If there’s one good thing about age, it’s having the confidence to embrace the things that we want and reject those that we don’t. We’re less bothered by social perceptions, people-pleasing, and perfection, making older age a liberating phase of life. Let’s look at a few of the things that older people are happy to bail out of.
Eating Junk Food
Our metabolism slows as we age, so we can’t get away with eating like we used to and retaining a glowing appearance. We have become more conscious of eating healthier foods and are trying to balance our intake of junk foods more than we did previously. Bad news for McDonalds.
Keeping Up With Trends
In our younger years, it was important to remain fashionable for group acceptance. We’d buy the trendiest clothes and invest in the necessary gadgets, but age shows us that we no longer need to stay up to date. We’re happy to opt for comfort and choose a more bespoke way of living our lives.
Stressing Over Trivial Matters
We tend to worry about the smaller, less important things in life when we’re younger. What to wear on Friday night or the right and wrong thing to say to a new partner are disregarded as we become more comfortable in our own skin. Aging is all about being true to yourself and not sweating the small stuff.
Attending Social Events
FOMO was everything in our youth. If we could not attend an event, we’d panic that we were missing out on a fun-packed night that could impact our social connections. Age shows us that staying home with a great TV show is every bit as fulfilling as socializing, and we’re not afraid of missing out. We positively embrace it.
Having Lots of Friends
When we were younger, we heavily relied on our friendships. Social events, small gatherings, and companionship were huge factors in our growth. As we age, we’re more interested in quality over quantity, and we’ll settle for a handful of good friends with whom we can confide and share great times.
Obsessing Over Appearance
Our hair had to be on point, and our clothing had to fit the event perfectly for our youth. We’d never have dreamed of sacrificing our appearance, and we spent copious amounts of dollars on making ourselves perfect. Growing older removes these concerns, and while we still want to look and feel our best, we’re less obsessive about having a few hairs out of place.
Procrastinating
Years ago, it was easy to delay ideas or plans; we had all the time in the world. Growing older makes us more aware of the passing of time, and we’re less likely to put things off. We recognize that life is valuable, and we’re keen to take on fulfilling activities that offer a sense of self-satisfaction.
Binge Drinking
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol during our younger years was a rite of passage, and we had the Constitution to handle it. Alcohol plays havoc with our minds and bodies as we get older, and we become more conscious of wasting money, losing precious time, and nursing hangovers. We’d rather stick to a few drinks and feel fresh the next day.
Comparing to Others
Our teens and 20s came with insecurities as we navigated life. With age comes an acceptance of who we are, and we’re less inclined to compare ourselves to others. We’re less bothered about comparing lifestyles and achievements and more interested in following our unique path.
Ignoring Check-Ups
When we were younger, we didn’t consider health to be important. We had our whole lives ahead of us, and illness wasn’t something most of us had to think about. As we age, our bodies are less forgiving, so we take our health more seriously. Check-ups are valued over the age of 50, as we want to ensure we’re in the best health possible.
Stressing Over Breakups
Having our hearts broken is never pleasant, and age doesn’t remove the sadness associated with broken attachments. However, experience has taught us that we’ll be just fine. After an initial period of grief, we’ll move forward and meet another like-minded person as we have done before. Breakups are less dramatic than they once were.
Saying Yes to Everything
Saying no was nigh on impossible in our younger years. We didn’t want to miss out on anything and were desperate not to offend our peers. Learning to say no comes with age, and offering transparency about our avoidance becomes much easier rather than inventing pointless white lies. We’re happy to say no if it doesn’t align, and we’re not ashamed to admit it.
Going to Loud Concerts
A Metallica concert might have been on the cards several years ago, but we can’t handle the overcrowding, loud noise, and stuffy atmospheres in our older years. Older age comes with an appreciation of serenity, so a loud concert will likely be replaced with a small, intimate gig where we can hear ourselves think and appreciate the music.
Holding Grudges
As we age, we realize life’s too short to hold onto anger and resentment. While it might have been par for the course as we grew up and learned to navigate life, we no longer have the energy for grudges. It’s easier to let go and move forward.
Overcommitting
Our diaries were full in our 20s and 30s, but we prefer to see plenty of white space for some valuable downtime in our older years. Whether reading a book, going on a walk, or simply having the time to decide on the day, it’s liberating to know that we’re not overly committed to a busy lifestyle.
Chasing Perfectionism
Older adults learn to appreciate the beauty in imperfection and are more likely to embrace the traits that make them different. They’re more forgiving of themselves and feel less inclined to chase after unrealistic expectations as they once did.
Needing to Be Heard
Making our thoughts and opinions known are part of growing up. We’ll scream our views from the top of a roof if necessary. When we’re older, we’re happy to sit with our views and feel less pressure to make them known to all. That’s not to say we don’t like a good debate, but we know when to keep things to ourselves and remain quietly confident.
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