31 replies to this topic

[penultimatestraw]

Here's a wildly simple, profoundly interesting question: At what age are you happiest? According to a recent survey, the answer is 33.

Friends Reunited, a U.K. website, found that 70 percent of respondents over the age of 40 said they did not find true happiness until they were 33 years old.

"[That age] is enough time to have shaken off childhood naivety and the wild scheming of teen-aged years without losing the energy and enthusiasm of youth," Donna Dawson, a psychologist, told Fox's Washington, D.C., affiliate. "Innocence has been lost, but our sense of reality is mixed with a strong sense of hope, a 'can do' spirit, and a healthy belief in our own talents and abilities."

As the site pointed out, Jesus Christ was crucified at age 33. Oh, and "33-year-old celebrities like Jennifer Love Hewitt, Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine and Katie Holmes seem to be enjoying a wealth of success right now."

Even non-celebrities agree.

"It's the sex, definitely," Christine Possemato, a 35-year-old from Springfield, N.J., told the New York Daily News. "You're hitting your stride. You're a lot more confident and you can attract younger guys."

Thirty-three wasn't my best year, but late twenties and thirties are both pretty good IMO. If I had to pick a single year, I'd say 28.

[IGotWorms]

Thus far, I was probably happiest in my mid-20s. But I'm only 31 so I guess I still have that magical 33rd year to look forward to.

[Riddlen]

at 34, i have enjoyed the last few years a lot. marriage, kids, job security, extra mone etc

[Patriotsfatboy1]

We had our first child when I was 33. Not sure I would call it my "happiest". Wasn't bad, but some of the fun I had in my early 20's would be good to relive again.

[The Pope]

Thus far, I was probably happiest in my mid-20s. But I'm only 31 so I guess I still have that magical 33rd year to look forward to.

Maybe you do. Maybe you DON'T.

[phillybear]

I am incapable of feeling any emotion. I once set my hand on fire, blinked for an hour, then extinguished it. I would submit that happiness does not exist.

[TD Ryan2]

I was thinking 10.
Little league, first crush/girlfriend, Santa Clause, and the Superfriends.

No worries.
No bills.
No responsibility.
No stock crashes, layoffs, war, cancer.

Maybe Peter Pan had the right idea all along with the whole, "never grow up" shtick.

[KSB2424]

At the risk of sounding like Bill Clinton...define 'Happy' please.

My first thought when I read the age was much like TDRyan2's response. Around age 10. 5th grade was freaking awesome. You were the oldest kid in elementary school. You started noticing women. You raked in little leage baseball. It was all good, all the time. Not a daggum worry in the world. Pure bliss.

Teenage years can be awkward.

College years were a blast, but there was alot of perssure too.

Early twenties was a riot. Single, working, flirting with anything that moved. Staying out late and traveling. Being very selfish, but thats the time to be selfish. Every weekend was New Years Eve.

30's? I'm 36. I got married at 31, had a kid at 33 and one at 36 (the age I am now). I've been happy with how things turned out the past 6 years and am happy now, but I'm also the lone bread winner of a family of four. Stress isn't very happy. I love my wife and my boys though. At this stage of my life its been the absolute most rewarding and the most stressful all rolled up into one.

But to be 10 again.

[TD Ryan2]

At the risk of sounding like Bill Clinton...define 'Happy' please.

My first thought when I read the age was much like TDRyan2's response. Around age 10. 5th grade was freaking awesome. You were the oldest kid in elementary school. You started noticing women. You raked in little leage baseball. It was all good, all the time. Not a daggum worry in the world. Pure bliss.

Teenage years can be awkward.

College years were a blast, but there was alot of perssure too.

Early twenties was a riot. Single, working, flirting with anything that moved. Staying out late and traveling. Being very selfish, but thats the time to be selfish. Every weekend was New Years Eve.

30's? I'm 36. I got married at 31, had a kid at 33 and one at 36 (the age I am now). I've been happy with how things turned out the past 6 years and am happy now, but I'm also the lone bread winner of a family of four. Stress isn't very happy. I love my wife and my boys though. At this stage of my life its been the absolute most rewarding and the most stressful all rolled up into one.

But to be 10 again.

almost the same story for me.

I have thought about this a lot really - is it always, "getting better"?
You know - is it better now that the kids are not babies and awake all night? Is it better now that the kids are in school? will it be better when they're 10? etc, etc, etc

And... I've come to the realization that you can't compare - better/worse... it's just "different" and the key is to enjoy every bit of it.
example: loved it when they were babies, but hated the no-sleep.

"The Journey is the Thing" - that saying makes a lot of sense to me now that I'm getting older.

Will it be better after my kids are grown and married and happy and successful and all my "work" and "stress" has paid off? Who knows - I'm sure I'll miss all those years they were growing up despite the pressure/stress/etc/.

[listen2me 23]

I haven't reached the upper ages so I guess I don't know.


But not sure how anyone could say over early 20s?


I'd say 13. HS sports was fun, going to high school was scary the first year but was exciting, parties through HS, the thrill of driving around with no parents, chicks, summer's off.

Yea I'd go back to freshmen year of HS or there bouts and do that all over again. No responsibilities really besides passing easy classes. And fun stuff like girls, drinking, and whatnot was all new and exciting.

[The Next Generation]

As I get older, every year I remain alive becomes my new "happiest" age. Now, when I get REALLY old and feeble, I may have to re-evaluate this position.

[Bert]

Happiness I cannot feel and love to me is so unreal.

[parrot]

I was thinking 10.
Little league, first crush/girlfriend, Santa Clause, and the Superfriends.

No worries.
No bills.
No responsibility.
No stock crashes, layoffs, war, cancer.

Maybe Peter Pan had the right idea all along with the whole, "never grow up" shtick.

Like Next Generation says, I think I get happier every year, but the summer between 5th and 6th grade was an incredible time.

[jets24]

I've never been happier in my life. I'm 44 years old.

[kilroy69]

I would say my early 20's was my happiest age. I had so much I could do. Life was wide open. I was single and banging anything that moved and had a pusssy. Oh and I didn't ache. From age, surgeries and injuries that never healed.

[nzoner]

23 for me,I was still single.

[420allstars]

My 3 year old is a pretty focking giddy little bastard.. cant say I can remember ever being that happy in my adult life?

first couple years of college 20-22 were prolly my peak..

[BunnysBastatrds]

10-11 School was easy and sports were all I cared about. Having summers off from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Summer Camp was a lick in the ass. We went on field trips twice a week. Swam with the girls after lunch and played kill ball or baseball before the last hour. My aunt that looks like Ann Coulter started buying me really nice presents. Those were good times.

[Patriotsfatboy1]

10-11 School was easy and sports were all I cared about. Having summers off from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Summer Camp was a lick in the ass. We went on field trips twice a week. Swam with the girls after lunch and played kill ball or baseball before the last hour. My aunt that looks like Ann Coulter started buying me really nice presents. Those were good times.

That was your Uncle Phil.

[JT]

Tomorrow.

[drobeski]

Tomorrow.

[CantTouchThis]

I very distinctly remember 5th grade being a fantastic time So I have to agree with that, but I am quite happy right now. I would have to say 10, 18, and 22(now) being the happiest.

[IAMWood]

I was a king when I was 26.

Bartending/managing at a Brewpub (all I could drink fresh quality brew for free), banging a 34 year old lawyer, 27 year old stripper, and a 19 year old waitress I worked with on different nights of the week, never really juggled or lied to any of them either.

Lawyer was happy getting a younger dude's cack.
Stripper was happy getting free booze and the cack.
Waitress was happy getting older dude's cack who knew what he was doing.

It was so awesome because they were so different.

Saw Mike Tyson get knocked out live, by the Real Deal Holyfield who was a 26-1 underdog and I won $2600 on it, (essentially got paid to see that in Vegas, played golf, strippers, drank and came home +$1500 after subtracting cost of trip and ticket to fight). Then a month later saw the Longhorns live beat Nebraska in the first Big 12 Champ game being a 24 point underdog... It's been a slow ride downhill since with some hills and valleys in there... Don't see myself peaking like that again... sigh...

[BunnysBastatrds]

I was a king when I was 26.

So you're not Wood?

[IAMWood]

So you're not Wood?

Ghey forum somewhere else.

[jerryskids]

I've narrowed it down to two ages:

16 -- Junior in HS. Got laid for the first time, which led to dating a bunch of other girls. Lettered in two sports. Made district and regional band on trumpet. Took physics with the best teacher I ever had, and it gave me direction to pursue engineering as a field. If you think I am full of myself now, you should have known me then.

21 -- Senior in college. Most of my required classes were done so school was easy and I partied more. Traveled around the country with the golf team and for interviews (I had only been on a plane once in my life prior). Got a great job in a great place with hot friendly chicks. Had money for the first time in my life. Met the woman who would become my wife.

Honorable mention to 28, the year my son (first-born) was born. That was an exciting time which culminated in a very difficult delivery for my wife, and thankfully everything worked out well. Except that he is 16 now and a pain in my ass.

Interestingly, at 33 (2000) I probably had my most successful sales year, so I guess that objectively it was a pretty good year. But other than a few specific deals I did, I can't say that that year stuck out at me as being happiest.

[Bishop82]

I agree with those above you said 10, specifically the summer when I was 10.

[penultimatestraw]

I agree with those above you said 10, specifically the summer when I was 10.

Certainly a carefree and fun age, but most of us were virgins then, so not the happiest IMO.

[Me_2006]

Everything from like 4 til now has been pretty focking great. If you told me I could stay any age in that range forever, I'd take it. Except maybe 15. That was kinda an odd, in-between year I guess. Couldn't drive yet or anything but wasn't carefree.


I'll be honest, 22 isn't a bad gig. I'm still young enough for 17 year olds to want to fock me, but old enough for 30 year olds to think I'm acceptable. I can buy anything I want legally but I'm young enough for my parents and grandparents to get me gifts, give me money, etc. I'm juuuuust young enough to still live at home without being a loser, but don't have any sort of rules regarding it. I have my own money, own cars.I'm still in college but am essentially finished with all the stuff I have to do and nearly every dime I make (besides car insurance) is disposable income.

I could literally say fock it and take off wherever I wanted for the next month to do whatever I wanted and there'd be no negative impact on my life. I could afford it, am 'old enough' to do all the things required to take care of myself, etc. and aside from just letting mom know where I was going so she wouldn't think I died, no one to say a word about it.

I'll be starting my career soon, getting my own place, and can either get started looking for a serious relationship and wife and family and all that right now or wait several years before going that route. Tons of options open and they all look pretty good. No debt. Don't owe a dime on anything but car insurance. No student loans coming. No kids or any of that (I don't think).

Can't complain.

[Mookz]

Tomorrow.

Dude, you so just motivated me. Things are going to be better from now on.

I agree with those above you said 10, specifically the summer when I was 10.

10 is also the age that makes The Pope happiest.

I'm just so glad he's back

[CantTouchThis]

Certainly a carefree and fun age, but most of us were virgins then, so not the happiest IMO.

Except for those molestered ones

[Voltaire]

I was always poor and broke with zero disposable income and rubbing pennies together all my life until I came to China just before my 30th birthday. Didn't go anywhere or see anything and never had anything nice. I guess in the Army I had disposable income since "food" and "housing" are provided, but that was the worst focking job imaginable and I was miserable the whole time and I spent the whole time looking forward to getting out.

So for me I fit the profile of early 30s when things started to click. I always did want to get married and have kids though and that didn't happen until 35.