The significant structural transformations in Western democracies have inspired extensive research on the political consequences for groups perceived as "losers" of these changes. Yet, surprisingly little attention has been directed toward the "winners"—those who benefited from these transformations, for example through higher wages or expanded political rights. What are the political effects of acknowledging these positive changes? To explore this question, we employ a well-powered survey experiment in which respondents reflect on how their quality of life has improved over the past 30 years. Our analysis focuses on East and West Germans, two groups that experienced these transformations in different ways. While East Germans faced significant personal and professional costs during German reunification, they also saw significant improvements in political freedoms and living standards. West Germans, albeit less directly affected by reunification itself, experienced similar structural shifts over the same period. Embedded in our survey is an experiment that prompts respondents to reflect on improvements in the quality of life either of themselves, of their peers, or in relation to others. We then record a series of questions on attitudes toward democracy and populism. Our main finding is that reframing economic transformation processes in a positive way improves democratic satisfaction and support for democracy. By doing so, this paper contributes to the broader understanding of the political consequences of structural changes and makes the case for why we should highlight more the positive compared to negative developments in recent years.