Anyone else feel that time is running out

You probably made the choices that were right at the time. If we've done all the things we wanted to do we might as well be dead already. There are always more things to do! Appreciate what you have, you seem to have had a pretty good life so far. Enjoy the present.

“For the last 8 years I’ve had this feeling that time is running out…”
Well, yep! 8 years of it so far!
Sorry that made me lol as soon as I read it.

55 here. Taking my pension and so is hubby. Going to do things now Incase we are not fit later.
I do thank my lucky stars that I have healthy children. I often think of my dear Friends and family that have died way too young.
Try to turn your negative thoughts into positive thoughts. Life is for living. 🤩

We’re all closer to death than we’ve ever been, unfortunately!
On the bright side though, you’re as young as you’ll ever be!

I have no regrets, and am very conscious of time passing by, that I have less ahead of me than behind me. But this thinking is helping me come to terms with it. I’m mourning the passing of vigor, youth, high energy, the “construction” phase of my life. But that doesn’t mean the rest has to be decline and boredom and rot. I can choose to look at the latter part of my life as one of reflection, reaping the rewards of things learned the hard way, confidence in the things I know but also knowledge that I know so little. I can focus less on myself and my family who will need me less, and more on others who might need me more.

There can be a lot to look forward to. I can accept and mourn that the past is the past, but also look forward. What’s a better solution, really?

I do get fleeting feelings that my healthiest years are behind me, I miss being able to run fast, cycle at full pelt downhill and swim in a rough sea without any fear like I did in my 20's.

I think this is where gratitude comes in. I feel so lucky to have a cosy warm home, a lovely son. Life has been hard so far but I've also had a lot of laughs, I've got really brilliant friends that get me through anything and they are such great company.

My life has been paradise compared to over half of people on the planet with no real home, no food security, volatile countries or just a very very harsh existence.

I've had a blast to be honest. I think I get nostalgic and upset that I can't do it all again, I can't do it like I used to. I've got my health and strength to think about because I really want to stick around to be a grandma!!

The sounds intense. Do you think this might be a low level burn out?

I can't comment on whether it is burn out but I do know it's a fairly normal realisation as you get to a certain age. It's a conversation I frequently have with friends. Time IS running out as PP said. And tbe years whizz past so much more quickly as you get older.

OP - Try focusing your energy on planning how you can get the most out of the remainder or your life. Don't waste time on regrets., you can't change the past but you can change your future

Yes and I'm in my 30s. I've never had a job outside of customer service. I'm an unpublished artist and I have this dream that people will really like my art and I can buy a house and my cats will have a garden to play in :)

I feel the same too. My oldest son asked me if I wanted to go somewhere on holiday with him, and I cried because of all the places I will never get to see! Not enough money and I still have other relatively small children so my time won't be my own for several years.
I'm 53.

50s and also feeling like this. I realised that some of the things I want to do I will never have time for or physically be able to do it. That really hit me hard.

I've felt really down today thinking about this so this thread is well-timed. I think I need to make some tough decisions about the future but feel paralysed, stuck in a stressful long hours job and a not-ideal relationship.

It's horrible but reassuring to know we're not alone in feeling this way.

🎵Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think🎵
I’m in my seventies and sympathise OP, all I can say is look forwards and not back.

I feel the same and I’m going to be 46 this year. I made so many stupid decisions when I was younger which have had a financial impact on me since and whilst I know there is no point having regrets as I can’t change anything, I still can’t come to terms with certain things.

I know I’m not old by any stretch of the imagination but I really do feel life is passing me by. We don’t have children and I have so much freedom in that respect but I dont seem to have any burning desire to do anything I’m just exhausted all the time. Feel I should be doing ‘things’ but what things I don’t know!

I feel a conflict on this, on one hand time is running out to do the fun stuff. I'm 47. But at the same time it terrifies me that I could be around for another 40 years doing absolutely nothing only filling the hours. I feel like I've been on this earth for a long time already, I have more to give but the thought of being old scares me much more than death. I think its the knowledge that this is the youngest I'll ever be and it just slowly and gradually gets shittier every day that depresses me.

59 here and yes I have the feeling I must make everyday count. Part of me thinks working is wasting my life. I have done many things and had many experiences but still crave more adventure.
I have always been a restless person so I partly put it down to that.

Yes, I’m very much feeling like time’s running out. I’m disabled, stuck in a job I have a love-hate relationship with. No idea what I want to do, because I don’t believe I’m capable of doing anything else, and I have no one to do ‘things’ with, and I’d be too frightened to do them alone. So I’ll carry on, just getting through each week. My health will continue to get worse, until I get diagnosed with some form of cancer or other, and off I go, having achieved fuck-all with my life. Time is running out, for all of us.

I get it. I'm 47 and for various reasons haven't done as much as I'd hoped to...is there time to do it? Who knows. I very much regret not travelling more instead of using most of my disposable income on being crap.

As I get older, I hear more and more about people I know or friends of friends dying of cancer, some younger than me so that's one reason for this panic feeling. Always a diagnosis that happened too late. It's also to do with fear of some parts of the future - of being stuck renting and the disastrous consequences of AI and climate change. It's frightening, what's coming.

I'm the same age as you and know EXACTLY what you mean. There's no cure or reassurance so all you can do is take the feeling and stick it in a box in the little room in your head where you never really need to go. If you remember it's there you distract distract distract, preferably with a fun or absorbing thing, or a plan to do something nice. Meanwhile you keep your eye on what's in front of you, enjoy every moment you can, don't look too far forward and don't look back. Oh, and get as fit and healthy as you can. It really helps if you're not met with a daily reminder of things you're physically 'too old' for.

I will be nearing the 50s but have to raise my small kids first. Feels to me that I am just starting

I had a heart attack out of nowhere when 46- and ongoing daily angina so I do think about this pretty constantly

Life feels pretty incredible at 55. The time is now. We know it's not going to get easier. I've got a stupid neck thing that is going to take a minimum of 3 months to settle - wouldn't have happened like this when I was 30. But the brutal truth is I spent 25 years in two rather difficult marriages; I don't regret marrying my dh (number 2) but nonetheless I am happy every day to be living like I do now, and not like I did then. I feel.happy that I listen to what I like, do what I like, am through the lengthy training period for my job, that I don't have to do stuff I hate any more. I don't have phalanxes of disapproving aunts any more because they're all dead. These years are the best of all. I think from age 59 until about 80 my mum had rather a blast; I'm hoping for the same.

51 and I also have these feelings that time is running out. I have a dropped significant relationship because it has never served me and it has only just dawned on me that I don't need to carry on this way...I feel OK about doing this now, I don't feel I have the time left in my life to carry on with a charade anymore.

Children are no longer teens and seems that a new chapter has started. I have been thinking about only doing things / seeing people that matter to me, trying to get fit and be healthier so that i stay mobile etc for longer.
Thinking about how long I need to work for, retirement etc (when really I should have been thinking about this 20 years ago!)

Prob a mid life thing..... time is running out. Perhaps you should start thinking about what you want / need to do in order to be happy and fulfilled.

What ever you want to do, do it now. I have just started scuba diving at 55. Get out and do it now. Time passes, life is fleeting. Grab your time now :)

I quite like this way of looking at it

I have just turned 60 and struggle with this less now.
i went through a really awful patch in my 40’s … I realised I was never going to be a Mum.
i started citalopram in my mid 40’s… absolutely life changing and the fear has gone… maybe chat with your GP and make sure that you don’t have depression?
i want to make the most of every day… I have just booked a trip I have always wanted to to do… should be saving for retirement but I prioritise experiences.

The clock ticks for us all.
So may as well make the most of the time we have.