I’m Already Seeing The Signs Of Aging In My 20s And I Love It

I used to think you didn’t truly start “getting old,” at least physically speaking, until your forties. However, at 28 years old, I have several fine lines and wrinkles and it’s probably only a matter of time before I spot my first gray hair. The weird thing is that I’m actually into this whole aging thing!

  1. I no longer look like a child. Call me crazy, but I love not getting ID’d left and right. I also don’t miss getting those suspicious sideways glances that made me feel like a kid trying to play with the real adults. Plus, it’s awesome being able to totally rock blazers and button-up blouses instead of looking like I’m brand new to the professional world or worse, just playing dress up.
  2. I’m getting more secure in myself. I used to be as insecure and self-doubting as they come, especially when it came to my appearance. But hey, this is my body, and while I can alter it (if I ever want to), I can’t just change it out for a new one. This is who I am, and my fine lines and less-than-dewy skin just show that I’ve been through a decent portion of life by now and have seen some pretty insane (and awesome!) things.
  3. It’s made dating less complicated. Around the time that my first fine line appeared, I was dating a guy who seemed to take a weird sort of joy out of pointing out my physical flaws. I eventually realized that if he couldn’t focus on the person I was as a whole instead of how hot (or not) I was at any given moment, he certainly wasn’t going to be someone I could grow old with. See ya!
  4. I spend less on makeup. These days, I try to accent more than I try to cover up since heavy makeup just seems to sink into any lines (also thanks to aging, I don’t break out nearly as much as I used to). My daily routine currently consists of a thin coat of tinted moisturizer and light eye makeup, and both my face and my wallet feel a lot better for it.
  5. I’ve been opened up to a whole new world I used to ignore. The anti-aging industry is a huge one, like way more massive than I ever thought possible. While I still don’t feel the need to invest in it myself, it’s just nice knowing that if I ever want to, I’ll be far from alone and will have a lot of options available.
  6. I feel more connected with other age groups. OK, so I know I’m not that old (yet), but I can’t help but feel better associated with women decades older than me. Maybe it’s because I’m realizing how they must’ve felt at my age when they first started noticing those lines and creases, or maybe it’s simply because I’m more aware than ever of the fact that I’ll be in their shoes one day. Either way, I’m feeling a more kindred spirit with the humans around me, and it’s nice.
  7. I’m seeing others differently too. Sure, I appreciate beauty as much as the next person, but the youthful, perfect faces we see every day in magazines get boring. I’m starting to really appreciate the character that comes with the faces of everyday life. And nothing helps add character like fine lines, wrinkles, crow’s feet, silver hairs, etc.
  8. I’ve started taking better care of myself. We all know we’re not immortal, but we don’t always really believe it. When we’re in our teens and early twenties, it’s so easy to avoid taking care of ourselves because we don’t see many repercussions when we don’t. Now that I’ve noticed I don’t look as youthful, however, I’ve really started thinking about my future and how I want to be. To the gym I go!
  9. I’m happier, and it shows. I’m feeling better about myself and life these days. I also think it’s important to realize that while fine lines can result from frowning, they also come from smiling. I love that my face now looks like I haven’t been going through life with a face of stone.
  10. It’s making me appreciate life more in general. I wasted so much time after college thinking about things I wanted to do instead of actually doing them. Fortunately, there’s nothing like realizing you’re getting older to give you the kick in the butt you need to get going already. I’ve since started traveling more and have started writing about subjects I actually care about. Life is good, fine lines or not.
Brianna Gunter is an NYC-born Jersey girl now living in the Rocky Mountains. A graduate of The College of New Jersey's journalism program, her work has appeared in a multitude of publications both online and in print. When not writing about life as a millennial, she can be found hiking, hunting for pizza or making new dog friends.
close-link
close-link