Keeping Up With the Gen Z-ers

Aging. There's no way around it and as while it's infinitely better than the alternative, it sucks. At 31, I'm by no means old, but since hitting 30, I have definitely noticed changes in how my body handles a tough workout, recovery time, and the toll of multiple nights out. 

Once upon a time (i.e. 5-8 years ago), I could have post-work plans every night and I'd feel nary the tired-er. I could push as hard as possible in a workout and probably go for round two right away. If something hurt, it was better the next day, maybe two days max. Today, not so much. 

Dear Self, I don't love you the way I should, but I'm trying. Love, Me

Some mornings I clip in to my bike and discover that my hip/back aren't up for everything that day. If I have plans more than three nights a week, I will be so tired and drag until I can recharge on the weekend. Pulled a muscle? Looks like I'll be modifying for the next three weeks. 

It hasn't been easy to accept, and there was certainly a lot of fighting back, but then I remembered how back in the day I used to tell those older than me that they shouldn't compare themselves to me when they would start saying how they envied my X, Y, or Z. It's never easy to take our own advice, but I need to.

*Vulnerable Moment* While I am pretty good at backing off these days, I have all the feels about the fact that the women I once gave this advice to had at least already had kids and were well-established in their careers. To me, it felt like they had reasons to be where they were whereas I have none of that. I haven't asked my body to do the insanely challenging and miraculous task of creating another life. I haven't worked my way to a C-suite or even SVP-level role. In some ways it makes me feel like I don't deserve a break yet and that my body has no excuse for being where it is now. Yet, I know that aging happens, regardless of what else is happening.

A friend of mine always told me I was Leslie. PC: @britandco, design by @sarahliztate

I'm not sure why we don't talk about this, so I wanted to put it out there because I'm guessing there are other people like me. Bueller? Let me know your thoughts in the comments and how you deal with your body starting to age. (Yes, I know in 10 years I'll look back on this and be all, "Oh you wee 31-year-old, you don't even know.")