你到底要活在哪一歲，才甘願好好活著？What Age Do You Think You'll Finally Start Living Fully?

我不會想要時間倒轉，變回10幾歲20幾歲的自己，因為我喜歡生命智慧的累積，變成現在的我。

感覺大家談論到這種話題，重點常放在渴望年輕的外表、身體，不太管生命智慧成長如何，我覺得很妙。

但生命智慧的成長對我而言比起年輕貌美更來的具吸引力，因為生命的深度在智慧的成長裡。


若生命的智慧有在累積的話，你轉頭看過去的自己很容易就會發現有一種蠢，我自己就常覺得以前的我很蠢，也表示有在成長（蠢，是中性字詞，形容一種狀態，不是在罵人或貶低自己）


所以說實話，我不會想時間倒轉變年輕，看到那些比我小一輪的大學生，也不會覺得羨慕。看到比我年紀大事業有成的中年人，也不太會羨慕。


不用急著長大，也不用哀怨青春消逝，「好好活在現在的你」，就很夠了！


若很幸運平安活著，每一年每一年得過，從你出生來到地球的第一天到年老的90歲（若沒意外死亡，依台灣現在醫療要活到90歲不難），每一年的生命都有它的滋味。好好品嚐。


生命不在未來的十年，也不在過去的十年，它在你現在活著的這一年。


還在30歲感嘆20歲，嗯？

30歲擔憂60歲，嗯？

你到底要活在哪一歲才甘願好好活著？

有時耍耍嘴皮子還無妨，但若認真在感嘆在擔憂，那就免了吧！

消耗自己的事情，斟酌做。

此外，年輕是「動態」的，會隨年齡變化，對年輕的標準也會變的，不是30歲以下才叫年輕，因為你問一位90歲老人，他一定會覺得50歲的你還很青春、年輕極了，不是嗎！

醫療發達，活在這時代不小心就會活很久，與其妄想年輕或擔憂老年，還是好好活在此刻，並好好照顧自己的身體，做自己想做的事，去探索世界，去探索生命還比較實在。

 一起想一想

1. 我現在的心理年齡活在哪個階段？跟我實際的年齡一樣嗎？

2. 我是不是一直在等「未來某個更準備好版本的自己」才開始真正生活？

3. 如果我打算全心活好今年，現在的這個自己會怎麼過每一天？

（原文寫在 2022.10.10 我個人臉書 Betty Yuchan Tseng 上，經修改後重發在網站上）

What Age Do You Think You'll Finally Start Living Fully?

I’ve never wished I could rewind time and go back to my teens or twenties. I like who I am now—and that has everything to do with the wisdom I’ve gained over time.

Whenever people talk about turning back the clock, the focus seems to be on looks or physical youth. Rarely do they talk about life wisdom or inner growth. I think that’s fascinating.

But for me, wisdom is more attractive than youth. Because the richness of life lives in the depth of understanding it brings.

If your life wisdom is growing, looking back at your past self usually comes with a feeling of, well… cringiness. I often look back and think, “Wow, I was kinda dumb.” Not in a self-deprecating way—just in a neutral, observational way that signals growth.

So no, I don’t wish I could be younger. When I see college students a decade younger than me, I don’t feel envious. And when I see older folks with more success, I’m not particularly jealous either.

You don’t have to rush to grow up. You don’t have to mourn your youth. Just live this version of you, now—and live it well. That’s more than enough.

If you’re lucky enough to keep living, year by year, from birth to 90 (which isn’t that rare anymore thanks to modern medicine), then each year brings a different flavor. Taste it. Savor it.

Life isn’t happening in the next ten years. It’s not trapped in the last ten either. It’s happening right here, in the year you’re alive right now.

Still stuck at 30, missing your 20s? Worrying at 30 about who you’ll be at 60?

What age do you think you’ll finally feel okay with truly living?

A little playful complaining is fine—we’re human. But if you’re seriously regretting or worrying all the time? Maybe it’s time to pause.

Choose what drains you carefully.

And remember—"youth" is a moving target. It changes as you age. It’s not just for the under-30 crowd. Ask a 90-year-old, and they’ll probably say you’re incredibly young at 50.

We live in an era where people are likely to live a long time. So instead of trying to chase youth or dread aging, focus on this moment. Take care of your body. Do the things you want to do. Explore the world. Explore your life.

Reflection Questions

1. What age am I mentally living in—and is it different from the age I am now?

2. Am I putting life on hold for some future version of me that feels more “ready”?

3. What would it look like to fully live this year, just as I am?

(Originally posted on my personal Facebook on Oct 10, 2022. Revised for the blog.)