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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What would your ideal lifestyle be?

141 replies

WilburIsSomePig · 27/12/2016 16:37

I'm generally pretty happy with my lot but sometimes I let my mind wander to a different life.

Maybe I would live in a fishing village on a little Greek island, making wine, eating wonderful food and speaking fluent Greek to my many friends. My DC's would work alongside me when they are old enough and our days would be happy, long and sunny.

Oh and I'd be married to Hugh Jackman who would adore me. Obviously.

OP posts:
madein1995 · 27/12/2016 22:00

I would be very successful and working in a job making a real difference to people's lives. I would also be more respected and have more confidence, and be slimmer. I'd live in a bustling town but not too busy - in a lovely flat. It'd be modern and I'd be paying for it with my own money. I wouldn't struggle with money and would be able to but all my clothes in the Tesco Finest range even if I didn't, and wouldn't have a food budget. I'd be successful and happy. I don't really know if I'll ever get this lifestyle though - I do hope so!

queenofthebucket · 27/12/2016 22:35

live by the sea. Own a dog. Work part time for satisfactory money. have nice bloke on hand when I fancied company. ds be happy and not angry with me for being a social failure and not living up to his unrealistic expectations.

crazyspaniellady · 27/12/2016 22:59

To own my own distillery, and live in my great-GP's old house, swap out the Stanley for a nice olive coloured AGA, and my great grandmothers hideous olive bathroom set for something a bit more modern, maybe a lovely free standing bath. I'd have two Gordon setters and two spaniels to walk through the hills with daily, transported in a shiny Defender. If I could pick the house up and plonk it in the middle of an estate that'd be even better, with deer and pheasants everywhere and I could spend my weekends shooting grouse and such.
With my wardrobe full of tweed and wool, mucky wellies in the porch, the real fire in the living room, my life would be complete!

at least half of it is achievable! I'll have that house one day!

crazyspaniellady · 27/12/2016 23:00

would also like to point out that this would be in Aberdeenshire/Speyside. That's where the good whisky is made imo Grin

Dowser · 28/12/2016 00:25

Have the freedom to do whatever I like with my day. Go where I like. See who I like. Talk to who I like.
Have several sunshine holidays a year.
Have several uk holidays a year
Have a little bolt hole in the country when I want to get away from the town
Live near a beach
Be in a relationship with a lovely man
Have a lovely family. Good friends

Oh, hang on. I already do!

Can't be bad ;-)

Seryph · 28/12/2016 00:38

One of the Victorian terraced villa things here in Glasgow, near the West End but with a garden.
Then either a research position at the Uni, or doing well enough that I could just write instead of work, or both.
AND no one would care what colour my dreads are, or that I don't have brushable hair, and no one would be bothered by my tattoos or piercings and I could wear my comfy floaty hippy clothes and no one would call me unprofessional!
And DP would be published too and could just do as he wished.

Rixera · 28/12/2016 00:52

A beautiful imposing grey brick mansion, Victorian decor, and books. Books everywhere.
In it lives Rixera, the lithe-figured young thing with her bright little daughter who never throws a tantrum or empties drawers onto the floor.
A published author renowned for her modern classic novels, Rixera and her loving, mature silver fox of a husband share many an evening over a board game, Rixera's beautiful and caring girlfriend warming her bed and the other side of the board while the man is away for work (or just because she wants to), with his blessing.
They have a cleaner and a fucking dishwasher at last.
And no more MH problems.

I often daydream...

LoupGarou · 28/12/2016 00:57

We're not in the UK, and I would keep our current lifestyle but have some sort of Star Trek style transportation device which magically removed bears from the immediate locality whenever they got too keen/curious. Also a really good, huge thrift store would be good as I love rummaging. Beside those I really love our lifestyle Smile

NoncommittalToSparkleMotion · 28/12/2016 01:30

I'd have an urban homestead outside of nice hippiesh city where I grow my own food, keep bees and make wax candles, make a bunch of kitschy wooden handicrafts and successfully homeschool my six children, all adorable and polite with names like Autumn Ivy and Leo Blaise. We'd live a "simple" life while still being able to afford brunch every week and fancy city trips regularly (as field trips).

We'd also have 2 big floofy dogs, a Newfoundland and a Saint Bernard. The family portraits would be stunning.

Not that I give it much thought, see...

sam2069 · 28/12/2016 01:30

A beautiful 17c farmhouse with thick stone walls, full renovated with all mod cons, set in 20 acres of land with river frontage an hour from Lisbon.
I would have my dogs and horses and we would roam daily in the beautiful warmth and fresh air. My DH would be loving and attentive, would enjoy the things I did, stop snoring and would spend plentiful, quality time with me with no football in sight!
You can but dream...

liz70 · 28/12/2016 01:49

I'd live in a cottage right on the coast in northern Scotland, in the Highlands or perhaps one of the islands. I'd go for long walks and then sit by the fire doing knitting, crocheting or other crafting. My bedroom of course would overlook the sea and coastline, and I'd have an armchair by the window where I'd sit and look out, while reading or crafting. Sometimes there would be storms and I'd be stranded without power for days, but I'd have cupboards and an outhouse stocked with (nonperishable) food, and a Rayburn cooker fuelled by the oil bunker in the garden, to cook on and give me hot water, and oil lamps to light the rooms, so I'd be okay.

I might grow some fruit and veg in the garden, too. And hang my washing out in the sea breeze.

All rather improbable and impractical, but romantic nonetheless. Grin

lizzieoak · 28/12/2016 01:59

I'd have a gorgeous Georgian rectory near the sea. I'd be able to afford gardeners and they'd keep it beautiful w manicured lawns w lavender edging and blowsy borders full of blossoms and old roses. I might write a bit (& get published obviously) & drink tea and make jam & have friends by & have a lovely, sweet partner (I'm thinking David Baddiel type).

In the world beyond it would be a Darling Buds of May type 1950's (w/o prejudice towards gay people, non-whites & Jews of course).

I'd have a vintage Jag. We'd have cats and happy, settled, grown kids. The house would be full of books & we'd take turns making marvellous meals.

steff13 · 28/12/2016 03:50

I'd be married to Idris Elba. I assume his income/resources would afford me whatever else I wanted, but I would mostly spend my time having sex with Idris Elba.

20thCenturyGirl · 28/12/2016 04:13

I absolutely love this thread. How wonderful if everyone on here could magically be living their dreams.

MythicalChicken · 28/12/2016 04:22

For my small business to grow into a huge business, making us - and the charities we support - lots of money. I would have a house in Knightsbridge with a full-time vegan chef and housekeeper. The house would run on solar power. The garden would be beautiful, with a water feature (I love the sound of running water).

I would have my hair professional blow dried every day and go to the beauty salon several times a week. I would run in Hyde Park. I would order all my clothes from Net a Porter, money no object.

My children would go to good schools and we would regularly eat out and go to the theatre. Oh, and we would travel. Lots.

BradleyPooper · 28/12/2016 04:42

A farmhouse somewhere like Ibiza with its own deserted beach and vineyard (do they make wine there?), billowy white curtains, honey coloured ancient flagstones, white plastered walls and huge oak beams (too much time spent watching property programs). I'd have friends that call round, magically knowing when I felt like company, and we'd eat and drink for hours outside under fairy lights. Other than that, I'd be alone, total peace and quiet except for a cat or two that never shed hair or bring in birds / mice....

BradleyPooper · 28/12/2016 04:44

And I'd take my massive basket to the market every week to buy locally grown organic veggies for pennies and wear long swishy skirts and skinny bangles. About as far away from my current corporate lifestyle as I can get!

TheDowagerCuntess · 28/12/2016 04:50

My summer holiday life, would be my perfect life.

Our old family home which we holiday too. Beautiful hot, sunny climate. Beaches a-plenty. Old family and old friends nearby.

With enough money to spend a couple of months of the Northern summer in London and the west of Ireland.

This is my turangawaewae. It's where I want to end up.

Sceptimum · 28/12/2016 05:15

Live by the sea with enough space for several rescue dogs and people to come and stay over. Near a nice pub or five that does decent dinners and music, and a town with a few shops and cafes and a decent buzz and sense of community. Have enough free time to exercise regularly, cook a lot and get a physio in a few times a week to fix my various gammy bits.
Have a small flat in a major city so we can do theatre/culture/city stuff sometimes.
We're actually working our way towards this, I reckon I may be able to retire into this plan. Hoping by then they will have invented a faster way to get from the beach place to the city place, especially as we have family in both Australia and Europe so want to travel between both fairly frequently.

M0nkington · 28/12/2016 05:38

Reading this thread makes me think I should be more grateful for my lifestyle. Blush

Packergator · 28/12/2016 05:42

I'd love to own my own home instead of renting, and have enough money so that I don't have to constantly worry about it, every day. Would be pretty darn happy with just that, tbh!

Original poster
WilburIsSomePig · 28/12/2016 08:32

Reading this thread makes me think I should be more grateful for my lifestyle.

I SO want to know what that is now! 😁

OP posts:
Dowser · 28/12/2016 08:42

I hope ( by the time you get to be as old as I am, if you aren't already) everyone gets to live their dreams.

Most of them aren't too outlandish, there's even room in a lot of them for a little bit of scaling down if necessary.

I try to live my life with gratitude for what I do have. I have a good life. It's not lavish but it's affordable and I appreciate it and the people in it very much. I also know just how easily it can change on a sixpence.

I'd just like to put down in print, December 28 2016 I'm very happy and long may this situation last.

Change scares me. Especially if it's too much change too quickly as there's always a loss or losses associated with it even though the benefits outweigh the losses.

So I'm quite , very happy in fact with the status quo. I'd like it to remain like that for a long, long time.

Just saying ;-)

Champagneformyrealfriends · 28/12/2016 08:54

I'd be thin againBlush

Omg that's awful-I'm so shallow. In my defence, I've been struggling with my baby weight and low self esteem since she was born, not to mention struggling to regain the fitness I was so proud of before I got pregnant.

pollyglot · 28/12/2016 09:14

Wouldn't change a thing about my lifestyle. Battered old cottage overlooking the sea, being gradually renovated by the battered old chap and me. Subtropical paradise, where I can grow all our own food, including oranges, figs, grapes, tomatoes, olives, and be self-sufficient in water, fuel and heating. We wake to the sun rising over the water, drink the day's first cup of tea on the terrace, check out the news online, dress leisurely, not bothering with underwear or shoes. Nothing fancy, as we live 45 kilometres from town, and go only once a week for supplies, library books and a nice lunch out. He potters in his workshop, I in my garden. We have a room full of books, Sky TV, for the History channel, just enough money for a good bottle of wine and generally a trip abroad once a year. Visits to the grandchildren are a highlight,. On the agenda are : a little boat, a dog and some chickens. Life here is perfect! (almost)