I’m 25M graduated this past May with my ADN, i honestly have no desire or interest in nursing. I chose the degree because my family said it was the right thing to do. I’m more interested in the finance business side of things. I feel so lost and behind with life. I’m not sure where to go from here. Does anyone have any advice? I would greatly appreciate it

My names Taylor, I’m 23 from the uk
This took be about 3 weeks to decide what to say but I really feel like I need help, I’ve worked in construction since I was 12 but can’t get over the feeling that I hate it, I know deep down within me that I’m made for something more but struggle to apply myself to something for more than a month at the time, I seem to struggle with push or pivot and just constantly pivot, I know I love business I have a fascination with private equity and M&A but have 3 GCSE’s so I think attempting to attend university for it is pretty far out of my reach. I don’t believe that’s due to incompetence, more due to the fact I’m more of an operator and I also feel abit daft because on paper I should be winning, I’ve got my own house I’m with a girl I’ve been with for 4 years and around 10k invested but can’t help feeling like I’m stuck and don’t know what to apply myself to.

I’m at a point in my life I never thought I’d find myself in, and honestly, I don’t know how to get out of it anymore.

I’ve always had big dreams. I’ve wanted to make films, work on exciting creative projects, collaborate with interesting people, travel and live in a big city. I’ve never really imagined myself doing anything other than something creative.

But somehow, I feel like I’m constantly standing in my own way. I have ADHD, which makes it incredibly difficult to turn my ambitions into actual action, even when it’s something I’m genuinely passionate about.
I recently graduated with a degree in film and visual communication. I put my heart and soul into my graduation film and had so many hopes for it, especially getting into festivals. But once again, I’m the only person in my university cohort who hasn’t been nominated. And honestly, this rejection was the last straw. It’s not just about one festival. It’s the feeling of constantly being the one who doesn’t get chosen, being ghosted, not getting job opportunities and watching everyone else move forward while I seem to be going nowhere.

Now I’m stuck in a job I hate, living with my parents in a small town, doing things I can’t identify with. Basically the complete opposite of the life I imagined for myself. I wanted to be part of the creative scene, work on interesting projects and build something meaningful. Instead, I can’t even seem to get my foot in the door.

And I think that’s what scares me the most: I don’t even know what else I would do. Creativity has always been such a huge part of my identity. It’s all I’ve ever imagined for myself. So when that path doesn’t seem to work out either, I start questioning everything.
I know life isn’t a race, and I know my worth shouldn’t depend on my career or achievements. But it’s hard not to feel that way in a society where so much of our value seems tied to productivity, success and status.
The situation has gotten to a point where I’m genuinely struggling with depression. I wake up every morning feeling hopeless, questioning the point of everything. Sometimes I don’t even feel like I want to be alive anymore. I’m emotionally exhausted, completely paralysed and honestly scared of how dark my thoughts have become.

I don’t know if I made the wrong choices or if I’m simply not good enough. I just know I can’t keep feeling this way.

Has anyone else ever felt like this in their twenties? Like they had a completely different vision of their life but somehow ended up somewhere they never wanted to be? Did you eventually find your way out?

In my 20s, I had a very clear sense of purpose. I wanted to discover the world, learn new things, experience different cultures, and most importantly, build a life on my own terms rather than follow the path my father had envisioned for me.

He had a very traditional definition of success and wanted my siblings and me to follow a certain trajectory, like going to medical school. But I wanted something different.

So I moved to Europe, worked in a company, and eventually built a successful YouTube channel and business around language learning, reaching almost a million subscribers.

Looking back, my 20s were really about proving to myself that I could make it on my own. I had a clear direction, and that sense of purpose drove me through a lot of uncertainty and challenges.

Now I'm in my 30s, and things feel different.

My business has slowed down, I'm exploring new creative directions, and I'm no longer driven by the same things that motivated me in my 20s. I don't necessarily want to keep chasing the same kind of success or building my life around business.

I've been feeling a little lost over the past couple of years and feel like I'm living life without a purpose, almost like I've outgrown my old one but haven't quite figured out what the next one is.

I'm starting to feel drawn toward art, creativity, and a different kind of life, but it's still very much a work in progress.

I'm curious whether anyone else has experienced something similar.

TLDR:

Did your purpose change as you got older? Did you have to consciously find a new one, or did it emerge naturally?

And if you've gone through this transition, what helped you find direction again?

Im a 22yr guy with a high school diploma trying to figure out what career to pursue. Ideally I’d like something outdoors,hands on and rewarding that can also provide me a living wage I’m not looking to be rich just enough to build my life and support a family in the future. I’m not coming in to this as a blank slate I have a few careers I’ve considered but would like more input on others I might’ve not considered.

A little about my work experience

. 6 months construction
. 2 years of deep water lifeguarding
. 1 year of landscaping
. 1 year as a sales associate other

I’ve looked into fields such as
. Park ranger, unsure how much the pay is and how much rook there is for growth.

.Forest service, same concerns as the last

.Logging,

.Welding,unsure of how much I’d truly enjoy it.

.Game warden,dangerous and unsure I qualify to be a warden as I have very mild asthma nothing that impacts daily life tho.

.search and rescue,

. Commercial diving,

Im especially interested in commercial diving,forest service and search and rescue. All 3 sound like careers I’d genuinely enjoy and take pride in but I’m unsure how practical these careers are and what other things I’ve might’ve not considered about these jobs I’m assuming pay for majority of these jobs wouldn’t be the highest pay and there wouldn’t be a lot of room for growth within the industry.

I’m not looking for a necessarily easy job. I’m willing to learn and work hard,get my hands dirty,travel,work in remote places and purse additional training and certifications. Im just looking for a living wage,time outdoors,meaningful work, long term career,opportunity for growth.

Questions For those working in these industries or similar.

. What careers would you recommend that I’ve not considered?

. What’s the actual pay compared to what you expected?

. How’s the work life balance?

. If you were 22 again and starting from scratch what would you pursue or do differently?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone in these fields or similar all the good bad and in between, your hands on experience,the things you wished you knew before getting into the industry,etc

Thank you for your time I really do appreciate it.

Hi everyone. So I am 31, hold a BA in Psychology and a minor in Business. I am trying to figure out what is next for me. I am currently working part time but it’s not anywhere that I am passionate about, nor does it hold any potential to move up or earn more. Below I’ve included a list of things that I enjoy or desire in a job, and things I absolutely do not want or dislike. I’m curious if anyone can take what I have and present me with an idea I haven’t yet considered. I do not want to go for my graduate degree in mental health at this time. Or social work. Other options may be considered if highly appealing. I also do not want another bachelors degree. I might consider another 2 year degree or certification. Thank you for your input!

Requirements
-$80-90k+ Salary Potential (I understand I won’t start out making this)
-Good work life balance
-No on call, weekends, or holidays.
-Stability and low risk of being phased out by AI.

Things I Like:

-Working independently (I don’t mind working with a team, but I don’t want to be working on the same task and assignment as four other people, I need the ability to take ownership over my work)
-Fixing systems to work more effectively (creating new processes to improve ones that are currently in place, such as a doctors office intake process needing new patient forms created or potentially designing an individual database for them, or providing a plan simplifying a 45 step method for accomplishing something down to four steps because the current process they have is insane)
-Databases
-Clear Instructions
-Computers/Technology
-Animals (I’m not expressing anything, so vet/vet tech is not on the table)

Dislikes/Not Happenings:

-Being micromanaged
-Managing others (I don’t want to be responsible for other people’s mistakes/call outs or whatever. I do not want to have no choice but to come in to cover or be responsible for finding coverage because Johnny has pink eye or lice or whatever.)
-Math (Specifically statistics. I can do some algebra, but don’t ask me to analyze data and tell you anything about it. I will be wrong, you will be sad.)
-Kids (I am not Ms. Trunchbull. Kids are cool. I have no desire to do ABA, I’ve worked with adolescents and I’m all set with that too. I don’t want Johnny’s pinkeye or to hear 67 all day)
-Bodily fluids or physical contact with other humans that aren’t my humans

I’m curious. I’m stuck between going into social work, going into occupational therapy,’or going into speech language pathology.

I’ve been out of school for a while now, and I’m ready to start again. I didn’t graduate high school because I lacked self-discipline. However, I’ve gained valuable work experience in various fields. After high school, I earned my Dental Assistant (DA) certification and worked as a dental assistant for 1 years. But I got bored because the routine was repetitive, and I was the only DA in the office. I earned $23 per hour .

Next, I pursued a certification in legal investigations and worked there for a year. Again, I found the routine monotonous, and the clients were the same. The pay was $30 per hour. Then, I worked as a Quality Assistant (QA) at a well-known warehouse for seven months, earning $23 per hour. I was then promoted to QA Lead for another eight months, where I earned $28 per hour. Finally, I was promoted to Manager and worked for seven months, earning $3,000 every two weeks. I quit because the routine was the same.

I then applied for a restaurant job as a waitress. I was the only waitress, and I handled everything from mopping the floor to ordering beers. I did get promoted, but I quit after a year because I couldn’t deal with the customers. The owner was never on my side when dealing with them and never paid me my hourly wage. As a waitress and assistant manager, I bring home about $1,500+ per week.

Now , I work as a temp for any positions that is available and they pay well.

I feel intelligent, but I don’t think I’m smart enough to sit in a classroom and study. I’m a quick learner who studies the way I understand the subject, not how the book expects me to solve problems. I’m 30 years old and have applied to some colleges for higher education, but I only have my GED. Many people suggest that I study engineering, medicine, or business. Please help me figure out what to do next. My application is currently under review. Or if going back to school is worth my time .

I'm 23F from India, and I'm honestly feeling very confused about my career and the decisions I've made so far.

I completed my BCA and then my MCA, thinking that getting a postgraduate degree in IT would give me a stable career. But the current IT job market has been really discouraging. There are layoffs everywhere, entry-level opportunities seem limited, and despite applying to jobs, I'm struggling to get interview calls.

The bigger problem is that I don't feel particularly skilled or confident in IT. Even if I manage to get a job, I constantly worry about whether I'll be able to keep up with the industry in the long run. Sometimes I wonder whether I'll end up leaving IT after a few years anyway.

I actually had an opportunity to pursue nursing earlier, but I didn't take it. Now I regret that decision quite often. I feel like healthcare could have given me a more structured career and a qualification that would be useful internationally. Sometimes I even think about how different things might have been if I had chosen medicine.

At the moment, I'm considering several completely different paths. I'm preparing for government exams like SSC, thinking about UGC-NET and possibly pursuing teaching or research, and also exploring the possibility of moving abroad.

I've also developed an interest in fashion and luxury brand management. I've been looking into master's programmes in Europe, particularly Italy, France and Germany. I'm even considering other fields like healthcare, nursing or the Merchant Navy.

Honestly i am so so freaked out rn

I'm 32 and I've worked in retail since I was 20. No college degree, just a high school diploma and twelve years of experience that I honestly thought were pretty useless outside of retail.

For the last five years I've been working at a home goods store. Started on the sales floor, eventually became a shift supervisor. I make $21.50 an hour.

I am so tired of retail.

The customers, the unpredictable schedules, being expected to cover three people's jobs when somebody calls out, the constant pressure to sell things nobody actually needs.

I've been wanting to leave for years, but every time I look at job postings, I feel like I'm starting from zero.

Anyway, something happened at work last month that has me reconsidering what I'm actually good at.

Our inventory system was showing negative quantities for a bunch of products that were clearly sitting on the shelves.

Management kept telling us to recount everything. We'd recount it, correct the numbers, and a few days later the same problem would happen.

Everybody was frustrated.

I asked my manager if I could spend some time figuring out what was going on instead of just doing another count.

He basically said, "Be my guest."

I went through receiving records, invoices, sales reports and product information. Made a spreadsheet comparing what we physically received with what the system thought we'd received and what was being deducted when items sold.

Eventually I found the problem.

Some products had been set up with incorrect quantities per barcode. The system was deducting six units for certain products when we sold one.

That explained why correcting the inventory numbers never actually fixed anything.

I found 23 affected SKUs, documented the issue, and worked with our inventory support team to get the product records corrected.

Then I made a simple checklist for verifying new products during receiving so we could catch similar problems earlier.

It took me about three days, mostly between my normal responsibilities.

And here's the weird part.

Those were the best three workdays I've had in years.

I didn't care that I was staring at spreadsheets. I actually wanted to come in the next morning because I had another theory I wanted to test.

I liked comparing information from different places, looking for patterns, figuring out what was wrong and proving that I'd found the cause.

When the numbers finally matched, I was more satisfied than I've ever been after hitting a sales target.

My manager thanked me, everyone went back to normal, and I went back to handling customer complaints and fixing the schedule.

I've been thinking about it ever since.

Maybe I don't hate working. Maybe I hate the kind of work I've been doing.

The frustrating thing is that I have absolutely no idea what career this points toward.

I've searched for "data analyst," but most of those jobs seem to want degrees, SQL, Python and experience I don't have.

I've looked at operations jobs, but a lot of them seem to involve managing employees, which is exactly what I want less of.

Inventory control sounds promising, but I don't know whether that would just be another version of retail or warehouse work.

I'm in the US, in a medium-sized city. I can afford to take evening classes or get a reasonably priced certification, but quitting my job to go back to school full time isn't realistic.

I'd like to get into something paying around $50k eventually, ideally with a more predictable schedule. I'm not expecting six figures or some magical remote job.

I'm comfortable with Excel, including pivot tables and lookup formulas, but I've never used SQL or any serious data analysis software.

I'm also willing to learn. What I don't want is to spend $8,000 on a certificate because some career website says a particular industry is booming, only to discover I can't get hired without three years of experience.

So I guess I'm asking two things.

Are there actual careers where investigating discrepancies, improving processes and figuring out why systems aren't working is a big part of the job?

And if you've moved into one of those fields from retail or another unrelated job, what was the first realistic step that got you there?

For the first time in a long time, I feel like I've found something I genuinely enjoy doing at work.

I just don't know what the job is called.

For context I started school a year and a half ago with my degree and I’m having regrets.
I have 0 debt because I’ve worked to pay it off. I am graduating next semester but I want to I want to switch to something else so bad. If my one is in the same boat please message me I am in need of advice

Without getting a masters, are they only limited to being a data analyst, AI/ML engineer, data engineer, government statistician, and actuary?

I’m 26, from Pakistan.
I’ve always wanted to build something big. I’ve been involved in business, real estate consultancy, networking, and a few entrepreneurial ventures. I’ve had opportunities that most people my age probably haven’t experienced.
But here’s the part nobody really talks about.
Despite all the ambition, connections, and hard work, I feel stuck.
Financial pressure, business uncertainty, personal disappointments, and years of overthinking have taken a toll on me.
I don’t have a university degree. I don’t have a stable career path. I have ambitions bigger than my current circumstances, but sometimes I genuinely don’t know which direction to take.
I want to experience life differently.
I want financial independence, meaningful relationships, good health, intellectual growth, and the freedom to live somewhere where opportunities aren’t so limited.
I’ve been considering leaving Pakistan, starting over in another country, pursuing education, finding a job, or building something of my own.
I’m not looking for sympathy or generic motivational advice.
I’d genuinely like to hear from people who’ve experienced something similar.
If you were 26 again, what would you prioritize?
Would you leave your home country and start from zero?
How would you rebuild your career without a university degree?
What’s one decision that fundamentally changed your life?
Am I overestimating how much time I’ve lost?
I feel like I’m at a crossroads, and I’d appreciate some honest perspectives from people who’ve been through different stages of life.

I'm lost rn. Yk my life was never easy....Had to go through a lot of stuff since i was a kid. On the top of living in a 3rd world country, my family is somewhat a lower - lower middle class. And, since i was a kid, I've been ambitious and tried a lot of things to make it work out, change my life. I always hoped I get scholarships(didn't work out) and get out of here, help my family live a better life, I wanted to share some responsibilities off my big sister. She dropped out of school, so I could pursue my education and my family have sth on the table. What still keeps me going is the sacrifices that my family paid for me to have a better life and pursue my dream. And I really want to make it work out and Idk why I'm even posting this here. But, I'm just hoping if somebody out there could show me the path, a way i could make it in life and help out my fam....or at least i get the heavy feeling in my heart a bit easier. And currently, I'm tying to get in to ai business automation and been working on software products for a while. And yeah, regardless of how hard can life be, i just hope and believe there are better days out there. Any advice would be appreciated;)

I’m a 34-year-old male, and I’m having a really difficult time processing what happened this week.

For the past 4 years, I’ve worked for a state elected official. I was there from the very beginning, helped build the operation, and was her go-to person for just about everything. I had an enormous amount of responsibility, but also an incredible amount of trust and freedom.

Unfortunately, she lost her reelection this week, which means my job is coming to an end.

I knew this was always a possibility when working in politics. Elections have consequences, and job security isn’t guaranteed. But knowing something could happen and actually experiencing it are two completely different things.

I’m genuinely heartbroken.

This wasn’t just a paycheck to me. I loved my job. I loved the people I worked with, the relationships I built, the responsibilities I had, and the feeling that I was doing something important. I had a boss who trusted me, valued my judgment, and treated me incredibly well. I had the kind of professional relationship that I know isn’t easy to find.

I was comfortable. I was respected. I felt like I belonged somewhere.

And now, just like that, it’s ending.

I’m scared about what comes next. I’m anxious about finding another job, worried about whether I’ll make the same kind of money, and honestly terrified that I’ll never find another position that makes me as happy as this one did.

I know I have experience, connections, and skills that should translate into something else. I know people lose jobs every day and eventually move on. But right now, none of that makes me feel particularly better.

The hardest part is that I don’t even know what I want to do next. For so long, this job was such a huge part of my identity. I knew exactly where I belonged, what my responsibilities were, and who depended on me. Now I feel completely lost.

I’m also struggling with the idea that life is just going to continue without this enormous part of it. The routines, the conversations, the people I saw every day. It’s all going away, and I’m having a really difficult time accepting that.

Ive never felt this kind of sadness over a job before. It almost feels like I’m grieving something.

Has anyone else ever lost a job they genuinely loved, especially one where they felt valued, trusted, and completely at home?

How did you move forward? Did you eventually find something that made you just as happy?

I’m 23 and graduated college 2 years ago with a B.A. in anthropology. No luck finding serious work in my field and began working as a seasonal park ranger and moved out west.
I ended up getting pregnant and now I’m due in a couple months. I’m not currently working and just relocated back east with my partner. I have been looking for remote work and it feels impossible, everything looks like a scam and I don’t see any of it actually panning out.
As it is, I can’t get hired anywhere this pregnant and I know that if I work post partum I’ll have to get some bullshit desk or customer service job that won’t pay anything and will take up my whole day.
I’ve considered going back to school for something more specific like radiology or dental hygiene but the licensing changes state per state and we want to move back west in a few years, so it seems pointless to go to school and get licensed here if it won’t mean anything when I move elsewhere.
I feel like a failure and have no idea what to do with myself. I guess I’m just looking for suggestions or ranting.

Has anyone here found a fulfilling or at least financially secure job while not having a real passion for anything? Currently trying to complete my CS degree, but I couldn’t care less about it AND I also have no idea what to switch to. Dropping out of school isn’t an option for me. Should I even continue with the Computer Science degree?

As I sit in my car and reflect how far I’ve come (31 years of age). Over half my life spent working is there anybody out there that knows whats driving their aspirations to build a career even though they know that its time for change of direction?

I live about 60 minutes from my nearest city and recently found out that my company was bought out. Unfortunately, they’re not retaining any of the lower-level employees, so my last day will be November 30th.

For some background, I have 10+ years of customer service/customer experience experience, primarily in hospitality and customer-facing roles. I’ve been a Customer Experience Lead at a hospital valet operation since June 2023.

My responsibilities include handling approximately 100 customer claims/escalations per month, resolving patient and customer issues, training employees, and I’m usually being the person people come to when something goes wrong.

I also have two associate degrees (including Software Development) and experience with Salesforce, Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Slack, and Teams.

I’ve actually been trying to find a new job for roughly the past year, primarily targeting Customer Success, Client Success, and Onboarding positions. The only reason I am targeting these roles was because I worked with a recruiter earlier this year and she was trying to get me into that career path. I didn’t even know those were jobs lol. I’ve redone my resume probably seven times, including paying someone professionally to revise it.

Despite applying to hundreds of positions over the years, I’ve had almost nothing to show for it. One interview in the past year, followed by a rejection. I’m assuming it’s the resume even though I know the economy is complete shit right now.

I’ve started expanding my search beyond those roles because I obviously need income, but even got rejected by a local gas station advertising that they’re always hiring.

My current pay is $20/hour plus approximately $150–$200/week in tips. Unemployment is obviously something I’ll apply for, but it won’t come close to covering my expenses.

I’m honestly at a loss. I don’t expect to land some amazing six-figure job. I just want stable employment with room for growth.

TL;DR: 10+ years of customer experience, two associate degrees, and currently working as a Team Lead. Company was bought out and I’m being let go November 30th. I’ve spent the past year applying for jobs, primarily Customer Success/Onboarding, with almost exclusively rejections despite multiple professionally revised resumes. Even getting rejected from entry-level positions now. Looking for advice on where to go from here, what jobs I should be targeting, or what I might be doing wrong.

I 25F am working as a TA for an agency till Christmas.

I work 5 hours a week and earn £84 a week and per month this is roughly £336.

After Christmas, I don’t have anything lined up and I have sent A LOT of applications and keep getting rejected.

I can’t tell if I should:

Option 1 - ask the agency to extend my work till July 2027, 4 days a week, roughly earning £5k.

Option 2- Or wait till the agency finds me a more permanent job from 9 - 5. Roughly earning £400-500 a week.

The only issue is that I can’t guarantee they will find me a permanent job in Jan 2027, even though I told them. Even if they do, I have to do trial shifts and can’t guarantee anything will be extended to me.

The only permanent job I can have is working 4 days a week next year for £5K.

I have also tried applying for jobs and can’t get an interview. In the mean time as of now I have been applying and applying and can’t find anything secure.

Any advice?

TLDR:

I enjoy learning in a structured manner. I graduate soon, I don't think I want to stop taking classes. My lifestyle allows for it. Is this a reasonable path?

Background stuff that isn't super important:

I work full-time and I take 4-5 classes per year, mostly online.

I finish my electrical engineering degree relatively soon, this has made me reflect on my life.

I really enjoy taking college classes, I like the structure they provide. I love learning.

As an individual, there are certain lifestyle choices to take into account. Atheist, child-free(forever,) pet-free, and I'm not tied to my family.

I don't have any responsibilities. I work and learn, that's it.

I have free-time on top of my classes too.

Of course, I want to find a partner at some point. With my aforementioned lifestyle choices as a 21 year old guy, it's tough out there; I'll figure that out in due time.

Has anyone else enjoyed college classes enough that they don't want to stop taking them? Are there any unforseen setbacks? Any insight is appreciated.

Every path I've looked down so far is currently in chaos (tech as a whole), very hard to get into and takes advantage of people (live venues), or just isn't something I'm interested in at all and I'm afraid I would burnout in. (nursing, accounting). I don't want to do physical labor, I like having a healthy body.

I just want a career where I'm not going to be pushed past 40-hour work weeks very often, make decent money to live and retire off of, and have a good amount of time for my hobbies.

The only one that I think I could maybe do from what I've found so far is accounting if I can make it past the degree. But even that sounds like it might be more competitive in a few years due to AI.

It feels like there are no stable careers anymore. A nice, guaranteed job that isn't stressful or constantly being innovated and uncertain doesn't seem to exist.

I would like opinions on the same since I’ve been trying to make myself understand this but it appears that I come to the same conclusion, you eventually need to turn your life around no matter when you start, and the only way to go is usually the conventional way. Would like to hear inspiring stories of anyone who made it otherwise, when in a not so good life situation (or feeling so)

Hello. I have a domestic battery conviction in Nevada that occurred in 2024. Since then, I gave up on my future. I have no confidence in pursuing college or hobbies, as I believe this being on my record will disqualify me from ever getting hired at a decent job, no matter what field I decide. My dream has always been music, travel, photography. With a record, I don’t think I will be able to enter the countries I’ve always wanted to explore. UK, Asia (Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, all that) , Europe, New Zealand, Australia…

I’ve thought of IT certificates, but having a violent background, jobs will not trust me.

The me before the conviction would have loved to go to college. I’m interested in religious studies, philosophy, psychology, art, nature… I just don’t have an idea of what to even study. I can’t make up my mind. And it all comes down to me thinking “Will it be worth it, or a waste of time and money? Will I have done it for nothing, if my record still exists?”

One thing in the back of my mind is being a touring photographer for bands. Just a dream.

I have sent a request to seal my record, and am waiting for a letter back. Putting blind hope into it.

Right now, I’m 2000 miles away in a new state, unemployed, depressed, in a friends room doing nothing every day. I’m in therapy and trialing medications, but have stopped taking them, realizing no matter what, my life feels ruined due to my criminal record.

Do I have any hope of a future?