Life goes through different seasons, and each one has its own colors of happiness, pain, growth, and revelation. Every chapter of our lives shapes who we become, from the boundless optimism of youth to the wise experience of old age.
So it makes sense that a lot of us think about it: what age would you go back to if time could go backwards? Most of the time, the answer is not simple because each era has its own lessons, legacies, and treasures.
But this question isn’t just about remembering the good old days; it’s also a challenge to look at the mosaic of our lives and pick out the most interesting pieces.
I believe the 20s’ allure, the 30s’ energy, the 40s’ clarity, and the freedom of life after 50 can teach us the best age and why some moments last.
Let’s journey through time, weighing youth vs experience, to discover what truly makes an age unforgettable.
Life in the 20s
People often think of their 20s as the most open-ended time of their lives, when rules are less rigid and dreams are bigger than they seem.
This is the decade of “firsts”: first jobs that make you want to work hard, first apartments that make you feel independent, and first heartbreaks that make you feel more emotions.
During this time, boundaries start to blur, and identities become stronger through experience. Many people think it’s their favorite age because they are so full of energy and strength.
Looking back at those carefree times isn’t just about remembering wild nights or last-minute road trips, though.
Now that we know what we know, the 20s could have been an even better time to play. We would make more of an effort to keep friendships alive, be more careful with our money, and spend money on experiences that help us reach our future goals.
It would be even more magical to return to youth with more life experience.
The Power and Purpose of the 30s
For many, the 30s hold a certain magic. We’ve shed some of the insecurities of youth but retained our drive and curiosity.
Memories from my 30s often include moments of significant career milestones, relationships that matured, and deepening self-awareness. This is the age where we begin to understand our values, our direction, and our resilience.
Choosing to return to our 30s is often a desire to reconnect with a time when we were still building but doing so with confidence. It’s a sweet spot between youth vs experience, a perfect balance where we still feel young enough to dream and old enough to plan.
The Wisdom of the 40s
When you get to the 40s, it’s like going from a busy hall to a room with lots of light.
As you get older, you gain wisdom, and your goals change from external benchmarks to internal fulfillment. We choose projects that help us reach our goals, cut ties with people who drain our energy, and enjoy being alone without feeling bad about it.
The noise dies down, revealing an honesty that was hidden by expectations.
If we go back to this decade, we might be able to enjoy our newfound stability sooner, whether it’s by improving our mental health, making family dinners a priority, or finally figuring out how to balance our work and personal lives.
It’s a chance to see midlife not as a crisis but as a creative renaissance based on knowing yourself and living on purpose.
Life After 50
Life after 50 is often a renaissance of freedom and reinvention, despite old stereotypes. Your kids may be grown up, your career may be well established, and social approval may not matter nearly as much.
Health is treated with respect, and hobbies, travel, and legacy projects become more important. The goal of happiness at this point is less to conquer and more to connect with others.
Going back to our early 50s might help us take advantage of chances we missed, like starting a passion project, learning a new language, or joining an adventure club.
More importantly, this is a time when getting older and being happy go hand in hand. We celebrate the body’s abilities, respect its limits, and create habits that promote longevity and purpose.
What Age Would You Go Back To, and What Would You Do Differently?
Ask anyone, “what age would you go back to?” and you’ll receive as many different answers as you will reasons.
Some would relive a golden summer in their teens, where innocence and adventure were untouched.
Others would return to early motherhood or fatherhood, and hold their children when they were small again. While others would go back to say something different, like “yes” or “no,”
This question isn’t just about going back in time; it shows our hopes, fears, successes, and thoughts. It shows what we liked, as well as what we missed.
And if we had the chance, would we change anything? Or would we simply stand still in those moments, taking a deeper breath and holding on a little longer?
Youth vs Experience
The debate about youth vs. experience is like a seesaw: one side is full of raw potential, and the other side is full of refined knowledge. Youth charges forward; experience chooses its battles.
Youth seeks novelty; experience seeks meaning. The irony is that we rarely possess both at once. Every decade adds a layer that the last one didn’t have, and this active tension is what drives growth.
It would be impossible to stop us if we could combine the bravery of 25 with the strategy of 35 with the peace of 45 with the freedom of 55 into a single year.
Until time travel is possible, the best thing we can do is learn from each era and carry on the good things we like about each one.
Choosing the Best Age to Be, Right Now
When we ask about the best age to be, we often forget the most powerful answer: now.
It’s not that the present is perfect, but that it’s the only moment we have control over. While looking back can help us think, the real change happens when we move forward with purpose.
Would we go back to feel something again? Yes. Would we go back to undo something? Perhaps. But would we trade the strength, perspective, and peace we’ve gained? That’s the real question.
The best age to be is the one where we live fully, love deeply, and listen to the lessons life has given us.
Whether we’re in our 30s chasing dreams, in our 40s finding peace, or in our 50s redefining freedom, there is beauty in every chapter.
Final Thoughts
In the end, we don’t need to go back to relive something. We only need to remember it and let it inform how we live today.
Our favorite age in life isn’t lost. It’s alive in memory, in story, and in the way it shaped who we’ve become. The more we carry forward what we loved about the past, the more present it becomes in our lives today.
So, if you could go back to any age, which one would you choose and why?
