Is it a problem for you...this growing older thing???

1. 84

   pstraubie48posted 11 years ago

   Is it a problem for you...this growing older thing???
   
   Some folks deny their age and moan and grown about getting older. Your thoughts...
   
   

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2. 87

   billybucposted 11 years ago

   Physically it bothers me to be slowing up, but all other aspects I love.  I have much greater clarity today, and I love life so much more today. I appreciate the little things in life now, whereas at one time I took them for granted.

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   1. 84

      pstraubie48posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Absolutely. It is all about the little things for sure..

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3. 61

   MickSposted 11 years ago

   No, not really, it's the way of the world, we're born, we live, and we get old and die.  It is a bit irritating not being able to do as much I used to, or not as quickly.

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4. 60

   duffsmomposted 11 years ago

   I want to be able to tell you that I am one of those people that embraces my age (61) and getting older is great blah blah blah.
   
   But no, I can't do that in good conscience. I hate getting older. My body hurts in way I cannot even understand.  A person can lose weight, have plastic surgery, exercise and on and on - but nothing-NOTHING can change your age.  And both my husband and I struggle with it.
   
   In a lighter tone - you know one of the hardest things is looking at, say..a sexy man and thinking  - He's yummy!  Then realizing you could be his grandmother, and if he noticed you he would likely help you across the street. It is quite sobering really.

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5. 65

   maddotposted 11 years ago

   No, I think it's fine but it seems to be a problem for others eg workplaces tend to favour people under 40 particularly in IT. For some reason if you are over 40 you
   are considered too old which is strange considering you are actually coming into your prime experience wise.
   I actually enjoy not being young; I like the fact that what I look like is not an issue for me, I feel that I have a right to have a considered opinion (one based on experience of years and research) that I may share; I like that I am not a slave to the world of fashion; I like that one others think of me is justt that - a thought manufactured in someone elese's head and of no consequence to me; I like that I can sit and relax without feeling the need to impress anyone or anything..all in all.getting older is a great gig and I'm blessed to have made it..many don't.

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   Kathryn Stratfordposted 11 years ago

   Well, I'm not old yet, but of course you are asking about "growing older", so I suppose I can answer it. I am 35, and I am not visually aging much. I am also healthy. But even now I can tell my metabolism is slowing down, and it is harder to keep weight off even though I eat much better than I did while in my 20's.
   I think when I am 40 it will bother me a little, just because the thought of my youth being so far away without much progress in my life (as far as having a career and children) can be a little discouraging. But overall, my life is very good, so I think I will get over it. Time goes by so fast that it is disconcerting to age.
   As a woman, it would also not feel great to look in the mirror to see the signs of aging. But I think as we grow older, it is good to just accept ourselves and redefine our idea of beauty.

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7. 84

   Au faitposted 11 years ago

   We have only 2 choices, get older, or die.  Most people choose to get older when they have a choice.  Some people don't have a choice.  They never get old.
   
   I think sometimes all the problems associated with getting older are so we won't feel so bad when it's time for us to go home.
   
   Enjoy every day, especially the days when nothing hurts.  Many of my relatives have lived into the mid 90s.  At that point just getting through the day is an accomplishment.  If things are going well and you can move around and do the things you want to do without assistance, be glad.  Tomorrow may be different.
   
   Agism is rampant and so it is unfortunately necessary to deny one's age in some situations.  Like maddot said, employers aren't crazy about people over a certain age, but of course you can't hide your age from an employer.  I learned in one of my gerontology classes that older women have the hardest time finding work because no one wants to hire them no matter how many degrees they have or how much experience.  Older men fare only slightly better. 
   
   Oddly enough, even when people have experienced discrimination themselves due to their age, they turn right around and discriminate against others for the same reason!
   
   It's my opinion that the only people who need to know your age are your doctor and your lawyer, and a spouse if you have one should probably be in the loop.  It's nobody else's business.  Why does anyone else need to know?  Just because they want to know doesn't mean they need to know or should know.  Why is age such a big deal? 
   
   Part of the reason getting old can be so unfortunate is because when people know your age they discriminate against you and start treating you according to what they think a person your age should be like instead of who you really are.

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      MickSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      There is no choice, it is a reality, nothing stops the march of time, we get older, even those who die young, when they die, they are older than a moment past, when living.  There is no choice of death, we are all going to die.

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8. 61

   gramon1posted 11 years ago

   Since I like how I look at 58, I don't care about the aging looks. My face has almost no wrinkles, my body is strong, my hair is turning salt and pepper, and my beard is white in patches. I hate the white patches in my beard, so I dye it.  I think I look good and attractive. Feeling good about your looks is important to me. In fact, I am a little bit scared about the time I stop feeling that I look well. I do wrestle with weight. Since my 40s, weight has been a big part of my existence. Before that, controlling my weight just took a few hours of exercise per week. And exercising is easy for me because I practice karate. Therefore, I don't need a gym. I can exercise wherever I am.
   My 40s were great because I became more self assured, wealthier, better settled in life, and still was young. The only drawback was that I gained some weight.
   I lost all the extra weight before turning 50 and got in very good shape. I think I picked at about 52. However, by 55, I had a big stressor in my life and got a very bad backache that lasted for a year. I had to stop exercising for one year. After I started exercising again, it was not the same. My recovering time is not very good. I had to switch to exercising three days per week. I used to exercise 2 hours per day, 6 days per week. Now, I exercise 1 hour, three times per week. I have lost some speed and endurance. I hope I figure out the way to recover faster. In the mean time, I will continue fighting aging.

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9. 94

   Stephanie Henkelposted 11 years ago

   It was easy to say I didn't mind getting older when I could still do everything I ever did at 30. Gray hair and a few wrinkles...oh, so what!
   
   What's hard now is dealing with more serious physical consequences of aging that force us to change our lifestyle. I like to think of myself as young...staying young at heart makes aging so much easier!

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10. 83

    liesl5858posted 11 years ago

    I don't really noticed that I have grown older although I am 54 years old now. I think because I am only 4'9" in height people think that I am just a little girl especially at work. I look after Blind People and some of them thought I am just a young girl which to me is like a complement. But the truth, is I feel all achy sometimes especially when I do a long day at work  working 13 hours twice a week and two short days.I don't wear eyeglasses yet only reading glass but  I noticed that my eye sight is getting worse. I think because I have a happy go lucky attitude in life I am getting old gracefully. I don't want to moan about getting old because it happens to all of us. Life's too short, live it, enjoy it, appreciate it and share it.

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    Maggie Bennettposted 11 years ago

    No, it is not as much of a problem as I thought it would be.  I find woman the same age as me or older want me to conform to them though.  They want me to get the signature old lady hair cut, and I refuse. They tell me I'll look better as if my looking better is really any of their concern?  I wear my hair long because I like it long, not for anyone's approval.  This simple refusal to cut my hair makes me untrustworthy among some older women. 
    
    I agree getting jobs may be tougher especially if you haven't taken as good as care of yourself as you should have.  Many people seem to give up caring about themselves in mid life, and they do not fair as well later on.

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       ladydeonneposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I can relate to your story. I am content and happy just being able to finally be ME. I like long hair so I wear long hair. i don't try to fit other people's ideal of me as an older person. I just live and enjoy!
       'We all change but never die. "

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12. 69

    connorjposted 11 years ago

    
    
    Absolutely it is a challenge for moi; however, it is indeed less of a problem or at minimum not as significant as not getting older (i.e. death). I certainly prefer the former; and although I am indeed getting a wee-bit slower and wee -bit older as long as I can still play ice hockey at a high level I have no problems with getting older. I am still relatively young; in 2012 I turned 26 for the second time and this year I will be in my prime. So here is a toast to the view from my prime: may it be truly amazing for all!

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    Pamdoraposted 11 years ago

    Yes, I'd have to say it bothers me.  At age 61, I have the following  challenges (partial list):  Brain demyelination, osteoporosis, bullet shrapnel in both feet and ankles, no collagen, bone on bone head to toe, extreme fibromyalgia pain head to toe, heart murmer, numerous sports injuries that leave a couple of joints looking like razor sharp can openers digging into each other, paranoid schizophrenia, nasty plaque psoriasis, very little hair left, a bad attitude as often as not, edema, COPD, reactive hyperglycemia, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, weakness, dizziness, mini-strokes, insomina, anorexia, IBS, constipation, occasional incontinence,  and a total distrust of the federal government with a particular hatred for Obamacare.
    
    Yep.  It does bother me some. 
    
    On the other hand, I still have perfect posture, refuse to bow to the pressures and pains of osteoporosis, and firmly believe:  Use it or lose it.

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