[james-bcn]

Agreed. As someone in my mid-50's I find the attitude to many people towards age really bizarre. I've just got back from trail running in the mountains. I'm fitter and healthier now than I was in my mid-30s, and haven't noticed any kind of cognitive decline at all, in fact I think I'm much more mentally able now because I read a lot and so have picked up a lot of knowledge. The only noticeable change is now I have to wear glasses when reading. The secret, I think, is to keep developing and improving yourself, both mentally and physically.

[sage76]

There's people who call themselves old at 30. I don't know if it is an excuse or what....but it's weird.

I know a 50 year old personally who finished ironman triathlon.

[james-bcn]

Yes I had someone the other day ask me if they were too old to study a subject at 35... I find it very weird. I think if you don't exercise, and you don't learn new things, you probably do start feeling old pretty quickly.

[mistrial9]

people have said directly on this board that if you are 35 and trying to program, you should consider retirement or changing lines of work

[DavidPiper]

I have been one of these people. The (lack of) fitness is a huge part of it.

But also, some of us just feel like we're in a rush, and we see the people around us doing and achieving things that we'd like to have done already. If you don't have kids by 30 and want them, there's a lot of nonsense telling you that time is gradually running out, etc.

Our worship of youth (relevant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROJKEwYEx8Q) starts hitting different at a surprisingly young age. I assume it's far worse for women too.

[Dalewyn]

I'm 35, I consider myself old. Why? Objectively speaking, I simply can't do what I could during my 10s and 20s anymore. It's a fundamental change from becoming able to do more things as I got older, now I can do less things as I get older and that's sad.

Anecdotally speaking, I'm just tired of nearly everything and I have nothing I could call life aspirations or dreams. I'm satisfied if I get through another day in peace.

Some people are young until the moment they croak, some are old from the moment they gain real awareness and agency, but most people cruise from young to old on a biological slide.

[ghxst]

Please don't take this in bad faith but unless you're struggling with health related issues these limitations seem rather self imposed. Your second paragraph makes it sound like it's mental rather than physical, have you considered a mentor or life coach?

[Dalewyn]

>these limitations seem rather self imposed.

Simply put, aging is a bitch.

I can't pull all-nighters or concentrate as hard as I could in my youth anymore, among many other things, and I'm more or less constantly exhausted simply due to the fierce but uncaring passage of time.

>mental rather than physical

No doubt it's more mental than physical, but it all comes down to aging one way or another. There's less wonder in life the more I experience; I'm just tired and the only explanation is I'm old, full stop. Most people are more young at 35 than I am, but I'm not one of them.

[tmountain]

All nighters are usually the result of poorly set expectations or poor planning. Give yourself some grace and set reasonable expectations for yourself. You just sound burned out, not old. At your age, you need to give yourself some time to figure out, and recover, from whatever is going on in your life, not blame the passage of time.

[DougN7]

It’s none of my business, but I say this out of hoping to help: you’re almost perfectly describing depression. You are depressed. I’ve been there, and still deal with it, but it can be helped with a variety of methods. I hope you will talk to a doctor or someone else about it. As an aside, I was surprised when someone told me I was depressed because I didn’t fit the model of depression that I had imagined. It turns out there are various degrees, and “low grade” depression sucks the energy and joy out of life. I wish I had discovered all of the above at the young age of 35 - life could have been better. Good luck.

[Dalewyn]

I think you're trying to read too much between the lines.

When I say I'm tired, I mean literally so. I have lots of joys in life even if it's not as wonderous anymore; lots of things I want to do. The problem is I don't have nearly enough energy nor time for them anymore as I get older. I have more responsibilities (things that need doing) as I get older and my body simply isn't as lively as when I was younger.

And that is only going to get even worse as time passes.

Aging is a bitch.

[clauderoux]

I live in the French Alps and many of my friends are ardent trailers. Most of them are beyond 50 and they still do 160km trails regurlaly.

[hsbshs]

Thats cause age doesnt signal what stress or trauma you have dealt with in life.

Depends totally on the life experience of the person. Look at the reactions of friends and family to the Luigi Mangione story. They are all universally suprised and shocked. Why?

Cause the assumption is a well educated well off 26 year old can handle what ever the environment throws at them.

[busterarm]

My aunt did Ironman into her late 60s but it's not because she was "young and full of energy" it was because "she is an absolute psychopath and it affects every aspect of her life".

Last I counted she has 5 current ongoing civil lawsuits, on both sides of the courtroom. Two of her own children won't speak to her and the third is getting there.

[steveBK123]

She must be fun to have a drink with though right?