Mindful reflection on aging

At age 58.6, I suspect that close-mindedness has begun to set in. I am less comfortable with people who are different from me. I used to find differences mysterious, fun, adventurous and exciting. Now the differences are so great, I am befuddled more than excited. I feel uneasy. What's happening to me? Is this really the new me? Am I walking thru to the next phase of getting older? Is this a character trait that develops when the age gap or culture gap is too great?

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Munumbis · 46-50, M

Maturity and wisdom.

ninalanyon · 70-79, T

Perhaps you have just settled into a comfortable rut.

But you don't have to stay in it. At age 70 I think I am probably at least as open minded as I was fifty years ago when I thought I knew everything.

Now I only think I know more than most people

:-)

You don't have to conform to the stereotype of your age and circumstance, you can choose not to.

Mindful · 56-60, F

@ninalanyon true. That's why I am questioning what is happening here...

LamontCranston · M

"Prayer is openness of mind." -attributed to Buddha
Having said that, though, we are probably more exposed today to more things most of us would consider deviant and unacceptable.

Cowboybob · M

Oh please try to fight against this! Keeping an open mind allows you to learn, experience and love new things! It is a key to staying young at heart and that helps you stay young in body!

Mindful · 56-60, F

@Cowboybob that's the normal me...thanks for the comment

OogieBoogie · F

I think its a 'conservation of energy' type thing.

When we are young, we are bursting with awe, hope, ideas and the abundant energy to throw at them.

I think as we get older we learn to differentiate more, see the signs of energy sucking relationships, (no matter how small they may be - they all add up).

Energy, of all types, become valued more:
- mental,
- emotional,
- physical,
- spiritual

- we realize they are a finite commodity.
- lose too much of one and recovery can take ages.

And whos got time for that ?

Cowboybob · M

@OogieBoogie well put, but I still encourage the remaining open and trying new experiences.

OogieBoogie · F

@Cowboybob oh definitely!
But i dont think we do it with such spontaneous abandon when we are older. We calculate more.

And i think we have a touchier 'bullcrap-ometer'😂

Mindful · 56-60, F

@OogieBoogie this sounds very likely

Iknowyourouttheresomewhere · 56-60, M

I know the feeling, some days 🤦‍♂

🧐… perhaps our brains maypp be shifting toward “efficiency.” As we age, novelty can require more mental effort to process, predict, and feel safe with. If something feels demanding or confusing, your system can start labeling it as “uneasy” rather than “interesting

Mindful · 56-60, F

@Iknowyourouttheresomewhere yes! That's a good observation

Mamapolo2016 · F

I do not think it’s an aging function.

I think it is the realization that new is not always better. It many times is better, but not always.

I think it’s decoding language we have heard for a very long time, and realizing they were/are pretty lies.

This has been true in many generations before ours.

Things we once accepted as gospel because it was wearing fashionable clothing. When we can gather up our experience and lay it out beside “Innovative.”

We have bought enough things that claimed perfect but were full of imperfection.

Better is better. Innovative is on probation.

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