I was going to choose “4” but “slightly miserable” is a fair summing up of how I think of my life right now.
I’m running out of money, I don’t have a proper job, and I’m annoyed at myself for ending up in this position.
I chose 4. I don’t care for either of my jobs. The main job would be ok if it at least paid enough that I didn’t have to work the soul-crushing second job. But as it stands, I work both of them and still barely get by. Money doesn’t make you happy, but a lack of it can sure as fuck make you sad.
And then there’s the whole “no relationship at all” thing going on…I’d be a three or a two, but I do have a lot of friends and I try to get out and do things to keep my spirits up.
Edit: Things are getting slightly better though. Just a year ago I would have been a solid two, maybe even a one.
- I am doing fairly well as far as internal work on myself. But I am unemployed, and do not know what my prospects are.
I think if I had a stable job that I enjoyed, in a city I liked living in I’d be a 7. Maybe an 8. But right now I’m a 4. But at least I know what is bothering me.
Sucks because I am doing ok financially (no debt, I have savings), and I have a good family. And that should count for more.
It is nice to see that 40% of people who responded to this poll picked 8 or 9 though.
I would have said 9 if my health was better and I had a better relationship (well had any relationship) with my elder son. So, I guess that’s where I should start investing more effort.
Oh and winning lotto would be OK too just for the extra fun it would fund for me and a lot of other people. But not winning it doesn’t matter to my score.
I answered 4±1. Objectively I should be much more happy; I have a remarkably stable job in a mercurial field and a bad economy, I have no fiscal or health problems, I have adequate resources to provide every material need and any reasonable want, the respect of coworkers and good friends. In any measurable sense, life is pretty good.
But I’m dramatically, unreasonably dissatisfied. In my job I’m being pushed into a management position, of which I understand the necessity but that literally demands long hours but about five percent of my attention. I seem to take more satisfaction in cutting into the misstatements and misapprehensions of others than in educating and constructively critiquing; I don’t even know any more whether that is a side effect of my work or just an ugly facet of my natural disposition coming to fruition. My vague plans to return to graduate school seem unlikely to ever be possible. I have the beginning of a novel that that wants to be the next Catch-22 or Gravity’s Rainbow but instead is an inchoate and painfully unfunny mess of obscure cultural references and physics humor that only a tiny fraction of even the increasingly diminishing literate public would comprehend. The less said about my efforts at dating the better, and as I look around and understand what other people get out of families I realize my utter inability to have one of my own. I recently got a new edition of Tony Zee’s Quantum Field Theory In A Nutshell, figuring I’d return to the comfortable fugue of studying physics, if without purpose or goal. Instead, I only get a couple of pages in and lose interest. The only thing that really keeps me motivated anymore is an obsessive interest in Japanese joinery. I’m not even sure why I’m unable to appreciate what I have or strive for something better, or indeed, what that would even look like.
Stranger
9. I have a home I love, and job I enjoy with interesting and funny collegues, a great wife (pregnant on top of it), and three adorable kids I love so much it almost hurts. I have never been this happy in my life and I’m thankful for it every single day. I wouldn’t say a 10 though, because I’m not walking around on a high, so to speak.
- Job hunt kinda sucks right now and I am going to need to talk to my lenders about my student loans. Other than that, I have a wonderful spouse, good dogs, and a loving set of family and friends.
Sorry, Hazle. Sucks, dunnit?
I remember and agree with the post from that thread that said (paraphrasing here) “I was born in the Western world, I win”.
I was born in Western Europe, I don’t have to put up with war, plague or famine and I can look forward to my daughter having the same blissful life.
So, 10.
Objectively speaking I’m almost definitely a 5 or maybe a 6 soon enough. But since this is about how happy I am, then it’s got to be a 10. There’s stuff going on, stuff that could really get me down if I let it, but I flatly refuse to. That’s not to say I’m particularly strong willed or anything, what I’m up against is nothing in comparison to others most likely.
The only thing I can think of that could take me down is the death of a loved one, but I really don’t like dwelling on that kind of thing.
I chose 8. Everything’s pretty good. Stable, well-paying job (ditto for the missus). Really, really good kiddos (I’ll brag about them some other time). Three awesomely cool doggies. Way more toys than a guy my age should have. None of the “real” problems many of you are dealing with.
but…
I’m way out of shape (this from a former gym-rat), and I seem to have no spare time-- at all. What’s the use of toys if I can’t find the time to play with them?
Your location says Belfast. And WW2 was only a generation ago.
To be fair, many people no longer have to put up with those issues. Many middle income countries are free from war, plague and famine now too.
Being dead would be grounds for a higher score for me.
I love life.
There are lows, obviously. But even a bad day is a million times better than being six feet under.
Give me a solid 9.
I would imagine I’m one of the older posters here- i have small bit of advice. It’s not about the money my friends and it is not about the job. Find your life-mate and take care of yourself.
Presently at 2 tilting to 1.
So, basically, I’m ****ed. Great.
Stranger
I read the thread title as “how happy are you with your wife?”
I suspect the numbers for both polls might be comparable…I forget the saying (read it on the inside of a box of tea) that you should pick your spouse wisely, as they’ll be responsible for ninety percent of your happiness, or unhappiness.
Anyway. Solid nine, methinks. Our biggest problem is we don’t have any money…but it isn’t what others are dealing with. We have food on the table and a place to live…
Words to live by.
I would say I’m an 8+/9.
I just got married, we are building a gorgeous new house, I have a good job (although money will be kind of tight with the new house at first), we have two adorable cats, my overall health is fantastic.
I would say a 9+, but I’ve been trying to get pregnant and had 2 miscarriages since January which have been seriously low spots. Otherwise, things are very very good!