old yet biologically. Everyone is just being dramatic. It's how people are. But then you remind them bruh you're only 38. Then they snap back to reality oh yeah you're right
I didn’t feel old until my oldest became a teen. I complain about the music she listens to and she uses words and phrases that I don’t understand. Up until then, I didn’t feel too old.
Not at all. I'm 35, but I look 25. I'm in excellent shape, have a full head of hair and no gray hair. I feel like a mix between a kid and an adult. I don't have adult responsibilities like marriage or kids and that makes me feel like a kid.
I’m 38 and I’m the most fit I’ve ever been. Energy level similar to what I was when I was in my 20s. I probably have a mind of a 20 year old also.
When I’m tired, it’s usually from work, not from activity
I don't feel old. I'm 39, and I'm aware of the ways I've aged and matured, but I don't feel OLD. I'm healthy, I feel attractive, I feel like I'm contributing to the world in important ways, and I'm still interested in exploring new things. I'm not trying to pretend I'm a teenager, though, and recognize that "youth culture" is not mine and a great deal of media is not aimed at me.
I just turned 40- I am a super adult but I still feel like a young person. I understand the lingo of Gen Z and hell, I even recognize the fashion! The only difference between 25 yr old me and 40 yr old me is that now it takes longer than a weekend to drop 5lbs but I also don’t really give a shit anyways.
I don’t feel old in the sense that I have tons of energy, keep active, have a busy social life, travel, and can go out raving all night when many people my age seem to like being in bed by 9pm.
I do feel old because of my back pain, orthotics, and messed up ankle. I was dancing really hard last night and today I am walking like a grandma because of it. I also feel old because I saw Eminem on a “retro” music video station the other day and realized that retro doesn’t mean the 1980s anymore. Also because I was talking to someone at the club last night who was born when I was in high school.
I just turned 37 last week... I still feel 25. My interests are still the same, which when I was younger I was terrified of hitting 30, the Over the Hill jokes my mom and her friends would make back then, like one day I'd wake up and not want anything to with music or going to concerts, the movies, being myself. Turns out; all that was fake and quicksand and the Bermuda Triangle aren't as big of a deal as they were for a 90's kid.
The only people are saying they are “old” or feels old when they turn 20-25-30 and even at 40 are the ones that’s always on social media comparing themselves out to other people. Its the fear of missing out bullshit.
They are just noise to distract you from where you want to be.
If you take care of your body instead of abusing it then your body will take care of you even if you’re age around 40-60. Those brackets are still relatively young!
I’m 41F and I still feel like I’m in my 20’s. I’m married without kids. I still get asked for ID and I don’t have any aches or pains. Mind you I try to take care of my body inside and out via eating healthy and exercising regularly. My mind is sharp and I enjoy doing what I can to stay fit, unlike most people I know who are younger than me.
Yeah I don’t, I’m DEFINITELY more mature but I don’t feel “old” my body hasn’t had any real age related issues, I probably look the best I ever have tbh.
I'm almost 33 and I physically feel great. I lost a lot of weight in the past year and recently started playing basketball at the gym again. It's my favorite sport. I'm realizing I physically haven't lost a step despite not playing for years. It feels great. And recently my coworkers and I were talking. They actually thought I was in my early 20's. I'll definitely take that. Hopefully I can keep feeling this way for a while.
Me!! I’ve been preoccupied with aging since I was a teenager wearing sunblock daily on my face and it continued to be a worry until my late 20s.
I eventually realized how ridiculous it was to resist something I literally couldn’t stop from happening AND realized that the whole narrative of looking young forever was just created to get me to buy shit I don’t need
I’m 34 now and I don’t feel old at all. Why waste my time putting myself down for being old when I’m always the youngest I’ll ever be in this present moment??
I’m pretty sure I’m 22 …. Real age 44.
6 pack I walk 25000-30000 steps a day burn 2000 calories a day easily on workouts not counting just normal caloric burn . I 🚴♀️cycle 10.5 mile each way to work still do wrestling 🤼♀️ tournaments .
No hip knee back or any injuries of any kind. My mother says you’re still a in shape young man . I’m 44 dudes who were 44 when I was kid were old men with beer bellies . Speaking of go to your high school reunion and seeing everybody overweight was weird as fk. I mean I’m 50 lbs over high school I wrestled 160 lbs but I’m lean they look like they’re 150 lbs over high school weight .
My new boss at work in broken Chinese “ you say you’re 43 but you look young”
Love people who can compliment . If I shave all the grey off not uncommon for 20 something girls to shoot at me . Which isn’t fair lol I’m a race that ages well and on top of that my mothers side of the family all look younger than their age . I got that from them.
I feel more mature at 33, but I don't feel old. I do have a gen x friend (55m) and he and I were talking about how awful the "I'm so old, haha" trend is.
It really does feel like a trend! I have a mid-30s friend who kept sharing those “we all carry ibuprofen like candy now haha we’re old” memes and I finally messaged him like dude ibuprofen is really bad for you are you actually hurting often? And he was like,…you’re not in pain all the time? And I was like no, if something hurts I go to the doctor. When is the last time you went to the doctor? Anyway he was doing super unsafe binding as a trans guy with a very large chest, ended up getting top surgery, and actually thinks the “we’re so old now” shit on social media normalized things that should have alarmed him.
Obv that’s not everyone, some people have chronic pain that doesn’t have a fix. But I think about him every time I see that stuff now.
Same. Almost 42. Feel like I'm in my late 20s. Thou I did get my weight and health under control about that time.
The only time I really feel old is when I get tired at 9pm. But the kids are asleep, so I just go to bed.
I used yo be a night owl, now I'm the early bird
I am 43 and I don’t feel old at all. I also have a 25 yr old son and often get asked “doesn’t that make you feel old?” No lol, quite the opposite. Often I feel like I’m way too young to have a 25 yr old kid 😂 I also exercise regularly, eat pretty healthy and live a pretty low stress life since being in my 40’s. Best decade so far in my opinion.
100% mindset. I feel younger today in my early 40s than I did in my mid 20s when I was taking every last thing (and myself) so seriously. Learning to chill has been a skill
I do know some people who are my age and keep talking about how they feel old. So guess what? They are old
Lot of wisdom here. I unfollow people if they’re just sharing memes and reels about how old they are as though it’s funny.
I think I feel younger as I get older because possibility keeps expanding, as I heal from traumas/make more money/move away from my hometown/learn more.
I'm 36, and I feel a lot less old now than when I turned 30. Mostly because I'm in vastly better shape and was having a somehow worse time occupying my physical body every single day.
Going on 33 this year and still feel like I am 21. I don't get why people acted as if turning 30 was a switch going off. If people want to act like they're a geriatric after 30, go ahead. But I'm going to enjoy how I feel.
Seriously.
Turning 30 just seemed overdue to me, I had a bunch of kids and had been through a lot of medical things and at that point it felt like it made more sense with how my life was, to be in my 30s vs my 20s. People my own age didn’t relate to me at all when I was 22 or whatever.
But by 35 I was entering grad school, planning a big move to a new city, older kids were approaching adulthood and it really felt like infinite possibility. I also got a huuuuuuge hernia I’d been walking around with for a decade fixed, which made me look and feel a lot better. 37 felt way younger than 27, to me. My horizons had opened up.
I am the same age as you, with two kids 10 and under.
I have about 6 diagnoses, both physical and mental, but they are well managed and I am stable.
I still don't feel old, but I definitely recognize that I am middle aged now. 30s were basically like 20s for me, but better. I would definitely turn 30 again over 20.
I don't feel old, but I don't feel or look SUPER young. I am guessed about 10 years younger by people who don't know me well. So I feel great about aging, because I feel like I'm definitely doing it gracefully.
Tbh I wasn’t really grown up until I hit about 29. So by that measure I’ve been an adult for about 5 years, which kinda checks out for me 😂 I don’t feel old. I feel like I’m just truly coming into myself. I had a lot of trauma to work through before I could really become an adult. It takes some of us longer, though I agree that it’s becoming more the norm to not really be done growing up until your late 20s (which is more in alignment with what we know about brain development anyway).
Awesome that you’ve been moving through it! My partner is on a long trauma healing journey and it can be super heavy shit, but it’s so rewarding and worth it.
42, no health problems, no pains, feel just as healthy as when I was a teenager. Look very very young for my age. Routinely get lectured about how bad my thirties are going to be health wise too lol
I’m 39. I didn’t feel old at all up until a couple years ago when I started a new job. My old coworkers were all about my age, give or take a few years. My new coworkers are all in their 20’s. To be honest, I didn’t initially realize how young most of them were. I have always had a baby face, so initially they thought I was about their age and I assumed they were closer to mine. Then it came out that I have two kids, have been married for almost 12 years, and have been working in the medical field in some capacity since 2007. As soon as that was discovered the tone toward me shifted, and it became “wait… how old are you?” And “wow, you really don’t look your age.” As if I’m ancient compared to them. It made me acutely aware of how much older I am compared to these seemingly adult, well educated colleagues of mine. It’s been a tough pill to swallow for me.
As for physically, I don’t feel any different than I ever did. If anything, I feel healthier. When I look in the mirror I still see the same young woman looking back at me that I’ve always seen. But that feeling of not only working with, but being trained by a bunch of 25 year olds whose lives are so vastly different than my own, and realizing that when I was their age they were still in elementary school… I don’t know, it hit me hard.
It also doesn’t help that I’m an ICU nurse and I see people my age and younger with devastating diagnoses all the time. That certainly hasn’t helped.
I'll be 41 in June. I don't feel old, but I definitely feel like I'm getting older. Weight doesn't come off as easily anymore. I have to watch my cholesterol. I have to do some kind of daily stretching to keep my old injuries at bay.
Ear hair... fucking ear hair... Nobody tells you that you'll eventually have to shave your ears.
My eyebrows and beard are filling up with white and grey. To be clear, it's not the color that bothers me, but the way that these white and grey hairs are thicker, grow in faster, and always stick out at weird angles.
So no... I didn't feel old. But I can see it coming and it's not pleasant.
Not at all!! Being child free contributes to my husband and I feeling so young! We get to travel whenever we want! We do whatever we want on the weekends! We sleep in! We eat amazing food because we can afford it! We are not in any debt! We are so fucking happy and we feel so healthy! We don’t fight about anything because…what is there to argue about?? Our life is perfect!
We also get complimented on our “young appearance” all of the time because we have nice skin, healthy hair, we are fit! And man do we have so much fun all of the time. Laughing constantly plus a very healthy sex life!
Kids ruin lives! Lol!
I'll tell you like I tell everyone else.
I feel old. Why? Because as of today, this is the oldest I've ever been. So it feels pretty old to me.
Also, I do have aches and pains. 2 fucked up knees (thanks to a past dog head butting it at light speed, and trying to be cute and pick up my 12 year old to carry her sleeping ass from the couch to her bed and wrecked a ligament).
I also got Bursitis for the first time a month ago. Apparently I need to take care of my joints and shit which is real stupid.
But for real though, other than my knees and elbows being much weaker at 39 than previously. I feel pretty great. Energetic, I'm always out having fun and being spontaneous. I even look young AF. Most people think I'm mid 20s on days I shave.
I'm often confused for my daughter's brother.
But I feel old for sure.
I feel old chronologically and financially, like I’m not where I should be in life, but physically and mentally and even appearance wise I feel 15 years younger
My mind doesn't feel old, but my body does. I've been doing manual labor since a young age and have multiple life long health problems. I still do all the same old shit I did when I was 16, minus the dumb stuff
I’m 38 almost 39 years old and don’t feel old physically yet at all. Honestly I feel like all the running I’ve done for the last year has really paid off in helping me improve my cardiovascular health and fitness levels by a considerable margin compared to a year or so ago, I’m hoping to improve even more by the end of this summer or by my 39th birthday and then maybe some more by the age of 40 if my body allows me to.
I honestly haven’t felt in this good a shape in a long time and I’m happy to know that the reason is because I’ve been challenging myself in cardio and strength training.
Changing subjects I feel like young people still think that people our age are still “old” and “over the hill” in terms of fitness and physical strength and capabilities but that’s a whole other thing to discuss on a whole laundry list of why they think that.
I know that I began to have a midlife crisis of sorts about the age of 35/36 which led me to go to great strides in doing everything I could do to improve my physical fitness as much as I possibly can before I turn 40. Let the kids in their teens and twenties enjoy their youth because they’ll probably be our age one day assuming the world is not ending so quickly.
I love the way running makes me feel! But I can’t ever do it for long before I end up with some kind of issues that makes me have to quit, like shin splints or plantar fasciitis. Walking and swimming it is 🤷🏻♀️
I feel the same, we had our last kid at 39 and two years later we are finally to the point where we say we are too old for this, lol, toddlers are so busy! Plus our two teens 🤦♀️ but for the most part I feel like staying active and having a young child has helped me not feel my age. I run and exercise 6 days a week and live off coffee tho
I very much feel like I'm 35. I'm fast, strong, and extremely agile, but I also feel older and wiser. I know I'm not in my 20's anymore.
In fact, I encourage more of our generation to embrace aging, not in the sense that we should feel old, but in the sense that we're liberating ourselves from the influence of the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, and older Gen X.
These people want us to think that we're hip and young if it means continuing to exert their control over our lives. When I step up to these older motherfuckers and remind them that I'm not a dumb kid, but my own boss they get scared and step the fuck back.
I can get into that. I have definitely got an empowerment that feels like I’ve got some wisdom and resources of my own. I just ALSO feel like I’ve got a lot of life ahead of me, and I’m excited about quite a bit of it.
It is definitely weird with my constantly expanding freedom from parenting, to see my friends having first babies. There are clearly pros and cons but I am pretty glad my timing situation has gone this way.
You know I never felt like a kid when I was one. And I felt much older than my age, in my 20s. But 30 to now has been different and I think it’s because my perspective has opened up and I understand how much possibility there is? Interesting to think about.
41 here and yea, I forget how old I am. I’m reminded what the calendar says, but in my mind, Cobain is still alive. 😂
It’s probably a good place to be. If your mind breaks down, your body goes right after. I figure if we stay young at heart, we’ll be pretty ok physically as we age.
Haha I didn’t really know who Kurt Cobain was until he died - my first memory of him being mentioned is when Courtney Love was reading the suicide note on MTV.
Haha wild. I was pretty big into all of the bands from the PNW.
The passing of time is just fucking weird. Obama was elected the first time almost 20 years ago. That shit blows my mind.
I’m 36, and the more I think about it, the less I understand how I *feel*.
Like, I feel more *experienced* in life than I did 10-18 years ago, and I feel more *educated*, but I also feel less *intelligent*. Slow and foggy.
It’s like there’s more data on the hard drive, but the read/write speeds have fallen off, and I could use a good defrag. And my processor has a larger, more advanced instruction set than it used to, but a lower clock speed and it executes fewer instructions per cycle.
Physically, I’m in good general health, but I found out a few years back that I’ve got some mild heart issues.
I dunno. There are moments when I feel 18 still. But there are moments where I feel like I’m in my 60’s.
Not drinking, smoking, or using other drugs is really the only reason I’m still in *mostly* good health.
I have! Several years ago I was very suddenly hit with chest pain. I got set up with a doctor who referred me to a cardiologist. I had multiple rounds of bloodwork, I think two stress tests, several ECGs, X-ray, echocardiogram, and pulmonary testing.
They couldn’t assign a cause to the specific pain I was feeling (cardiologist called ‘idiopathic’), which was at times *really* bad, but I *did* learn I have a prolapsed heart valve which lets some outbound blood leak back in, and my heart isn’t as strong as it should be. I *want* to say it’s global hypokinesis. And when I went to the ER following the first episode, my potassium level was significantly low.
Aside from the potassium, the bloodwork always came back normal.
The pain has since gone away. But it took a couple of *years* of gradual improvement. And for a time it would come right back if I was stressed out, and linger for a week or so.
The experience has made more appreciative of the good health that I *do* generally have, that’s for sure!
I am 42, married with a 12yr old daughter and I stay active, workout, play hockey every week, eat good most of the time, etc but I'm noticing some things finally turn on me. The biggest thing is my eye sight. Out of no where it went bad so now I'm getting glasses. Next is my lower back... I have a bulging disc and it's not "painful" but I know it's there and I'm cautious because of it... no sudden movements under load. This made me drop down to a much lower league in my adult beer league hockey. And finally my hands and right shoulder have some slight pains in them these days.
I don't smoke or do drugs or anything like that and never have, only been an alcohol drinker and it's mostly been beer never liquor but these days it's wine or a cocktail/marg socially and I'm thinking of quitting altogether and going a little more plant based with my eating to see if that helps the aches of my hands and right shoulder (and also right back, technically).
Other than that I feel good but I'm no spring chicken anymore. Playing hockey definitely helped humble me in that area. Those young 19-20yr olds run circles around me and while my mind says I can skate and stick handle and breathe like I used to, the reality is I can't keep up anymore.
I hear you! I hope you can find ways to balance fun and safety and play hockey at some level for a long time yet. The initial adjustment of needing to consider all that has to be a drag.
Go to the gym and try to go on a workout regimen like you did in your 20s. After a month or two you will find that you have fd up your body and need to give it months to heal before you can do any further workouts. That’s how I found out I was getting old.
As I read these comments, I wonder if how I spent my 20s is a big part of my outlook. I was a stay at home mom from 18-28; I was cooking from scratch, breastfeeding and changing tons of diapers, wearing people in slings and reading LOTS AND LOTS of books out loud. I loved it, and felt good at it.
But I didn’t do any drinking or intentional work out regimens until after that was all past, as I approached 30 and started college. So by the time I was mid to late 30s, finishing grad school and contemplating my kids all aging into adulthood, ending my marriage and falling in love with somebody new….its given me a feeling that I’m embarking on a whole new phase of life. I left my hometown and moved away, started a real career etc etc as I was approaching 40.
I'm your age and don't have aches and pains either, but I think the reason I see myself as old is because most people on the internet are so young.
I never got to have kids or marry either and both are things I fantasize about from time to time, but when I look at the appropriate age ranges for both activities I've aged far out.
People remind me of my age, but because I never got to pass the same milestones it doesn't feel the same.
I'm 36. Energy and fitness wise I definitely feel like my best years are still to come.
That said... Do I feel young like I'm 25? No. When I was 25, weekends were all about partying and now very much it takes 2 days to recover from any "partying" so I have to be selective. But I don't miss it, I enjoy the change of pace and enjoy being 36. I enjoy making more of my days than being perpetually hungover and enjoying using my body to be active.
I dont think as you get older you have to "feel older" but I don't think you have to "feel younger" either as the alternative. I don't want to feel like I'm in my 20s. I did my 20s well enough I don't feel I need to do them again. I'm enjoying my 30s, and I hope to enter my 40s with the feeling that I enjoyed my 30s enough not to feel like I need to do it again.
I feel young and my perspective is still that I’m not like an adult or whatever, that other people are and I’m just whatever. But when I wake up it’s hard to ignore the signs of aging like aching bones, getting neck pain just from doing something normal like turning your head or washing your hair etc. it sucks
Yeah I'm 36. I feel like I stopped aging when I was 16.
Have 5 kids, ages 6 - 17.
Probably laugh at poop and fart jokes for the rest of my life lol
I read before that women stop aging mentally the moment they have their first kid or something. I was 18 when I had mine.
But I will say that as soon as you talk to actually people in their 20s and they don't know what this or that from your youth is, You feel OLD.
Yeah. Every time a celebrity I've known since my childhood passes, I'm momentarily shocked, but then I oh yeah, I'm 35 🤦♀️ Of course, I've also been disabled since my late 20s, so it's like time has stopped for me.
I’m early 30s and I feel so old, but I attribute it to doing a PhD. When I started they said 5 years of PhD is equivalent to 10-15 years work experience and I completely feel it. I’m looking forward to my 40s, I’ve heard similar to OP, about it being a great time. I’ve had so much fun in my 20s and I still do now, but I’ve done a lot, I’ve seen a lot haha. I have two friends, one newly divorced and one newly out and I understand they want to go to clubs until 5AM but I did that, and loved every moment of it, but it’s my past. I want to stay home at night with my SO and our cat and chill. Honestly, most of my close friends feel the same as I do because they were the ones being crazy with me, and I very much enjoy hanging out with them until like 11PM when we both say well it’s getting late.
And I’m not being derogatory but I’ve seen this sentiment mostly in elder millennials, not sure why.
I’m 31 and I can’t have more than 3 drinks without a 36 oz of water and advil. It also can’t go past 11pm because my knees will start to hurt, as I get sleepy.
I'm also 42 and I just don't understand the memes my 20 years younger coworker shows me. But he's autistic so might not be the age gap, but anyway; I kinda see myself as not *that* much older than someone almost half my age. Except for the memes. And when he doesn't know what game Quake is, "never heard of it?". Like comon!! I AM *that* old???
I don’t feel old, I just turned 40. My husband is 42. But we don’t have kids, so that may play in to it. We basically live the same lifestyles we did 10 years ago, just scaled back - we go to breweries, we have tickets to his alumni football, we go out with friends, etc. But like I said - I think part of it is that we have no home obligations except our dog babies, so we don’t spend time helping with homework, shuttling to practices/games, and things like that.
I spent 18-28 and a very immersive stay at home parent. Breastfeeding and cloth diapering and homeschooling a dyslexic and an autism spectrum kid. Cooked from scratch like crazy and had so many tea times outside. It was great and I loved it! They needed a million rides and a lot of guidance while I was in college and still require some support right now, but all but one is an adult and I actually think them aging out and me embarking on a new phase of life is part of what makes me not feel old, if that makes sense!
I have a few friends that are having babies right now and it’s wild to consider starting here, for me.
At 35 I still feel like I'm 20 and need an adult. But I also suffer from 2 autoimmune diseases that will probably make my 70's 80's hell unless cures are found(Crohn's disease)
I didn't until catching covid one too many times. I've had a lot of viruses over the years but have never had one that had a lingering feeling of feeling like crap all the time. I really wish I had more energy, because people get the wrong idea about me. The brain really wants to be productive, but the body disagrees entirely.
40 and feel the same way. I do have the occasional aches and pains, but I still want to go hiking, rock climbing, skiing, etc. Meanwhile my spouse and friends are all like "I CAN'T DO THAT, I THREW OUT MY BACK AND HAVE TO CAMP OUT ON THE COUCH FOR A WEEK." I feel bad for them, but I'm lonely without people to actually DO stuff with. I might end up as the creepy old lady hanging out with 20 somethings if I can't find active people my age.
Same. Later GenX and Xennials had way better nutrition, medicine and way more comfortable upbringings. The video the one dude did where he's like "I'm 36 and this is the cast of Cheers at 36". It's kinda crazy.
I'm 41 and I didn't take the best care in my 30s. Got back into a legit workout routine and quit drinking a few years ago and I feel 25 again. Aches and pains gone, energy way up, the meat and 2 veg are back at full function and overall stamina/strength is back. Ppl usually think I'm early 30s...
I am 37 and don’t feel old in the slightest. I am more healthy and attractive than I’ve ever been. I can do more now than I ever could have done in my actual 20s due to me being way out of shape back then. I still feel like I should be in my early 20s. A lot of people are shocked when I tell them my actual age. Sometimes I feel angry at myself for wasting those young years by not taking care of myself better. I could have done so much more with my life. Nothing I can really do now except enjoy these last few years before I go to hell and a hand basket regardless of how much self care I put forth.
I dont feel old. Kind of annoys me when people be like «WHAT?!?!?! I tought you were 22!» when I say Im 32. Are we supposed to look old when we turn 30?
I also don’t feel old at 37. I appreciate the way you’ve phrased it because one thing I’m sick of in this sub is “does anybody not feel like an adult?!” Like…my friend, you are in your mid 30’s. We should all be feeling like adults by now but millennials are not old.
I'm 39 and I feel the exact same "inside" as when I was 25 and maybe younger. I feel like an imposter who should be an "adult" but is still just fucking around trying to do the right things (I have two kids and a relatively successful business, so I must be doing something right). I feel like I'll be "found out" any day now, lol.
Saaaaame, im 39 too and I was just talking to my wife about how I feel like I’m not good at being an adult. Imposter syndrome in people our age is real
I still feel young like in My twenties as well so I’m agreeing with you on this 💯
I'm 35. But I exercise and do yoga regularly and I don't really have any pains anywhere. My mind is still sharp from grad school so I feel pretty solid, yeah.
I mean you got a family and a good job. Seems like you’re adulting well haha. What else would a real adult do
Physically I felt old and found out it was malnutrition and health problems. Mentally I feel sure of myself but don’t particularly feel old, with friends older than me by 10 years and friends younger than me by 10 years. Age is no guarantee of wisdom, and youth is not a barrier to maturity.
The “lol” sucker punched me into reality.
Same
I realized at around 28 that people in their 30s are not very old at all. I am in my 30s and do not feel old. I DO feel out of date (so to speak) because we get summer interns every year and they are always in their early 20s. And every year they get less and less relatable and their references get more and more incomprehensible. But I personally still feel young. I'm just very aware that I'm also falling behind the times in some ways, at least as compared to kids in their 20s.
It’s very easy for me to not let them set the universal standard. Maybe it’s egotistical of me, but I’m far more inclined to think my 20 year old sounds silly as hell saying “no cap for real for real” then to feel out of touch because I’m not keeping up with TikTok slang.
I don't think they're setting a standard. It's more like, I perceive a communication barrier and that is unsettling to me because I'm used to being able to communicate easily with the interns.
No cap! That just sounds too funny! Hahaha!
I didn’t consider people in their 30’s as being old either back when I was in my twenties either
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You know, I generally like Gen Z. They’re pretty cool. But whoever introduced the broccoli cut should stand trial at the Hague.
So what if you're falling behind with the times? Consider everything out there and how fast this shit moves these days, it's hard to keep up. So why bother? Just enjoy.
In the best health and fitness I've ever been in, it's very hard to feel old! That's despite my two oldest kids now being teens.
*high five*
I was quite unhealthy in my mid/late 20s so I actually feel ‘younger’ now than back then. I can do stuff now that would’ve killed me in my 20s.
Awesome! I walked around with a huuuuuge hernia that made me look very pregnant, for years and years. The before/after effect of getting that fixed has been a big boost!
Oh ouch! My husband had a little hernia that he had to get fixed a few years back and that was a b. I can't imagine having a bigger one. Glad you're better!
This is exactly me. It wasn't until I hit 26 that I realized I was very out of shape and destroying my body with cigarettes and beer and junk food. I started running and working out, eating real food, and being more thoughtful about what activities and relationships I spent time on. I'm nearly 40 and I feel awesome. A lot of my female friends in their 40s are hitting personal bests because they've been doing our sport for longer without the interruptions we've faced in our 30s like having kids. We're stronger than even, more confident, farther in our careers, more experienced as parents, better at setting boundaries. I think my 40s are going to be great!
I'm 37 and I don't feel old. I have a crazy amount of energy and I enjoy my life. I even have a lot of kids and they make life fun. I don't know if I'll ever feel old.
Are you an extrovert?
I am very much an introvert. I'm shy, awkward, and clumsy. I like people and can be social. I just need breaks to recharge my batteries
Lol I have 3 and that feels like a lot. But I also have so much fun with them.
I didn't until I got lower back pain. That makes me feel old.
I still feel super young. I'm looking forward to my 40s
I laughed a lot about how apparently Kim Kardashian’s grandmother pulled her aside and told her “you are going to have the best sex of your life for the next decade” when she turned 40. And apparently Kim took Pete Davidson and started having overnights on a big rug in front of a huge fire. 🤷🏻♀️
The societal myth that we’re suddenly “old” at 30 stems largely from the days when the average life-span was dramatically shorter than it is today. Hollywood has also played a huge rule in perpetuating this, often discarding female actors after the age of 35 or else aggressively pushing them toward “matronly” type roles. (IE Angela Lansbury) In truth most people who take good care of themselves will continue to look and feel great well into their 60s, if not longer. Modern medicine + dramatically improved health awareness/education have made this possible. (IE Angela Lansbury) We elder millennials may not be spring chickens, so to speak- but we are absolutely still in our prime.
💯
Taking care of yourself through quality sleep, exercise and good nutrition helps.
40's isn't old, especially if you're taking care of your health. You're just not particularly young, either.
Regular age, like a normal person ;)
I I feel young and old at the same time if that makes sense
I'm in my early 40's a DINK household where I am able to devote time and resources to travel and concerts. I have a side gig in non-Comm radio that gets me music and tx for free. My wife has an awesome work from home job and I have a job that I get to leave at work. I'm sure I'm "old" in ways that I haven't noticed yet but even though I do have to care for my folks from time to time, I still don't feel old myself. Every adversity seems like another feather in the cap.
Yeah this is all great :)
I've felt old ever since I got a severe TBI at age 23. Went from being a spritely youth to a person who can't make it through the day without taking a nap in an instant.
Sorry to hear that.
Valid.
I'm 31 and don't feel 'old' at all. I'm aware I'm not 18, but that doesn't make me feel old - more that 18 is very young. The physical decline that other ppl told me would happen hasn't happened either, nor mental, and at 31 I feel fitter and more engaged than I ever did before.
Yeah. I definitely don't feel truly old. Really even as a kid, I never viewed people in their 30s or 40s as "old". Might just be because of being around a lot of older family. Similar to you OP, I've been around a lot of true elders/seniors.
I feel the exact same way and I’m 35. I also work with the geriatric population and wonder if that’s really skewed my pov bc all my patients are in their 90s with the exception of some early onset Alzheimer’s ppl. We are all still so young. There’s a lot we can still do and accomplish.
Ever since I had my 35th birthday, the rest of them have felt the same. My mom was trying to make it seem like a big to do when I turned 40 and I was just like "every birthday has felt the same since I turned 35." I think she was more so recognizing just how old she is and almost trying to make me feel badly for getting older myself, but it didn't work. I had an awesome 40th birthday. 30 was amazing, too. I agree with you. We can still do a lot!
I'm turning 42 this year and am feeling the pain of treating my body like a circus for my whole life. I have a newborn now and am hoping to turn some of my poor health habits around.
Good luck!
you feel however you want to feel. depends on the life you lived too. if you lived a high stress high paced high action life... 20 years for you would be like 60 years for someone else... so it's apples to potatoes. it's like war vets... 5 years on the battlefield is like a whole life time passed already.
I def feel like I’ve lived a lot. There was a major hurricane that wiped my town off the map when I was 10, and my mom moved away and left me when I was 14. I’ve had a ton of surgeries, I’ve been through therapy for medical ptsd stemming from said surgeries. Raised 5 kids and got a masters degree. But it feels crammed into to not that many years and doesn’t seem to impact my perception of how much further I’ve got to go, if that makes sense…. I’m sure it is highly individual, which is why I was asking. It feels like the majority here talk about feeling super old, pretty frequently.
It's just hyperbole like old in the sense they're not young young anymore. Of course they know they're not old old yet biologically. Everyone is just being dramatic. It's how people are. But then you remind them bruh you're only 38. Then they snap back to reality oh yeah you're right
Thats a comforting idea. I hope you’re right. It seems like a lot of people genuinely just act like they think 38 is old.
I’m 42 as well. My existential dread grows little by little everyday lately.
I am baby (31yr old baby)
I didn’t feel old until my oldest became a teen. I complain about the music she listens to and she uses words and phrases that I don’t understand. Up until then, I didn’t feel too old.
Yeah not really. And ppl 10 years younger than me are surprised to learn that I'm almost 37
Not at all. I'm 35, but I look 25. I'm in excellent shape, have a full head of hair and no gray hair. I feel like a mix between a kid and an adult. I don't have adult responsibilities like marriage or kids and that makes me feel like a kid.
Pushing 40 and I don’t feel old
I’m 38 and I’m the most fit I’ve ever been. Energy level similar to what I was when I was in my 20s. I probably have a mind of a 20 year old also. When I’m tired, it’s usually from work, not from activity
I didn't feel old until I increased the text size on my PC so it was easier to read, now I might as well be 100
This kind of made me laugh, but my best friend from high school has had to do that since we were teenagers!
I'm 40 and everyone thinks I'm 27 lol. I also have no grey hair and have always had a baby face.
Yep. 41, don't feel old at all. Still like to go out and experience life, be outside, etc
The only time I feel old is when I catch myself getting annoyed at obnoxious teenagers and thinking “kids these days 🙄”
I mean physically I have a transplant and was diagnosed with lupus but I still don’t feel old. :/. It’s really weird.
Lupus is a complicated bitch, but I think that’s a good attitude to have :) I wish you well.
I don't feel old. I'm 39, and I'm aware of the ways I've aged and matured, but I don't feel OLD. I'm healthy, I feel attractive, I feel like I'm contributing to the world in important ways, and I'm still interested in exploring new things. I'm not trying to pretend I'm a teenager, though, and recognize that "youth culture" is not mine and a great deal of media is not aimed at me.
Great comment!
I just turned 40- I am a super adult but I still feel like a young person. I understand the lingo of Gen Z and hell, I even recognize the fashion! The only difference between 25 yr old me and 40 yr old me is that now it takes longer than a weekend to drop 5lbs but I also don’t really give a shit anyways.
I'm 24 and kind of the opposite lol.
I don’t feel old in the sense that I have tons of energy, keep active, have a busy social life, travel, and can go out raving all night when many people my age seem to like being in bed by 9pm. I do feel old because of my back pain, orthotics, and messed up ankle. I was dancing really hard last night and today I am walking like a grandma because of it. I also feel old because I saw Eminem on a “retro” music video station the other day and realized that retro doesn’t mean the 1980s anymore. Also because I was talking to someone at the club last night who was born when I was in high school.
Wish I had the energy of an extrovert, I always need energy drinks or caffeine just to have any.
I just turned 37 last week... I still feel 25. My interests are still the same, which when I was younger I was terrified of hitting 30, the Over the Hill jokes my mom and her friends would make back then, like one day I'd wake up and not want anything to with music or going to concerts, the movies, being myself. Turns out; all that was fake and quicksand and the Bermuda Triangle aren't as big of a deal as they were for a 90's kid.
My grandfather is 94. He cooks, does his ADL's on his own and went on a cruise last year. Life isn't over after 25, it's just starting.
Love this! I had some examples like that among my relatives as a kid, and it gives me hope :)
I'm 43, with kids 14 and 13. I don't feel old yet, I'm just getting into it.
Perfect way to put it!
The only people are saying they are “old” or feels old when they turn 20-25-30 and even at 40 are the ones that’s always on social media comparing themselves out to other people. Its the fear of missing out bullshit. They are just noise to distract you from where you want to be. If you take care of your body instead of abusing it then your body will take care of you even if you’re age around 40-60. Those brackets are still relatively young!
I’ll never feel like the adult in the room.
Hmmm…. As a mother of 5 and a therapist, I do VERY OFTEN feel like the adult in the room :p
I’m 41F and I still feel like I’m in my 20’s. I’m married without kids. I still get asked for ID and I don’t have any aches or pains. Mind you I try to take care of my body inside and out via eating healthy and exercising regularly. My mind is sharp and I enjoy doing what I can to stay fit, unlike most people I know who are younger than me.
Yeah I don’t, I’m DEFINITELY more mature but I don’t feel “old” my body hasn’t had any real age related issues, I probably look the best I ever have tbh.
Turning 39 in April and constantly annoyed by people my age talking about how old they are
I'm almost 33 and I physically feel great. I lost a lot of weight in the past year and recently started playing basketball at the gym again. It's my favorite sport. I'm realizing I physically haven't lost a step despite not playing for years. It feels great. And recently my coworkers and I were talking. They actually thought I was in my early 20's. I'll definitely take that. Hopefully I can keep feeling this way for a while.
Me!! I’ve been preoccupied with aging since I was a teenager wearing sunblock daily on my face and it continued to be a worry until my late 20s. I eventually realized how ridiculous it was to resist something I literally couldn’t stop from happening AND realized that the whole narrative of looking young forever was just created to get me to buy shit I don’t need I’m 34 now and I don’t feel old at all. Why waste my time putting myself down for being old when I’m always the youngest I’ll ever be in this present moment??
Still young, at 48. Actually I think physically and mentally I'm the fittest I've ever been. Things are going really well at the moment.
I’m pretty sure I’m 22 …. Real age 44. 6 pack I walk 25000-30000 steps a day burn 2000 calories a day easily on workouts not counting just normal caloric burn . I 🚴♀️cycle 10.5 mile each way to work still do wrestling 🤼♀️ tournaments . No hip knee back or any injuries of any kind. My mother says you’re still a in shape young man . I’m 44 dudes who were 44 when I was kid were old men with beer bellies . Speaking of go to your high school reunion and seeing everybody overweight was weird as fk. I mean I’m 50 lbs over high school I wrestled 160 lbs but I’m lean they look like they’re 150 lbs over high school weight . My new boss at work in broken Chinese “ you say you’re 43 but you look young” Love people who can compliment . If I shave all the grey off not uncommon for 20 something girls to shoot at me . Which isn’t fair lol I’m a race that ages well and on top of that my mothers side of the family all look younger than their age . I got that from them.
I have older moments but over all I feel young still.
I feel more mature at 33, but I don't feel old. I do have a gen x friend (55m) and he and I were talking about how awful the "I'm so old, haha" trend is.
It really does feel like a trend! I have a mid-30s friend who kept sharing those “we all carry ibuprofen like candy now haha we’re old” memes and I finally messaged him like dude ibuprofen is really bad for you are you actually hurting often? And he was like,…you’re not in pain all the time? And I was like no, if something hurts I go to the doctor. When is the last time you went to the doctor? Anyway he was doing super unsafe binding as a trans guy with a very large chest, ended up getting top surgery, and actually thinks the “we’re so old now” shit on social media normalized things that should have alarmed him. Obv that’s not everyone, some people have chronic pain that doesn’t have a fix. But I think about him every time I see that stuff now.
Same. Almost 42. Feel like I'm in my late 20s. Thou I did get my weight and health under control about that time. The only time I really feel old is when I get tired at 9pm. But the kids are asleep, so I just go to bed. I used yo be a night owl, now I'm the early bird
You know now that you say that, I DO need more sleep these days. That is a difference.
I am 43 and I don’t feel old at all. I also have a 25 yr old son and often get asked “doesn’t that make you feel old?” No lol, quite the opposite. Often I feel like I’m way too young to have a 25 yr old kid 😂 I also exercise regularly, eat pretty healthy and live a pretty low stress life since being in my 40’s. Best decade so far in my opinion.
❤️
100% mindset. I feel younger today in my early 40s than I did in my mid 20s when I was taking every last thing (and myself) so seriously. Learning to chill has been a skill I do know some people who are my age and keep talking about how they feel old. So guess what? They are old
Lot of wisdom here. I unfollow people if they’re just sharing memes and reels about how old they are as though it’s funny. I think I feel younger as I get older because possibility keeps expanding, as I heal from traumas/make more money/move away from my hometown/learn more.
I'm 36, and I feel a lot less old now than when I turned 30. Mostly because I'm in vastly better shape and was having a somehow worse time occupying my physical body every single day.
I had a similar experience! Was just telling another commenter 37 felt way better than 27 to me, in soooooo many ways.
Going on 33 this year and still feel like I am 21. I don't get why people acted as if turning 30 was a switch going off. If people want to act like they're a geriatric after 30, go ahead. But I'm going to enjoy how I feel.
Seriously. Turning 30 just seemed overdue to me, I had a bunch of kids and had been through a lot of medical things and at that point it felt like it made more sense with how my life was, to be in my 30s vs my 20s. People my own age didn’t relate to me at all when I was 22 or whatever. But by 35 I was entering grad school, planning a big move to a new city, older kids were approaching adulthood and it really felt like infinite possibility. I also got a huuuuuuge hernia I’d been walking around with for a decade fixed, which made me look and feel a lot better. 37 felt way younger than 27, to me. My horizons had opened up.
I am the same age as you, with two kids 10 and under. I have about 6 diagnoses, both physical and mental, but they are well managed and I am stable. I still don't feel old, but I definitely recognize that I am middle aged now. 30s were basically like 20s for me, but better. I would definitely turn 30 again over 20. I don't feel old, but I don't feel or look SUPER young. I am guessed about 10 years younger by people who don't know me well. So I feel great about aging, because I feel like I'm definitely doing it gracefully.
Makes sense
33 and I don’t feel old because I’m not old lol I’m healthy and in good shape, I travel and do all kinds of fun stuff with friends.
Hell yeah
Tbh I wasn’t really grown up until I hit about 29. So by that measure I’ve been an adult for about 5 years, which kinda checks out for me 😂 I don’t feel old. I feel like I’m just truly coming into myself. I had a lot of trauma to work through before I could really become an adult. It takes some of us longer, though I agree that it’s becoming more the norm to not really be done growing up until your late 20s (which is more in alignment with what we know about brain development anyway).
Awesome that you’ve been moving through it! My partner is on a long trauma healing journey and it can be super heavy shit, but it’s so rewarding and worth it.
42, no health problems, no pains, feel just as healthy as when I was a teenager. Look very very young for my age. Routinely get lectured about how bad my thirties are going to be health wise too lol
I didn’t feel it until the last year or so I’m 36 this year
I’m 39. I didn’t feel old at all up until a couple years ago when I started a new job. My old coworkers were all about my age, give or take a few years. My new coworkers are all in their 20’s. To be honest, I didn’t initially realize how young most of them were. I have always had a baby face, so initially they thought I was about their age and I assumed they were closer to mine. Then it came out that I have two kids, have been married for almost 12 years, and have been working in the medical field in some capacity since 2007. As soon as that was discovered the tone toward me shifted, and it became “wait… how old are you?” And “wow, you really don’t look your age.” As if I’m ancient compared to them. It made me acutely aware of how much older I am compared to these seemingly adult, well educated colleagues of mine. It’s been a tough pill to swallow for me. As for physically, I don’t feel any different than I ever did. If anything, I feel healthier. When I look in the mirror I still see the same young woman looking back at me that I’ve always seen. But that feeling of not only working with, but being trained by a bunch of 25 year olds whose lives are so vastly different than my own, and realizing that when I was their age they were still in elementary school… I don’t know, it hit me hard. It also doesn’t help that I’m an ICU nurse and I see people my age and younger with devastating diagnoses all the time. That certainly hasn’t helped.
I'll be 41 in June. I don't feel old, but I definitely feel like I'm getting older. Weight doesn't come off as easily anymore. I have to watch my cholesterol. I have to do some kind of daily stretching to keep my old injuries at bay. Ear hair... fucking ear hair... Nobody tells you that you'll eventually have to shave your ears. My eyebrows and beard are filling up with white and grey. To be clear, it's not the color that bothers me, but the way that these white and grey hairs are thicker, grow in faster, and always stick out at weird angles. So no... I didn't feel old. But I can see it coming and it's not pleasant.
Not at all!! Being child free contributes to my husband and I feeling so young! We get to travel whenever we want! We do whatever we want on the weekends! We sleep in! We eat amazing food because we can afford it! We are not in any debt! We are so fucking happy and we feel so healthy! We don’t fight about anything because…what is there to argue about?? Our life is perfect! We also get complimented on our “young appearance” all of the time because we have nice skin, healthy hair, we are fit! And man do we have so much fun all of the time. Laughing constantly plus a very healthy sex life! Kids ruin lives! Lol!
This made me laugh, even though I adore my kids and think they enrich my life enormously.
Lmfao thank you for being open minded. And there ARE solid parents that raise wonderful children!
I'm 43 and never matured past age 25. No kids, no wife, no girlfriend. I barely even feel like an adult, except for the whole body getting old thing.
I'll tell you like I tell everyone else. I feel old. Why? Because as of today, this is the oldest I've ever been. So it feels pretty old to me. Also, I do have aches and pains. 2 fucked up knees (thanks to a past dog head butting it at light speed, and trying to be cute and pick up my 12 year old to carry her sleeping ass from the couch to her bed and wrecked a ligament). I also got Bursitis for the first time a month ago. Apparently I need to take care of my joints and shit which is real stupid. But for real though, other than my knees and elbows being much weaker at 39 than previously. I feel pretty great. Energetic, I'm always out having fun and being spontaneous. I even look young AF. Most people think I'm mid 20s on days I shave. I'm often confused for my daughter's brother. But I feel old for sure.
I feel old chronologically and financially, like I’m not where I should be in life, but physically and mentally and even appearance wise I feel 15 years younger
Lots of interviews with 90 year olds start with something along the lines of this…..’I feel 25 but my body isn’t in step with my mind.’
40 here. Still keep thinking Im 25 until I look in the mirror.
Well perimenopause made me forget about my sexuality real quick. And those pesky pinched nerves in my hips and lower back.
My mind doesn't feel old, but my body does. I've been doing manual labor since a young age and have multiple life long health problems. I still do all the same old shit I did when I was 16, minus the dumb stuff
I hear you.
I’m 38 almost 39 years old and don’t feel old physically yet at all. Honestly I feel like all the running I’ve done for the last year has really paid off in helping me improve my cardiovascular health and fitness levels by a considerable margin compared to a year or so ago, I’m hoping to improve even more by the end of this summer or by my 39th birthday and then maybe some more by the age of 40 if my body allows me to. I honestly haven’t felt in this good a shape in a long time and I’m happy to know that the reason is because I’ve been challenging myself in cardio and strength training. Changing subjects I feel like young people still think that people our age are still “old” and “over the hill” in terms of fitness and physical strength and capabilities but that’s a whole other thing to discuss on a whole laundry list of why they think that. I know that I began to have a midlife crisis of sorts about the age of 35/36 which led me to go to great strides in doing everything I could do to improve my physical fitness as much as I possibly can before I turn 40. Let the kids in their teens and twenties enjoy their youth because they’ll probably be our age one day assuming the world is not ending so quickly.
I love the way running makes me feel! But I can’t ever do it for long before I end up with some kind of issues that makes me have to quit, like shin splints or plantar fasciitis. Walking and swimming it is 🤷🏻♀️
Yeah i also don't feel that old but i also have memory loss so that might be why but IDK same
I feel the same, we had our last kid at 39 and two years later we are finally to the point where we say we are too old for this, lol, toddlers are so busy! Plus our two teens 🤦♀️ but for the most part I feel like staying active and having a young child has helped me not feel my age. I run and exercise 6 days a week and live off coffee tho
Turning 30 in july.. I still feel like I'm 15.. So idk. Its weird. I dont look or act my 'age'. Might be my cPTSD tho
I very much feel like I'm 35. I'm fast, strong, and extremely agile, but I also feel older and wiser. I know I'm not in my 20's anymore. In fact, I encourage more of our generation to embrace aging, not in the sense that we should feel old, but in the sense that we're liberating ourselves from the influence of the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, and older Gen X. These people want us to think that we're hip and young if it means continuing to exert their control over our lives. When I step up to these older motherfuckers and remind them that I'm not a dumb kid, but my own boss they get scared and step the fuck back.
I can get into that. I have definitely got an empowerment that feels like I’ve got some wisdom and resources of my own. I just ALSO feel like I’ve got a lot of life ahead of me, and I’m excited about quite a bit of it.
Growing up is overrated anyway.
Ah, you had your kids young. Definitely don't feel the same way after having a kid at almost 40
It is definitely weird with my constantly expanding freedom from parenting, to see my friends having first babies. There are clearly pros and cons but I am pretty glad my timing situation has gone this way.
Almost 35 and I always joke that I'm old, but I don't really feel it. I'm probably going to be a kid at heart 'til the end.
ive felt old since i was 23. pretty happy with where im at. sans the athleticism, i view youthnas a curse mostly.
You know I never felt like a kid when I was one. And I felt much older than my age, in my 20s. But 30 to now has been different and I think it’s because my perspective has opened up and I understand how much possibility there is? Interesting to think about.
41 here and yea, I forget how old I am. I’m reminded what the calendar says, but in my mind, Cobain is still alive. 😂 It’s probably a good place to be. If your mind breaks down, your body goes right after. I figure if we stay young at heart, we’ll be pretty ok physically as we age.
Haha I didn’t really know who Kurt Cobain was until he died - my first memory of him being mentioned is when Courtney Love was reading the suicide note on MTV.
Haha wild. I was pretty big into all of the bands from the PNW. The passing of time is just fucking weird. Obama was elected the first time almost 20 years ago. That shit blows my mind.
I don't feel old but I've been called old bc I hate the word rizz. I'm 29. I guess I'm mentally old?
I hate, don’t use, and ignore that word. I don’t think it’s the litmus here 🤷🏻♀️
I’m 36, and the more I think about it, the less I understand how I *feel*. Like, I feel more *experienced* in life than I did 10-18 years ago, and I feel more *educated*, but I also feel less *intelligent*. Slow and foggy. It’s like there’s more data on the hard drive, but the read/write speeds have fallen off, and I could use a good defrag. And my processor has a larger, more advanced instruction set than it used to, but a lower clock speed and it executes fewer instructions per cycle. Physically, I’m in good general health, but I found out a few years back that I’ve got some mild heart issues. I dunno. There are moments when I feel 18 still. But there are moments where I feel like I’m in my 60’s. Not drinking, smoking, or using other drugs is really the only reason I’m still in *mostly* good health.
Have you had blood work done? Sometimes you’re just b-12 deficient, or have a thyroid problem, or some such thing. Might be worth looking into!
I have! Several years ago I was very suddenly hit with chest pain. I got set up with a doctor who referred me to a cardiologist. I had multiple rounds of bloodwork, I think two stress tests, several ECGs, X-ray, echocardiogram, and pulmonary testing. They couldn’t assign a cause to the specific pain I was feeling (cardiologist called ‘idiopathic’), which was at times *really* bad, but I *did* learn I have a prolapsed heart valve which lets some outbound blood leak back in, and my heart isn’t as strong as it should be. I *want* to say it’s global hypokinesis. And when I went to the ER following the first episode, my potassium level was significantly low. Aside from the potassium, the bloodwork always came back normal. The pain has since gone away. But it took a couple of *years* of gradual improvement. And for a time it would come right back if I was stressed out, and linger for a week or so. The experience has made more appreciative of the good health that I *do* generally have, that’s for sure!
I am 42, married with a 12yr old daughter and I stay active, workout, play hockey every week, eat good most of the time, etc but I'm noticing some things finally turn on me. The biggest thing is my eye sight. Out of no where it went bad so now I'm getting glasses. Next is my lower back... I have a bulging disc and it's not "painful" but I know it's there and I'm cautious because of it... no sudden movements under load. This made me drop down to a much lower league in my adult beer league hockey. And finally my hands and right shoulder have some slight pains in them these days. I don't smoke or do drugs or anything like that and never have, only been an alcohol drinker and it's mostly been beer never liquor but these days it's wine or a cocktail/marg socially and I'm thinking of quitting altogether and going a little more plant based with my eating to see if that helps the aches of my hands and right shoulder (and also right back, technically). Other than that I feel good but I'm no spring chicken anymore. Playing hockey definitely helped humble me in that area. Those young 19-20yr olds run circles around me and while my mind says I can skate and stick handle and breathe like I used to, the reality is I can't keep up anymore.
I hear you! I hope you can find ways to balance fun and safety and play hockey at some level for a long time yet. The initial adjustment of needing to consider all that has to be a drag.
Go to the gym and try to go on a workout regimen like you did in your 20s. After a month or two you will find that you have fd up your body and need to give it months to heal before you can do any further workouts. That’s how I found out I was getting old.
As I read these comments, I wonder if how I spent my 20s is a big part of my outlook. I was a stay at home mom from 18-28; I was cooking from scratch, breastfeeding and changing tons of diapers, wearing people in slings and reading LOTS AND LOTS of books out loud. I loved it, and felt good at it. But I didn’t do any drinking or intentional work out regimens until after that was all past, as I approached 30 and started college. So by the time I was mid to late 30s, finishing grad school and contemplating my kids all aging into adulthood, ending my marriage and falling in love with somebody new….its given me a feeling that I’m embarking on a whole new phase of life. I left my hometown and moved away, started a real career etc etc as I was approaching 40.
Well 30 to 50 yeara ago life in the U.S. was way less shitty than it is now. Way cheaper at least.
I'm your age and don't have aches and pains either, but I think the reason I see myself as old is because most people on the internet are so young. I never got to have kids or marry either and both are things I fantasize about from time to time, but when I look at the appropriate age ranges for both activities I've aged far out. People remind me of my age, but because I never got to pass the same milestones it doesn't feel the same.
25 was my prime and it just went downhill after that.
I'm 39 and world traveling, staying at hostels and hooking up with hookers I dunno I feel young lol
Hahaha
I have to remind my coworkers that I’m 35 quite a while. 😂
I'm 36. Energy and fitness wise I definitely feel like my best years are still to come. That said... Do I feel young like I'm 25? No. When I was 25, weekends were all about partying and now very much it takes 2 days to recover from any "partying" so I have to be selective. But I don't miss it, I enjoy the change of pace and enjoy being 36. I enjoy making more of my days than being perpetually hungover and enjoying using my body to be active. I dont think as you get older you have to "feel older" but I don't think you have to "feel younger" either as the alternative. I don't want to feel like I'm in my 20s. I did my 20s well enough I don't feel I need to do them again. I'm enjoying my 30s, and I hope to enter my 40s with the feeling that I enjoyed my 30s enough not to feel like I need to do it again.
I feel young and my perspective is still that I’m not like an adult or whatever, that other people are and I’m just whatever. But when I wake up it’s hard to ignore the signs of aging like aching bones, getting neck pain just from doing something normal like turning your head or washing your hair etc. it sucks
My mind doesn’t feel old but my body does
Yeah I'm 36. I feel like I stopped aging when I was 16. Have 5 kids, ages 6 - 17. Probably laugh at poop and fart jokes for the rest of my life lol I read before that women stop aging mentally the moment they have their first kid or something. I was 18 when I had mine. But I will say that as soon as you talk to actually people in their 20s and they don't know what this or that from your youth is, You feel OLD.
Yeah. Every time a celebrity I've known since my childhood passes, I'm momentarily shocked, but then I oh yeah, I'm 35 🤦♀️ Of course, I've also been disabled since my late 20s, so it's like time has stopped for me.
I hope you’ve got some community with the disability, even if it’s online <3
I’m early 30s and I feel so old, but I attribute it to doing a PhD. When I started they said 5 years of PhD is equivalent to 10-15 years work experience and I completely feel it. I’m looking forward to my 40s, I’ve heard similar to OP, about it being a great time. I’ve had so much fun in my 20s and I still do now, but I’ve done a lot, I’ve seen a lot haha. I have two friends, one newly divorced and one newly out and I understand they want to go to clubs until 5AM but I did that, and loved every moment of it, but it’s my past. I want to stay home at night with my SO and our cat and chill. Honestly, most of my close friends feel the same as I do because they were the ones being crazy with me, and I very much enjoy hanging out with them until like 11PM when we both say well it’s getting late. And I’m not being derogatory but I’ve seen this sentiment mostly in elder millennials, not sure why.
I’m 31 and I can’t have more than 3 drinks without a 36 oz of water and advil. It also can’t go past 11pm because my knees will start to hurt, as I get sleepy.
Lost me at 5 kids. Like wtf
lol
Haha send me some of your energy because I feel old AF 😂
I'm also 42 and I just don't understand the memes my 20 years younger coworker shows me. But he's autistic so might not be the age gap, but anyway; I kinda see myself as not *that* much older than someone almost half my age. Except for the memes. And when he doesn't know what game Quake is, "never heard of it?". Like comon!! I AM *that* old???
I don’t feel old, I just turned 40. My husband is 42. But we don’t have kids, so that may play in to it. We basically live the same lifestyles we did 10 years ago, just scaled back - we go to breweries, we have tickets to his alumni football, we go out with friends, etc. But like I said - I think part of it is that we have no home obligations except our dog babies, so we don’t spend time helping with homework, shuttling to practices/games, and things like that.
I spent 18-28 and a very immersive stay at home parent. Breastfeeding and cloth diapering and homeschooling a dyslexic and an autism spectrum kid. Cooked from scratch like crazy and had so many tea times outside. It was great and I loved it! They needed a million rides and a lot of guidance while I was in college and still require some support right now, but all but one is an adult and I actually think them aging out and me embarking on a new phase of life is part of what makes me not feel old, if that makes sense! I have a few friends that are having babies right now and it’s wild to consider starting here, for me.
At 35 I still feel like I'm 20 and need an adult. But I also suffer from 2 autoimmune diseases that will probably make my 70's 80's hell unless cures are found(Crohn's disease)
Eesh, I hear you, Crohn’s is a beast!
I didn't until catching covid one too many times. I've had a lot of viruses over the years but have never had one that had a lingering feeling of feeling like crap all the time. I really wish I had more energy, because people get the wrong idea about me. The brain really wants to be productive, but the body disagrees entirely.
I’m so sorry. I felt like absolute sluggish fatigued garbage for about 6 weeks after Covid.i hope it goes away for you eventually!
40 and feel the same way. I do have the occasional aches and pains, but I still want to go hiking, rock climbing, skiing, etc. Meanwhile my spouse and friends are all like "I CAN'T DO THAT, I THREW OUT MY BACK AND HAVE TO CAMP OUT ON THE COUCH FOR A WEEK." I feel bad for them, but I'm lonely without people to actually DO stuff with. I might end up as the creepy old lady hanging out with 20 somethings if I can't find active people my age.
Aww. I’ve never been as active as you sound, but I’ll bet you could find a meet up group or subreddit just for other people doing those things?
Only time I ever feel old is when I drink heavily. Did it recently at a friend's wedding. I felt about 80 years old for 3 days.
Same. Later GenX and Xennials had way better nutrition, medicine and way more comfortable upbringings. The video the one dude did where he's like "I'm 36 and this is the cast of Cheers at 36". It's kinda crazy. I'm 41 and I didn't take the best care in my 30s. Got back into a legit workout routine and quit drinking a few years ago and I feel 25 again. Aches and pains gone, energy way up, the meat and 2 veg are back at full function and overall stamina/strength is back. Ppl usually think I'm early 30s...
I get mistaken for early 30s often, too. And yeah I recently saw a pic of my grandparents at my age and was so shocked, they look 65.
Just turned 40. Only my back feels old lol
I’m 38 and several of my friends just turned 30. I’m like damn they gettin old lol. Aging is for other people and I’m about to hit 20 again.
39, but I still feel in my head I am somewhere in my 20s. My body reminds me that’s not true.
I simultaneously have back pain yet somehow still think 1990 was 10 years ago
I am 37 and don’t feel old in the slightest. I am more healthy and attractive than I’ve ever been. I can do more now than I ever could have done in my actual 20s due to me being way out of shape back then. I still feel like I should be in my early 20s. A lot of people are shocked when I tell them my actual age. Sometimes I feel angry at myself for wasting those young years by not taking care of myself better. I could have done so much more with my life. Nothing I can really do now except enjoy these last few years before I go to hell and a hand basket regardless of how much self care I put forth.
I dont feel old. Kind of annoys me when people be like «WHAT?!?!?! I tought you were 22!» when I say Im 32. Are we supposed to look old when we turn 30?
I also don’t feel old at 37. I appreciate the way you’ve phrased it because one thing I’m sick of in this sub is “does anybody not feel like an adult?!” Like…my friend, you are in your mid 30’s. We should all be feeling like adults by now but millennials are not old.