Being a teenage girl is challenging, with insecurities and anxieties impacting every aspect of life, from first romances and periods to societal pressures and body image. But the good news is, it doesn’t last forever. Here are 17 things women no longer stress about after a certain age!
The Approval of Others
Younger women often crave acceptance and validation from external sources. Psych Central states this is because they lack the self-esteem and self-assurance that comes with age and experience. Mature women, tend to have stronger self-worth and live according to their own values. This often results in statistically lower levels of social anxiety.
Fitting In
When women are young, looking and acting like their peers can be incredibly important. Luckily, this pressure to conform to the ‘norm’ reduces with age. Mature women are often more unique, with a stronger sense of self, and they frequently score higher on scientific measures of self-assuredness and personal purpose compared to younger females.
Following Trends
Many older women look back on their youth with mild confusion. Why was that hairstyle, clothing item, or gadget so important at the time? It didn’t even look good or work properly! Mature women tend to give up chasing trends in their 20s and develop their own sense of style, making purchases and fashion choices based on their own priorities rather than the latest fads.
Their Biological Clock
Societal pressure to have children by a certain age can cause anxiety for younger women, with family members and even strangers often having an opinion. Mature women, especially post-menopausal ones, no longer worry about this – they’ve either had children already or have accepted an alternative path, like career progression, pampered pets, or traveling!
Their Bodyweight
According to Gallup, “62% of younger women worry about their weight all or some of the time, while 51% of older women do so,” showing that body image and happiness improve over time despite the aging process. Mature women may still worry about their appearance and health but are less obsessed with being a certain size or matching up to society’s idea of the ‘perfect woman.’
The Opinions of Irrelevant People
Younger women are more concerned with what acquaintances and strangers think about them, while mature women tend to prioritize the opinions of close friends and family. They have learned that attempting to please everyone is a waste of time and energy, so they focus on being the best version of themselves in the eyes of meaningful people, and to hell with the haters!
Making Mistakes
Shakespeare wrote, “To err is human, to forgive divine,” and he was one insightful person! Everyone makes mistakes; what’s important is learning from them and moving forward. Mature women may forgive themselves more easily and accept their imperfections, and they don’t dwell on past negative choices or actions as much as younger women do.
Menstruation
Even for pre-menopausal women, periods are typically less of a worry than they are for younger females. This may be because they have more experience managing them and dealing with symptoms and generally ‘know’ their bodies better. Older women are often comfortable discussing female biology and may have less shame and a healthy attitude of ‘normalcy.’
People-Pleasing
Trying to please everyone (except yourself) is a futile, exhausting exercise that many women slowly grow out of over time. Mature women are more likely to set healthy boundaries and prioritize their own needs and desires when appropriate. It’s not selfish; it’s just recognizing that you’re a person, too, and others shouldn’t demand or receive all your time and energy.
Seeking Validation from Romantic Relationships
Older women may value and respect their partners, but they tend not to measure their worth according to their relationship status or need constant validation. Impossible says seeking validation is a natural behavior but that doing it too much is a sign of low self-worth and self-confidence, indicating a lack of other fulfilling things in your life, like friendships, careers, or hobbies.
The Fear of Missing Out – FOMO
Have you ever done something or attended an event simply because you were afraid of being absent when something fun was happening? Mature women tend to please themselves and only participate in activities they are mentally and physically capable of and have a desire to do. They may focus more on their loved ones and not worry about going to events due to FOMO when they’re not particularly interested in them!
Regretting the Past
Surprisingly, studies show that older women acknowledge the past but focus their energy on the present and future possibilities. They tend to dwell less on regrets or missed opportunities and are generally more forgiving. This can result in fewer regrets and less time spent missing people or experiences that are no longer part of their lives.
Making Comparisons
Social comparison is always a recipe for unhappiness because we’re all born with different genetics, opportunities, privileges, and personalities. Mature women have generally learned to accept the things about themselves they can’t change and to embrace who they are rather than constantly comparing themselves to their friends, relatives, or (even worse) celebrities!
The Need to Prove Themselves
Self-acceptance and self-worth also play a role in a gradual decline in women’s need to prove themselves as they age. Although competitive natures still exist among older women, they tend to be more comfortable in their own skin and better at recognizing their own strengths and weaknesses rather than trying to be good at everything.
Explaining Themselves
Mature women don’t feel the need to justify their decisions to everyone; they generally care less about what other people think. Marie Claire asserts that over-explaining one’s actions and motivations is a predominantly female trait and one most common in younger women. Older ladies tend not to care so much what people think of them, especially strangers.
Being Perfect
Like many items on this list, trying to achieve perfection is exhausting. But that doesn’t stop many young women from aiming so high in a society that bombards them with celebrity bodies, plastic surgery, and the idea that women can be everything at once – career heroes, super moms, perfect wives, etc. Older women have learned how pointless this is and are more comfortable with their flaws.
Holding Grudges
Holding onto resentment unnecessarily or for a long time only hurts the person holding it and isn’t healthy for our mental health. Older women are often better at accepting the mistakes of others (and their own) and forgiving them. Forgiveness is statistically tied to happiness, so it’s definitely a trait worth nurturing.
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