A Generation X couple have gone viral on social media after sharing their hilarious “middle-aged starter kit” that everyone should have.
Penn Holderness, 49, and his wife Kim Holderness, 48, posted a video on Instagram sharing the items that anyone facing the dreaded phase of life known as middle age should have at their side.
The couple, from Raleigh, North Carolina, recommend that every starter pack should include glasses, supplements, a color-coded pill box, massage gun, and even decaffeinated coffee.
While the items might seem like a daily necessity now, Kim Holderness told Newsweek that just a couple of years ago she “would have never thought” that she’d need any of them. But time certainly catches up with all of us, and the couple, who are part of Gen X (people born between 1965-1980), prefer to embrace growing older rather than denying the inevitable.
“A middle-aged starter kit includes mostly things you judged your parents for needing, like pain relievers in multiple locations, a pill box for your supplements, grocery store readers,” Holderness said.
“Peak middle-aged is having a physical therapist who takes your insurance and is easy to book an appointment with, especially for your neck because you slept weird one time.”
@theholdernessfamily / Instagram
Since the hilarious clip was posted on Instagram (@theholdernessfamily), it has gone viral with over 2.2 million views and more than 47,800 likes in just a matter of days. As it turns out, internet users can’t get enough of the novel creation, with many joking about what they would include in their own kit.
The couple love documenting their lives on social media and sharing in the trials and tribulations of getting older with their followers. As they both near the big milestone of 50, Holderness said it’s all too frequent that they notice their bodies “just breaking down” and not working as well as they once did. But rather than resent it or try to avoid thinking about middle-aged life, they prefer to turn these scenarios into humorous ones.
“One of the inspirations for this clip was going to the doctor for an ailment like a bad knee, looking for treatment, and having them tell you this is just your knee now. Then going home and realizing your body is now past the 60,000-mile warranty,” Kim Holderness told Newsweek.
“There are a lot of good things that come with age, but it’s important to acknowledge that throwing your back out from getting up weird is a real thing.”
The Instagram Reaction
Whether they’re posting about nostalgia for the good old days of their youth, or having a Gen X emergency, the couple’s Instagram Reels often generations thousands, if not millions, of views online.
Aging is something that many people fear, but the couple love turning that dread into humor and showing that middle age can still be fun and positive. They love seeing the positive reactions to their viral video, as Kim says many of their followers can relate to it.
“Our audience is aging with us, so there was a lot of positive sentiment. We enjoyed people adding things we missed,” she said.
With over 750 comments on the viral Instagram post already, many internet users hailed the genius starter pack, while others shared ideas for what they would include in their own.
One comment reads: “Nailed it… got them all and sure to collect more fun items for my kit.”
Another Instagram user wrote: “Genius! I’m *this* close to buying readers. I’m nailing the rest.”
“OK, but you forgot the HEATING PAD,” joked one person.
While another comment adds: “Y’all forgot the blood pressure monitor.”
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