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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

33, is it a special age?

132 replies

Isthatguystilldroningon · 23/04/2024 12:23

Were you happy at 33, at your happiest around this age-30-33? Curious as it’s said to possibly be a time when people were/are the happiest

OP posts:
Arghfs · 23/04/2024 12:24

No, absolutely miserable. But it's going to be different for everyone?

loropianalover · 23/04/2024 12:25

Who said that?!!!

nadine90 · 23/04/2024 12:25

I was very happy at 33, but given I’m only 34 now, I really hope it’s not downhill from here!

SocksAndTheCity · 23/04/2024 12:25

Said by whom? I don't remember anything specific about being 33 at all. That would have been 1996 which was a pretty decent year, but would still have been if I'd been 31 or 46.

WhiteLeopard · 23/04/2024 12:25

At 33 I had 2 very young kids, it's all a bit of a blur tbh!

DramaAlpaca · 23/04/2024 12:26

Actually, looking back I think it was one of the happiest times. I already had two small children, and at just turned 33 I had my third and last baby. It was a good time of my life.

OldTinHat · 23/04/2024 12:26

At 33 I had two toddlers and was mid divorce. Not my happiest time!

InAMillion · 23/04/2024 12:27

I was very happy but definitely realising my life couldn't carry on working and partying as I had been for years

2 years later I had my DS at 35 and life went in a different direction which was great as most of my friends were doing the same

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 23/04/2024 12:28

I don’t think it’s a particularly special age.

I had a three yo (who was and remains fabulous) was in a bad marriage, and had a very full on and difficult job.

I did have more energy than I now have at 45 though!

I’m now divorced, have 15 and 10 yos who are both amazing, and a different full on and difficult job. But it’s all better without a horrible man dragging me down.

TedMullins · 23/04/2024 12:28

I’ve never heard it said that 33 is a particularly happy age but yes, for me it’s all been uphill since 30. Surely it depends on many factors though and will be different for everyone

fiskalina · 23/04/2024 12:29

It was a totally magical age for me, career apogee and met DH.

SilverBranchGoldenPears · 23/04/2024 12:30

Who on earth said this??
I was happy I guess, I was living in the far east with my son and having a great time.
Now I’m doing something similar in Europe. I’m not less happy now. In fact I think I’m happier because I’m older and have no fucks to give. I like my body more. I am more accepting of things that I cannot control. I don’t need to prove anything to anyone. My career is at its peak.

Id say it’s hard for 33 to be the best time as usually there are so many trying factors on us as women at that age.

PoochiesPinkEars · 23/04/2024 12:30

I got married at 33 so it was a really good year.
These blanket statements always come apart pretty quickly though don't they.
Like horoscopes.

Isthatguystilldroningon · 23/04/2024 12:30

Sounds very woo etc and not my usual thing, but reading that when we die, our age/soul will be back to around 33 as that is when we were the happiest, I know it sounds quite ridiculous, just sounded interesting

OP posts:
CleanShirt · 23/04/2024 12:31

The beginning and the end of my 30s have been absolutely awful. Hoping that life truly does begin at 40!

Padfootnprongs · 23/04/2024 12:31

Ha, nope! My happiest age was 22-24. In second place is 37/38.

33 was pretty rubbish.

Padfootnprongs · 23/04/2024 12:33

Isthatguystilldroningon · 23/04/2024 12:30

Sounds very woo etc and not my usual thing, but reading that when we die, our age/soul will be back to around 33 as that is when we were the happiest, I know it sounds quite ridiculous, just sounded interesting

If I were to believe in a ‘soul’ age, I think it’d be the age we are in our dreams, when we sleep. So for me that’d be around 16. Also a happy time,

MonsteraMama · 23/04/2024 12:33

I am currently 33 and very happy.

I'm still young though, I hope to continue to be very happy as I get older, and hopefully this isn't it and I'll be happier still in the future!

IamaRevenant · 23/04/2024 12:33

I've never heard this as being a thing?

I was pretty happy at 33, ditched my abusive ex two years prior, had a great social life, good job and had just met DH.

It was definitely my parents' happiest age as they'd just had me 😅

Testina · 23/04/2024 12:35

Said by whom? Frequent studies of various robustness get reported in the press - but they usually seem to be older = happier.

33 was a shit time for me - late miscarriage, cheating husband 🤷🏻‍♀️

As a sweeping generalisation on the reasons though, 30-32 was a good time.

  • had been through several promotions at work so had money in my pocket for first time
  • but just a few years too early for all that money to go on childcare
  • vague idea that I’d like kids but wasn’t into the sub fertility / IVF life
  • felt l was in a long term relationship- it’s an age for marriage not divorce
  • career trajectory going up, with retirement too far away to feel jaded that I was stuck working for decades, and too early to be overly worried about finding retirement
  • lots of freedom - no child or parent responsibilities
IamaRevenant · 23/04/2024 12:36

Padfootnprongs · 23/04/2024 12:33

If I were to believe in a ‘soul’ age, I think it’d be the age we are in our dreams, when we sleep. So for me that’d be around 16. Also a happy time,

Edited

Yeah tbh I'd be back at 16, living in a squat in Holland with my best mates, working random jobs and out every weekend.

I'd take that over 33!

Isthatguystilldroningon · 23/04/2024 12:36

@Padfootnprongs I was happy at that age too…I’m not sure what age I am in my dreams tbh

OP posts:
x2boys · 23/04/2024 12:38

I had my first child at 33 so felt happy and settled
By contrast at 30 I was longterm single and lonely so not very happy but everyone's different.

NewWater · 23/04/2024 12:39

Isthatguystilldroningon · 23/04/2024 12:30

Sounds very woo etc and not my usual thing, but reading that when we die, our age/soul will be back to around 33 as that is when we were the happiest, I know it sounds quite ridiculous, just sounded interesting

But who said the thing you are reading? If the answer is 'a random on the internet who doesn't spell very well and thinks feathers in gardens are messages from angels', then you've got your answer, haven't you?

fuckssaaaaake · 23/04/2024 12:39

Very happy. Didn't have kids til 36 so was happy til then (half joking)