I am 33, I started working through and exploring gender about 18 years ago. I do sometimes think of all the opportunities I missed had I dealt with this earlier in my life. But then when I look back, if my gender issues had been at the forefront of my mind when I was in my early 20's I would not have dealt with it well - I was just about coping with being out as bisexual, and I had a whole lot of problems with alcohol, cannabis, ecstacy, unemployment, anxiety, depression etc etc without throwing gender into the mix as well!
Right now I have enough work to keep me going from week to week, I am in a supportive relationship, I deal with my issues in a positive way instead of self-destructing. I have the stability and self-confidence to work through what I need to work through (although it is hard at times). I might be a bit more wrinkly than when I was 20 but that is not the most important thing to me 🙂