What did your life look like 10 years ago?

[TripleHFa]

As in 2009

Is it different to what it is today

I was in school doing my GCSEs ,today I am in a job.

In my dream job.
Had a 5 year old and contemplating trying for another.
In same house.
Life was very good.

Studying and met my DH Been together 10 years now and expecting our 1st baby

Not too different- same house, DH and DS

Different job but sideways move so not too different
Now mortgage free
Have a dog
DS will be 18 next week, no longer at school, earning his own money

Have had some difficult times in between.

May 2009: second year of uni (the best year of uni!), recently engaged to now DH, about to head into the first of a series of mental breakdowns, but full of hope for my future to include a brilliant career and babies.

May 2019: married, homeowner, housewife, infertile, recovering from another breakdown. Happier than ever.

2009 was just about to start my undergrad. Now just finishing up my PhD. I've basically been at uni for 10years, I'm sick of being skint!

However 2009 I had severe mental health problems, depression, PTSD and anorexia. 2019 doing so so much better...almost out of the woods I'd say, so I'll take that over wealth! Anyone reading this struggling with mental health, it can and does get better xx

2009. Married, going through ten years of infertility and looking at starting yet another IVF attempt after many failures next month, this time at a clinic in Spain. Director on the board of a FTSE 350 company. Working full time. Living in London.

Now, married still, but with two children. Living in the country. Working in private practice in a completely different profession. Bit poorer, much happier.

10 years ago: in my final year of uni, living with my parents, applying for masters, dating a guy who was a bit of a dick but I was madly in love with him

Now: working, live in different country to my parents, married to a wonderful DH, 2 kids

I was happy 10 years ago and I'm happy now, but it's strange to think how completely my life has changed.

Not much different to now...although I'm doing a different job completely. I was somewhat forced into it, absolutely hated it at first and had very little money left after childcare, but now l love it, have no childcare coasts as DC are older so am glad I persevered.

The main difference is the D.C. are bigger, although I have the same worries about them all, we own different cars, our two old cats are no longer with us but we have two new cats who have wrecked my sofas.

I'm very happy that not only are all close relatives still alive, we have had several additions to our extended family. I very much hope I can say the same in another 10 years. Maybe I'll even be a grandma! bloody hope not

10 years ago, Same house, same DP, working FT (plus a cleaning job and studying for qualification!), newish on the property ladder so not a lot of spare cash, both parents alive, no DCs

Now have 2DCs, DP is now DH, lost a parent, passed my qualification and work PT and have spare cash finally

A lot has happened in my 10 years now I think about it!

I had my first child about to turn one, we'd been married nearly 2 years. Was in a job I liked but wasn't doing too well at - I think it might have been round about that time I was called into performance management (which was treated as 'disciplinary' at the time, as they didn't actually have 'performance management' procedure, which was not great practice) regarding a project that didn't go well. I felt it a bit unfair as I didn't feel I had been briefed properly on what the expectations were on me, but they had otherwise been good employers. I survived that one, but the sheen went off the role a bit after that.

Oh, and we were living in a two-bed flat that was very nice, but just getting over a horrible row about building works with the freeholders who lived upstairs.

That's reminded me, life felt pretty shit 10 years ago. I'd just been made redundant from my dream job, I had a 3yo and a 1yo and didn't see any way out of being a sahm, which I didn't want. Thankfully things picked up.

Then: Had recently met and got together with my now DH after a nasty break up with a previous boyfriend (v glad now that happened!). Living in London in a flat share. No kids. Working a busy, exciting job with good money. Starting to wonder if I would ever get married/ have kids etc and stressing about that as I was getting older. But generally a very relaxed and carefree time with loads of free time, spare money etc.

Now: Married to DH with 3 DC! living in a different country. complete career change to a job I also love but is more flexible than my old career. Own a house that we love. Incredibly busy and exhausting with the DC and little time to ourselves so often feel overwhelmed, but happy with everything we have built and achieved and our lovely kids. Very different life for sure.

I was 16 and had made a last-minute decision to sit my GCSEs despite missing most of the previous year of school due to a serious eating disorder that required in-patient care.

10 years later and I have a double first from Oxford. I’m also married with three beautiful children. Whenever I feel like I’m just treading water (which, as a SAHM to young children, is quite often!), I look back and feel so proud at how far I’ve come.

I was 17 and in collage, had been with my boyfriend for a year. Had a weekend job in a shop, still living at my parents.
10 years on I work in care, which is something I never ever thought I could do. That same boyfriend is my fiancée, we’ve lived together for around 6 years now, have a 2 year old and another baby on the way - it’s a lot different!

I was 2 months away from moving to a new house in a new town, 3 months away from getting married, and 4 months from finding out I was pregnant. Was an interesting year!

I was happily married and working as a TA 15 hours a week to fit around caring for my primary aged DC, one of whom has SN. Comfortably off but very little social life.

Now I’ve been divorced for 8 years, work full time term time only to care for my 19 yo DS with SN. Pretty poor. Great social life on my EOW.

2009 - aged 27. Working in a fantastic job with lovely colleagues, living with dp, I had a perfect flat stomach and pert boobs. All our money went on tropical holidays, short trips abroad and weekends partying in trendy wine bars…

2019- am a sahm to 2 wonderful kids, still living with the same dp (now dh), stomach and boobs have expanded and sagged. All our money goes on kids after school activities, zoo membership, smiggle, and a once a year holiday.

Lived in London. Newly married in a penthouse apartment.
Now I live in a small Welsh village with 2 DS and a mad cat. Loving village life.

10 years ago was single in tiny flat, dead end job (nice people but going nowhere) living off 80 a week and just glad I owned it and could pay it off and be happy but poor in it.

Now - SAHM with 2 kids, support high powered husband endlessly travelling husband (I go with him as much as I can) and life of leisure with own investments to fund it. Much fatter.

In 10 years the economy could tank and I could end up back in my tiny flat and single and he would fight me for the kids so I bear that in mind daily. Whatever life is now, no guarantees it stays that way.

Pretty much exactly the same as it does now, except I had a 2 or 3 more friends and I was a few pounds lighter.

I'm still living in the same house, doing exactly the same job for the same money. I think the only thing that has really changed is my kitchen and my hair style.

10 years ago. Lived with DH, DS and DD. Lived in a council house on a crappy council estate (I know not all council estates are crappy, but this one was) on the edge of my home city. Hated living there. Was scared of the local kid who would throw eggs, stones and any thing they could get their hands on at our house.

Now still living with DH, DS and DD, but also DD2. Live in a naice villiage in the countryside close to a different town. Took up running (wish I did that a LOT sooner) and work in a different job, but still in an office. Much better off financially though (not rolling in it, but have enough for a rainy day when needed) The only thing I miss about my life 10 years ago is not being able to walk into town and having to rely on a car.

Same house
Same job
Different bloke
Wasn't interested in children.
Now married with a baby.

10 years ago I had 3 young children, youngest being 8, had been with DP for 10 years, worked in a job I loved, had 2 really good mates, good social life, going out as a family lots

Today, been with DP for 20 years, he has had an emotional affair with a good friend of ours, blown my world apart, heartbroken, all 3 kids are now adults but we now have DD7 who was very unexpected and not planned, but the best thing in the world, got made redundant, took another job with a horrible company which crushed my confidence, my 2 friends, fell out with one and she has moved away, the other one died from cancer, I miss her so much. Don’t go out anymore. Life has been pretty shit these last 10 years. Have a feeling that the next few years will be without DP and I can’t face that future.

Same house, married 4 years, one less daughter (I have 3 now) and in the full throes of PND. Worked in a 6th form college. My husband worked for a company that kept screwing him over on commission. It's also the time we were in family court over my step daughter and we're about to lose contact. Not a happy time!

Now about to move house, married 14 years with 3 girls. Working in the same school for 9 years. Husband has own business and financially much more stable. My step daughter is at uni, still minimal contact via email sadly but we're much more settled as a family.