As we age, we gain wisdom, experience, and a different perspective on life. This often translates into everyday skills and habits that become second nature.
While younger generations are known for being tech-savvy, older individuals often excel in certain areas that contribute to a well-rounded life. Here are 19 things they do better than the younger generation
NOT WORRYING
With experience and age comes broader perspective. They realize that many things they once worried about weren’t worth the stress, allowing them to enjoy the present moment more fully.
CASTING A BALLOT
A persistent trend in elections is the significant difference in voter turnout between older and younger generations. While older folks consistently demonstrate high participation rates, young people often fall behind.
WAKING UP EARLY
While younger individuals often prefer late nights and early mornings, older adults tend to be early risers and prefer to finish their tasks early in the day.
“Get up early. I used to go on Christmas trips with my mother, and she would book flights at 6:00 am, which meant we’d have to be up and in a shuttle by 4:00 am, and I was like, ‘You know they have a 10:00 am flight, right?’ Now that I’m in my 50s, I often say, ‘Don’t these flights leave any earlier?'” shares one.
TAKING EVALUATED RISK
Age and life experience significantly impact how we judge risk in any situation. Hence, the older generation is usually better at taking evaluated risks in life.
A DAY WITHOUT INTERNET
While the internet has become integral to many lives, older adults often demonstrate a remarkable ability to thrive without it. They have hobbies, strong social connections, and a great focus on the present.
APPRECIATE SMALL JOYS
Older people are often more capable of enjoying the smaller joys in life. They have mastered the art of recognizing happiness.
“I think wise older people generally recognize that you must seek happiness, and when you look for it, it’s usually pretty easy to find. I set up a bird feeder near my kitchen window. Now, I can watch the birds, squirrels, and chipmunks hop around, searching for seeds to eat for a solid hour. I love stepping outside on the first warm day in spring and smelling everything around me, waking up and beginning to grow.” shares one.
WISDOM
Life throws curveballs at every age, but older adults often approach challenges with a calmness and wisdom that younger generations admire. This shift in perspective comes from a lifetime of experiences, both joyful and difficult, which provides valuable lessons for navigating life’s uncertainties.
STORIES
There’s magic to the stories older people tell. They captivate us with their depth, their humor, and the richness of lived experience that infuses every word. It is because they lived a life with strong connections and no internet.
MATH
While it’s challenging to make sweeping generalizations about entire generations, some older adults may have an advantage in basic math skills compared to younger individuals. We think it is because younger generation have easy access to calculators on phone.
HANDWRITING
While not a universal rule, older generations generally demonstrate better handwriting compared to younger individuals. It may be because the younger generation relies more on technology and has a lesser focus on penmanship.
TRIP WITHOUT GPS
While GPS navigation has become ubiquitous, some older drivers still possess impressive skills in navigating without it. It is because for the longest time they drove without help.
FIXING THEIR CARS
While not every older person is a mechanic, many possess impressive skills when it comes to fixing their own cars.
“Do car repairs. On average, a 70-year-old can do things like drive a stick shift, change their oil and tire, and maybe do some stuff like change filters and belts in their car. A 35-year-old can do most of that now. In 20 years, that likelihood is less. Because cars are changing, technology is changing, and if you don’t use it, you won’t know how to do it. Eventually.”
CORRECT SPELLING AND GRAMMAR
Most older people have lived through a time when formal education emphasized these skills, so they possess strong spelling and grammar abilities.
MOVE ON FROM A BAD SITUATION
The younger generation tends to be affected by what other people think or stay in bad situations longer than older people do.
“Walk away from a bad situation. Seriously, I’m 62, and my significant other is 70. We no longer care about what people think and don’t need to stick to clients or bosses. When I was 35, I spent too much time making jerks happy.” says one.
GENERAL LIFE ADVICE
While not all older people will get it right, on average, many internet users prefer talking to older people about issues than younger people because they lived through more. Remember, you still have to take their advice with a grain of salt, but they still do better than younger people.”
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This article was originally published on Mrs. Daaku Studio.