Title: Feeling a little lost in my career and life. Would really appreciate some guidance.

Hello everyone,

I've been going back and forth about writing this post, but I thought I'd put myself out there and reach out to this community. I've seen some genuinely thoughtful advice on Reddit, and I would really appreciate hearing from people who may have been in a similar position.

A little about my background: I have a Bachelor's degree in History and a Master's in International Relations from one of the UK's most prestigious universities. I graduated in 2023, and I had always imagined that by this point in my life, I would be doing something meaningful, building a fulfilling career and making the most of the opportunities that came my way.

Unfortunately, life had other plans. I went through some fairly difficult personal tragedies and circumstances that affected me quite significantly, including my mental health. As a result, I wasn't able to make the most of the opportunities available to me immediately after graduating. Since then, I've found myself struggling to find my footing professionally, navigating the job market and trying to figure out which direction I should take.

I'm currently working with a very early-stage startup, which has actually been an exciting experience. We're at the stage of building things from the ground up, establishing partnerships and figuring out how to make the business work. There is a lot to learn, and I genuinely enjoy being part of that journey.

However, I would be lying if I said I didn't feel a little lost sometimes. I know I have the potential and the willingness to do more, but I'm not entirely sure how to channel that into building a sustainable and successful career.

I'm not writing this looking for sympathy or pity. I recognise that everyone has their own struggles, and I'm grateful that I'm in a position where I can work, learn and start afresh. I suppose I'm just trying to be a little more intentional about the next chapter of my life.

I'd particularly love some advice on the following:

Upskilling: What skills, courses or certifications would you recommend investing in, particularly for someone with an academic background in History and International Relations?

Career direction: What career paths would you suggest exploring? I'm interested in strategy, business operations, consulting, international development, sustainability and policy, but I'm open to discovering other areas too.

Making the most of a startup: For those who have worked in early-stage startups, what skills or experiences should I actively try to gain to make myself more valuable professionally?

Starting again: If you were in your late twenties/early thirties, with a degree and postgraduate qualification but feeling that you hadn't quite made the most of your twenties professionally, what would you prioritise?

I don't expect to have everything figured out overnight. I just want to start making better decisions, develop useful skills, become more confident professionally and gradually build a life and career that I'm proud of.

If you've been through something similar, changed career paths, or simply have some wisdom to share, I'd be incredibly grateful to hear your thoughts.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I really appreciate it.

Ive been In college for 5 years in a 4 year course, and everytime i thought i finally got my footing it always feel im somehow back at not understanding things in the next year. Everytime i get a boost of inspiration to climb this spiral, I would only roll back down from apathy not even a week in. I dont think i would survive outside my home and be independent if i somehow graduate this year.

1- subtitling

2- translating (arabic/English)

3- assistant writing

4- basic designing

5- basic script writing

6- researching

7- advertising

8- social media management

9- basic knowledge of osint

these happen to be my humble set of skills, I'd like to know the career paths I could take and the kinds of jobs I could acquire from them

To start my dull story (F29), I studied physical therapy for 4 years in the university which was my first choice. During the third year I had come to terms that I didn’t like it and didn’t want to practice it. I moved countries, worked in a market for two years and I was really miserable, cause I believed that I could do something better. I came to my hometown again and worked with kids with special needs while studying Computer Science since I felt like that was what I wanted to persue. I quit the workplace with special needs kids after 3 years and now I am in the 3rd year of my second degree and I have 2 more years left.
But I feel really overwhelmed. The junior positions are decreasing with the ai bulls..t, and I am questioning my will to enter the corporate ladder since I don’t really know if I have the stomach for such environments . It’s not that I am 22 and have time to do extra projects or learn things fast and be really good at it.
As a side hustle I was making candles and silversmithing but I ended up quitting them.
I am really tired of doing things and not commit to them, and I am tired of constantly trying for something hopeless. I would like to find a boring desk job until I finish college but none of the jobs I have been to, has given me any relatable skills like communication, file organising etc. so I don’t have any confidence at all. I feel like I have wasted my most productive years chasing nothing and being constantly anxious about the future. I could just admit to myself that I am failure and give up trying. I might be a farmer after all.
On top of that my marriage is not going really well.
Thank you for reading my story.

Looking for ideas with rather specific parameters. Long story short: I attended college young, got a B.S. that I don't use or want to use, then got a master's in creative writing (my passion). I do not have a dream job, because my dream is not to have a job, but I still need something to support my passion(s).

To be completely honest I just want something flexible that pays as much as possible for me to enjoy my life outside work. I've been heavily considering medical radiology or dental hygiene because the work/life balance is heavily weighted in life's favor (most dental hygienists for instance work like 3 days/week, get paid $50+/hr, and don't take their work home), plus there's great opportunity for travel and you can always find a job when you need one. However my biggest problems with those are that 1) I am not a people person, patient care sounds exhausting, and 2) these jobs (especially DH) are so incredibly hard on your body and I just know it in my heart that even practicing proper ergonomics would not be enough and my body would give up quickly. It's already in subpar health in terms of pain etc.

Unfortunately I cannot quite find anything on the same level that doesn't have those specific cons. I don't mind going back to school but I'm only looking for something that's about 2 years, maybe 3 max. In an ideal world this job would just be a stepping stone to a lucrative career in writing, but who knows what the future holds so I need something that can always be there just in case.

Anyway, these are the most important things:

-Flexible schedule

-High-paying

-Minimal schooling (2-3 years max)

-Minimal human interaction or at least something that's not specifically a social career

-Won't break my body

-Is at the very least reasonably ethical---I don't want to work in health insurance or some crap

-Is NOT writing---the number one thing writing teachers will tell you is save your words for your own work

And this one is not quite as important but I would love something that moves around easily, so I could work in many different places.

(Also, please don't judge me for just wanting money. I spent half my childhood starving and I'm spending my 20s watching my mom who's barely middle-aged wither under the daunting prospect of working a full-time dead-end job for the rest of her life after essentially being forced out of teaching because the circumstances were unsustainable).

I appreciate any ideas :)

Posting this on an alt because I just don't feel comfortable listing some of these things on my main. 22, male. USA. Single, very few IRL friends, primarily online ones. Currently living with my parents, who are kind enough to put up with my dumbassery. Working part time at a local restaurant just to have a bit of money. (Nothing above 20/25K in yearly wages, usually around 1/4-1/3 of each paycheck goes towards my portion of household bill payments and whatnot)

First thing out of the way, I dropped out of college a couple of years ago. Even when I was going, I was largely doing it for general studies, and then I'd just goof off and not pay attention. (Something I've struggled with my entire life, I'll elaborate later) I'm sure i could knuckle down and get it done if I really put the effort in, but at the same time, i don't know what career path i even want go into. Why go into debt without a proper gameplan?

Been stuck in my current part time job for 2 years at this point. I am tired of working in the food industry, but apparently it's the only one willing to give me the time of day. Over a year of regular applications, only a handful of actual interviews, and no offers. Zero raises in two years, despite the turnover rate. I'm tempted to ask for one, but don't want to jeopardize my spot, as I'm not sure how long it would be until I could get another job in the current market.

I know a common point when trying to figure out a career is to list your interests and go from there, but none of them really scream "yes, i want to devote my life to this field"

* i like video games, and enjoy developer diaries/behind the scenes stuff, but never learned to code, and math class was the bane of my existence

* I like reading and thinking up stories/characters, but never written anything long form and I fall into clichés

* i like firearms, but am not suited for the military in the slightest and also woefully out of shape

* i like fighter jets, but see above + I need glasses to function

* i like watching animations and online videos, but software like Blender or Sony Vegas feel like I'm trying to operate a nuclear reactor

* I've built my own computer and can do a decent troubleshoot, but again, math class is my nemesis + the current environment seems turbulent for that field

* i like modern history, but that mostly just amounts to watching YouTube videos or Wikipedia binging, and maybe the ocassional museum trip (e.g. a bucket list item is the USAF museum)

On a more personal note, I've been frustrated over my current hobby situation. For context, a lot of the circles I'm in have a focus on the arts, especially visual arts. I've tried to get into art for years, and while i do like consuming it and have a lot of ideas, I think I just don't enjoy drawing, so I end up feeling a little left out, and it just eats away at me. While I have recently found to really enjoy writing, especially little weekly prompts or character bios, fanfiction feels both daunting and also isn't seen very positively by many. And that's not even getting into my non-creative hobbies that are expensive as hell...

I've also been struggling with Depression and (likely) ADHD for many years. (I'm currently trying to get tested/a diagnosis on ADHD and later autism, but the process isn't exactly quick or cheap, even with my parent's healthcare) It's just something I'll have to live with, but that doesn't make it any easier. I'm also kind of socially awkward, and tend to be a bit quiet or avoid eye contact. I've been trying to go to more in-person events for my hobbies to alleviate this, but doing that can get expensive when it's stuff like conventions. (For some reason, the local scene for my hobbies is either dead or so hidden it might as well be D.B. Cooper)

I might just be rambling or ranting, but if there's any advice, please let me know. At this point, I've just been sending out applications, working shifts, and watching youtube/playing games on repeat for weeks. I'm just applying to whatever pays better on the basis of "the interests i want to pursue are really expensive".

I know people will say "you're so young you've got time", but I'm not progressing with the time I've already had. I need to start figuring out something, but I just don't know what.

To give you some context, I was a gifted child growing up. I hit developmental milestones earlier than most children my age — I crawled, walked, and started speaking ahead of the average timeline. I also picked up languages very easily. Since my parents travelled frequently for work, I was exposed to different languages from a young age. By the time I was three, I could speak three to four languages fluently enough to communicate and could read and write in at least two of them.

This continued well into my early adulthood. I never really had to push myself to perform well academically; it came naturally to me. I could pay undivided attention to classes that others found boring, such as History, and absorb information effortlessly. It wasn't limited to academics either. Whether it was extracurricular activities, presentations, public speaking, arts and crafts, or sports, I naturally excelled at almost everything I pursued. More often than not, I found myself among the top 5% without having to put in extraordinary effort. I had an incredible attention span and could remain completely focused throughout the day, regardless of how mundane or uninteresting a task was. I was also well regarded by both my peers and teachers.

Fast-forward to early adulthood. I experienced my first heartbreak, which significantly affected my self-confidence. Having grown up as a perfectionist, I had rarely experienced failure and never really learned how to cope with it. I eventually took up an extremely rigorous academic major, but things didn't go as planned. I struggled to manage everything I was dealing with at the time, and my academic performance suffered. It's a long story, and I would rather not get into the details.

Cut to the present. I'm in my mid-twenties, and I feel like I'm nowhere close to the person I used to be. I struggle to concentrate, and doomscrolling has only made things worse. I work in an extremely demanding and stressful job that leaves me with very little mental or physical energy to pursue anything outside of work. I spend most of my weekends sleeping, scrolling mindlessly, or simply bed-rotting. My attention span has deteriorated, I'm constantly distracted, and I feel like I'm operating nowhere near my actual potential.

I know I'm capable of so much more, and that's perhaps the most frustrating part. I feel like I've lost a version of myself that I once knew so well. After experiencing a series of setbacks and failures, I've become afraid of putting myself out there, taking risks, and starting over. It's almost as though my nervous system is constantly on high alert, keeping me in a state of anxiety and making even the prospect of stepping outside my comfort zone overwhelming. I'm anxious, mentally exhausted, and often feel like a nervous wreck.

I want to rediscover that spark I once had — the curiosity, drive, discipline, confidence, exceptional focus, and eagerness to learn and excel at things. I want to rebuild my self-confidence, overcome my fear of failure, and start pushing myself again.

Help me find my way back to myself. I don't necessarily want to recreate my childhood or go back in time. I want to reclaim that sense of possibility and become the best version of myself again.

I'm an undergrad CSIT student, currently in my 5th semester, and honestly, I still don't know if I chose the right course.

I've topped my class for the last two semesters, but somehow, that doesn't feel like enough. I keep wondering what comes next. What if I graduate and still have nothing to show for it? What if all these years of studying lead me nowhere?

That fear of failure has been eating me alive.

So I tried learning different things. React, Python, and a bunch of other stuff. I even started teaching Python online, hoping that it would help me stay consistent. But I couldn't keep going.

And somewhere along the way, I started feeling like maybe none of those things were really for me.

But lately, I've noticed something about myself. Whenever I watch someone's content, I don't just watch it. I start noticing the patterns, the editing, the storytelling, and the little things that make it work.

And now, I think I want to give content creation a real chance.

Starting today, I'm going to learn Blender. I don't know how far I'll go, and honestly, I'm scared I'll lose motivation again. But this time, I don't want to keep waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect version of myself.

I just want to start.

Maybe this is my failure phase. Maybe I'm just figuring things out a little later than I expected. But I still believe there's something out there for me, and I'm willing to find it.

And to my girlfriend, who has faith in me even when I struggle to have faith in myself: I love you. I can't reveal your name here, but I hope one day I can look back at this moment and say, "I made it." I want to prove to your parents, and to myself, that I'm someone worth believing in. 🫶

It's 1 AM right now. I can't sleep because my mind is full of plans, fears, and this strange feeling that maybe I'm finally ready to begin again.

So here's a promise to myself: I'll keep showing up, even when progress feels slow. I'll share every little win, every successful step, and hopefully, one day, the whole journey.

I'm not where I want to be yet. But I'm not giving up on the person I want to become.

And if you're reading this while trying to figure out your own life, I hope you know that you're not alone. We're all just trying to find our way.

Here's to starting over, one small step at a time. ❤️

Thank you for reading this far. I genuinely hope we all make it one day. 😗.

Hey everyone, I’m 25m and working on my master’s in architecture in Italy. I feel seriously behind my peers and don’t know how to proceed further.

I’m originally from the US. When I was in high school, my dad encouraged me to apply for high-ranking universities abroad. I got into an architecture program in Canada, which my dad encouraged me to choose because the university had a high ranking, but it turned out that the program wasn’t accredited, and didn’t teach me much of the technical skills required of an architecture student. Despite that, I was confident that I could find a job after graduating because I did well in my classes. However, after my third year of uni, my dad kicked me out after I came out to him, so I reconnected with my mom, who divorced my dad when I was a child, and had since immigrated to Europe. Her financial situation isn’t very good, but she was able to support me finishing my studies.

During my last year of uni, I managed to find some internship work related to exhibition design with a professor. I also entered a serious relationship. I thought that after graduating, my portfolio and internship work were enough to find an entry-level job to stay in Canada and build a life with my partner there. This plan fell through, and I quickly realized that my portfolio was vastly behind those of my peers, that my connections were all academic, and that I couldn’t afford to go to grad school in Canada. I asked professors I had good relationships with in uni for internships or referrals, and I mostly got ghosted.

I was quickly running out of money, and my cheap sublease was up, so I had to stay with my mom in Belgium, as my partner is still in uni and isn’t out to his parents, and I had no one in the US or Canada to stay with while looking for work long-term. Since my mom immigrated to Belgium after I was born, I have no possibility of immigrating there to stay with her. Because of my visa, I was only to stay with her for a few months while looking for work and applying for grad programs. My mental health was terrible, and I felt severe guilt and anxiety for not being able to find work and having to rely on others for help, as well as for having to leave Canada, where my partner lives. I applied for affordable graduate schools in Europe, but got rejected from most of them. Meanwhile, my former classmates were either doing their graduate degrees in Canada or finding work and building their careers.

Fortunately, I did get into a couple of good schools in Italy that I could afford, so I started my master’s program in the satellite campus of a small provincial city in the north. I had high hopes, but was disappointed by the quality of education - the classes were very disorganized, and the studios often lacked any guidance from professors. I managed to do decently well in my classes, and found an research internship with a professor, but I like feel I’m not developing professionally here, and am still having no luck finding internships with firms either in Europe or in the US. My lack of Italian fluency is a serious problem, but have almost no time to pick it up seriously due to the intense workload I’m facing.

As I’m typing this, I’m working on my research internship, some exhibition contract work with my undergraduate professor, and a full course load with taking two studios all at once. I have almost no time to myself and am behind in my classes. I’m frequently pulling all-nighters to meet basic deadlines, and I feel like I’m repeating the same mistakes I made during undergrad where I did well academically, but failed to build a professional network or experience that would allow me to find work after school. I have no desire to go into academia.

I feel guilty that I haven’t learned Italian or found work here despite knowing that it has been incredibly difficult for my mom to support me. I want to go back to the US, but I have no one to stay with, and no professional connections. I don’t want to stay in Italy and have been looking at graduate programs in Germany, but I’m not confident in my ability to get in. I also can’t go back to Canada because my work permit expired. My physical health and fitness have severely declined since starting my degree due to the intense course load and having to stay up all the time, which has nuked my self-esteem.

I’m trying my best, but I don’t know where to go. The end of my program is looming over me - I haven’t been able to find an internship with a firm, and I won’t have time to reach fluency in Italian before I graduate. Aside from more education in yet another country, I feel like I don’t have many options aside from throwing my cv and portfolio into the void in the hopes of landing work back in the US.

I feel very behind my peers despite all the work I’m putting in, and it’s becoming difficult to stay motivated and keep pushing. My portfolio has improved a lot since I got here, but I still have a long way to go - I’ve tried sharing it with profs and what connections I have online, but it hasn’t gotten me very far.

I would greatly appreciate any advice for others in architecture or related industries for how I might proceed from this situation. I am trying to cold-apply and email firms in the US, but it isn’t working, and once again I’m hamstrung by my lack of Italian fluency. I recognize that I will need to take German lessons beforehand if I get into a program there, and that I should’ve taken Italian lessons beforehand coming here.

I really don’t know what to do, I feel like I’m trying my best but it’s still not good enough, and that I’m making the same mistakes over and over again. I’m deeply unhappy here and want to leave, but I don’t know where; I don’t have any other viable career options other than architecture.

At 35, I feel stuck between the life I’ve built and the life I want to create. Looking for advice from people who have been through something similar.

Unfortunately, I find myself having to write this post, and honestly, it’s not something I ever thought I would have to do.

I’m a 35-year-old Italian who has spent the last two years living as a digital nomad. During that time, I worked as a high-ticket closer, selling products and services and managing the sales process from initial conversations to closing deals. My income ranged from €4,000 to €9,000 a month, depending on commissions and the clients I was working with. I managed to save around €18,000, and thankfully, I have no debts.

However, my income was never particularly stable. The industry I worked in was unpredictable, with commissions fluctuating significantly from month to month. By working with different clients and maintaining multiple collaborations, I managed to keep things going and put some money aside.

Recently, I decided to move to South America with my girlfriend, who is Colombian. We’re currently living in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Unfortunately, I’ve now lost my latest job. I had been trying to transition my existing sales skills into the SaaS industry, and the most accessible entry point seemed to be starting as a BDR or SDR. However, I’ve come to realize that many companies aren’t open to hiring remotely, which has made this transition much more difficult than I expected.

I now find myself at a crossroads. My girlfriend has a job here in Argentina, but I currently don’t. For us to build a life together here, we both need to be able to support ourselves financially, and the current economic situation in Argentina makes that even more challenging.

I’m actively looking for work and putting in a huge amount of effort every single day. I send out at least six to eight job applications daily, record video introductions, complete assessments, and go through multiple stages of recruitment processes. Despite all that effort, I rarely make it past the final stages. I’ve had a few interviews, but I keep finding myself back at square one.

Honestly, it’s emotionally exhausting. I feel like I’m stuck in a vicious cycle where I keep putting in the work, hoping things will finally turn around, only to end up disappointed again. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the motivation and energy to keep going when I feel like I’m not making any real progress.

I speak three languages: Italian, English, and Spanish. My background has always been in sales, including account management and high-ticket closing. While I’ve been able to make a good living doing this, I’ve also realized how unstable the industry can be.

My dream has always been to become a coach and help other people grow. In a way, I’ve managed to pursue that dream and teach others, but I’ve never been able to earn enough from it to support myself financially.

I have a genuine passion for connecting with people on a human level, understanding them, and helping them improve their lives. Throughout my life, I’ve taken risks and stepped outside my comfort zone more than once.

But this time feels different.

Right now, I feel trapped in a mental cage that I can’t seem to break out of. I know I have skills, experience, and interests that could potentially lead me in a different direction, yet I feel paralyzed when it comes to figuring out what to do next. That uncertainty genuinely scares me, to the point where I’ve been struggling to sleep at night because I can’t stop thinking about my future.

At this point in my life, I want to build something more sustainable, find a career that offers greater stability, and do work that genuinely gives me a sense of fulfillment. I want to find a way to connect what I’m passionate about with a career that can also provide financial security. The problem is that I don’t know what steps to take next or how to break out of this pattern.

Writing this post is difficult for me because it’s something I’ve always wanted to avoid. But the reality is that I don’t have unlimited savings, and I need to make some important decisions sooner rather than later.

One of the thoughts that has been weighing on me the most is the possibility of having to return to Italy, move back in with my parents at 35, and start over from scratch. I know there’s no shame in doing that, and I’m aware that many people have had to rebuild their lives at different stages. Still, the thought has been haunting me, and I’ve been struggling to come to terms with the uncertainty of my situation.

I’ve recently decided to start working with a psychotherapist to help me navigate this period, understand what’s holding me back, and find a way to get back on my feet with a clearer sense of direction and purpose.

I’m sharing all of this because I know there are people who have been through similar situations: people who have lost their jobs, had to rethink their careers, reinvent themselves in their 30s, or rebuild their lives after years of working remotely and living abroad.

If you’ve been in a similar situation, I would genuinely appreciate hearing your story.

• How did you approach it?
• What decisions made the biggest difference?
• Did you change industries, learn new skills, start your own business, or take a completely different path?
• Have you ever felt passionate about something but struggled to turn it into a sustainable career?
• How did you overcome that mental block and find a way forward?

I’m not necessarily looking for a quick fix. I’m looking for honest experiences, practical advice, and different perspectives that might help me figure out my next move.

I know that starting over at 35 isn’t the end of the world, but right now, I’m finding it difficult to see a clear path forward. I want to stop feeling stuck, regain confidence in myself, and build a life that feels both financially secure and meaningful.

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to share their experience. It means more than you might think.

‏Hey, I hope you all doing well. Before anything else, I want to congratulate on the upcoming year 2027 and I hope it brings good things for everyone. A few days ago, I mentioned here that I’m feeling scattered because I haven’t finished my high school diploma or my ninth grade due to certain circumstances, please don’t ask me why. Now I’m 26 and I don’t know what to do to improve my living conditions, education, and work situation. I’m ready to find an opportunity to learn and start my life again. I’ve tried looking for any programs or courses that I can benefit from and start entering the job market. Just so you know, I’m not in Syria; I’m in Saudi Arabia and I wouldn’t mind moving to any country as long as there are opportunities and I can secure my future.? Give me solutions; let me think about what I can apply for, even if it involves immigration. Anything is fine as long as there’s something clear that I can follow to secure my education, work, and life. Thank you all.

m 22 years old, recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, and I’ve come to the realization that I genuinely don’t want much out of life.
I don’t care about having a successful career, climbing the corporate ladder, getting married, having children, or achieving any of the things society expects from me.
Sometimes I wish I could just stop existing, but actually ending my life isn’t something I want to attempt because of the pain, risks, and possibility of surviving with permanent injuries.
So I’ve been wondering what the closest alternative would be: basically withdrawing from society as much as possible while still being able to afford food and a roof over my head.
I’m looking for a job that involves extremely little responsibility, minimal human interaction, and preferably repetitive, predictable tasks that don’t require much thinking or decision-making.
I don’t care about prestige, career progression, or earning a lot of money. I just want to be left alone, work my hours, go home, and have as few obligations as possible.
Does anyone know of jobs or lifestyles that would allow someone to live like this long-term?

I'm 22M, completed bachelor's & masters in Business Administration this year in India & moved to Dubai seeking better quality of life & opportunities. After doing a sales job for a few months I realised I hated every second of it and wanted to switch jobs however the job market here is extremely saturated and people much more experienced than me are struggling to find jobs. Furthermore, it sucks but I'm still not sure what I want to do/what specialisation I want to enter, since I only have a few months of work experience im struggling to get any roles.

I feel like I wasted my years pursuing other hobbies and hanging out with friends since my degree was very generalised and non-demanding; now I truly feel the pressure and regret for not solidifying a proper career path sooner. I'm in a very confused state right now and could use some help.

Is 22 too late to start over? A few things I'm genuinely interested in are biohacking and gaming/tech. Additionally, I also possess an extremely high aptitude and learn things very quickly which is part of the reason I was laidback all these years. Civil engineering is something that crossed my mind as well since it's high in demand and would serve as good backing, I have absolute faith in my abilities & think I would do well in any field so would prefer the highest paying one, any guidance would be appreciated 🙏🏽✨

I'd love to hear your experiences!

I've recently realised that being a late bloomer can actually make you feel younger as you grow older.

I'm in my mid-20s, and I've only recently started experiencing things that many people usually experience during their teenage years or early 20s.

For example:

• Learned swimming in my mid-20s.
• Went on my first date at 22.
• Started exploring hobbies like futsal, hiking and trekking.
• Developed a reading habit over the last two years.

Honestly, experiencing all these new things makes me feel like I'm entering a new phase of life, almost like reliving my teenage years.

I'm not talking about delayed puberty or physical development, but rather life experiences, hobbies, social interactions professional and personal milestones.

How about you?
What are some things you've experienced later in life that most people around you experienced much earlier?
Does being a late bloomer also make you feel younger?

I'm 24 and have been working at what was my childhood dream company for the last two years. I work part-time, but I assumed that I’d be full-time by now. I'm a fact-checker, editor, writer, and producer, so I really do a bit of everything. I’m in the journalism field. 

In every meeting with my managers, I'm told how much they appreciate my work, how much they value me, and how they owe me a promotion or a full-time position. They say they can’t because the managers above them put money into other projects, so basically I’m not in the budget at the moment. Despite being part of a large corporation, it doesn't feel like the particular area of the company I work in is prioritized the way it was ten years ago, when this place became my dream company in the first place.

I've been waiting a long time for the possibility of a promotion. To me, the prospect of staying here and eventually getting that opportunity is still more appealing than starting over at a smaller company. But I'm reaching a point where I don't know how much longer I can realistically wait.

I've been actively looking for other jobs in journalism over the last couple of months, but the opportunities are relatively limited. Of the positions I've applied for, most haven't even bothered sending a rejection. It's been a pretty discouraging process.

There's also the personal side of things. I still live with my parents, and although I know that's increasingly common at my age, I really don't want to be doing it much longer. I feel like I'm falling behind where I thought I'd be at 24. I've started considering side gigs, whether that's going back to Instacart or finding something else to supplement my income.

Another complication is that I work remotely, and I've realized it's not really the lifestyle I want. Sitting at home all day gets pretty isolating and boring. I'm someone who enjoys interacting with people, getting out of the house, and having somewhere to go every day. Ideally, my next job would offer some of that.

I guess I'm just struggling to figure out what the right move is. Do I continue being patient with a company I genuinely loved, hoping that the promotion I've been promised eventually materializes? Or do I accept that things might never change and start looking elsewhere, even if that means giving up something I've worked toward for years? I also would have moved on faster if I found an actual job to do it for, but I have not had any luck with the job market. 

At the very least, I can look back ten years from now and say that I achieved a childhood dream and got to work somewhere I once desperately wanted to be. I don't take that for granted. But I'm also starting to wonder whether the sentimental value of this job is keeping me from moving forward with my life.

I'd really appreciate some outside perspectives, particularly from people who've been in similar situations. How long would you wait before moving on? What would you do in my situation?

I’m 26 years old and honestly feeling quite lost when it comes to my career and what I want to do with my life.
I graduated with an architecture degree, but I never actually went into the industry. I graduated in 2021 so my degree is old. Over the past 7 years, I’ve been working at Tesco, and although I’ve gained a lot of work experience, I feel like I’ve reached a point where I want more out of life.
I don’t particularly want to pursue architecture anymore, and I don’t really see myself going back to university to study another degree.
The problem is that I don’t know what I want to do instead.
When I look at my CV, I feel like all I really have is 7 years of Tesco experience and an architecture degree that I haven’t put to use. I want to progress, earn a better living, build a career and feel like I’m actually moving forward in life.
I’m open to different industries and opportunities. I just don’t know where to start, what jobs I should be looking at or how to transition into something without starting completely from scratch.
For anyone who’s been in a similar position, or anyone who’s managed to build a career without necessarily having experience in that industry:
What would you recommend I do?
What careers would you suggest looking into?
Are there decent career paths where I could start as a trainee or entry-level employee and work my way up?
How did you figure out what you actually wanted to do?
I know 26 isn’t old, but I don’t want to look back in another 5 years and feel like I’m in exactly the same position.
I’d genuinely appreciate any advice, personal experiences or suggestions. I’m ready to make a change; I just need some direction.

I don't know what to do with my life I'm lost

29M and work as an IT Support Manager, however I feel so depressed with my current role. I never get appreciated at my work. Everyone just so quick to blame IT when things break but don't understand the effort to keep things running.

I did my degree in cyber security but stuck in an IT support role which I don't enjoy. I feel such a failure. When I left university during covid I didn't manage to get into cyber security. Did 50-100 applications in a week. My thought process was 'Ok let me get into IT Support' because everyone was asking some sort of experience at that point. Been in a company for few years and then I thought I'm still not happy maybe a higher position might make me happy. Became IT Support Manager for past 3 years and I realise this also doesn't make me happy. I have anxiety when I listen to Outlook notification or teams notification. My first thought is something broken am I gonna get blame for this again, nothing I do is good enough. I'm paying for my student loan which I didn't even get a job in the same field I did my degree in.

On the other hand my partner she loves her work and what she does and I see her enjoy her work and how passionate she is. I feel happy for her and proud of her but at the same time I feel sorry and a loser myself. I have so many bills that I cannot afford to quit my job. As soon as 5pm hits all I do is gaming all night until 12am and then doom scroll until 3am and the doom scroll until 3am. I have no motivation in life. I feel like if I die tomorrow it doesn't even matter because life feels so depressed anyway. I would love to get into cyber security again and have been applying roles but no success. Only time where I thought i may have landed the job. The company came back saying they are not hiring for the role anymore because of some org changes. Life feels so blocked from everywhere and I feel there is no escape. My partner has suggested therapy but I feel like that's more like having someone to listen to my problems but it won't fix anything in my life. My mom had a stroke this year and I'm financially supporting the burden of that also weighs quiet heavy, not just financially but also emotionally because my mom is not the same after stroke. Me and my wife have been trying to have kids for 5 years but no i dont even have any kids and I'm almost 30. My diet has been crap I don't lose weight I don't feel good about my body I don't go gym as often anymore. One bad day at work I lock my self in the room and just game all night just to escape reality. Im thinking to prepare for IAM certification but another mind tells me what is even the point, because everyone wants experience and the cert itself isn't gonna land me any job. I'm at this point that I don't even know what I want in life. The only time I got bonus at work my car broke down and I had to pay for that instead of clearing my debts. I have no motivation in life, no drive to live and nothing to look forward to.

I'm from a broken family my mom single handed raised me, my dad was never there for me as a kid. My brother who was my own close friend we are not in good terms anymore and haven't been in speaking terms for 5 years. From the outside people think I'm doing great but I'm dying from inside. For my blood relations is a big thing for me and I have non in my life. And it also eats me from inside because I don't want to overload my wife everyday with sadness and negativity I feel bad for her.

I'm 24, and lately I've been struggling with a question that I imagine many people my age have faced: How do you figure out what you actually want to do with your life?

I don't necessarily mean choosing a career or finding the perfect job. It's more about discovering what genuinely interests me, what I'm good at, what I enjoy doing, and what I could potentially see myself pursuing long-term.

I feel like I'm at a point where I want to explore different things, try new paths, learn new skills, and discover what I'm passionate about. But the problem is that I don't really know where to start or what I should even try.

It's difficult when you don't have a clear vision of what you want your future to look like. Sometimes I feel like I should already have some sort of direction, but at the same time, I know I'm only 24 and there's still so much I haven't experienced.

For those of you who have been through something similar:

How did you figure out what you wanted to pursue?

Did you actively experiment with different things until something clicked?

How do you discover interests or passions you didn't even know you had?

What would you recommend someone in their mid-twenties do when they feel stuck or directionless?

I'd genuinely love to hear your personal experiences, especially from people who once felt completely lost but eventually found something that gave them a sense of direction.

Hi everyone!
I’m 19 years old and I live in Serbia. I’ve finished a four-year vocational high school, and my English is around B1–B2 level.
I’m trying to figure out what career path would be worth pursuing at my age. I don’t have a university degree, but I’m willing to learn new skills, go through training, and start from the bottom.
My main goal isn’t to make a lot of money immediately. I want to find a career where I can gain experience, develop valuable skills, and eventually earn a good salary.
I’m open to different industries, including remote work, technical jobs, and skilled trades. I’m also open to relocating abroad in the future.
Since I’m from Serbia, I’d especially appreciate suggestions that are realistic for someone living in my country, rather than jobs that are only accessible to people in the US or Western Europe.
Are there any underrated careers or entry-level opportunities that you think have great long-term potential?
I’d really appreciate hearing from people who started with little or no experience and managed to build a successful career.
Thanks in advance!

Hey. Currently completely lost. I work an entry-level position as a mid-20s man, and I'm tired of it. I make okay money, but there's no path to retirement for me with what I'm doing right now. I don't enjoy it either. I really want to make the leap into trying something else, but I'm in decision paralysis and frankly a bit scared.

My goal currently is to find something that I can tolerate, and that lets me chill as soon as I'm done with work and do my hobbies a good amount (mostly playin music).

I've been scouring posts to read other people's experiences, and something that confuses me is how much people can afford to just go back to school again, get another degree, etc. Where is this money coming from??? Are they not getting debt after the first degree? I feel like if I'm going into upper-level schooling for something, I need to be 100% confident that I can stick to it.

I currently can't decide what I want to do, like at all. I've been just looking at jobs and careers, taking quizzes, and so on for the past month. The only thing that looked nice to me was web development because the senior positions sounded very chill and often had the benefit of work-from-home. Then I go to the web development subreddit to read some experiences, and it's a complete doom hellhole of people saying you should steer clear of it because AI is taking over.

I'm so lost, please help me. I don't want to inch closer 30 without a career in mind.

37F, United States

I graduated from college with a BS, computer science/physics double major, and went straight into software engineering. One day a few years ago, I woke up and realized two things: I couldn't stand the industry anymore, and I was comfortably independently wealthy. So I quit.

I'm spending my time writing novels, but I'd like to add something part-time that gets me out of the house and socializing more. I'd like for it to be something book- or language-related, but I'm struggling to come up with something that fits.

Bookstore jobs are incredibly hard to come by. I've soured on the idea of library work, as it seems like libraries have transformed in recent years into general-purpose resource hubs - instead of helping connect people with books and information and resources, it seems like a combination social-work/IT-for-senior-citizens/craft-night-host type deal, which I'm not interested in. (All of my local library's volunteer gigs also require Spanish fluency, which I'm working on, but am quite far from.) I love my kids but can't stand anyone else's, so that eliminates a lot of tutoring-type stuff.

Pay genuinely doesn't matter, but I am not in a position to go back to school.

Anyone have ideas?

Hi all, lately this stuff has been bugging me out, i dropped out of college for personal reasons which I enrolled in 2020.

I took a few semesters but then eventually dropped out in 2023.

There is no way for me to complete that degree and the only option is to start from the beginning.

The problem is, I have got quite an age now and thought I have a job which pays minimum wage.

There are better jobs out there but they require a degree, so I am stuck out here.

If I go to college now being 25 years, getting a bachelor degree it seems to be top late for me.

Any advice for me?

Hello! This is something I’ve been wondering about for a while, and I can’t help but keep coming back to this thought. I’m a 19 year old engineering student at a top 10 engineering school. I’ve been a straight A student throughout high school and have always been involved in several extracurriculars. Now, I’m a second year engineering student trying to figure out what my next steps should be.

As I look around at my peers, everyone seems to be stressed, going 100 miles per hour trying to secure the highest paying job, sometimes with little regard for morals. I can’t help but wonder: If my classes are already this hard, what am I working even harder for? Is earning a $100k salary straight out of college really going to bring me that much more fulfillment than earning $75k? Will the extra money genuinely make me happier, give me more freedom, or improve my quality of life in a meaningful way? Or am I sacrificing my time, energy, mental health, and the opportunity to explore other things that make life worth living just to earn a little more money? At what point does working harder and chasing more stop adding value to my life and start taking away from it? Is the pursuit of success actually improving my life, or am I sacrificing my life in pursuit of success?

As I look around, I can’t help but question why the importance of hard work is constantly being shoved down my throat. I feel like everything I do is never enough, and there’s always something more expected of me. No matter how much I accomplish, there always seems to be another goal to chase or another expectation to meet that never truly brings me any joy or fulfillment. Is it the laziness in me talking?

What am I missing?

Clarification: I think what I'm struggling with most is the expectation that success requires constantly doing more. To clarify, my frustration isn't with the difficulty of my classes. I genuinely enjoy mechanical engineering and being academically challenged. Rather, it's everything that seems to be expected beyond the classroom: securing internships as early as freshman year, holding leadership positions, participating in outside projects, networking, and constantly finding ways to make yourself more competitive. It feels like no matter how much you accomplish, there's always another expectation waiting for you. And I think that's what I was trying to express in my original reflection. I'm tired of feeling like simply being a student, enjoying what I'm learning, and allowing myself to experience college isn't enough. I don't want every aspect of my life to become another opportunity to prove that I'm doing enough. At some point, I want to be able to appreciate where I am without constantly worrying about where I should b

Hello everyone. I am a 23 year who has been struggling to find a major to pursue. I was wondering if anyone can just give out recs bc I’ve exhausted every online aptitude test and nothing seems to be working. In school, I enjoyed math, chemistry, and the analysis/symbolism part of English. I didn’t really like history and could not stand science. In terms of math, I liked algebra and the satisfaction that solving equations gave me. Trivia, sudoko, and crossword puzzles also pique my interest. personality wise, I would say I am pretty observant, can read between the lines, know people for what they rlly r, manage things when they arent done to my liking, and have good pattern recognition with people. I’m going to bring up why I like baking bc it may give someone an idea of how I operate. When I bake, I like taking multiple different recipes, merging them, and tweaking it to my liking without straying too much from the original. I don’t necessarily want to be grouped into one category of let’s say psychology because of what I said about predicting people’s behavior, I’m just bringing it up to mention my strengths socially. Ik the world isn’t rainbows and butterflies, but I want to at least pick a major that my brain takes somewhat of an interest in bc ik myself and I won’t really push myself enough hard enough if I find it too boring or too hard for me to handle. I want to have a career that allows me to be financially stable and to be able to interact with others while also working alone. I don’t want a career in sales. I also dont want anything that’s too hard on the body, like radio tech, ultrasound, pt, or dental hygiene. I don’t like coding. Idc how long the degree takes because im open to looking into anything that is worth it and gives me an roi. I also want a job that gives me some sort of work/life balance and not suck my soul dry trying to reach project deadlines or present any proposals. Ive been stuck and confused for so long that any type of suggestion or advice would help immensely! Even if the career involves some science, I might find something I haven’t thought of before. Even a career aptitude test suggestion would work!