When was the happiest you’ve ever been, and why?

15 comments

1. When I first got sober I was living my best life for a year. Happy in my job even though I was underpaid, exercised and ate healthy. Basically took really good care of my body. I was extremely happy and confident.
   I started drinking again a bit after Covid/lockdown because I got a new job that paid more but caused me so much anxiety.

   Today I am 6 months sober, at a new job which I love and pays amazing. I am exercising, eating well again. Although I’m not as confident as I used to be.

   Hopefully one day I get that back

2. This is hard because I can’t really ever recall being happy or content over a long period, just fleeting instances every now and then. And even in those, my anxiety would kick in and make me think “This is transient” and really kept me from truly enjoying them. I’m in therapy now working on my anxiety and depression, and I hope to build up and experience some happy moments and stretches in the future.

3. When I got a boyfriend, we were extremely close. I was also happy for a long time. It was great.

   On a more serious note. When I was manic, I felt unstoppable, I eas fearless and I felt like my whole life was figured out. It’s so sad when it’s over and you realize it was fake happiness. (I have bipolar disorder type 2)

4. Before I had my current project at work. It’s complicated, no one knows anything and I’m just supposed to google everything I need to know. Today I found out that I royally fucked up yet another part of this thing. Just thinking about this whole thing gives me anxiety, also I’m not sleeping well and stress-eating. I wish this thing was over or I could at least see the finish line. But there is none, it’s an ongoing and lasting change and it’ll stay. (And that’s not something stupid my company decided or anything – the corresponding law changed and we have to implement those changes.)

5. Beginning of 2020. Freshly married, expecting a promotion and a solid raise by the Beginning of 2020, preparing for my honeymoon to my absolute dream destination, about to really put the last work into my PhD to get it finished. None of these things happened (except for the promotion and raise, but way later and lower than anticipated).

6. Honestly, my wedding day. Having my husband and Is friends and families are there to attend our special day. Especially having people come from out of town meant a lot that they wanted to be there.

7. When I was on furlough in the beginnings of the pandemic. It made me realize I value time much more than money and all the unnecessary stuff you can buy with it. I got to spend long stretches of uninterrupted time with my husband and kids, and I’ve never been able to do that because of work. At first I truly thought we were going to fight and fight and end up divorced lol. But all that time together made us much closer as a family, I loved being home with them. My marriage improved tremendously. I loved being able to finally keep a clean house without being tired from a long work day. I loved doing little things for my husband and kids that I was usually too tired to care about otherwise. We’re not in a financial position where I could be a sahm permanently, so when I had to go back to work I was upset. I’ve since reduced my hours so as to have just enough to keep me at full time and keep our health insurance, but I still wish I could just be home. It sounds crazy to say considering what was happening, but I’ll always look at that time fondly.

8. The happiest I’ve ever been was this last summer in 2021. It was the year before college, and the only responsibility I had was to hang out with my friends and work my summer job. I’d wake up at 11 go to work until 8:30, then I’d pick up all my friends. It was the best. I really miss it now.

9. I am 33 and the past 2 years of my life have been the happiest I have ever been. I look at my 20s, specifically ages 20-27, and realize I was not consistently happy then and I was putting up with all sorts of things that took a toll on my mental health.

   What is different between then and now?

   -I am very happily married. I dont know that many people who are as happily married as me. I dated alot of bad men, and incompatible men, where I tried to make it work and the relationships did not improve my life, often made it more stressful, in my 20s. I went from being the woman who was either single or in a crappy relationship to being the woman listening to her group of girlfriends complaining about their SOs, and then feeling awkward when they look at me for my complaint, because I have nothing major to complain about with my husband/dont have their problems. I met my husband when I was 27.5.

   -Similarly, I had a lot of crappy friendships in my 20s. At any given time, I usually had some good ones too, but I definitely had lots of friends treated me poorly in my 20s. I have cut out alot of friends, have none I would say make me feel bad about myself and the friends I have made at ages 28 and onward are significantly better. Sounds mean but they are higher quality people…I look at some of my past friendships from my 20s and wonder why I thought those were acceptable.

   -My job is better. I am more valued at my current job than past jobs and I also like what I do a bit better.

   -I’m more financially stable and less worried about money, resulting from my current job and marriage.

   -I have a child, 1 yearold, and I figured out since having her that I love being a mother.

   -My father and brother remarried to women more compatible with them in the past 3 years and are significantly less cranky towards me as a result. My mother before she died, was a handful, and stressed out my father. My brother’s ex wife is a difficult person to deal with. Previously, I felt my father and brother took their problems out on me emotionally, they dont do that anymore now since they are happier/less stressed.

10. First covid wave. I was send to home office without being equipped with a work phone or laptop. Being alone at home, getting fully paid and barely being able to work. I started baking, sewing, gardening, my migraines were gone. Amazing.

11. Probably now. I have more money than I’ve ever had, recent promotion into a job I love, big pay rise, a baby who makes my heart melt, a husband who supports me and loves me and makes me laugh, a home with my name on the deed and plans for the future that are realistic.

    If I could just shift half my body weight, there’d be nothing stopping me from just floating.

12. The honeymoon phases of my relationships.

13. I had a tooooon of people tell me how much happier I looked after I got divorced. Which wasn’t all that long ago. I also did a lot of work on me last year.

    I’m pretty happy now and with the goals and things I have coming up. I feel like I get happier as I get older and have a better idea of who I am/what I want.

14. I was pregnant. Honestly think it was all the hormones. It was like my trauma was healed and I was so stoked on just… exisiting.

15. Both times I visited my internet friends overseas. My hosts treated me better than my actual relatives, even when we had just met. For a few weeks, I got to feel what it was like to be part of a family again.

    Even with the 6/7 hour time difference, I still talk to my host families more often than anyone I know here at home. Home is lonely.