What did your life look like when you were half your current age?

[NewLion]

Just started uni at the time.

I was 21 with a 2 year old and a newborn and we had just bought our first house. I was a few years in to the job that would become my career and had a second job because we were skint. Life was hard.

I was engaged. Living in a big city with my df.

Much slimmer than I am now, but probably not much fitter.

Mother to a 3.5yo and about to give birth to second. Working 2 days per week as a nursery teacher.

I was about to get married and were trying to buy our first place together (which inevitably only completed 2 weeks before the wedding!) I was working at an educational publisher where I'd been for about 3 years, earning very little but I was also letting my own house after having moved in with now-DH because his work at the time was outside the other end of London.

3 kids under 5. Working my arse off, dh working long long hours, df recently died so going to see dm on the bus with three kids every Saturday. Dh promoted and we were in the process of moving miles away and selling up. But I was a size 12, fittest ive ever been and pretty happy overall.

I was 37 with two children in primary school and working in a school office. I had been married for 15 years to the love of my life who I am still married to (54) years. Since then I have had a third child and 20 years ago moved from the south east to the West Country.

19, first year of uni, having a thoroughly excellent time with new friends who are still some of my closest friends today. I was coaching in my sport as a part time job, my parents had upped sticks and buggered off to the Caribbean so I got to go there 4/5 times a year to visit them and spent 4/5 months each summer backpacking/working my way round different parts of the world.

I wouldn't go back, because I love my life now too, but my god it was fun.

It was exactly as you say . The feeling of blame that my body couldn't conceive firstly and support a pregnancy was overpowering.
Once l was pregnant on my first daughter , l was a wreck at the thought of losing her .
My 2nd daughter pregnancy was so different l was ecstatic and never dreamt l was going to lose her .
I am so happy you had your much wanted baby 🤗

Gosh -really interesting thread!
Was 32, and despite loving my job, with lovely flat, and in love with the man who was to become my exh — it was a horrible year.
He was married and in the process of leaving his wife. Pre-Mumsnet when I would have got better advice.
Life so much better now after him.

Just had my first baby - who is now 23!
I was 23 at the time. Had graduated from University and went back to work part time when he was 4 months old because decent occupational Maternity pay didn’t exist back then!
It was a lovely happy year - loved every minute. My parents were still young and amazing grandparents to my DS, we all spent so many happy times together. I feel emotional thinking about it.

Same as it does now, but without cats!

Homeless, unemployed and not a single qualification or hope for the future. 18 was a horrendous age for me.

Would never have believed then that I would have the life I do now or have achieved so much ❤️

Had a toddler, about to start trying for No 2, financially very secure and a lifestyle above anything I could have expected but miserable in my marriage.

I was part way through my MSc at university. Living with a friend and having a great time. I'd met now-DH but we hadn't started dating yet. Had no idea what I wanted to do with my life!

I had a 7 year old and 3 year old, married and lived in a quaint, rural cottage. I worked around my husband so that the little one didn't require child care outside of the home. Money was tight and the mortgage really high. But there was no internet so few comparisons and all our friends were in similar situations.
Oh how simple it was and how I'm glad I couldn't look into the future at the pain that came later

I was running a nightclub and a pub at the same time, living on cigarettes, vodka and amphetamines. Fabulous time, if not very good for the health.

Bliss, compared with now 😑

Just coming to the end of my first semester at uni. Having a great time. Turns out I had already met the man I was going to end up marrying and having children with but if you’d told me that then I’d have thought you were insane 😂

Married for three years and desperately trying for a baby all that time. Half hearted at work because of wanting baby. Distracting myself by buying a bigger house to will baby into existence.
I then had three IVF babies within three years. Wish I could have comforted my 30 year old self with that!

I didn’t know it, but I had just met DH☺️

So fun! Living in London, working in magazines in their heyday, when everyone had big budgets and lots of parties!

Early 20s. Struggling with eating disorders, chronic back pain and depression. Just got together with the wrong guy. Wish I could go back and have a fun 20s instead!

I was 24, newly qualified and working full time NHS. Moved house to be closer to my parents and to buy a house.
Broke up with boyfriend of 4 years and was single for 6 months, then met my now DH.
Probably one of the best times in my life although it was all a bit scary at the time.

I had just separated from my husband. Livinv alone with my 2 year old DD in a foreign country that I had moved to 4 years before. Ex buggered off back to UK leaving lots of debt.

Gulp. That question's made me realise I've been working in my current organisation for half my life!