Age gracefully, or rage against the dying of the light?

I'm 58.  I never really thought I would get this old, not because I was going to die young, but because this always seemed so very, very far in the future.

So.  I come from a era of people who refuse to grow up, as evidenced by my participation in this group.  Now that age is starting to wear me down, how do I deal with the fact that some of the stuff I want to do, I'm just not as good at anymore.  Some of the stuff I want to do, I just don't really want to do.  More, I want to go home from work and lock the doors.  I know that isn't the right way to deal with it, but its cold and dark outside, and there are people out there.

Any  advice?

Find fun new stuff to do. Move it or lose it, true story...

Shucks, that is when the fun begins as long as you are in good health.

I was in my 70's when I did most of my ice racing and track days.

First of all, stop listening to the news, and thinking that it applies to your home and neighborhood.  I see my wife starting to be like her mom and locking everything, too.  Drives me nuts...  Our area hasn't changed at all, and everyone is great.

And second, I'll second spending some time finding some new stuff to do.  I fully expect at 58 (which isn't that far out) I'll be doing some new stuff- and I have no idea what it will be- but it won't be this particular desk job.

I'm having trouble with this at 48.  Right now, I think my biggest issue is a piss-poor diet.  By the time I get home from work, I feel exhausted and don't want to do anything.  So I sit in from of the TV/computer and watch YouTube videos.  Maybe I'll strum a guitar for a bit.   When I was younger, I could get away with eating whatever the hell I wanted as my metabolism would process it. But as I'm nearing middle-age - not so much... 

Set goals.  I set travel goals and the plans keep me motivated through the year.

In September of my senior year in high school I made the decision to head out west to Yellowstone and Denver and to camp, hike, visit parks, and party.   I started with a Coleman cooler as my first purchase and traveled for 3 weeks.  (June, 1980)   

The planning kept me busy - now I plan weekends and events - some long term travel   

alfadriver said:

First of all, stop listening to the news, and thinking that it applies to your home and neighborhood.  I see my wife starting to be like her mom and locking everything, too.  Drives me nuts...  Our area hasn't changed at all, and everyone is great.

 

I'm not frightened of people, I just don't like any more of them than I already have to deal with all day.

In reply to Streetwiseguy :

I’m in sales - extrovert guy.  

Then I shut down and lock the door and won’t answer my home phone.  I’m similar to what you are saying.  I need “leave me alone” time.  

I'm WAY younger than you.  MONTHS, at least.  You geezer.   See, you're Tim's age.  I'm Margies' age.  BIG difference. 

Things you don't want to do anymore, don't.  Sub out things that have to be done that you don't want to do, if you can.  Personally, I just play with my toys and don't get worried about stuff anymore.  Yeah, the Locost is still not done.  So what?  I work on it when I feel like it.  If I want to play with boom sticks instead, I do that.

Dr. Hess said:

I'm WAY younger than you.  MONTHS, at least.  You geezer.   See, you're Tim's age.  I'm Margies' age.  BIG difference. 

Things you don't want to do anymore, don't.  Sub out things that have to be done that you don't want to do, if you can.  Personally, I just play with my toys and don't get worried about stuff anymore.  Yeah, the Locost is still not done.  So what?  I work on it when I feel like it.  If I want to play with boom sticks instead, I do that.

What Dr. Hess said. I'm 51 and I am starting to follow this.

I’m 57. 

I am reveling in the fact that I don’t have to give a berkeley what anyone thinks anymore. 

I earned every darned grey hair I’ve got. Now it’s time to enjoy them!

Picture future you.  Be that.  It might take some research and work to get there.

@ the OP

Vacation to a warm place with a beach and where drinks are delivered to you.  10 days or so of this should cure things.

Volunteer somewhere it will be appreciated.  Contributing time or expertise to makes things better somewhere is one of the things that gets me going again.  

I never really made any plans fo the future,  I sort of go with the flow. Do what I feel like today.

I do have some annual road trips . 

I'm thinking of going up to the ice races on Sunday.   It's only 35 miles.

Go into it as strong and healthy as possible!  I do TRX two nights a week, gym two other mornings.  Eat and drink good things (most of the time) and  find like minded people.

If I didn't have the soaring club and the comeraderie (sp?) and projects that go with it, yeah I'd probably hide in the dark also.  Auto-X, take up something that turns your head;  "I've always wanted to ....".

Do that.

Are you married or have a GF?

I sort of gave up going to bars. Now I don't live near one. So I don't miss them now but once I used to be there seven nights a week maybe eight.  I still work too many hours but I will plan a road trip soonish to get out of this small minded little town for a week. Sleep shower shave work sucks.

If I could find a plot of land for a few thousand to put a garage on I'd consider life to be peachy. 

mr2s2000elise said:

Are you married or have a GF?

Paying $3k a month in alimony based on earnings from boom times. 

In reply to Streetwiseguy :

I’m 70, hard at work on 71.  My goal is to go sliding in the grave at full throttle, completely out of control, with a big smile on my face, screaming wow, what a ride!  

Earlier I wrote about falling 10 feet, working on my house. Today during my lunch break I was up on the top step of a ladder, on top of scaffolding, on the bridge over my kitchen.  

If I fell, I’d have a moment to think because the ground was 28 feet down.  Ordinary stuff, shellacking the timbers at the top. Then taping the timbers so I could paint the ceiling.  

I’m not stupid or a dare devil.  Heights don’t frighten me, I treat them with respect and won’t do anything I’m not comfortable with.  

You may be different.  Just don’t let cowardice ruin your life.  Go ahead, ask the pretty girl for a dance.  Step outside of your comfort zone. Don’t let others decide what you can and cannot do.  ( and as you age there will be plenty of those people.) 

Uhhh.. E36 M3.  I'm 38.  Feel the same way.

I think it's temporary in my case due to 2 little girls at home.

I go to work, then I make dinner, then get girls to bed.  Sit down for 45 mins, then go to bed and do it all again.

The winter weekends are rough.  Same schedule but it involves much more patience.  I can't get to the garage because I have to parent.  It can be a drain....

Just turned 60. I'm starting to understand how this happens.

My daughter thinks I am old.   I keep showing her,  Not Yet.

In reply to Streetwiseguy :

Never give in!  I’m pushing 73 , just bought another Miata a few months ago.  It needs some work, but then, so do I.    I have no plans to grow up any time soon

I have my 50th birthday in March and my plan is to stay as active as possible, as long as possible. I am getting aches and pains but I keep going to the gym, eating right and (I realize I'm blessed to be able to do this) race karts against people 1/3 of my age. I saw some studies that showed seniors can improve scores on cognitive tests just by working out and I believe the gym is the reason I am as active as I am. I have some back and joint injuries and as long as I keep going to the gym, I feel fine but if I stop for a couple of weeks, I suddenly start hurting so much that putting on socks becomes a chore. 

When my wife and I travel, we do a lot of walking or hiking and I rarely use the elevators but prefer the stairs. We take our dog for walks every day (except in winter, we're not masochists) and once a summer we do an all day bike ride. We're trying to keep old age at bay