To ask if you believe you’ve lived a luckier life than most?

[MyAmusedOpalCrab]

Whether it’s down to circumstances, timing, support, or sheer chance - do you ever stop and think, “I’ve had it easier than others?” Or do you believe we mostly make our own luck?

I agree completely and that’s despite me being a ex addict, chronically ill, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and domestic violence as an adult. I consider myself incredibly lucky, I’ve survived despite the odds and while im far from rich in finances I’m happy, relatively stable and incredibly grateful to be here. I’m deeply loved and I have Parker I feel the same about. Every single day I find something to be grateful for and I think that is what matters to me and makes me lucky. If something bad happens, I look for the silver lining every single time otherwise I would have been consumed by misery and “why me-ness”. But I’m very happy and very lucky.

Absolutely. I was brought up though not born in the UK. My parents are educated and solvent and wanted me and all of my siblings. I’m healthy, have a healthy husband and two beautiful children, access to healthcare and education free at the point of use, a home of my own, the vote, I live in a safe picturesque village and have wonderful friends and a job I love, we have enough money for food, bills, clothes. Compared to millions of millions of women living now and in the past I live in a land of milk and honey and I’m extraordinarily grateful.

Right so we should all walk around wearing hair shirts? I think its important to feel grateful for our good fortune - that doesn’t mean not accept our country’s failings - but work to be a better country rather than beat ourselves up.

Guys I don't thonk arguing with Abba is healthy for anyone considering her earlier posts

Definitely, I have barely struggled at all. I do feel that all our trials are ahead of us though. Hopefully it doesn’t work that way!

Ditto to all but the village - I live by the city and feel very grateful to be able to afford a lovely home in a lovely area.

Nope my life has been shit as far back as I can remember maybe from 8 years old. It’s a constant battle and I feel like there’s always something going wrong 😢. Feeling a bit sorry for myself today.

Absolutely not 🤣

Oh go away. Idiotic post.

I am sad to hear that you have suffered.

Well I do, to be honest. But I have an optimistic attitude to life and generally focus on the positives. I've got a DH I love and great (adult) DC. I've had a career I enjoyed, am now retired, and we've paid off the mortgage. We're very lucky.

If I list the things that have gone wrong in life then I've survived cancer, 4 miscarriages, a life threatening accident that put me in intensive care for over a month - and then took years to recover from. I have a chronic health condition, not a lot of money, had several operations to remove bits of me that ended up with me having gangrene. I've been on antidepressants, been addicted to painkillers and had a horrific time coming off (prescribed) medications that took a very long time. I've had a dreadful first marriage, been betrayed, cheated on and deserted with (very) small children. I've struggled financially, my parents are pretty toxic and I no longer speak to my siblings, one of whom is an addict.

I still consider myself luckier than a lot of people, because all this life experience has made me who I am and I've emerged the other side feeling pretty calm and settled.

I think feeling lucky/unlucky might be a state of mind, rather than an actual "thing".

For example some people have expressed how unlucky I've been to have had cancer three times. I feel lucky because I've had cancer three times and survived, and I've never had to have chemo.

Well thank you. I actually think that it is not beneficial to anyone to mass argue with someone who obviously is not ok considering they posted that they can't wait until life is over.

She has a point. All you’ve done is post repeatedly on a positive thread about how miserable you are and picked fights with as many posters as you can. By all means start your own thread and have a proper rant about how hard you find things but you’re trying to make this other poster’s thread entirely about you and your laundry list of misery and that’s just selfish.

It was a kind post

I think I’ve been lucky in life, I make friends easily, have had the opportunity to travel, my DC have been pretty easy, good sleepers, easy teenagers etc. I have no money worries ,I’ve had some health stuff going on but that seems ok now.

Why not.

Lots of people who have had abusive teribble lives can't wait until life is over

Obviously you have lived in a bubble if you cant understand that. Why woukd anyone WANT to live a life that is full of suffering and abuse.

I know a woman who was raped as a child many times.

She told me that she is counting down the days until her life is over

Yes very lucky. Born white, parents who stayed together, parents with enough money to financially support me during uni and first steps at work, no health issues, healthy, typical children. The things that are ‘worked hard for it’ things, such as salary and a nice home, are all down to those initial doses of luck.

Good lord 🙄

Any need to be quite so rude?

It's like the difference between seeking "happiness" versus "contentedness". I love your positive spin on your cancer treatment

Yes I've had a lot of luck, blessings, privilege, whatever you want to call it. I have to remind myself sometimes when I'm moaning about being too tired or too busy. Whilst I feel that I have worked my arse off and been very disciplined I've had loads of advantages.

Born with a good brain and healthy body to start with. I didn't earn that from work or making sacrifices. Parents massively prioritised education so I had a good one. Graduated from uni with no debt. Parents also supported life skills so i learned to drive, swim, manage finances etc which i just took for granted until i realised how much i needed those things and felt so grateful to have them already. Got on property ladder while it was still cheap and now have a nice house all paid off. Marriage suits me (and husband thankfully). Children, well they've made me so happy - always a worry but no regrets. Don't have loads of friends but the ones I do have are awesome. Love my job though it's exhausting at times (law).

Those are all quite ordinary things and I doubt anyone gazes at me and envies my life, but I do feel lucky, yes.

This.

When the National Lottery first started, my Mum said she wouldn't play as she'd already won the lottery by being born in the UK in the 20th Century. The vast majority of people across the world are born into far worse circumstances.

Yep. I often think ‘there but by the grace of God go I’. I’ve had lots of luck. Generally things have gone well for me and I’ve had only the normal amount of bad things happen (failed relationship, death of grandparents etc)