To ask at which stage/age of your life you were the happiest?

[UpsyDaisy123]

For me it was probably my first pregnancy. I was over the moon to be pregnant after a previous late miscarriage and, after an anxious and nauseous beginning, I had a pretty straightforward time. I felt optimistic at last and there was so much I was looking forward to.

Probably now- age 34

I have a job that I quite like. After a hellish few years things have calmed down. My marriage is great, my children are more independent and I'm more secure in myself.

There are things that need improving on but there always will be.

Mid-twenties - just met my now DH, happy with my figure and generally feeling good about myself. Good social life and my life ahead of me.

Am still happy with my life now even though there are more challenges now we have 2 young DC and finances are much tighter now, it's just tough as well as wonderful!

I think I know myself better now than I ever did - and I am comfortable with who I am, for all my faults and hang-ups. So I guess I am at my most content right now.

about 26-28. Old enough to have some money and some fun with good friends, and young enough for it to be ok that I hadn't got a great career, a serious boyfriend, a foot on the property ladder.

pretty soon after that though I began to feel various pressures.

ProfessorPickles, do you mean being single is part of what making you so happy?

If so, me too! I'd say now is the happiest time of my life. I'm 40. I'm starting to see the good results of decisions I battled with when younger; I guess I was anxious things wouldn't work out well and I wouldn't be happy. Should have had more faith in myself!

It was my birthday a few days ago and I've had a truly awful year. Ive been looking back at the last year and trying to find something good to take from it and I've really struggled.
But then I popped to see a neighbour and we had a chat and it seems to have put things into perspective for me and I'm feeling much more positive about the coming year. I've been 22 for 3 days and so far it's my happiest age.
I have a beautiful DS, wonderful friends, and I'm feeling more secure and happy in my own skin than I ever have

Six years ago I felt the world was at my feet. Husband, DS, money for fun things, a job I loved and a lovely home. Three years later H got a new job, took up veterans football, got a new group of friends and had a midlife crisis (which he denies!). He left. Me and ds were broken. Had the worst 18 months of my life. Counselling for both me and DS has worked wonders and H has shown what a narcissistic bully he is (and I have realised always was). He stirred with mutual friends and relayed conversations we had a a couple (you know the sort - what is so and so like when she's had a drink etc) - half the time things he has said and I agreed with.
He rarely has his DS overnight as he has commitments to football (), is rude and sullen (and has bizarrely taken up chewing gum and chews it with his mouth open and does this weird teenage American one sided kind of chew!!!)
And do you know what after this horrible time I am probably the most content I ever have been - I have a lovely home (paid for by me), been promoted at work and still love it despite the stress and of course my beautiful DS and we have such a fabulous relationship. For the first time I am successful, happy and fulfilled without a man.

from 19-22yrs
The worse years of my life have been 2013-2014-2015
so hoping next year is better.

for Ludoole

This is a sweet thread!

19 - 21 was crap for me.

17 was good (lost my virginity!!!)

early 20s were great - doing LOTS of what I wanted to do (sex was up there!), met DH, did a LOT of drugs, had lots of fun.

Having DD made life perfect.

Have a job I love. My dog is gorgous, my DD is cheeky.

Probably a smug person you'd hate to meet in RL.

I always say "19". At college and doing really well, dating now DH, lovely group of friends, lots of partying and gigs and enough money to get by from a PT job. It all went a bit pear shaped between 21 and 25. From 25 till 30 was mixed. Professional life was going well but I was stressed to the point of making myself ill. Got back with now DH but overshadowed by the anxiety. We got married shortly before I turned 30 and since then I've also been very happy. Initially moved roles at work then got dream job, remain (and hopefully always will) very grateful and deeply in love with my best friend and, for some reason, turning 30 did something fabulous to my self esteem and I lost the extra weight and just feel so much more confident in myself. Not due to the weight really, just to being more comfortable in myself. We do worry a bit about money hence 19 was probably "better" and I have anxiety about when I'll feel ready and brave enough to get on with starting a family but those are hardly serious problems.

I really enjoyed sixth form. It felt like every day was a new experience. I loved my A Levels, I got into boys, had a good gang of friends, everything was very...intense.

I loved 25 as I was living in Paris and was young, hot and stylish.

Late 20s also good as I did lots of fell running and really pushed myself into new challenges.

28-32 big breakdown due to the end of a relationship. Worst, darkest time ever.

Now 34 and coming out the other side.

Probably now; 29, living with boyfriend (who was a friend for years previously) in my hometown and 35 weeks pregnant with our daughter. I feel very settled and am generally very, very happy with how everything has worked out.

That said 19-22 when I was at Uni was pretty bloody awesome, partying with no responsibilities! And I quite liked my year living in London too :) But I like the stability I have now, I spent a lot of that time feeling incomplete and I don't feel like that now.

I think there is a big difference between happiness and contentment and personally contentment is a bigger deal and more of an 'end goal'. One of the happiest times of my life was the period of meeting/dating my husband. It feels like the sun shone permanently. I lived somewhere I loved, had a fab job and minimal money worries etc. It is easy to be happy then. I am far more contented now though with 4 children, a husband and a busy family life. Despite the woes of life I feel contented with my lot and very very lucky.

At University because it was so carefree and had lots of amazing friends and experiences. I am also happy now age 30 -ive 2 small kids who are gorgeous, a husband who I love, a house in a great city and I feel settled and at home.
15-18 were rubbish I couldn't wait to leave small minded home town, and I also found in between uni and meeting Dh a bit hard figuring out my career Etc

Well, I surely did love my 20s. That was a riotous good time, but they can't last forever. I would die now if I had to live one week like the ones of my 20s.

I fear I'm exiting my phase of most contented happiness - the young but not super-young children years. The point at which the baby and toddler phase gives way to kids tiptoeing past your door to watch cartoons on the weekends. My oldest is now 13 and angst is unfortunately settling upon the house.

Right now in my late fifties. Retired and taking like a bit easier.

18-24 before I got ill but I think approaching 40 things are improving so fast it's like a domino effect

36 when my ex fucked off with ow.
Ok so it was horrible at first but what followed was four years of new friends, parties, holidays, shagging and just general fun.
My ds were college age so I always had someone to help with baby dd.
I felt as if I was on a long holiday

Most of my life really, I am a complete optimist and even in the darkest times (divorce, child seriously ill, close family bereavements, redundancy and surviving an affair) I've found positive things to focus on and to be able to count my blessings - having a faith helps.

I agree with many others that with age comes the ability not to worry about what other people think, not to sweat the small stuff and to learn that there is nothing I can control about other people'e behaviour, I can only control my own reactions to it.

Right now.

I'm in a job I love and my DS (22 months) brings so much love and joy to my life that nothing else compares

16-19, final years of school, great friends, lots of fun.
27-29, finally graduated from uni, got married, earning lots, great friends, out all the time and lots of holidays.
35 pregnant with DD.
Lots of crap inbetween.
Not the happiest now (43) but hopeful.

teens were ok-ish
uni and travelling were brilliant, lots of partying and fun and new experiences
mid to late 20's not so good - no relationship due to unrequited love, being in the wrong career led to anxiety and stress
early 30's much better after career change and met now dh
late 30's (now) - best of all, happy marriage to wonderful man, running my own business, fabulous 16mo DD brings me such joy, just found out i'm pregnant with dc2 after a few months of trying.

Ludoole

Between 32 and 34. I'd decided I didn't want a relationship, so was free of the emotional rollercoasters they can create, and I was up and coming in my new career.

Now (late 40s), working on the new phase of life (a complete change of direction work-wise), and have an uncomplicated FWB arrangement which suits me just fine right now. I know what works for me and, just as importantly what doesn't, and I have the confidence to persue it. I care far less about what people think about me than I did 20 years ago which is liberating.

How old are you in year 9? That was my happiest year I'm hoping I'm going to have more though I'm only 25.

It was before anxiety took over my life and just after I got over my bullying. Still being treated for 'anorexia' but I was happy.

Right now. I said to DH yesterday that 2015 has been the best year of my life.

I am 60, he is older - both retired & in reasonable health & no financial worries. DS is settled & happily married & 2015 was crowned by the birth of PFGC.

I think my 40's were the tough years, teenagers, old & ill parents & PILs redundancy etc etc.

I may be grey & plump but boy am I enjoying myself.

for you Ludoole.