Best era/ period of your life so far?

[DmcinT]

Had a discussion with friends on this recently with very different responses from everyone so thought I’d throw it out here.
do u wish to go back or look most fondly on any period of your life? childhood, teens, 20’s, 30’s, 40’s etc.. or engagement, newly married, young kids, older kids, no kids etc… u get the idea!

My 20s (am in my 50s now!!) I'd say from age 23 to 30. I was with DH but we weren't yet married or with children. Worked hard but absolutely loved my role and was well paid. Had a fabulous life with travel and fun times. Perky boobs! Could eat and drink with abandon!!
Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy to still be with DH and have amazing children but my life is so completely different to how it was back then. I wouldn't want to do it all now at my age, but I'd happily go back in time if I could.

The current one.
Late 30s, divorced, kids are tweens / teens and very self-sufficient.
I've lost a lot of weight thanks to WLIs and am also now going to the gym regularly. My face looks so different. I can afford good skincare and haircare (and clothes!) and I feel I look so much better than I did in my 20s and even my early 30s. Part of that is confidence as well.
I'm dating and enjoying it, not feeling any pressure because I'm not looking to settle down and have more babies etc.
I'm at a good place in my career - I have a fulfilling career I enjoy, no wish to climb the ladder any further.
Of course there are ups and downs but in general I'm loving my life and wouldn't wish to go back to childhood (mine was good, but I have autonomy now), I had my kids in my early 20s and it was hard - and then struggling through my training, unsupportive and draining ex husband etc etc throughout late 20s and early 30s.
No, life is good now and I'm hoping it will just get better and better!

My 50's where I am now. I'm slimmer, fitter and healthier than I've ever been in my life. I've discovered my style and love getting dressed now.

I'm appreciated and valued in a career that rewards me well without ruling my life, so work/life balance is good.

My adult DS is doing well and I am in a very happy and secure long-term relationship. Life has never been better and I am looking forward to my 60s in a couple of years.

I've loved every stage of my life but blimey, retirement takes some beating.

My late 20s. I'd bought a house, met the person I went on to marry, was earning great money, was able to have extended holidays to far flung places... New Labour had just got into power and there was this sense of excitement and positivity in the country.

Late-30s which was 2021 to 2025.

We became mortgage-free when I turned 35.

We were putting away £100K per year after all living expenses.

We'd finished renovating the house so just enjoying our house.

I got laser eye surgery so no more glasses.

I was promoted at work so coasted for a while afterwards.

I discovered an absolute love for a new sport and started with a wonderful PT.

I discovered weight training and got into the shape of my life.

I started taking skincare really seriously and got a proper glow.

I started doing lovely things with new friends on my street.

I'm heading into my 40th year this year.
I'm still in good shape, my skin still looks good, I can still see, I'm still senior at work, we still have no mortgage.

But odds and ends have started needing attention in the house, work are wondering what I'm actually doing to justify my salary, my PT moved abroad, DH's salary dropped by £50K so savings are much lower.

Have I peaked.... 😨

Late teens-early twenties was great.
College, first job, driving licence, money & freedom. Seemed I had it all and the future was soooooooo far away.😃

Next is mid-50's onwards.
Financially secure, working down to a nice early retirement (counting the days off was great fun!), still have my health.
What more is there to like?😁

Mid to late 20s. I thought my 50s would be great as empty nesters but I’ve acquired painful mobility problems and my daughter has major health issues, both of which are very stressful.

It’s so interesting reading everyone’s views on it.

I think I’d have enjoyed my 20s and 30s more if I’d known everything would work out how I wanted😅 I found the unknown hard, always wondering would I meet someone, where would I live, would I get married, have kids, be by myself etc.. for these reasons Ive enjoyed 40s 50s more, I feel a lot more content, stable in my career, relationship, family, home. But I had an absolute blast in my younger years, just very different

Early 2000s when I was in my early 30s with a lovely job in a lovely location and lovely friends and an excellent social life. The world was so different from now and full of hope.

I'd go back to the period aged 28-32 but with the outlook, wisdom and fitness level I have now in my mid 40s

I’m early sixties. I would say I have been happiest from about 53 onwards. Post menopausal so all those ridiculous hormones are gone.

I have been living alone/with young adult DC and enjoying my work, my friends and my fantastic holidays.

I am back to my lowest ever weight of 8 stone 3, thanks to Mounjaro, and feel full of gratitude and optimism.

From 30 ish to 35. Young single good job, lived by myself. Traveled a lot and great holidays.

The best year of my life was my maternity leave with my second. Obviously there were tough days but on the whole I absolutely loved going to baby classes, going for walks, food planning and shopping, meeting up with friends for coffee... no stress of rushing off to work when I woke up, just me and my little family.

It was what I was robbed of with my maternity leave with my eldest when we were in lockdown for the best part of a year.

My 40s. Have the body I always wanted (post a lot of hard work), my kids are gorgeous now they are not toddlers any more. Relationship settled away from passionate and volatile to calm and loving (less passion and excitement but more happiness on balance). Senior enough to enjoy work. First time in my life I have disposable income to enjoy some hobbies of my own.

Gosh I'm not really one for looking back. I usually just answer ''now' to this question. M

But I would say highlights are:

1989 - moved abroad - got a prestigious job
1993 - went backpacking in some very remote and far away countries.
2002 - birth of DC1. I have very fond memories of the time it was just DC1 and I because ex DP went to work in those days rather than work at home like he does now. We had a lot of fun. We are still VERY close DC1 was an amazing sleeper from 6 weeks onwards so I wasn't even tired.
October 2019 - did a Ironman 70.3 race (long distance triathlon)

Now!!! Now now now now NOW!!!!!! 🥳🥳🥳

I've never been so happy in my life.

Early 20s to late 30s: horrid first marriage, lots of misery

40s and early 50s: terrible abusive boyfriends, exploited in jobs, always skint

Mid 50s to now (mid 60s): wonderful 2nd marriage and now living somewhere lovely, after a few years somewhere awful; financial stability (self-employed)

I'm making the most of it before the wheels start to drop off, although one of the things making me happy nowadays is a new focus on functional fitness etc that is giving me even more energy for life (getting into training for old age 🤞🏻)!