Men of Reddit, at what age did life get better for you. When do you think you became happy in who you are?

34 comments

1. 30, when I got sober

2. For reference, I’m 28 and I wasn’t happy at all from age 18 to 22.

   At 23 when I started working, life became marginally better for me.

   At 26 when I met my gf, life became significantly better for me.

3. when I became a US citizen my life transformed immediately. dude for the first time, I had dignity and purpose.

   A few years later, I don’t know man, white people really know how to rape the happiness out of you as a form of entertainment.

   I don’t think I’ve ever quite recovered.

   I always valued being a man of character, even when i was a kid, but I realize that doing that is for the weak and foolish.

   i used to be unbelievably upbeat and happy, right now I’m just feeling OK in general. It’s been like that for the past five years. It’s going downhill. I’m nervous that in five more years I might be a really shit person.

4. The answer is sort of in your question.

   It happened when I had the confidence to be happy with who I am. If you have a foundation of decent beliefs then don’t be afraid to live. If you have a shaky foundation consider therapy and seek healing. Life’s a journey and we are all finding a way through.

5. Around 24. Started working out and meeting women. Other things were going OK before that, but I’d say from that moment on life became better. Women do the trick in life, I think. Good women, that is. No parasites or nags.

6. Life’s not a straight path. Things got better at 18, at 23, at 27, at 35… things got worse at 20, at 31, at 37… you just have to learn to ride out the valleys and appreciate the peaks as they come.

7. I think it’s been a gradual process that started at 17. It hasn’t been even but the general trend has been an incline since 17, I would say.

8. The minute I graduated from high school, all hell before that

9. When I started to work to improve myself

10. I was super happy and lived a dope life from teen years up to around 25, then my drinking / drugs / blowing off all responsibility / mental health issues caught up to me and I was fucked up and depressed for years, couldn’t figure out who I was or what I wanted to do anymore, which is something I never had a problem with, then around 29-30 I figured myself out and started living my best life

11. 30

12. From 30 to 40 has been a marked improvement in pretty much every way.

13. Which time?

    You keep working and every planned achievement makes life better for you.

14. I was never really unhappy with who i am. Is it normal for people to hate themselves so much? Reddit seems to make it seem so.

15. there isn’t really a specific age or main point in my life when i got better, it has just always been pretty good, my outlook has always been a hopeful and positive one

16. 17. Had my father arrested. Finally got to see my mom happy and home life became bearable.

    Then again at 25, finally stopped destroying my life and started working on myself.

    Finally happy with my life in my early 30s. Got both of my degrees, got an amazing girl who I’m still with, moms doing awesome living her best retired life, sister is finally with a good man and married starting a family.

    Currently 37.

17. It’s been a rollercoaster over the years but I’m currently in a good place at 58

18. LOL, wut?

19. There wasn’t a point when it instantly got better. It was in steps really.

    Age 13 I took a sucker punch from my abusive stepfather and didn’t get knocked over. That ended most of the physical abuse.

    I left that abusive home when I was an adult. I survived my military service. I completed college. I paid off my student loans. I purchased a house. I met my SO and found love.

    I am trying to find my passion and do something I love.

20. Within myself – only since this year. 27 years of age

21. At 35

22. Mid 40’s and divorced. I’m able to do anything I want right now living alone.

    Weekends are such a joy!

23. If that ever happens I’ll let you know

24. I’ve always been pretty happy with the kind of guy that I am, but didn’t really start to figure out how to actually do “life” until I was about 28.

25. 31.

    Got out of a bad relationship, got a better job, did a lot of work through counselling and wanting to improve myself

26. It got better with 26. For now

27. I had a very happy childhood. But it went to my maximum level of happiness in my mid-20s when I met my spouse

28. I became a lot less happy with age as I realized how much of a piece of garbage I am and how destructive relationships with me were for people I cared about.

29. At late 21 when I landed my first job. It sucks, yes, but it’s a job and I have something to do now. I have my own money now and I’m spending my own money on what I want without asking for my parents money or permission

30. 30 Its going to sound ridiculous, but I married at 30. It was a weird epiphany. I woke up and thought, Holy shit, I finally have a pretty good life.

31. Things got better for me when I was like 16 but then slowly got worse from about age 22 on.

32. it didnt get better. just gradually worse once you leave childhood

33. Probably my late 20’s, things were starting to come together. College age is fun because you have very little responsibilities, you’re dirt poor but you don’t care. Things have gotten much better in my early 30s, I’m married, we have good solid jobs and make decent money, have a house, are pretty comfortable money wise. All things I didn’t think would be possible ten years ago.

34. Only has gotten worse after 1st grade.