How do you feel your life is turning out ?

[Lardlizard]

Better or worse than you expected

Better is most respects. As a teenager, I had no idea where I was going in life and fully expected to still be living with my parents at the age of 30. I had a fantastic childhood and really struggled to see how I would carry on living this lifestyle in the area I wanted (near my parents). Now at the age of 25 I have a good (if a little boring) job that pays okay with plenty of progression opportunities in a great company, have just graduated from the OU with a degree, own a nice house in a nice area, a wonderful husband and a dd on the way. Both parents still alive and healthy. Have nice cars and apart from a mortgage and 1k on a personal credit card, we have no debt.
However, I personally would have thought my riding career would have been a lot better than it actually has been and that has been a bitter pill to swallow realising I am not the next top rider and more on the average level. I don't have the money or the backing to progress at the speed I would like and my replacement horse has been written off by the vets so at the moment, I have nothing to move up the levels on and quite frankly can't afford to replace him so I am stuck in a rut watching all my friends doing well and feeling insanely jealous. A small thing in comparison to others though.

There's also a huge shortage of Maths teachers and government will give a financial initiative to train as one.

Several of my friends are teachers and the hours/working conditions are horrendous. They work 60 hour weeks and are so stressed. I can barely cope with stress in a 37.5 hour a week job, let alone 60, with kids to deal with. I've never heard any good things about teaching, unless in private school, and even then my MIL is in one and works 7am-8pm. She keeps joking that she'll drop dead before paying off mortgage. Similar for doctors - I keep reading articles that they're exhausted and on the brink of suicide. My auntie is one and works 60 hours a week part-time; full-time would be 80. I know this is selfish but I want a job with work-life balance where I actually have an evening. I would defo consider other NHS jobs though.

I'm just sick of maths. I ultimately don't want to work in any kind of data - I used to work in clinical trial statistics and it's mind-numbingly boring and repetitive. A maths degree is nothing like any of the actual jobs you end up doing. ATM we've saved up a good house deposit so I'm staying in my job so we can buy one, and overpay our mortgage like mad for a couple of years. Then I'll do a career switch.

My ultimate dream is to become bespoke dressmaker, as I love sewing, so I'm on the (very slow) path to getting there. Would love to have a studio and make nice, well-fitting clothes for women.

I do regret my degree though, big time.

To retrain in something that's not teaching or radiography, will cost 10k+, even at a local college. If I spend my money on that, then start from the bottom, I can't buy a house for another 10 years.

If I could have my time again, I would have sacked off the academics and just learnt a trade. Or become a tailor's apprentice. It's such a scam that kids are pushed into academia/science for most of them to sit in offices, banks and consultancies knowing that what they do is utterly meaningless. Practical work would have been more rewarding for me, but no, because women in STEM.

@Cobblersandhogwash - first look up some CVs online to see how they are laid out these days. Not at all like they were, and that;s massively to yoru advantage as they no longer ask you to fill in every gap. You just put highlights of relevant experience at the top and gloss over other experience at the bottom.

When you have a good CV, make a Linkd In page with your preferred skills and roles highlighted on it.

Then apply for work via Indeed (online job search) I was amazed how often I got called to interview from Indeed. Lots of things never get replies but some good stuff came my way.

@ItIsWhatItIsInnit I completely agree.

I did a literature degree first of all. Whatever for? I should have done vocational all the way.

I did fine in academia- it's just not got me anywhere.

@newdeer I will follow your advice. Thank you.

Pretty everything I ever hoped it would be. Still head over heels in love with DH. Amazing DCs. Great group of friends. Enjoy my job. Gorgeous house. Nice holidays. I know how lucky I am and I am grateful every day.

Better, in ways that weren't that important to me when I was starting out in life (e.g. materially). Much worse in ways that mattered. I'm so glad I couldn't see the future.

My life has been a dream. Came from humble background, materially bereft but an abundance of love. Am happily very long married, have two adult children who are a credit to us, and life is good, very good. I wish I had a magic wand to wave over the posters who are experiencing heartache and problems and bereavement, I hope your lives take an upturn soon.

I don't think I really had many expectations, I had my daughter at 16 and all I wanted was to do a good job bringing her up. The focus wasn't on me and I was happy with that.

I succeeded, I think. She's done well academically, had a happy childhood, is happy, has healthy relationships, and a good job.

My business is successful, life is almost stress free and that's important to me. If I'd had any expectations, I'd say I'm probably doing better than expected.

Hmm, depends on the day - sometimes better, sometimes worse. I have a big birthday coming up and have been thinking about this.

I had a privileged upbringing and was told I could succeed at anything, do anything, be anything. That's great but it has meant I set my sights high, probably higher than realistically achievable and I have always felt that I need to do better in order to meet expectations.

This is mainly focused on career which is just fine I have not done as well as I hoped. However, I think I was sold a lie about having it all. Having DC and going part time has destroyed my career.
Financially, we are ok but that is mainly down to my DH. I hate being financially reliant on him. I don't want to ride on his coat tails but I do find myself trotting out what my DH does for a living - as though that somehow makes me sound better? Ugh.
I am not the mother I expected. I am impatient and I find a lot of it mind numbingly tedious. I thought I would be better than this. Still, they are happy and healthy.
I do have a lovely DH and I live in a nice place (house isn't anything special but it is home).

On paper I should be happy, in reality I feel a little disappointed which is ridiculous as I am very lucky.

Better I think..been married twice, divorced twice and have 2 teenager children. I have a degree I worked at p/t now I'm doing another one in a different industry. I'm not paid great at the moment but hopefully that will change as I progress. I own my own house. I have a partner with a good job and he has house in france that we visit throughout the year. Not too bad I guess!

Life has turned out as I imagined it would. Married young, still together and love each other very much. Two wonderful grown up sons who make me proud every day. Beautiful grandchildren. Good job which has enabled husband to retire. I am blessed.

As I expected and that expectation was brilliant.

I have a career that I enjoy (most of the time), a home, a happy marriage, two beautiful boys, am financially secure. I live on a tropical island surrounded by a wonderful, supportive community and remain close with my family in the uk despite the geographical distance.

Are there things I could or would have done differently? Absolutely. But I've no doubt that whatever decision I'd have made would have resulted in the same feeling about my life.

I absolutely love my life and am so fucking grateful every day that I get to live it. I have zero complaints and no regrets and I get down on my knees and kiss the ground everyday that I was lucky enough to have the opportunities that I did.

So many are not as fortunate as I have been.

Bloody hell @Strokethefurrywall. Sounds amazing! Good for you.