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Original poster

Best years of your life?

55 replies

abcabcabc · 07/01/2024 06:54

Just interested on when you felt the best years of your life were?
I'm up getting ready for work, listening to music I listened to at 17/18, and I find myself feeling very nostalgic and wishing I knew how lovely that time of my life truly was. I'm only 32 now, by no means old, but I'm currently wondering if my time during late teens/early 20's were as good as it gets?

Would be interested to hear anybody's thoughts :)

OP posts:
JeezJerry · 07/01/2024 07:04

Definitely my early 20's! I lived in Greece, worked in a lively Bar, rented a small apartment with a private pool for pennies and had a huge group of friends over there. My only concern was which Beach to visit each day!

Jifmicroliquid · 07/01/2024 07:06

Teenager in the 90s and early 00s.
Life wasn’t perfect but god I miss those days so much.

Spreadthehappiness · 07/01/2024 07:07

I’m 39 and I think I’m in best years of my life at the moment . I still feel young, I feel more accomplished than my younger years and I have lots to look forward to.

I also think back fondly to 2007-2012 when I was in my 20’s; those years in particular were full of great fun and achievement. 2016 and 2017 were another two years in my young 30’s that were exciting and I think back on often .

Jifmicroliquid · 07/01/2024 07:10

Just to add that I actually found my 20s the hardest. Looking back I think it was the transition from amazing teen years to the realisation that life was moving on and honestly, I wasn’t ready.
I was also struggling with undiagnosed ASD and had a lot of issues around this time. But I loved my 30’s, I felt the most confident and settled I’d ever felt.
Still, my teenage years were how I will always remember feeling the most content.

Leftoversgalore · 07/01/2024 07:13

Early 30s at home with my children. Nothing will beat it.

My 40s have been very disappointing, meno has hit me like a brick wall.

I'd give anything for a day being a SAHM with my little ones again.

Lengokengo · 07/01/2024 07:15

Mine were 14-16 (both men in the house moved out, and my life got better at home and school was also fast, lovely class, great friends), then 30-35 ( lived by myself and had an amazing social life and was more comfortable in my career).

betterangels · 07/01/2024 07:16

My thirties were fun. I care much less about what people think in my forties, though, which has its advantages.

barkymcbark · 07/01/2024 07:16

Late 20s to early 30s. I was happily single, doing well in my career so had the means to enjoy life. Had a good bunch of friends and had a hobby I adored. Looking back I was very fortunate and it's a time in my life that I had very few stresses and stains.

That said, I'm 50 now, earn a good wage in a job I mostly enjoy, my dd is an amazing individual and now 16, we recently moved into our forever home and I'm looking to retire in the next 10 years, so although my life now isn't quite as exciting as it was 16 years ago, I'm happy in other ways

greentreez23 · 07/01/2024 07:16

Now. Retired and well enough to enjoy it. No kids at home, no caring responsibilities any more for our parents as they have passed away. Mortgage paid off. Enough time to garden, go on holiday and do what we want.

pattyparsnip · 07/01/2024 07:24

I can't say specific years we're good as I think there's pros and cons to each decade , in my 40s now kids are older but we have more money. Hopefully lots of good years still to come . I think it's easy to look back with rose tinted glasses.

PandaBreedingProgramme · 07/01/2024 07:27

I'm very happy now, but will always look back to a period 10 years ago (late 20s/early 30s) when DH and I lived in a nice little lock-up-and-leave flat and owned a campervan. We would spend every weekend we could down in Devon and Cornwall with our little dog. I also had a job at just the right level where I earned a decent salary but had no responsibilities.
It was a very free time.

Tonight1 · 07/01/2024 07:29

I loved uni, loved my first graduate job, and...although I feel guilty for saying this...lockdown 1 as I was completely on my own with no-one to pester me

DiaryofWimpy · 07/01/2024 07:32

18/19/20 I was having so much fun! Carefree driving a lot, I had good friends in now 50 and life is miserable

shivawn · 07/01/2024 07:35

Teens were fine but I think age 20 onwards has been the best although I've been through a few very different stages.

Early to mid 20's were great, met my husband, fell madly in love and we traveled around the world to Asia, Australia and USA together for almost 3 years.

Late 20's-early 30's, we came back home to Ireland, moved to a new city together, both retrained and started our careers. Made loads of new friends. We suddenly had a lot more money than ever before. Still travelled a lot. Socialized a lot, I was out having fun, meeting friends and going on date nights with my husband at least 4-5 times a week! Got married and had a brilliant wedding. Covid came along and interrupted the good times for awhile, I was working on a high dependency covid ward.

Mid 30's, had our first baby at 33 and recently had our second 2 years later. Wonderful new chapter in our lives, really came to appreciate how much support we have around us and how well we support each other. Honestly feel more blessed now than at any other time in my life.

Soccermumamir · 07/01/2024 07:36

Definitely the college years. I did my first year at college, then went travelling around New Zealand whilst my friends went onto their 2nd year. I came home, got a job in a bar with my friends on the evenings and went back to college during the day. I felt free.

AuntieMarys · 07/01/2024 07:39

University days back in the late 70s and currently, being in my 60s. Semi retired, healthy, 2nd marriage, no responsibilities.

MarleyandMarleyWoooo · 07/01/2024 07:43

Now. I’m nearly 30, SAHM to a bloody brilliant toddler, happily married to a wonderful man, live in a lovely home, do what we love for work.. I’ve got everything I ever hoped I’d have, albeit a bit less money than maybe I’d like! I feel so lucky.
Second choice would be probably early twenties going back and forth between here and NZ. Endless summer ☀️

EmpressaurusOfTheSevenOceans · 07/01/2024 07:44

At 50, best decade so far was my 40s, post-divorce. Freedom, peace & a chance to get my life back. I found a new career, bought a flat & took up cat fostering.

CrunchyCarrot · 07/01/2024 07:44

Hard to say but my later years have been far better emotionally (happy relationship and circumstances from my mid-40s onwards - now late 60s) but at the same time my health is worse. So swings and roundabouts. Wouldn't go back in time, though.

ThreeRingCircus · 07/01/2024 07:45

I'm 36 and would say I'm in the best years now! DDs will be 7 and 5 this year so a great age and loads of fun but far mor independent than the baby/toddler/preschool years.

I've progressed in my career to a level I'm happy with but kept part time working. DDs are both at school so I have more time to myself during the week than I ever have before which feels the best of both worlds.

I am definitely more confident within myself and comfortable with who I am now compared to my 20s but still feel pretty young.

I look at my 40s and worry a bit about having ageing parents, teenagers and potentially perimenopuse symptoms all at the same time but it is what it is!

KinS24 · 07/01/2024 07:47

I have loved it all except childhood. Have been happiest since I first got my independence and first home.
Now close to retirement and still looking forward to the next chapter. I love being an invisible Middle Aged mum.

thechangling · 07/01/2024 07:50

Uni years, then 30s after I got married and had kids. I was quite angsty about whether I'd actually get married and have kids after Uni so once that was sorted, I relaxed into my life again. I'm finding 50s tough though

maddiemookins16mum · 07/01/2024 08:14

Early to mid 90s. I was living/working overseas, out with friends every night, warm sunshine every day. It was amazing. I was mid 20s to late 20s then.

RandomQuestionOfTheDay · 07/01/2024 08:26

My last year at uni. Everything just ‘clicked’ and I really enjoyed my course and wasn’t stressing over it. Got into a rhythm with revision. Lived with some great stress-free people. We had fun. I had a job lined up.

I’d had a 4 year degree and felt ready for the next phase of life but enjoyed what we had that year. No responsibility.

Also summer of my first maternity leave with DC2 who was 6 months + by then and finally sleeping. Sunshine, happy baby, no work, saw my NCT friends most days for a walk. Planning my wedding. Bliss.

I’m hoping I’ll be equally happy in retirement! Not working seems to be the theme.

NotYourBrain · 07/01/2024 08:33

I really enjoyed my life with my shitty covert narc of an ex before DD came along and it exposed the rotten core of it all. He was manipulative, which felt like adoration at the time, I loved my lifestyle and he did lots of future faking so i felt like i had it all. I'm sad he had to be such a shit and ruin it all!

Strangely I enjoyed my single years after divorce, dealing with dreadful heartbreak and feeling like a broken shell BUT the freedom and me-time after basically being his slave was so nice. I made a gang of girl friends and took jobs i'd always wanted to do and loved them. I've had to climb the corporate ladder and buy a house for DDs sake and its just increasing ties and stress.