For those of us who are seniors, what was the one thing that surprised you the most about getting older?

Even though I'm only 63 and "technically" not a senior yet(unless there's a discount involved)the thing that surprised me the most(and I must say pleasantly surprised me)was the fact that I no longer tolerate people's bulls**t, and am able to call them out if needed. I also don't hold back on something that I feel needs to be said, in fear of what others may think, as I am my own person, and that too is a good thing.
I had always heard that as we get older we tend to lose our filters, but thought that that applied to those 80 and above, so was surprised that it has hit me as young as I am. But I guess when you've been through as much as I have in my life, I've earned that right to say what I want, when I want.
My friends and family have just gotten used to it and will say that I don't have a problem just calling things as I see them, and I think that's actually a good thing, as life is just too short to pretend you're someone or something you're not.
I call it having wisdom and discernment, which more people should have, yet many don't. Perhaps that's something that doesn't come until we've had enough life under our belts huh?

For me, at 66 which I don't consider old by any standard--it's just the fatigue that has hit this past year.

It could be that in 2022 we: moved to a new house that needed a total re-haul and we're still not done, 2 weeks of COVID and the long haul of feeling just not 'great', DH's plans to retire and he keeps putting off all the paperwork, etc, so it looks like he won't be retiring, watching him get 'dottier' by the day. His natural spaciness is much worse, he can't remember anything outside of work details (and there he is brilliant, so I know it's not dementia)...still rehabbing a major foot/ankle surgery from last year, having a cardiac ablation a few weeks ago, mother dying in the midst of all this--family becoming fractured and needing to have the estate settled so we can go back to ignoring each other...

I HAVE to take a 2 hr nap everyday or I can't make it through the day. This drives DH crazy. He doesn't GET IT..and frankly, neither do I.

Always been the kind of person who can juggle 6 balls in the air. Now I don't want to do ANYTHING.

I hate hate hate that my body is failing one little piece at a time.
First it was my eyes - multi focal lenses here we come, but no matter what I do I still can't really see fine details any more.
Then my feet went wonky; I need toe separators and arch supports and metatarsal pads and no sooner do I fix one thing than something else crops up.
Weight gain and muscle loss post menopause - I used to be someone that people hated because I could pig out on anything and never even think about it, now I must be obsessive about getting my 20,000 steps every day or my weight begins to creep up.
I need a jar opener now.
And my back hurts.
I can't balance on one leg to put on my shoes or socks... plus I have trouble even bending that far because my hips just don't want to do that.

This is why getting old isn't for sissies, god help me I'm only 62 and the women in my family tend to live into their 90's!

How hard it is for me to get UP when I'm sitting on the floor playing with my grandson. I have to find something to hold onto in order to pull myself up, or I can't seem to do it.

I’m dismayed by the fact that even when in respectable health and good fitness, how fast you lose ground if there’s any setbacks, and then how much more time & effort it takes to reclaim what was lost, if even possible.

I have always had to watch my weight even when in my teens. I hardly eat anything now to maintain it. And I hate the water gain. I feel bloaty.

I'll be 66 at the end of this month. At 64 everything seemed to hit. I had to start dialysis, Insulin went up to 4 shots a day, my husband died. Had two serious falls in less than a year and the last one landed me in a wheelchair. It's either I'm getting old or i have really bad luck. I think it's age.

I am 80 and it surprises me how quickly it comes, and who, by the way is that old woman staring out of mirrors and window reflection? You still feel much more young inwardly if you are so lucky as to be fully able in your later years.
So, how quick it comes and how fast time flies when you are there (breakfast every 15 minutes, basically) and how you still feel young (and even uncertain) "inside".
I hope the admins will move this to discussions where it will be longer-lived. An interesting question.

Surprised how much physical strength and stamina I've lost, but equally surprised at how much stronger I am emotionally. My motto is "Roll with it, Baby!"

The big surprise has been caregiving one after another. When I was a kid, people would die after a brief illness or maybe a longer one, and that was that. Thank goodness I can keep on taking care of my LO! But this is the last one, I swear. I won't be able to do this again.

I agree with Funkygrandmom. I call things like I see it now. I'm only 61. I don't just let things go anymore. Not to say that I flip out every second but if someone is rude or mean to me I call them on it.

It's good to not be someone's doormat.

I am 67. I used to be a goodie two shoes when I was young. I was groomed to be a people pleaser by my mother but had had an epiphany a few years ago that I was a sucker. I have decided life is too short and I should do what I want and not let my life be navigated by other peoples’ demands. For the record my 94 year old mother is not happy with me with the decisions I’ve made but I am trying to live my best life now. Being a senior with most of my good years behind me had made me realize there are no do overs. You go around once.

At 66 the thing that surprised me was: "How did I get here so fast?" It seems everything that I'd wanted to do and kept putting off until "later" never materialized and here it is: "later". It's unlikely I'll get do those things, and honestly, I don't even want to do them anymore. I don't seem to be able to retain information the way I used to and my problem solving ability seems to be circling the drain. Just hoping that it's not a sign of imminent dementia. The other thing that sucks about getting old is realizing that though I'm doing my darndest to take care of my 94-year old mom, that there's going to be no one, zippo, zilch to help me out should I reach that age. It's disturbing and depressing.

cwillie, same here regarding my eyes. I use to be able to thread a needle and read the tiny print on anything. After having cataract surgery, all of that changed. Can't wear readers or bi-focals as they make me feel too seasick. Now have to use a magnifying glass.... Carson makes a really nice 3.5" circle magnifying glass, comfortable handle.

I've got all my mom's very expensive lighted magnifiers FF.
My sister bought me one of those magnifying mirrors too but the last thing I want is to see myself that close up 🤣

That I could actually learn to play the tuba.

It surprised me that I have lived beyond my parent's ages when they died.

I'm surprised to still be alive after my dad, sister, brother, and mom all died. At 74 it takes me so much longer to recover from everything that goes wrong with my body. I fell and have had a mild concussion for 6 months now. One son comes to help me. I don't want to need help, but surprised at how much I actually do need it and so grateful for his help. What's next? It takes so much energy to stay positive.

A nurse reminded me “These are not the ‘golden years’. They are the rusty years. Things keep rusting away.” And what surprises me every day is looking down at crepey skin on my my hands and realizing there is less time left than I’ve lived.

I'm 83 and what surprises me are all the aches and pains. And how tired I am at the end of the day. But I can still mow the lawn and I can still get myself up if I'm on the floor. And I'm still working.

Heavens, aging started in my mid-fifties with thinning bones. At age 58, I suffered a small left ankle fracture from a fall that got healed quickly. My doctor discovered I have osteoporosis so he put me on Fosamax, then Boniva when I was 61. The microscopic colitis and early-stage cataracts hit at age 60. Some mild arthritis of the hips and knees in cold weather or standing in one place too long since about age 63. Now at 67, I am still very active going to a local gym, but I use handrails to assist with climbing or descending stairs I feel is better for my safety. If a stairway has limited or no handrails, the ramp or elevator is my alternate option. I live in a condo, and one of my building's elevators often breaks down, so I call it "the haunted elevator". Needs adjusting or its computerized mechanical parts to fix it. I no longer have running energy, but life is no rush as I am still independent.

Why do my knees look like THAT?

How much I would regret the time I didn't spend being grateful when everything worked right.
I hear my deceased grandmother saying to me.. you r so lucky, you r young.... Now I understand her...being older takes more time to do things

I wasn't prepared for losing so many important people in my life.

there is a scary old woman in my mirror!
my clothes shrink at an alarming rate
my knees don't work the way they should and they make funny noises.

What I appreciate about getting older though...
I forgive more easily, why carry a burden that is unnecessary
I think I appreciate each day more now than I did years ago.
I realize that my Husband was one of a kind and I am glad he knew I felt that way.

What surprises me is how curious, interested and engaged most of us still are at older ages. When younger, we may have expected "old age" to mean inability to function, but that is usually not so. We may need to move more carefully, make some physical accommodations, pay attention to the task at hand, but we have gained the wisdom and experience to adapt to life's changrs.

At 63, I'm most surprised at how I've had to let go of most all of my closest family and loved ones. Only my mother, my two children and a few cousins remain.

I always knew round was a shape but I did not know how hard it would be to stay in shape at least not the round one. Fitness is almost like a full time job.

I am surprised by the vulnerability that I feel. I once put my 80 something Mom in the car and we embarked on a road trip almost half-way across the country by ourselves to het to her sister and brother-in-law's 75th wedding anniversary celebration. I used to drive long distances by myself as well. Now I feel I don't have the physical strength to change a tire or the ability to be stranded on a hot or cold roadside if the car is disabled. I just feel less able to handle situations now than when I was younger and in good shape physically. I can't run from trouble or fight anyone off.

My skin.

It feels like slack bread dough!

Also, it's soooo crepe-y!

And, I'm only 58! Gaaaah!