[Taek]

Childhood is only half of subjective life if you stagnate as an adult. If you keep changing your routine, you'll find each year has just as much subjective experience as the previous.

Start a company in an industry where you have no experience. Move to a country where nobody speaks a language you understand. Find a new sport and commit to being a top 0.1% participant (for most sports that don't air regularly on national television, this can be done in a year).

If subjective life is speeding up, throw yourself some curve balls.

[Loughla]

You also don't have to do anything extreme. . .

If life is moving too fast, then make specific choices to slow down. Take up hiking or camping. Do things with your family if that's a valid option for you. Turn your phone off. Be mindful of your body and emotions.

Lots of small things that can help you slow down a little.

[jstummbillig]

> You also don't have to do anything extreme

I think most people I meet would benefit from reframing what they consider to be extreme.

[Nevermark]

My life has had a 5 year event horizon since I left my family home. I.e. every 5 years has seen major changes I could not have predicted.

For much of that there have been critical pressures making most days important. Which makes them memorable.

Subjectively and objectively, things have changed so much, and so many times, I feel like I have had several lives, so far.

Right now I am in a “make” or “break” situation going three productive years. I solved some very difficult problems that I put myself in a “must solve” position. Each problem solved had significant life impact.

The indicators for “make” are going up month-to-month now, making it a tough but intense and wonderful time. Feels a lot like my early 20’s when I started a dream business (for me) while in school.

Definitely don’t experience time as indicated by those graphs.

[bombcar]

Amusingly enough, one of the easiest way to serve yourself curveballs is to have children of your own.

You then are no longer in control of your house, schedule, or really much. And you have someone to cheer on.

[bdangubic]

my best friend had kids before me and told me something before I had kids that changed my life forever - “I was here first and I have my life, the kids need to adapt to my life just as much as I have to adapt to theirs.” I have followed this mantra for the past 12 years and I think both my life and my kids life is much better for it. I see too many parents turning their lives upside down after they became parents, I have not much at all. I am definitely more risk averse which is probably the biggest personal change I made but otherwise I do everything I’ve done before I became a parent and my kid has experienced extreme levels of boredom while waiting for me to finish what I am doing

[lotsofpulp]

In the US, unless you have a few million saved up, children will probably make most people more conservative.

Wake up, drop kid off at school, go to job allowing one to afford health insurance for kids, come home, take kids to after school activity, eat, sleep, repeat.

[bdangubic]

risk averse as well… prior to being a Dad my answer to just about any question was Yes. Now mostly the answer is a No and not because I am older now

[jstummbillig]

A child is from the parents perspective a lot of repetitive motion over a very long time, and, I think, a main contributor to speeding up your relative passage of time.

Which you might find super rewarding! But I am fairly confused by the claim that children are interesting and wonder how people spent their pre-children time to arrive at that conclusion – or how much they actually are involved in all the parts of taking care of their kid.

[steveBK123]

Right its a weird take for me too. Childhood was fun sure, but you were stuck in a time/place not of your choosing, with others making many/most decisions for you.

As an adult, especially a well paid SWE like many on HN.. you can create the life, make the decisions and have the experiences that you want. Your life is as vibrant as you choose it to be.

Much of the stuff I used to read about or watch on TV as a precocious child.. I can just go buy/see/do with the agency & money I have as an adult.

Sure you have a 9-5 (or 8-6, or 7-7) job but you used to go to school and after school activities all day as a kid probably too. It’s your choice to do something or nothing with your hours of free time after work and weekends.

Small children in the picture adds additional time constraints, but should also bring additional vividness/subjective time experience to your life.

[jimmydddd]

I share this view. I didn't feel like my life began until I graduated college, got a job, and moved out on my own.