Ok everyone, I know this is senior citizens, but I'd like the answer from you guys. Most seniors I meet or talk to seem to be alot stronger mentally or full of serenity compared to me or someone my age. I want to know if you guys think it's just a generation thing, that you have always been like that, or that people actually CAN get better.... I'm 22, I get real depressed and anxious about things like relationships and life in general.... Do you guys know, or are you someone who had a hard time coping with life as a young adult...are you better now?
Thanks alot guys.
2007-09-26 15:06:31 · 19 answers · asked by I want to eat your soul. 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Senior Citizens
BRAVO for being so wise at such a young age - it took wisdom to ask the question from we who are so much older! :-)
I cannot really add to the wonderful responses given so far...ALL were great and said, in one way or another, what I would say. My least favorite decade was my 20's...loved my 30's and 40's though!...
You live and you learn and you grow if you are open minded and willing to benefit from mistakes rather than bemoan them. Hang in there and rainbows are ahead, albeit fleeting they are still awesome to behold even once!
2007-09-27 03:47:34 · answer #1 · answered by sage seeker 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
People change as they move along in age. And, for a lot of them, things get better. When I was a teenager I passed out leaflets and stuffed envelopes for the Socialist Party. Now, in my late 60s, I'm even more conservative than Attila the Hun. One becomes a conservative when he has something to conserve. Over the years I went from a cold-water tenament apartment in Brooklyn to a three bedroom home with a pool in Southern Nevada, with a lot of stops in other countries and states.
When I was 22 I was a drunk. A year later, after consuming too much booze, I quit cold turkey. I've been sober ever since. All I can advise you is to live life. Live it to the fullest. Enjoy the time you have because it moves along so quickly. If you settle for the routine, the humdrum, the safe way to go, you will wind up wondering why you missed grabbing that brass ring on the carousel of life.
But, never get too complacent and ignore the wisdom of Warneke's Law which says the odds are eight to five that the light at the end of the tunnel is on the front of an oncoming train. Make your life such an adventure that your epitaph on your grave could read: I came. I saw. I had a ball!
2007-09-26 15:47:08 · answer #2 · answered by desertviking_00 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well I'm not a senior, but lots closer to that than I am to 22....I find that the older I get, the less 'urgent' things become. I am alot more content with things than I was. Not that everythings the way I think it should be, or that life turned out the way I wanted it to....but I guess I realize that some things I have some control of and other things I don't, and I am ok with that. I also find that the older I get the more forgiving I become. I excuse faults in people, because no-one is perfect. And I'm also no longer in such a hurry. I try to find time to find something pleasing to my soul at least a couple times a week, and I suspect that will increase in frequency as I continue on this journey called life. I've learned that there's a difference between being right and being righteous. And you can be one without being the other. Life is a road and you can choose to travel a super highway or a gravel road. It's yours to live. Don't stress on little things. I have found for myself that if I take care of today, tomorrow will be ok.
2007-09-26 15:43:03 · answer #3 · answered by Sandy B 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I believe everybody gets better.
I can't say that I had a hard time coping with life in my youth but I was anxious about things like marriage, being a good mom, getting my own place, having a good paying job, etc.. I would get depressed, but I would not live there or entertain it. But each time you reach an obstacle in life and you are victorious, this will make you stronger. The serenity will come when you realize what is really important in life and what is not. You just have to live and experience ups and downs, trials and errors, before you get to that point. But there is hope for you. So keep a stiff upper lip and don't let life get you down.
2007-09-26 15:25:59 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is usually best to date someone that would have gone to high school at the same time you did. That means a 4-5 year difference in ages or less. You'll have more things in common. I am 5 years older than my honey, and it didn't make any difference to us. The long distance relationship is a problem. If you 2 can't be in the same country then it can't work. If neither of you cannot or will not move to be within 50 miles of each other then it is best to set each other free. I am sorry. Don't wait too long. Decide now how long you should wait for a move, and then stick to the breaking off point. Good luck!
2016-05-19 21:07:04 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Everyone has been through the " where's my life going" phases. I don't agree with the generation of the older groups as having an easier life than those of us in the younger years.
They have lived thru the hard and depressing times in their lives, just the same way you will too.
Hell, your only 22 with a lot of life still to live. Maybe since the older generations has been thru what you are now going thru they have a peace in the way they live now. They may also realize that everyday should be a good hearted day since it may be their last. Not to sound mean or disturbed here, yet some older folks know their times is coming and they live it without fear or depression and live for today.
Even with a depressing younger life, you still can find what your looking for and has a happy future.
Nobody can change what makes you happy except yourself.
Just my 2 cents.
2007-09-26 15:18:38 · answer #6 · answered by braindamageblue 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I am not a senior citizen, but I want to take a stab at this. I am middle aged and I think that people change over time. I look back into my twenties and realize now that I am a different person. Things that mattered to me back then are not important at all now. When you are in your teens and twenties you think that time just wont go fast enough. Then you start realizing that time is flying by to quickly. You have probably heard your parents or grandparents say this and thought it was BS. Let me tell you it isn't. Life is too short to be worried all the time. Just try to be care free and enjoy yourself, life is full of obstacles and you can't do anything but "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps". That is quote from FDR. At the time when he was president things were bad. He said that to people to get them to realize that the only way to survive was to help yourself. Could you see a president today saying that in a speech? The other leaders in this country would chastise him for being too hard on the people. "How could he expect people to help themselves", they might say. Your generation has been coddled to death. Every ill feeling you have is labeled a mental condition, at least that is what you have been told. Every human being on the face of the earth has been depressed or anxious about something in their life. It can't be a "chemical inbalance" like they want you to believe. The senior citizens that are alive today had it much worse then you could ever imagine. They lived through the depression, WWII and most of them had to work their asses of for everything they have. College was a dream to most. Their life experience made them hard and the Serenity you see was built from those hard times. As is the mental strength. Don't think that they aren't depressed, but their depression is from the abandonment they feel from society. Abandonment from their families who are too busy in their daily lives to spend time with them. They just hide it better. Go do something with your life, you won't get a second chance.
2007-09-26 15:34:51 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
Ok, I'm going to give you something to really think about. If you are a real
chicken-heart, just pass this on by, BUT
if you have no commitments like wife/
kids/lotsa bills, etc. Why not just go
bummin and find out who the hell you
are? I'm not talking to the next town,
I'm talking about necessities in a
duffle bag and catch the next plane
to Europe. Stay away from the war,
you don't need that. How about eastern europe where things are still
really cheap, or catch a freighter down
to the islands, or you can just bum
America. you will meet so many different people and have to get yourself out of so many circumstances
that you'll come back a new man.
If you come back that is. In America
the old ladies will at least feed you.
Farm country always gets you a good
meal. Why sit at home worrying when
you can be out doing???
2007-09-26 16:46:31 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sweetie the 20's are filled with angst and uncertainty for most people. I would NOT ever want to be 20 something again, 30 something yes -
No one in their early 20's knows who they are, never mind where they are going or what they really want out of life. About all they do know is that they suddenly realize they DONT know the answers after all.
When you are a teenager you think you know everything and your parents and other adults are just a bunch of clueless old fogies - but when you hit the real world, and have to make important decisions, about further education, job choices, etc you realize you dont know much after all.
Relax about a relationship, by the time you are 25 you wont be the same person you are at 22, you wont even recognize that person - give yourself time to grow, and mature and become secure in who you are and what you want.
The best advise I have to give you is remember that no one plans to fail, they just fail to plan. Sit down and decide where you want to be in five years, and in ten years - and follow the best path to your goals.
You arent unusual, scratch the surface of everyone who appears to be so confident and sure of themselves and underneath you will find they have the same angst and questions you have - relax, be the best you can be, find out the path you are meant to travel and make a plan on how to get there.
Take time to enjoy life.
Allow yourself to make mistakes along the way, we have all made mistakes, you take what you learned and move on - become your own best friend.
Goldwing once more reminded me of something I often tell people "if there were no shadows you wouldnt be able to see or enjoy the sunshine". Life is a series of highs and lows and some smooth sailing in between, dont reach for pill or a drink, just relax and enjoy the ride, and before you know it you will be out of the shadows and walking in sunlight again -
Thought of something else I tell my kids, "if you arent scared your arent growing". All of life's decision come with that fear that you may not be making the RIGHT decision, but no matter what they all come with an opportunity to learn something from. If you arent scared once in awhile then you are just standing still stagnating -
2007-09-26 16:00:54 · answer #9 · answered by isotope2007 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
The statement "accept life on life's terms" really spoke to me.
My expectations just never seemed to materialize and as I looked around the corner I lost sight of where I was standing. Try to enjoy the moment because looking back it may have been your finest.
Knowing that things are exactly as they should be at this point in time provides security for us to make needed changes. Everything happens for a reason and difficult relationships are teaching experiences.
We never stop learning to improve the quality of our lives if we want to and when a 22 yr old has wisdom enough to ask a question like this he's ahead of the game in my opinion.
Blessings too you...Juju
2007-09-26 18:39:21 · answer #10 · answered by Ju ju 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes, yes, I remember being anxious about everything and I use to get really down alot also. I feel sad that times are so hard on kids, you have to grow up so fast. I use to believe in santa till I was in 6 grade! I was very niave. Life does become better as you mature. Things don't worry you so much, especially what other people think of you. Enjoy each day as it comes, you will be happier. don't worry about tomorrow either, it will come soon enough. Enjoy your friends and family.
2007-09-26 15:40:31 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋