In Remission: Peter Pan Syndrome | 5 Reasons Why Getting Older is Beautiful

I used to not want to get older. Something about moving further down the winding road of life taps at anxiety’s doors for me. But here I am.. 25 years old (yes, still a baby I know — for all my parents out there) and I’m about to tell you about the incredible beauty in getting older. Besides the whole not dying thing, so much happens with each year. The younger me.. ugh, so emotional. I didn’t know how to process things. I didn’t heal correctly. I didn’t handle things correctly. I didn’t know myself. I knew things I liked but didn’t  who I was.

#1: FINDING YOURSELF There is such beauty in finding yourself.

I’m only 25 years and I’ve never said that. The “only” part that is. I’ve always said I’m already 25 or something of that nature but my god.. I’m only 25. I’m a baby in this world, man. I’ve got so much life to live. And so much more of myself to learn. And I feel that only happens in getting older. Sure ages are just numbers assigned to each passing year you’re on earth but there is just something about realizing that with each year passed, there’s something new discovered about yourself. Getting older means becoming more grounded in who you are. It means being okay with yourself.

#2: REALLY LOVING YOURSELF It means knowing what it really means to love yourself. Do you know how much work that genuinely takes? Let me tell you: Shit loads. If you were lucky you were always told to love yourself first and blah blah blah but being younger, we are drowning in so many insecurities, it’s just such a seemingly overwhelming request to love yourself. But as you age, you realize what it entails. It’s all mental and emotional and spiritual and has so very VERY little to do with the physical.

#3: KNOWING YOUR WORTH Getting older means realizing that after you’re able to develop and practice self love in your mind and heart, your body is the cherry on top. Getting older brings awareness that you’re the only cherry out here that’s like you. Can you actually believe there is literally ONLY ONE YOU? You know how artists create one of a kind pieces and they’re called 1 of 1’s? They’re more valuable than the hundreds that will be later duplicated. Getting older means realizing your value and how incredibly mind blowing and special that really is. 

#4: APPRECIATING HOW FAR YOU’VE COME  For a period in my life, getting older for me meant going through mounds of mental and emotional hurdles and finding ways to get through each day. Then feeling the current huge and overwhelming satisfaction of being grounded and happy, this new, older self wouldn’t even know there was former, younger struggling me. And that’s beautiful.

#5: ENLIGHTENMENT I always think back on my thoughts and ideas and beliefs when I was 16, 17, even 20. And man.. growth is one hell of a game changer. Getting older is a gift. Not talking about age and time on earth. But noticing that you are not what you once were. For me, that’s remarkable.

So guys.. I’m happy to say I’m finally in remission of my life long Peter Pan syndrome. I know there will be off days. Relapse days. Days of simply being human. But the beauty that I’ve found in getting older: it’ll add to my life. Maybe not years, but it’ll add life to my life. 

W.