Is life short? --> I blinked and I'm 20

[UpperMaster]

For some reason, the notion that time flies hit me hard today. It's honestly scary. 

When you're aware of how fast time flies, all petty bullshit flies out the window. I really feel the desire to maximize the opportunities in my life and stop wasting time, stop taking things for granted, not one thing. 

I really really want to stay connected to this feeling.

Is life really short?

How can I stay more connected to this feeling, and not take life for granted? I really feel liberated by how petty human bullshit seems to be irrelevant when you realize time flies and that you must capitalize on the opportunities in front of you. 

 

I wish to live a long life 120+ years ahaha. But I feel like even if you live that long, time flies. 

 

 

[Terell Kirby]

I find people over exaggerate this topic.

Yes you don’t want to waste all of your youth doing dumb stuff, but being stupid is part of the natural maturation process. You have many years to live given good health and mental stability.

But there are certainly things you can do that will cripple your life permanently. Do not underestimate the power of having a mentor- someone’s who been thru the ups and downs that you can learn from

Find a mentor in various areas you seek to master in life

Edited Saturday at 12:00 AM by Terell Kirby

[Hojo]

This is existential crisis/undealt with fear of death. I feel this when I was 9 and most people do they just keep pushing it off. Its when they developing identity. No matter what you do you will look back and say it wasnt enough cause there is something in you that cant die and is always young. If you dont deal with the fear now you will wake up at 98 and say the exact same thing.Except everytime its getting closer and closer to expiration and its going to get faster and faster. Its not about life being too short its about 'you are going to die' the logical thought process. This points to the death neuron a big ? in the mind. The unknown neuron of fear. The voice in your head is scared of stopping. The voice in your head says that when it stops its dead. Thats not true thats the ego. A seperate voice you created like a chat GPT program your mind can create. When you (the voice) dies you still exist. Thats what God means. This is the good news.

Fear of death = Fear of God

Edited Saturday at 02:57 AM by Hojo

[Leo Gura]

You're still just a tadpole.

[integration journey]

I would kill to be 20 again with the shit I know now but hey life is all about exposing yourself to more nuanced experiences. 

[Michael569]

I'm 34 and i feel like I've lived a lifetime of a 70 year old already (in a good way) that I've done all the cool and crazy things i ever wanted except having a family.I find it comes down to life experience, things you've seen and done rather than years itself that give you a perspective on fast vs slow lifespan 

So if you feel like life is ruining quickly it could be a sign that months and days blend in because they are too similar? Travelling and living in a foreign country might give you that perspective you feel like you're missing. 

[LastThursday]

10 hours ago, UpperMaster said:

Is life really short?

It's long if it's misearable and hard. It's always short in hindsight.

There isn't a right or wrong way to lead life so the idea that time is being wasted is wrong. But a miserable or mediocre life can leave you feeling disatisfied, so if you have a chance to make life more enjoyable then you ought to do that.

In general you have more energy and freedom in your twenties, than you do later in life. However, later in life you have more experience and maturity and better judgement. That sets up a kind of trajectory, where you should play to the strengths of the particular phase in your life. In your twenties you should be experimenting with lots of different things, and working out what's out there and what's available for you. You should be socialising and having fun. You're more idealistic and black and white in your thinking in your twenties, you should use those strong beliefs to push you forward. In your thirties you'll have a better idea of what you're suited to and what you want from your life, you'll probably have a family and things will slow down and become more routine.  But you can use that routine and maturity to deepen your knowledge and experience of what you've chosen to do.

 

[D2sage]

time and life can feel short if you just live by the same habits every day.  You just go on autopilot.

If you go on vacation for 2 weeks, the first week will be slow since you doing new stuff, but then the second week will be gone in a sec because you are just doing the same stuff and time flies.

Edited Saturday at 09:34 AM by D2sage

[UpperMaster]

10 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

You're still just a tadpole.

nuhuh

[UpperMaster]

13 hours ago, Terell Kirby said:

I find people over exaggerate this topic.

Yes you don’t want to waste all of your youth doing dumb stuff, but being stupid is part of the natural maturation process. You have many years to live given good health and mental stability.

But there are certainly things you can do that will cripple your life permanently. Do not underestimate the power of having a mentor- someone’s who been thru the ups and downs that you can learn from

Find a mentor in various areas you seek to master in life

Great response. Thank you. I was curious on whether or not people exaggerate this topic. 

I never really made an effort to seek out Mentors. I will use what you said as food for thought. 

Appreciate it.

 

[UpperMaster]

4 hours ago, D2sage said:

time and life can feel short if you just live by the same habits every day.  You just go on autopilot.

If you go on vacation for 2 weeks, the first week will be slow since you doing new stuff, but then the second week will be gone in a sec because you are just doing the same stuff and time flies.

Maybe. Yea. 

Like I am repeating a year in university. It just seems short because I have the same subjects last year and this year, no real novelty in what Im doing, so I guess it makes sense why it seemed to fly by me so quick.

Edited Saturday at 01:40 PM by UpperMaster

[UpperMaster]

11 hours ago, Hojo said:

This is existential crisis/undealt with fear of death. I feel this when I was 9 and most people do they just keep pushing it off. Its when they developing identity. No matter what you do you will look back and say it wasnt enough cause there is something in you that cant die and is always young. If you dont deal with the fear now you will wake up at 98 and say the exact same thing.Except everytime its getting closer and closer to expiration and its going to get faster and faster. Its not about life being too short its about 'you are going to die' the logical thought process. This points to the death neuron a big ? in the mind. The unknown neuron of fear. The voice in your head is scared of stopping. The voice in your head says that when it stops its dead. Thats not true thats the ego. A seperate voice you created like a chat GPT program your mind can create. When you (the voice) dies you still exist. Thats what God means. This is the good news.

Fear of death = Fear of God

Thanks for addressing the fear I was feeling. 

I certainly see your point, The issue isn't just "life is short," it’s the deeper thought: “I’m going to die.” And that no matter how much you accomplish there's a nagging feeling that it's not enough. 

I seriously see how this feeling could just be a function of the mind, but also I think that there are people who genuinely take life for granted can defenitly benefit from appreciating and embracing life as an opportunity. 

 

[UpperMaster]

4 hours ago, LastThursday said:

It's long if it's misearable and hard. It's always short in hindsight.

There isn't a right or wrong way to lead life so the idea that time is being wasted is wrong. But a miserable or mediocre life can leave you feeling disatisfied, so if you have a chance to make life more enjoyable then you ought to do that.

In general you have more energy and freedom in your twenties, than you do later in life. However, later in life you have more experience and maturity and better judgement. That sets up a kind of trajectory, where you should play to the strengths of the particular phase in your life. In your twenties you should be experimenting with lots of different things, and working out what's out there and what's available for you. You should be socialising and having fun. You're more idealistic and black and white in your thinking in your twenties, you should use those strong beliefs to push you forward. In your thirties you'll have a better idea of what you're suited to and what you want from your life, you'll probably have a family and things will slow down and become more routine.  But you can use that routine and maturity to deepen your knowledge and experience of what you've chosen to do.

 

 

Breaking down what you think the best way to live life depending w phases is nice. 

I defenitly agree about the "People in 20's are more into black and white thinking".

I plan to spend my 20s doing a whole lot of new things, so Im glad we somewhat agree on how to young adults should spend their time.

Edited Saturday at 02:01 PM by UpperMaster

[UpperMaster]

4 hours ago, Michael569 said:

I'm 34 and i feel like I've lived a lifetime of a 70 year old already (in a good way) that I've done all the cool and crazy things i ever wanted except having a family.I find it comes down to life experience, things you've seen and done rather than years itself that give you a perspective on fast vs slow lifespan 

So if you feel like life is ruining quickly it could be a sign that months and days blend in because they are too similar? Travelling and living in a foreign country might give you that perspective you feel like you're missing. 

 

Defenitly thought about that possibility. Matter of fact, I am almost certain you are right. Several times now I realize I don't have the variety of new experiences to be happy. Im dislike doing and experiencing the same shit everyday. 

I am planning exchanges in university to fix that issue, I really hope it helps. 

I also believe that the fact that I still live with my parents severely effect my general freedom and autonomy in such a way where its harder to try the new things I want, but that could be an excuse. 

[Princess Arabia]

4 hours ago, D2sage said:

time and life can feel short if you just live by the same habits every day.  You just go on autopilot.

If you go on vacation for 2 weeks, the first week will be slow since you doing new stuff, but then the second week will be gone in a sec because you are just doing the same stuff and time flies.

Don't know, but this just seems backwards; like it's the other way around. First week fast because it's new and second week slower. Also life can feel short if constantly doing different things. Instead of on autopilot, it's spontaneity.

[Hojo]

2 minutes ago, Princess Arabia said:

Don't know, but this just seems backwards; like it's the other way around. First week fast because it's new and second week slower. Also life can feel short if constantly doing different things. Instead of on autopilot, it's spontaneity.

When I went to mexico it dragged, not doing things for yourself like cooking was very annoying to me.

[Aaron p]

I think the earth will spin around the sun 65 more times before I'm getting close to death

[The Caretaker]

9 hours ago, Michael569 said:

I'm 34 and i feel like I've lived a lifetime of a 70 year old already (in a good way) that I've done all the cool and crazy things i ever wanted except having a family.I find it comes down to life experience, things you've seen and done rather than years itself that give you a perspective on fast vs slow lifespan 

So if you feel like life is ruining quickly it could be a sign that months and days blend in because they are too similar? Travelling and living in a foreign country might give you that perspective you feel like you're missing. 

I agree with Michael here. For most of my life, I had a work/home routine with no place for new experiences.

Then I moved out, and the next summer was one of the best periods of my life. It's weird to say, but I felt like I lived 5 years in the span of 3 months. Many new experiences that shaped my life up to this day.

[integration journey]

11 hours ago, Michael569 said:

I'm 34 and i feel like I've lived a lifetime of a 70 year old already (in a good way) that I've done all the cool and crazy things i ever wanted except having a family.I find it comes down to life experience, things you've seen and done rather than years itself that give you a perspective on fast vs slow lifespan 

So if you feel like life is ruining quickly it could be a sign that months and days blend in because they are too similar? Travelling and living in a foreign country might give you that perspective you feel like you're missing. 

I’m just curious but what advice would you give to your 26 yr old self? 

[Michael569]

@integration journey good question! Let me think about that and get back in a few days.