yeah I feel the same as you.. Not only in appearances but in practice. I'm afraid I will no longer be as effective in my sports, in fact I already feel the difference than just few years ago: my recovery process is slower, I need longer to get to a warmed up zoned and it doesn't last as long as it used to be . I used to be able to go through days with lack of sleep but now when I do, you will see it right away on my face, my skin, and body. I also like the feeling of appearing young to people, there is a certain access to a wider range of what you can do without being judged. Not to mention and let's be really honest about this, in this generation 1rst world country, people tend to have a soft spot for you if you're a young looking woman. You will be treated differently than if you were an older man. Those are privileges I believe is part of the journey of womanhood we need to learn to slowly outgrow.
The notes that I keep telling myself, is that we are all aging together. You're not aging alone. There are lessons to be learned ONLY when your physical body doesn't follow your mind anymore or the physical self-image you have in mind. When our face is no longer as glowing as it used to be, when wrinkles and white hair appear. You can maybe slow down the process with the technology advancement nowadays but ultimately, you can't fight this. You have to accept it. Perhaps embrace it for better measure, celebrate it for having survive this long. Part of the human experience I think is to learn to let go. Right now, especially because of the media, we put so much values in youthful appearances and disregard the beauty found in every age.
Whenever I see any aging signs surface, I automatically think I'm perishing and decomposing, that these are signs my face & body is about to go downward from here on and I mourn a little. I then remind myself that while I worry about my aging and upcoming death, I forget the present and how right now, at this moment, I look and feel the youngest I can be. And I must enjoy while it lasts, because 10 years from now, I'd probably wish I'd look and feel as I am now. And so forth.