25 Hard Truths About Ageing That People Struggled To Come To Terms With
People born before 1980 talk about the hardest parts of ageing.
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Getting older is inevitable and challenging to boot. However, many of us don’t realize what those challenges entail until faced directly with the reality of it. Recently, a netizen asked folks, “What was the biggest change to getting older that was the hardest to accept?” Older adults born before 1980 responded with their observations, and the thread quickly went viral. Scroll below to check out some of the most popular answers folks shared regarding the hardest parts of ageing.
Image source: PurpleBeads504, Valeria Boltneva / pexels (not the actual photo)
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Image source: Izdabye, Kaique Rocha / pexels (not the actual photo)
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Image source: EXXPat, Eduardo Flores / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image source: Annual-Hovercraft158, Pixabay / pexels (not the actual photo)
Image source: Mooseagery, Josh Sorenson / pexels (not the actual photo)
Image source: Alternative_Sock_608, Ari Alqadri / pexels (not the actual photo)
Image source: mannuts4u, Martin Péchy / pexels (not the actual photo)
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Image source: Photon_Femme, Andres Ayrton / pexels (not the actual photo)
My never having been beautiful physically, you would think that not being noticed wouldn't bother me. It does. Getting the aid of a store clerk has become task. I find myself having to force myself on people. That's annoying.
The forgetting of names, proper nouns when I know those are words are somewhere in my brain just aggravates the stew out of me. Where did those words go? Hours later I will be loading the dishwaher and, damn, the name or book title will pop in head as though the brain kept searching for it long after I forgot I needed the name earlier. What's up with that?
Getting shorter. Freaking gravity. I was never tall and now I know that centimeter by centimeter I get closer to the ground. Argh.
Arthritis. All the activity, wear and tear on my joints as a young adult has come to haunt me. I have spent the last seven years doing resistance weight training to strengthen the muscles around the achy joints. Thank goodness I did, but nothing has helped stop the stiffening of joints.
Not being needed on some level. I spent so much time taking care of growing children, making professional decisions in my work life, coming up with solutions to make systems better and now I often feel hollow, useless. I want to know that I can help not just be a token.
Another sad thing concerns my decreasing lack of patience. I can no longer suffer the insufferable and wanton ignorance around me. I must walk away. Civil discourse disappears when grown a*s adults believe and repeat lies and conspiracies. That's not a debate, it's chaos. There's no deference to the expertise in our world. Retired insurance salespeople are not experts on geopolitics or macroeconomics. They just aren't. Ugh. For goodness sake, just shut up.
I must be cranky this morning. So I will shut up now.
Image source: someguy14629, Jilbert Ebrahimi / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image source: YogaBeth, Bruno Bueno / pexels (not the actual photo)
Aging is humbling. We can exercise, eat right, and avoid most of the bad stuff. But, accidents happen. Genetics happen. Illness happens. I’m still very grateful that I have stayed fit and healthy through the years. But I was so sure I would be a marathon running grandma. Aging has checked my ego in a big way.
Image source: Daisy_W, cottonbro studio / pexels (not the actual photo)
Image source: NoIndividual5987, Andrea Piacquadio / pexels (not the actual photo)
#1 No matter how I work at it - eating right, exercising, etc. - my body can't keep up with my brain anymore. One damn thing or another is always on the fritz. Back feels great, finallllllyyyyy???? F**k you, says my right knee, try this on for size! (collapses) Good times!
Image source: PurpleBeads504, Valeria Boltneva / pexels (not the actual photo)
#2 I have noticed a change in my short-term memory over the past several months and it's concerning me.
Image source: WTFuckery2020, Lisa Fotios / pexels (not the actual photo)
#3 Becoming invisible. No one tells you and then it’s too late.
Image source: Izdabye, Kaique Rocha / pexels (not the actual photo)
#4 Menopause... and all the s**t no one warned me about. Like losing your sex drive. ( which I've fortunately gotten back, somewhat).... or aging 10 yrs in 6 months. Waking up one morning to find I have NO eyebrows.... you know, s**t like that!
Image source: Bluesage444#5 Not knowing who some “famous” people are. I look at the cover of People magazine when checking out at the supermarket and half the time don’t know who the people they are crowing about are, lol.
Image source: SurrealKnot#6 Weight gain that I can’t lose no matter what I do.
Image source: Zestyclose_Big_9090, Andres Ayrton / pexels (not the actual photo)
#7 Having to let go of a dream or goal that will never be achieved. ?.
Image source: linda70455, Gabriel Gurrola / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#8 Going on Reddit and reading all the hate for Boomers. Apparently we are one giant evil monolithic hive-mind because we were born between 1946-1964. That’s all it took, just being born at a specific time. We’re like the Borg.
On the other hand, all the other generations consist of millions of individuals with different personalities and political viewpoints and different and individual hopes, dreams, hobbies, and interests. Image source: squirrelcat88#9 Can’t wear high heels.
Image source: Pure-Guard-3633, Apostolos Vamvouras / pexels (not the actual photo)
#10 Being patronized by doctors.
Image source: HawkReasonable7169, Karolina Kaboompics / pexels (not the actual photo)
#11 Decrease in stamina; why is everything so tiring now?
Image source: EXXPat, Eduardo Flores / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#12 Crepe skins and loss of muscle.
Image source: Annual-Hovercraft158, Pixabay / pexels (not the actual photo)
#13 I’ve always had a cat (or two). After my previous boy passed, I went and adopted a bonded pair, because I’m getting *two* out of the shelter, right? But after a couple of years I came to realize that- if they stay healthy, they could easily outlive me and my husband (we are both 70). And then what happens? Everybody says, “Oh, provide for them in your will! Get a commitment from a friend or family member who can take them!”. What if you don’t have anyone who can take them?
Maybe we’ll be lucky and outlive them. Maybe my daughter halfway across the country (who currently has a cranky cat and two very energetic dogs) will have an opening. Maybe a cat-loving neighbor will still be living nearby. Maybe. ??? I worry about it. Image source: littlespawningflower#14 That events/cultural references that you remember vividly are a lot older than you think, and in many cases, younger folks will have no idea what you are talking about.
Image source: Mooseagery, Josh Sorenson / pexels (not the actual photo)
#15 When you are younger it feels like you have all the time in the world to do things. I am now coming to terms with the fact that “someday” is a lot smaller of a window.
Image source: Alternative_Sock_608, Ari Alqadri / pexels (not the actual photo)
#16 I'm not in vain, but I think it's incredibly difficult to lose your looks. Going from young vibrant looking to old and haggard. visually, you can see you're getting old, even though you don't feel old inside.
Image source: mannuts4u, Martin Péchy / pexels (not the actual photo)
#17 I used to have so much discipline. I could keep my weight down, exercise 7 times a week, keep my home organized, etc. Now I just want to eat gummies, Doritos and hang out here.
Image source: Glittering_Sky8421, Gabin Vallet / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#18 Realizing that the end is no longer over the horizon; it is the horizon.
Image source: S_L_Raymond, Mike Bird / pexels (not the actual photo)
#19 Damned QR Codes for literally everything.
Image source: Mooseagery#20 Loss of ambition and drive. Part of me kind of likes it because deep down I'm just a bum but overall it's been tough to accept. Hard to describe but you reach a point of just feeling finished with it all and energy doesn't come easy anymore. Unless I'm super stoked about something, I basically don't care about it and can't even force myself to pretend to care.
Image source: PicoRascar, Maksim Smirnov / pexels (not the actual photo)
#21 A few things come to mind. Lack of stamina. Good grief. I have been active for all my life, but now, even the simple gym routine wears me out. It bothers me each day that physical tasks take longer, I often ache afterwards, and the thought of breaking down bit by bit scares the stuffing out of me.
Image source: Photon_Femme, Andres Ayrton / pexels (not the actual photo)
My never having been beautiful physically, you would think that not being noticed wouldn't bother me. It does. Getting the aid of a store clerk has become task. I find myself having to force myself on people. That's annoying.
The forgetting of names, proper nouns when I know those are words are somewhere in my brain just aggravates the stew out of me. Where did those words go? Hours later I will be loading the dishwaher and, damn, the name or book title will pop in head as though the brain kept searching for it long after I forgot I needed the name earlier. What's up with that?
Getting shorter. Freaking gravity. I was never tall and now I know that centimeter by centimeter I get closer to the ground. Argh.
Arthritis. All the activity, wear and tear on my joints as a young adult has come to haunt me. I have spent the last seven years doing resistance weight training to strengthen the muscles around the achy joints. Thank goodness I did, but nothing has helped stop the stiffening of joints.
Not being needed on some level. I spent so much time taking care of growing children, making professional decisions in my work life, coming up with solutions to make systems better and now I often feel hollow, useless. I want to know that I can help not just be a token.
Another sad thing concerns my decreasing lack of patience. I can no longer suffer the insufferable and wanton ignorance around me. I must walk away. Civil discourse disappears when grown a*s adults believe and repeat lies and conspiracies. That's not a debate, it's chaos. There's no deference to the expertise in our world. Retired insurance salespeople are not experts on geopolitics or macroeconomics. They just aren't. Ugh. For goodness sake, just shut up.
I must be cranky this morning. So I will shut up now.
#22 Vision. Letters are too small on so many things. Glasses on. Glasses off. Where are my glasses? Bifocals.
Image source: someguy14629, Jilbert Ebrahimi / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#23 I’ve been a personal trainer, marathoner, martial arts instructor, yoga teacher, …… since I was about 22. I’m 57. In my youthful, delusional mind, I truly thought I would be 80 before I started slowing down.
Image source: YogaBeth, Bruno Bueno / pexels (not the actual photo)
Aging is humbling. We can exercise, eat right, and avoid most of the bad stuff. But, accidents happen. Genetics happen. Illness happens. I’m still very grateful that I have stayed fit and healthy through the years. But I was so sure I would be a marathon running grandma. Aging has checked my ego in a big way.
#24 The people I love won’t be around forever.
Image source: Daisy_W, cottonbro studio / pexels (not the actual photo)
#25 Singing well. I can’t hit high notes anymore and sometimes my voice is shaky and off key. I don’t sing in public, just in the car or at home, but it saddens me that no one will ever say “Wow! I didn’t know you could sing like that” ever again. ?.
Image source: NoIndividual5987, Andrea Piacquadio / pexels (not the actual photo)DE
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