30 Things People Used To Love But Have Lost Interest In With Age

There are so many things that we used to put our energy into when we were younger that our older selves would baulk at. Parties, friends, the opposite sex and a myriad of other interests that, in hindsight, almost make us shudder in horror. It’s funny how much time was spent on these efforts considering how intolerable people find them after growing older. But as people age their interests change and they realize,  that some things are better off left in the past.

#1 Summer. I swear I used to be out in the sun like a cat every year. Now I just want to hide inside for the hours between 11/4pm. I can’t handle the sun on my head/sweat, any of it.

Image source: Due-Function-6773, jasmin chew / pexels (not the actual photo)

#2 Having lots of plans on a weekend. Seems like I need 1-2 weekends at home every month. Partially to catch up on home tasks and partially to relax. I don’t feel refreshed Monday AM if I spent the whole weekend out and about.

Image source: icedcoffeeheada**, Lina Kivaka / pexels (not the actual photo)

#3 Other people`s opinion about me.

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#4 New hobbies– I play an instrument, I knit, spin yarn, embroider, and do watercolours. I unsubscribed to several publications because they are always trying to get readers to see more of the latest trends and I am like, “I have more yarn than I will use before I die… I don’t need new paints unless I need specific colors of the brands I presently use…” It isn’t that I am “set in my ways,” I just don’t want more. I am happy with what I have. In our American buy-buy-buy economy, this may sound awful, but it is a relief to be here.

Image source: Outrageous_Emu8503, Anna Shvets / pexels (not the actual photo)

#5 Career advancement. Ive peaked. I dont want or need anything else. In fact, I want less.

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Friends. Need fewer.

Sports. Just takes up time and brings nothing in return.

phlame64:
I haven’t peaked in my career, and I’m honestly thankful for the moment I realized I’ll never do so. Life’s too short for the rat race.

#6 My career as a teacher.

Image source: AmielJohn, ThisIsEngineering / pexels (not the actual photo)

I love helping and educating others.

However, lately a have been getting more and more disrespectful students. I want to help them to achieve their life goals! I put in the work so that they learn and stay engaged. But…they just want to be fed the answers and not learn to think for themselves.

#7 Honestly? People.

Image source: -Rose-From-Riviera-, Kaba Camara / pexels (not the actual photo)

I used to be all about hanging out with friends and causing mischief all the time. Gradually with time, I realized most of them didn’t really care for me much as a friend, rather a vehicle for a good time. I was no one’s first choice.

Now I’m at a time in my life where I prefer peace and solace over pleasing other people, and I don’t regret it one bit.

Hot_Satisfaction7378:
Totally get that. Prioritizing your own peace and well-being is so important as you get older. Quality over quantity with friendships for sure.

#8 I see a lot of people saying they’re losing interest in TV and movies. I’ve had a theory for a while that TikTok and short form video content is turning everyone into gnats.

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#9 Working hard.

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Admittedly, I’m in a good place now and have things set up so I don’t have to work hard but if a project coming up is hard, I just don’t want to give it the energy anymore to try and do it.

I’d see a hard project previously and want to conquer it but now, that energy is for my wife and kids.

#10 Any and all celebrity content! I used to have a People magazine subscription, could tell you who was doing what. I consumed lots of celeb gossip, or “what perfume does Madonna use” garbage. Plus, I knew celeb names, what movies they were in, etc. Now? I know absolutely nothing. The best part though is that I DNGAF!!!

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#11 Holding on to people, things, and places that no longer align with the changing seasons of my life.

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I love so many people. There are things I care a lot about. There are places that will forever pull at my mind, asking for me to return.

But I can’t. And I can’t take it all with me. I can’t carry it all. I can’t tend to it fairly, I can’t give the attention needed. My season has changed.

Growth is sometimes a nod and a tear and a wave goodbye. It’s discomfort. It’s missing. It’s letting go. It’s moving on.

And, ya know, sometimes that’s just for the best. It’s life.

I’m losing interest in what isn’t meant for me. I think it’s a good thing.

#12 The past.Letting go of the past was the best thing I’ve done .Letting go of most of my friends was not as hard as I thought.

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We only spoke about stuff we did years ago.
What’s the f*****g point?
Here’s to whatever time I have left and the new stories.

#13 Not that I had interest but I have less and less patience for drama. I used to be that friend that listens to your problems but I’m so burned out that I can’t even bother anymore.

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#14 Big crowds, theme parks…. Use to love rides but hate the thought of standing in line for an hour in the hot sun, walking everywhere lol.

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#15 It’s weird, but I have the hardest time maintaining interest in TV shows anymore.

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Like I can’t do it. I used to love so many shows and there are so many good looking shows out there, but I can’t sit and watch for more than 10 minutes without losing interest! Same thing is starting to happen with movies and it is making me so sad! Like, I can watch a movie in the theater, but at home forget it! I’ll turn something on for 20 minutes and I’m done — I’ll watch another 20 minutes tomorrow haha.

#16 Crowds. Constant socialization. Drinking. Working. Other people. The news.

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#17 Gadgets. I don’t wanna keep up with what’s new anymore..l’ll stick with what I have and use them until they break.

Image source: JanwaRebelle, Pixabay / pexels (not the actual photo)

nightmareFluffy:
In the 2000s and before, it made sense to upgrade gadgets because of leaps in usability. Newer cell phones had better reception and quality and larger memory. Newer computers could play video and handle larger spreadsheets, etc.

Now, it’s like the new phone has an extra camera and 10% more performance from something that already works perfectly for about $1000 out of my pocket. I’m still using my digital camera from 2013 because newer ones aren’t all that better, and I’m still using my older flatscreen TV. There are just far fewer reasons to upgrade now.

#18 Smoking weed. It hasnt done anything positive for my mental health. It’s just a distraction. When you stop smoking, all the issues are still there. It’s just another expensive addiction/crutch.

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#19 Socialising and people in general. Love being at home pottering about.

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#20 Personally, Budget trips. I want convenience and comfort whenever I travel. I prefer hotels now over low budget ones.

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Prestigious-Slide-73:
Agreed. We used to share rooms with friends when we were young, poor, and just starting out. The last straw was long after that period in our lives when we stayed in a shitty hotel room with said friends, and one single friend ended up on the floor on an air mattress.
I said never again. We can afford a real room of our own. There is no need to share anymore. So, if we travel with other people we always get our own room now.
I don’t need top-of-the-line luxury, but I do want a proper, clean, working bathroom, working heat/AC, a comfortable bed, and not next to anyone but my husband.

#21 Having a career and climbing the corporate ladder. I just want to make enough money to feel comfortable and don’t want work to rule my life anymore.

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#22 Being forced to socialize with people I don’t know, and likely have nothing in common with. Business social events are a breeze, because I know why I’m there and what I need to do.

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AudleyTony:
Totally get that. It’s exhausting trying to make small talk with strangers who don’t share your interests.

#23 Drinking. I feel so much better without it.

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SubjectC:
I absolutely love how much the public sentiment on drinking is shifting. Alcohol use is down 20% amongst Gen Z, although I think it’s probably because they don’t socialize as much, which isn’t good either, but even amongst millennials like me, I’m seeing more and more people giving up alcohol.

#24 Dogs. They’re really annoying and needy. I don’t hate them but I really don’t want to own one ever.

Image source: iloveyoustellarose, Yaroslav Shuraev / pexels (not the actual photo)

#25 Social media. I used to find myself posting all the time on Instagram and all that now I’m like posting every couple months. I honestly even get tired of scrolling on Instagram or TikTok. I feel like everyone is trying to be the same aesthetic and everything on socials nowadays seems unattainable.

Image source: XOXOTeacherGirl, cottonbro studio / pexels (not the actual photo)

Cucharamama:
I was looking for this. I used to be the annoying person filming their food before eating it. I’m so over social media.

#26 Spending my time with people that are lukewarm about me. Once you have good friends that you can count on, it is just not the right thing to do to hang out with flaky, disrespectful or fair weather people.

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#27 Competing against others.

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FunnyNichefinder77:
I hear you. The older I get, the more I just don’t care about the whole ‘competition thing.’ Especially at work, the rat race feels totally pointless. It’s just a way to dehumanize people and turn them into tools.

#28 Going out. Meeting new people. FOMO is not a thing for me anymore.

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#29 The whole party scene feels like a chore now and I’d rather just chill with friends at home.

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#30 Relationships. Everyone around me is getting married and settling down, and I just don’t care. A lot of the ones I see are in situations where the relationship is falling apart, and they keep it together with duct tape and a will. They’re settling and think they’re happy. Reminds me of a quote from Sóren Kierkegaard: “We settle for misery we can handle and call it happiness”.

Image source: wanderingwanderer2, Min An / pexels (not the actual photo)