Comment by Unbefleckt

I just got a 6 on the ACE test you linked.

I lost interest in formal education and ended up having a baby and dropping out, then going back to study psychology as the foundation stuff covers child psychology and development a lot. I found a combination of this and being mindful not to repeat the mistakes of my parent(s) really helped raising the kids incredibly easy. We were never going to be rich, but we were happy.

I got into health and fitness, which I always considered lame, because my dad died from being unhealthy and unfit and didn't want to inflict that pain on my own baby. It helped me think clearer and faster and made me feel safe, confident and I became quite extroverted. I felt that this and reading a good chunk of philosophical literature in my spare time really "fixed" a lot of mental health issues I had. I've spent most of my life working jobs around my lifestyle, even if it means having less money, I seem to be pretty good at living off a small amount of money and not living in misery even with the family, I have more in savings and investments than people I met that work 2-3x more than me. I work less hours so I get more time to read, create, be with family, get exercise and sun, meet friends, prepare meals, work on community projects etc.

Maybe it's a cope for being constantly told that I'm going to "go far" and being too lazy, distracted or disinterested in doing it (I wince every time someone praises my intelligence) but I'm happy that I have the freedom and opportunities to always be improving myself and trying new things, my only complaint is that life is too short for me to possibly indulge in everything that interests me.