Worried about life just passing me by

[Bananas85]

Does anyone else think about life just passing by and all the things you're missing? On paper I have a good life - lovely family, good job, great friends, nice house, great holidays but I can't help feeling that I'm missing out on life.
I get absolutely fed up with daily tedious tasks like having to think of meals to cook; doing the washing; no matter how often you clean its back to being a mess in a few days; having to go to work all the time and being restricted to only 5 weeks holiday per year. I find the whole thing just boring and think of all the amazing things in the world that I'm not experiencing day to day.
My parents have always been so content with life and I've always admired that but I don't think that I've ever felt like that - I'm always thinking of the next thing, what can I do, where can I go etc.
Does anyone have any advice on how to be more content in life?

I'm older than you op, i'm mid 50s

I have had a desire to see & experience as much of the world as possible since i was a teenager.

I am not into kayaking, mountain climbing, skydiving type of adventure and i am equally not into resorts / AI / evening entertainment type holidays

Nothing wrong with either, they just don't float my boat!

I am driven by history, art, literature. It is my work & my passion & i feel immensely lucky to have a vastly rich inner life.

I am always immersed in some aspect & that's the jumping off point for travel to research, see, experience whatever it is i'm obsessed with.

I read a huge amount & even as i'm fulfilling the more routine parts of life like washing up i find myself thinking about something i'm reading & i rarely feel bored

We're transforming our garden this year so that's v exciting as we've never had the oppportunity to do it till now

I'm planning to take a french class (last learned in school) to prep for a fantasy of living in Paris for a year once dc are finished in uni in about 3 years.

Its a mindset. I don't know how we'll achieve it but by taking a positive action it starts a chain reaction & my experience is opportunities then present themselves

My biggest goal is to keep my brain & mind active & to keep curiosity alive, keep learning.

I hadn’t heard that poem before but was exactly what I needed to hear this morning. Thank you @Poonu

Are you me? Except I'm learning German - also mid-50s. One child heading to Uni year after next hopefully but I go down the rabbit hole of different historical periods and am mad into art.
I do get down over things and work isn't the greatest at the moment...

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are

@CholesterolHelpif you're learning french try watching The Line (also known as Un Village Francis) on ITV X. Set in Occupied France on the demarcation zone with Vichy.

Your perception of time changes as you age. The years literally pass faster. Look it up. It may explain the feelings you’re having.

Life literally is passing you by and you have maybe 30 good years left.

I’ve learned the opposite in my 40s - I live life slowly. I garden, do yoga, I took up mountain biking. I made a ten year travel plan so I get to go everywhere with the kids I want to.

Ive learned to count my blessings since i have friends who have suffered breast cancer and struggled with sickly children.

Ooh nice tip @Tichter thanks!

I will check that out. I haven't started French yet, i'm thinking it'll be an autumn project

I am currently in a modernist literature reading group & that's running until July so am plenty occupied with that just now

I, too, love allowing myself to fall down deep rabbit holes!

What art do you love?

Just to add - like pretty much everyone in life i've had hard times with bereavement, parent with rare illness etc

But i also truly believe that what we apply our minds to is what shapes our reality

I agree with previous posters. Part of what helps is finding joy in the small things. The things that I always thought of as old people things - the changing of the seasons, the birds coming out, a bit of sun, taking the kids to a new park with a picnic. It slows the passage of time and the monotony.

But part of it for me is definitely breaking up the ordinary too. I never stop learning. I start a new hobby when I'm bored and do it until I get good/bored. I join a new club or fitness class. I take a day's annual leave and go to a theme park. I stayed after a work trip in India for a week without the kids and went travelling by myself a couple of years ago. It's no longer things that are dangerous in the same way (although I still love a hike or rock climbing) but it's enough to get my body thinking it's novel and fun.

To do that, though, at our age you need the energy. Make sure (if you can) that you sleep as much as you need, get enough water and exercise and get your bloods done/consider depression if they're relevant. Feeling healthier rather than older over the last 3 years (I finally lost the baby weight 😂) has made a huge difference to the 'slow decline' feeling for me

@CholesterolHelpany and all of it. My favourite artists are William Orpen (war artist) and John Lavery. Holidays are planned around art exhibitions. Like early modern art too.

Also try Spiral (Engrenages) - french cop show

Et vous @CholesterolHelp?

I was in my late 40s when I found a lump in my breast. No family history of cancer, no smoking/low alcohol/active/normal BMI, low chemicals in the house/toiletries & I haven’t eaten meat & dairy for years. Today I’m in bed & unable to get up after chemo a few days ago. My cancer is thankfully stage 1, even so I’ve had 6 months of chemo & still have surgery, radiotherapy & 6 months of immunotherapy to go, so at least another year of treatment.
You have your health, you have money, you have choices. I would do anything to have my pre-cancer days back & life without worry & physical restrictions. I dream of the day when I can go on holiday & feel the sun on my skin again. You have plenty of opportunities now, please make the most of them. I miss doing ALL the things with my family you currently consider as mundane. Please try & appreciate the little things in life too as life has a way of suddenly turning upside without warning.