The reasons for why people don’t want to age are plentiful but many of them stem from fear. Multiple fears, actually. One big one is, of course, the fear of death.

This one is unavoidable and present in the majority of us. We simply don’t want to leave this world—there’s too much going on here. Aging is a reminder that our time is coming, and it can be hard to make peace with that. Doing so is quite a process and many go on their own personal journeys to find a resolution to this fear.

But that’s not the whole picture yet. There are things that are associated with aging that make people recoil when thinking about it. For example, many think that getting old means getting sick and feeling awful majority of the time. Many also associate older people with being fragile and weak.

This is not necessarily true. Sure, there are quite a few diseases that become more common as people age, and your body doesn’t feel the same as when you were 20, but that doesn’t mean you spend the whole day lying in bed. You are a little slower, but being slow isn’t necessarily bad. By the time you’re old, you learn to enjoy taking your time doing things. You don’t have the same need to rush life like you did when you were young.

Many people also believe that older folks are doomed to be lonely. That’s a fair take as they are at risk of feeling isolated from the world. But if you continuously make an effort to keep the people around you, you will not become a solitary island with no one to talk to. Foster your relationships right now and be open to new ones, and you won’t need to fear abandonment.

People also worry that their cognitive abilities will decline with age. Again, age-related forgetfulness is a thing, there’s no denying that. But should it really be feared? Not so much. It’s not like you don’t have any memory lapses now. 

Sometimes you forget where you put your keys or maybe you don’t instantly recall the name of a new colleague, but it doesn’t ruin your day. It’s just an inconvenience you overcome. Sure, doing crosswords and continuing to learn new things is important to keep the mind sharp, but you also have to accept that it might not be as sharp as it was when you were young.

Then, there’s the obvious fear—looking old. The wrinkles, the grey hair—the evidence that your body is in decline. With all these fears connected to it, it’s no surprise one would love to hide them. Add to that the fact that our society equates beauty with youth and you’ll understand why celebrities inject themselves with all sorts of concoctions to look younger.

Here, just like with everything else connected to old age, it is all about acceptance. The best way to deal with your changing looks is changing your perspective on them. Grey hair is not necessarily ugly—it can be charming and attractive. Wrinkles alter your appearance but they also show your experience.

All in all, getting old is not as bad as it might seem. In fact, many older people are quite happy with their lives. They have perspective on life and don’t take things for granted. Accepting the way you look is also a part of it. Maybe the people on this list will grow into it too one day.