How different is your life now, then what you expected it to be 5 years ago. Is it better or worse? Or maybe just as you planned it.

19 comments

1. Better

2. Very different. Different job, different partner, different friends.

   It’s hard to say if it’s better or worse

3. [removed]

4. Better. Five years ago I was single, stuck in a crappy job, living in a studio (good rent but no space for anything, couldn’t even fit a couch there!). Going on some really unsatisfying dates.

   Now, married with kid and living in my own house. Of course, now I don’t have as much freedom or free time as I used to but I definitely like my job better and my husband and kid bring so much joy to my life. And I still have my hobbies and things I enjoy doing on my own.

5. Better, oddly enough. Gave my life a major overhaul.

   It’s alot different to what I imagined and NOTHING went as I planned it would, 5 years ago…but mentally I am in a much better place than I have ever been.

6. Worse. Lol

   5 years ago I was just about to move in with my partner. I was so excited. I thought we’d get married and start trying for a family in the next year or two.

   Instead we’re in the exact same position we were then. I’m burnt out from living with his father, depressed that I’m in my late thirties and no baby or marriage in sight. My heart dog had a cancer scare and we’re just taking it day by day.

   But, we did get a puppy. So that’s good.

7. It’s about the same. I’m healthier, both mentally and physically, but everything else is the same.

8. 5 years ago I would have expected to still have a brother, to have a niece rather than a daughter, to have gone to university, to have a girlfriend rather than a wife and to have a job

9. Like based on what I’m doing, it would be what I expected, maybe even somewhat better.

   Emotionally/how i feel on a day to day basis, so much worse than i expected,

10. Definitely better. 16 year old me would be ecstatic to hear about the life 21 year old me is living.

11. Better.

    I mean, I technically have more things to stress about, and debt I didn’t have before, but I am better mentally.

12. LOL. 5 years ago I was starting law school, planning to emigrate to another country and travel lots and not take relationships so seriously anymore. Today I’m a mom to an almost 4 year old surprise, call that guy I had a fling with 5 years ago my life partner and am living a perfectly happy life in the exact place I was desperate to leave 5 years ago. Law school also did not pan out and I’m now on my way to being a psych grad. It’s completely different than I could have ever imagined but it’s wonderful.

13. 5 years ago I was 19. It’s Better in the sense that I have more independence (ie i have a car, finished my masters degree, have a job lined up, can pay my bills myself, more aware of myself) but worse in the sense that I still don’t know what to do with my life…

14. A lot better. 5 years ago I was trying so hard not to be homeless. I couldn’t afford to live by myself so I kept bouncing from terrible roommate to even more terrible roommate, working jobs I hated, and was treated like I was worthless.
    Now I live with my partner and work at a job I really enjoy.

15. Low point, but looking up. Five (well, six) years ago, I had fled an abusive relationship and a traumatic family environment, made friends for the first time in my life, started a bachelor degree, decided nothing was holding me back anymore. Found the love of my life, too.

    This month, I snapped out of a debilitating depression when my partner finally left me. I’m 31 and stopped caring about the degree some time during the lockdowns, lost all sense of who I am, and am currently facing the option of “either you do this *now*, or you’ll keep finding new rock bottoms until you can’t stand it anymore.”

    So right now I’m trying to become something like a person again. Fucking hurts, but at least I’m doing it. I don’t know if I’d call that better or worse.

16. Better today Great question I was cruising along monding my own business and then I meet this incredible woman and now I realize I had shut off from the world the sky has opened my eyes to the wonder of love again

17. Well five years ago I was trying for a baby and looking into infertility treatments. And now I’m permanently childless not by choice and recovering from a 7 month long nasty bout of mental illness. Life is extremely different from how I pictured it. Some of it is good (sleeping in whenever I want, being able to save for retirement, etc) but this year in particular has been hard.

18. I expected my life to be pretty much the same. Instead we moved to a new home, I got my driver’s license and a car and I WFH 99% of the time now. Definitely better 🙂

19. In alot of ways, worse. I was expecting to go into a military academy or one of the best schools in the state. I ended up having a bunch of health issues and became ineligible for the academy. Instead of the big state school, I ended up at the local state university because they offered me alot more in scholarships.

    If it wasn’t for how I handled when we went remote for covid, I’d of already graduated with my bachelor’s degree. So instead of graduating a year early, I’m only graduating a semester early.

    But I’m not blind to the good things. I do have a significantly better partner that I can see myself having a future with. Instead of the military, I’m going towards law school. Also, I get to spend the summer with my elderly great grandmother while she still remembers who I am.