Research on happiest years of life

Someone actually made a decision to fund this research, unbelievable!!

Whenever absentdaughter used to ask me what was my happiest age or the happiest year of my life, I would always answer "The next one." I am now approaching 69 and there have been some exceptionally happy years along the way and some that weren't so good – but I am still optimistic about the next one.

15 was okay as far as I remember! Married at 34 and had 2 great children. Widowed suddenly at 60 - tough for us all. Turned 70 nearly 3 years ago and fell in love at first sight! Life is in a very happy place at present.

Specs it's more like a couple or three hours hard graft now
(and not that hard either)

Specs
I know how you feel. We love renovating houses ( and boats)
We still look at 'projects', plan it all, and then look at one another and say: could we do that all again.
The last time was our home now. Everything had to be done (hence the cheap price) but we knew we could do it.
But I'm 5 years older now (72) I probably could but it would take a lot longer

My 30s, too, were my happiest years.

Although I am learning to give in gracefully.

Same here Specs. It's a bugger pain in the bum isn't it.

My happiest years were my 30s the children were still at school and they were tucked up in bed every night safe. I seem to have become more anxious as the years have passed and now in my early 60s, there seems to be no end of family problems with being the sandwich generation too. I'm working harder now than ever, trying to please everyone.Maybe by the time I'm 70 it will be better, hope so.

70 has hit OH and me with a depressing blow simply because our physical and mental energies have plummeted. We cannot complain, not on meds, large loving family and lifelong friends all around us But our identities have both centred on our love of physical outdoor work and now we simply cannot do it. We both get so tired. The forward challenge of a hard days graft and the satisfaction of seeing the results of our labour has gone for ever. We lament it every day ??

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

loopyloo, I can’t find this latest research on-line, though it was covered on tv and in the paper. I have thrown out Monday’s paper which it was in, but people of all ages must have been asked, must’t they? Otherwise it would be guesswork..

However, radio report at lunchtime, said research shows how anxious and unhappy teenagers are. .

Wonder if universities do these researches to get funding and are able to write papers on them.

I was very unhappy at school when I was 15. So far, seventy has been a big improvement!

18-21 for me. I had two jobs so I could afford a car and holidays and just loved the freedom. Lots of short term boyfriends, nights out , dancing , music and shopping. Very few responsibilities except turning up for work!
Every Monday my manager made me tell her what I had been up to at the weekend. At that time our staff reports were closed and we were not told what was said. Many years later I read my reports which said I was more interested in my social life than coming to work. Too right I was at that age!

Did the researchers ask 15 and 70 year olds or was is based on people looking back? Must look it up.

I had a difficult and uncertain childhood with warring parents who had two bites at the separation cherry, a messy divorce and who dragged us round the world and the country. I have been to more schools than there are school years. When my mother finally left my father she had to have two jobs to support us so we were very poor and she turned to alcohol and tobacco to cope which compounded the problem.

Nevertheless, I was a child determined to succeed and, when I met my DH at the age of twenty, life turned around as we looked after each other. The next few decades were full of work stres for me and commuting hell and long hours for him and the demands of two children were also wearing. But, despite this, we prospered and now our children are grown up we are very contented.

I retired early from teaching and, though my pension is small, I have never been happier. When my husband was made redundant in 2017 money became very tight but we have managed.

Many of our old friends are ten years older than we are and I have noticed that 70 is the age at which health problems start to emerge and rule the roost. At 62 this is not a pleasing prospect to look forward to but at the moment things are OK on the health front for both my DH and for myself.

As for which age is the happiest, people seem to have an underlying disposition to be happy or anxious. I am an anxious person who, notwithstanding, is extremely content. I don’t ‘do’ ecstacy much but I do experience a quiet joy in life.

When I was 25 it was a very good year (Born 1947 so 1972). New house. Before I had my son. A steady 9.1/2 stone and I really enjoyed life. An ex-husband later and 72 next birthday, I wonder where the last 40 odd years have gone. Regrets? Of course, but too late to do anything about it now.

tanith, very sorry to read of your bereavement. I hope you have some support?

My best years were when I lived with my beloved parents, until I was 24.....not a care in the world.
Then comes a disastrous marriage, to a serial philanderer . However I'll never regret the 3 lovely children we had. They are my ALL xx

GabriellaG54 - 74 and no glasses - lucky you. I’ll watch out for any ‘typos’ you might make .

Granless
NO. I'm 74, on no meds, never have been and no ops, no hearing problems and no glasses.

llizzie2
There are breaches and breeches. Google is your friend.

I am 71 and genuinely really happy. I have been married for nearly 51 years and we are both aware of how lucky we are to still have each other. Our children and grandchildren all seem well and happy. We both still do some work and I have lots of friends via different interest groups. Financially we have to be careful but we love our home and learning more about gardening (my latest passion, with my husband doing the heavy work).
Healthwise I have my challenges and arthritis has become
a bit of a problem that I would love to know how to get rid of but I try to keep moving and go to aquarobics and Pilates. I hope this does not sound smug, I don't ever take anything for granted, I feel really lucky and grateful for the life I have but I know it could all change in a moment.

Thanks dorcas.