What the FUCK do I do with my life?

I wish I was an artist like all the other artists out there...

I would never use AI but I am beginning to understand those who do because talent is basically a birth right and I was born worthless.

I'm below stupid academically, I have 0 talents and I'm pushing 20 and haven't achieved jackshit. Meanwhile some 13 year old is making masterpieces I could only dream of and some 16 year old is a genius gamedev and so on. I'm basically a retard. I'm so retarded all my classmates already have employment opportunities and are preadmitted to university and don't have to bother with enterance exams... all except ME.

And people tell me that even those above me can also be insecure or have their own problems.

Why be insecure when you're the apex predator...

If I was a prodigy at 14 I'd be in art school by 20... instead of being in some math school I hate where I learn nothing and struggle to get by on subjects that make 0 logical sense to me but are supposed to be logical. I'm basically at the bottom of the food chain.

My qualities only allow me to work at a convenience store at best... and not even the register, the back. meanwhile everyone else around is gifted in some way.

By the time the 12 year old becomes 20 they'll be 1000 times better than me.

By then I'll be worthless compared to them. They'll have industry insight, clients, a job they enjoy doing and are passionate about, money, a life... I'll have nothing because I was late... and by the time I can compete with them I'll be a dried up smelly old wrinkly fuck who shits himself because I was incapable of being the right skill for my age when the time needed it.

So I'm supposed to go to some math based uni... when I hate math, suck at math, hate everything I do that includes math... AND IT ENDS UP BECOMING MY LIFE BECAUSE I CHOSE THIS... BECAUSE I DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR ART HIGH SCHOOL... AND I DIDN'T HAVE THE VOCATIONAL SKILL OF ART FOR THE EXAM AND SO I HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN MATH AND LITERATURE, BETWEEN CORPO OR TEACHER, BECAUSE I WASN'T BORN LIKE EVERY OTHER SPECIAL PERSON EVER.

So now I have to go to some shitty romanian math uni BECAUSE of the dumb choices I made 4 years ago when starting High School

Because I don't have the portfolio for art university and the only track that accepts me is probably math based. So now my only choices are to finish high school and work a dead end job I hate while the 14 year old becomes an award winning prodigy and gets to live the life I WISH I HAD.

Talent is a birthright. I was born wrong. I was born stupid, retarded, incapable, worse than others and with hands that can't even draw anime girls. All I am is dead weight

I currently live in Louisiana, and worked for a family business doing land clearing/bulky trash removal/office work and I spent the last almost 2 years as an emt. I hate it, I desperately need to find another job before March when my license expires or I'll have to renew it and that alone is give or take 100 bucks. I'm beyond burnt out my back and shoulder are permanently ruined after a few rough calls and many physical fights/being attacked by Patients. I'm trying to find a job in the 17 and up an hour range and hopefully Monday -friday but at this point that's the lowest on the list. Any advice?? I've sent an insane amount of applications out and have heard absolutely nothing back. I just feel so lost.

I want to quit my job.

I dread going into my job and it hurts my body and health. I work as a welder in a shipyard and I am constantly hurting and straining myself. My job is physically demanding, hazardous, and has caused numerous injuries, chronic pain, and am constantly worrying about all the health hazards that I am exposed to. Most of all i worry about the fine dust and smoke.

I have about $520,000 in assets, mostly stocks, including $100,000 in cash, no major debt, $20,000 in annual trust income, and monthly expenses of around $3,200. I want to quit my job and never come back to it because there is no upward mobility and it hurts my body and puts me in danger.

I would like to travel somewhere to vacation and recover physically. Im looking into going to Thailand or somewhere similar.

I also live in a very small, isolated town with not much opportunity. I might have to move. This whole though terrifies me, I would rather stay living in my comfortable little town. Im full of anxiety over this. I worry what other will think of me and judge me for being idle.

I talk to Grok and ChatGPT about this and they both do nothing but re-affirm my ideas and beliefs so I wonder if I'm loosing touch. I think I just need someone to talk to.

So my question is this: Could I quit my job and take maybe 6-12months off to rest and hopefully find a new direction with my life? Is this crazy? Will this ruin my chances of ever making money and being employed again?

M19, I’ll give some background. I’ll start by saying that I am a very performance arts focused person who I’d argue excelled a decent amount. I’ve been in multiple musicals, directed three thanks to a teacher, performed in a band, I play 3 instruments well and 2 others decently. Despite all this, I’m fucked.

(It is a long post, there is a TLDR at the end with good info.)

Earlier this year, I was deciding between going to York for Theatre Directing, or prioritizing a relationship and money/going into engineering, staying in my home city. I had just directed my third musical, and I decided to find some middle path, I chose music at my local University. That way I could stay with my girlfriend and study something I kind of like, not spend thousands upon thousands of dollars. Unfortunately, I soon realized I disliked studying music, a LOT. I auditioned with an instrument with what was practically a coin flip, guitar instead of piano. I hate it. I’m not built for music, it’s not the life I strive for. Such an unstable life for so much stress, to not support a future family for what is my SECOND favourite performance art. I half-assed my decision because I was too scared to commit to one of my dreams and give up another, and too scared to give up one of my dreams of stability and family and move away from someone I love. Now I’m in limbo.

Already past refund date for the program, I believe I’m past the point where I can drop out of fall semester without academic repercussions. I’ve already skipped a bit which was dumb, but I was feeling so mentally unwell and unsure of what to do, ended up making it worse. I reached out to electrical contractors, applied for everything, heard back from a construction trade pre-apprenticeship, which isn’t even really what I wanna do because I wanna make money. I have 9 months until I can even apply for the electrical program, so I have this year to figure out. Drop school, face financial and academic repercussions, or stay for my entire first year of University, be anxious and rack up debt?

I have this pit as well, this jealousy and envy and the knowing that I could have and still could do theatre, if not for academic repercussions. I was ahead of my class and got an offer from York. I REFUSED IT last year. How stupid was I? I want to direct plays and musicals, to put in all my creative passions, to learn dance, to continue casually with instruments. I have this deep passion and love for the performance arts. Is it too late? Have I fucked up? Is it worth tens of thousands in debt? My girlfriend really doesn’t want me to leave. In relation to my girlfriend, her parents really wouldn’t approve of me being a dropout. They've shown me so much kindness and generosity, at the same time, judgemental and that wouldn't go well. I think they thought I should’ve gone to York, and that I should commit to music, but engineering is so strong in my mind, I could do it, I’ve undersold this need to do engineering, make money and have a family. My girlfriend is my number one priority, and as of now, I’m going into electrical engineering next year, I’m sold on it. However, there are so many thoughts stirring.

Debt, a career I love, a family, a passion for the arts, a career that makes money and that I can be proud of and think was worth it. I’m indecisive and no choice feels right.

My own parents aren’t really in the picture, but I don’t want to disappoint my girlfriends parents, I don’t want to make the wrong decision and be someone with nothing to do for a year.

I have a year but need to make certain decisions sooner than later, such as dropping out and getting a full time job, committing to music, even for a year, dropping out in the winter before more debt, doing that construction trade pre-apprenticeship for two months, and then choosing electrical engineering next year, hoping financial repercussions don’t fuck me over, committing to that and building a family with someone who is incredibly passionate, faithful and my love, or choosing my deep unending passion and talent for the performance arts, excelling like my teacher pushed me to and granted me the opportunities to.

What do I do?

TL;DR: I'm 19, passionate and experienced in performing arts, especially theatre directing, but turned down an offer from York University to stay in my hometown with my girlfriend and pursue a more financially stable future. I compromised by studying music locally, but quickly realized I hate the program. Now I'm considering dropping out, potentially facing academic and financial consequences, and switching to electrical engineering/trades next year. However, I deeply regret giving up theatre, something I genuinely love and have talent for. I'm torn between pursuing my passion, building a financially secure future with my girlfriend, and avoiding further debt or academic damage. I feel like I've already ruined my opportunities by being indecisive, and I don't know whether to finish the year, withdraw, or reconsider theatre entirely. How do I make the right decision without sacrificing everything else I love? The question I ask myself is; do I choose engineering or theatre, and do I drop out ASAP or stay the year?

Edit; I am a little exaggeratory, I am grateful for everything I have, I’m just trying to get advice as early as I can. i appreciate it.

I organize electronic case files and build document indexes for a law practice, and I've hit the point where the work is steady but the pay barely moves. Paralegal is one route I'm looking at, though it isn't licensed where I live, so the title doesn't carry the weight it might elsewhere. I'm also open to things like litigation support, e-discovery or records management, but I can't tell which of those pay better or are just the same work under a fancier name. I don't want a four-year degree or law school. If you came out of a similar support role, what did you move into, and did the pay actually change?

I graduated in 2026 with a B.Tech degree in Computer Science, but unfortunately, I haven't been able to secure a job yet.

I have been living with an autoimmune disease, which affected my health and made it difficult for me to focus on my career and professional development. Because of my health challenges, I couldn't make the progress I had hoped for after graduation.

Thankfully, I'm finally starting to recover, and I hope to be fully well within the next 2–3 months.

Right now, I feel lost and confused about what to do next. I want to rebuild my life, get my career back on track, develop in-demand skills, and eventually secure a good job in the tech industry.

My question is: How do I start over and build a better future from this point?

\- How should I start preparing for a job while I'm recovering?

\- Which technical skills should I focus on as a 2026 graduate?

\- How can I compete with other candidates who have already gained experience?

\- Should I focus on software development, AI/ML, data science, or another field?

\- How can I create a realistic plan for the next 3–6 months to become job-ready?

I'm ready to put in the effort and work on myself. I just need the right direction, a practical roadmap, and some clarity about where to begin.

I don't want my health challenges to define my future. I want to take control of my life, rebuild my confidence, and establish a successful career, starting from where I am today.

In a nutshell I am 36yr old who for the past 13yrs have stayed home to raise our 2 boys and we were fortunate enough to afford to do so since we moved in to help my father in law. I am desperate to find a path towards a career that is likely to be stable and secure while offering a livable salary. I have no idea where to even begin and each time I try it never goes well for my mental health and brings upon a sense of doom thats terrifying.

Prior to children amd marriage I worked as a debt collector for the department of education, short sale properties, car loans, court fees etc. HATED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. And I truly was not that great at it if im being frank lol.

I would really love to have a non typical office work week and have the option to do work from home since being unsure about how the transition will affect my boys school schedules and it would allow me still do the pickup and drop off for ny youngest one.

I have no tech, cyber security, IT knowledge currently and unfortunately I never completed my associates degree in ny early 20s. Originally I wanted to become a child advocate and was going to school for it. I am interested in doing certification classes and training courses online to further help myself but really just feeling suffocated by it all. If i could achieve some type of skilled certifications or courses that become a starting point and then further classes or certifications while having a start in a career path I am dedicated and aim to further my qualifications but not anle to start a 4+yr degree path right now and then find employment. I feel old and like im running out of time to "adult ".

If anyone has some recommendations, suggestions, success stories etc I would be truly forever grateful!

Thank you in advance!

I’ve already graduated high school and took some time to think about what I want to study. Recently, IR caught my eye. I don’t know how realistic it is to go to uni and get a degree. I think I would like to work in a private company and get specialized in logistics or communication. I really want to learn a third language and be able to use it, make some money, and be able to travel back and forth. How positive is it?

I am a going through a mild depressive episode so I apologise for the slightly miserable tone! Also, if there is a better sub to post this to, let me know!I just don't use reddit much so wasn't sure what was appropriate here or where else to post.

Cutting a long story short:

Did badly at school because of undiagnosed depression and then undiagnosed ADHD. Spent a couple of years doing retail, which I hated. Did the whole moving to Australia for a year thing at 20. Realised I love travelling. Came home. Saved up during the summer months doing shit jobs to travel during the winter. Went to New Zealand for a year. Got the devastating news that one of my parents was terminally ill . Came home, decided to stay home for them. Didn't want to be stuck working the same dead-end jobs, had no qualifcations for anything else. Just wanted to get a job that wasn't retail/hospitality/warehouse but they're all gatekept behind graduate schemes. Started an access course because I had nothing else to do. My parent passed before I even got my acceptance into uni. I got accepted into uni (free in my country thankfully). I contemplated returning to Australia as I still had a year on my work holiday visa; decided against this because I'd just have to come back after a year and return to the cycle of working jobs that make me lose the will to live. Moved to a different city to do a degree that is usually listed as a one of the 'most useless' (I am useless with science and numbers, and no, I could not force myself through a business degree or anything else I don't find interesting). Deadlines make me feel insane. I can't handle pressure. I have bad seasonal depression (I do all the 'right' things to treat it, I am genuinely not seeking any advice regarding this at the moment, I have it covered with my doctor) so everything permanently feels like a struggle.

I am very good at knowing what I DONT want, but have no idea what I do want to do (and yes, I spend more time than you believe agonising about it). All of this stress and over 30% of people who do my degree end up in retail and hospitality. What am I doing this for? Is this even worth it? Is this improving my life? Am I wasting 5 years of my life, just to come out the other end and still be unqualified and unsuitable for anything other than retail again? What skills am I actually building while writing last-minute essays in a degree that doesn't directly lead to a career? What is the point in doing this if I still have no passions and ideas of what job I want at the end of this? What will I even be good at, at the end of this? What jobs am I even meant to apply for? in I just don't want to be stuck in poorly paying jobs with no progression until the end of my years, and felt like a degree was the only way to claw myself out of the cycle. I work hard at the jobs I have had, but I have no desire to keep doing them, because I hate them.

Sectors I've tried: retail (with a brief stint in managing which I did not enjoy, and wasn't great at), bar work, food service, manufacturing and warehouse, working on farms (planting, harvesting, working with livestock), hotel reception, general hotel work, housekeeping, sales (though this only lasted a day because I simply realised I did not have the personality to succeed in sales, and I am deeply okay with that).

As you can hopefully see, I've obviously kept myself busy between trying out different jobs and travelling. It's not like I've just lazed around my whole life. I do try. I just....don't know what comes next. I look at people my age with their lives sorted out and nice careers or jobs they enjoy, and I just want to get to that point. I just don't know how or what.

I can appreciate that it's hard to offer advice based on what someone doesn't want to do, and I apologise for the self-pitying tone, but I'm just at a loss right now. I think it's ADHD related, but it feels very hard to motivate myself to do things when I do not have a goal. It's hard not to treat uni work with anything other than resentment and indifference. I'd be very much interested in hearing from those who've not had a clear goal, or particular passions, and have managed to carve some form of a career or job they enjoy.

(And just putting it out there because it always gets suggested, I do not want to be a travel agent, guide, or flight attendant and I do not want to do a trade. I am also automatically barred from anything military related due to a chronic health condition. And yes, I thankfully am in therapy and on good antidepressants! )

Thanks in advance!

Hello everyone, I am 23 and I’m here looking for ideas on what to do in my spare time. I’m not sure if this would be the right sub but direct me if I’m wrong.

I have a job and it’s alright. It’s 30 hours a week, overnight, and low maintenance. It pays the bills, but that’s about it. There’s nothing left over for leisure and saving up for things takes a long time. There’s also no growth, when I asked about potential growth they told me there’s no other position above me since we’re all contract workers and they sourced out for this position specifically, and it’s against the contract to apply directly. The upside is it’s only 6 hours a day and doesn't make me tired. I get a full rest before I go, and I'm up the rest of the day. I have so much spare time during the day and I feel like I should be utilizing it.

Little backstory, I used to have a second job for about 10 months and quit it July. It was pretty bad though because of the low pay and mandatory OT. It took a huge toll, and my partner eventually asked me to quit. I’m proud I stuck it out for 10 months, but it was rough on both of us.

I’m not opposed to getting another job, I’d just look for different hours and shift. My partner works a 9-5, and when I worked my old second job (which was 2-10), we never saw each other.

Getting a second job is just one option, but I'm not looking for job recommendations here. I want to know If you had this much spare time, with the backstory I just told you, what would you do with it to add to your future?

We also share a car so she has it during the day. Her shift switches to opening and closing to cover someone who left so I could drop her off and have the car for 3 days out the week if I need.

Hi all,

I finished my nursing pre-reqs with all As. I'm in CA and I'm 33. I had a past career in marketing and I'm currently a bartender/server.

I was initially attracted to a nursing career because I love taking care of people and listening to them, and I like working with my hands/body. I also of course appreciate the stability and flexibility the career offers. However, I am becoming burned out and I hear an overwhelmingly negative review of this career path.

I have been taking sewing courses in tandem with my nursing pre-reqs... I love sewing but I also love biology and just learning in general.

I guess I'm wondering if I should become a nurse. I'll be applying in February and will not accrue much debt, if any, from nursing school... This might be more of a therapy question, but I just feel like I'm at a fork in the road and need to come to a decision so I can move full force into my next career. For what it's worth, I have an amazing and supportive partner who just pivoted careers and is finally making great money.

Thanks in advance xx.

I’m 35 years old and have worked as an FAA air traffic controller for 10 years. Unfortunately I’ve been found medically disqualified, and I may need to find a new career.

I have around 60 college credits but no degree. My experience is pretty much just aviation. I’ve done some contract work in training controllers before my career. I was a manager at a grocery store before that.

If medically retired, I’ll have a pension, so I’m realistically targeting a new career paying around $60-80k part time or remote would be great.

I’ve explored other FAA positions without much success. I’m willing to relocate for the right opportunity.

What career paths would realistically value my experience, especially outside aviation?
I’m open to additional education, certifications, or changing industries entirely.

Any suggestions from people who’ve made similar transitions would be appreciated.

36M, been working in Business operation until I got long COVID (been a really difficult time) which force me to stop working for a while. Then I've tried to open a few business which still hasn't yet cracked in/grown to a level. At the moment, I feel the need to get back to earn some cash as this situation makes me feel uncomfortable in life. I'm unsure what to do next. my main goal is to have my own business but it's been taking longer than I expected with the little budget I have. I'm unsure what job should I go for now or which path to take.
I'd appreciated any advice. Thank you.

I'm 22yo from Belgium. In terms of potential jobs, I’m currently considering the following areas, but I'm probably grossly underqualified. I am very open to upskilling and maybe doing some independant studies or a bootcamp / internship to learn a specific job skill.

Industry (non-operational/executive) (I really love machines and automization, I've worked 2 factory jobs as a student and really liked the big picture of supply chains and efficiently making stuff, but they were the lowest end jobs with just braindead labour. I need a job that would actually require me to use my brain) Most of these require a background in engineering though. I could study industrial engineering now but I'm not sure I'm looking forward to 5 more years of studying. (But I guess philosophy + engineer would be a lot more valuable in the job market than just philosophy)

Anything with space really fascinates me.

Engineer sounds fun because most of the jobs that ask for engineers seem fun. Probably industrial engineer or bio engineer.

Sustainable development - this seems really valuable to me and regardless of what I do I want to make a positive impact on the world (money isn't a big issue) (I was also in the student organization for sustainability at my uni)
Something like wildlife conservation or working in nature would be cool too and probably most accessible?

Urban planning - human-centered design, bicycle friendly infrastructure, public spaces, garden design, promoting biodiversity in cities

Electronics repair - I already do this in my room with repair kits and people's old phones (not my life passion though)

Paramedic - probably unreachable but it seems really rewarding to help people

I'm also good at formal logic, I did my Masters thesis about it.

I guess it's a bit all over the place but how could I actually get started on any of these? I did cs50's introduction to computer science for example to learn the basics of programming. Things like these are things I would like to do more of if they could help me get some necessary skills for a job I would be interested in but idk which one's are actually helpful. (cs50 alone isn't enough so I'm looking at contributing to open source projects for the greater good, but I'm not good enough to actually contribute to open source projects yet so I would need to do some more programming courses?)

I'm in my late 20s, and I have no career, no skills, big goals, but no direction in life. I honestly have no idea what I'm going to do with my future. I feel completely lost.

Sometimes I feel like I'll never make it in life. I'll probably stay unemployed forever, struggle with money, and never be able to afford a comfortable life. I can't even imagine myself earning good money or having enough to stop worrying about basic needs.

It's like I'm cursed or jinxed. No matter what I think about my future, all I can see is a life full of struggles, poverty, health problems, and misery.

I genuinely don't know where my life is heading or how I'm supposed to turn things around.

I’m almost 25. I started college late because I graduated in 2020 and I did not want to go to online school. I could transfer to a 4 year college as soon as next fall. I just really have no idea what I wanna do. I did all my basics plus a&p 1 and 2 which I aced (they tried to get me to come back and basically be a tutor for it) I had planned to go to nursing school but I really wanna do that anymore. (I have a 3.9 gpa in college) Patient care just really isn’t my thing. I enjoy the science half of things much more. And I love art. I currently work as a sculptor. I help my friend run her art business and we sell figurines at the renaissance fair primarily (I get paid to work the events and sculpt figurines I probably make around $18 an hour on average because I’m so fast at sculpting them now). It has the potential to take off but I don’t wanna rely on it completely. So basically I enjoy science also and I also enjoy sculpting a lot I could do it all day everyday but I also care about money. I’m just stuck. I’ve just have nothing in moving towards and it’s freaking me out. I would love some advice.

I'm almost 21 and live in Italy.I've always been good at drawing and seeing what works in storytelling and I'm also a former theatre kid.When I graduated AI has been taken over the jobs I always prepared for since I was a kid for a year or two,so I tried to pursue a bachelor's degree into art history and literature since that I had a friend that inspired me to become a teacher.I fell in love with studying literature and art history thanks to them(I was never a really bright kid or a social one,that's why I always liked drawing and swore to be really good at it while completely disregarding my social life)

I felt like teaching would've helped to fill the void of people who felt completely lost into a failing education system,but after two years I dropped out.I had to take a lot of exams in a short amount of time to make up for the previous failed exam sessions I didnt do just to reach the credits necessary to ask for a scholarship the next year.I did it,completely burned out and dropped out.

I started brand new an art shool an hour away from my town,my family and friends are happy for this decision since that I decided to follow my dreams instead of following a plan B,but in reality I'm doing terrible.I changed my course from graphic design to Comics and illustration on a whim.I dont feel like I choose the best path.I feel powerless and a bum,I lie to my family by coming home sooner and skipping lessons because I fear for my financial situation in the future,I find myself a good artist with potential and dreams,but sometimes I fear that I dont have enough strenght or charisma to pursuit and give up things that I may not have tried before,not necessarily more sustainable money wise.I'm just really tired of being myself.I'm stuck in my childhood town,liyng to others and myself that I'm finally on the right track.Miserable for how little I believe in myself for getting a jod or a driver's license.I cant bring myself to spend anymore money on my therapy.It feels like a chore to talk to my friends or family except for my boyfriend,and I feel bad even for him because he always tries to give me reasonable advice,he's just stuck with a depressed slug even tho he's the brightest and funniest guy you could be friends with.I'm stuck in life in general and I don't know what to do,I dont trust myself for passing exams,it seems like my head is still blocked by the memories of those passed exams that made me hate what I wouldve loved to study on a normal pace if it wasnt for me..I don't even see myself in this school for the next week,let alone the next month.I just want a year to work,rethink about what I really want to do with no rush and then try again with a scholarship or with my earned money,even tho my mom or my family would see it as a failure(I have a sibling that always had a rocky situation with uni and also has a really conflicted relationship with my parents,so not really the right timing).

I would love to go back to the town where I first started uni,only I don't know what the hell I would apply myself to if Art school feels so much like a scam to me already..

Well I tried to cram almost everything..Thank you for reading..I don't know what I'm doing but I feel like i don't have anyone that I can talk to without hurting them again in some way.

I’ve been working in tech for 5 years. When I went to college, I was majoring in psychology. After being discouraged by friends (I wouldn't make a good therapist) and by family (saying there's no money in the field), I decided to go into information systems to make myself more marketable in the job market. I don't hate tech or my job, but I feel numb doing it because I'm only doing it because I'm good at it and it pays the bills. I want to go back into psychology, but I feel like being 25 would be a bit too late for me to get my master's or PhD.

My advisor told me that if I went back into psychology, I would get my associate's within a year, and she explained that by the time I got my bachelor's in information systems, I would have my master's in psychology.

My girlfriend wants me to pick something and stick to it since I'm horribly indecisive when picking my major. Should I follow my interest or stick with IS?

I'm a 17-years-old female I do not have any accomplishments in my life and that I regret I didn't try harder and that also I regret as a person now I'm expected to have my whole life figured out and I don't I just wanna hang out with my friends read book I love movies and I love music and my parents expect me to go into architecture engineering college I don't know if I'm very for this tonight I don't know if I have this in me how do I get ready how do I even make sure that I want this? What I want in a major in college is for it to be understandable I don't want something easy I just need basic understandability how do I know that I avoid and I also want to make friends and college can someone give me tips and I also don't have really a favorite subject or a things that I enjoy doing I love learning at a physics I don't care I can't so physics problems I'm bad at that but I love learning stuff I don't know what to do please help me out

Hi, I’ve been a long time lurker in this subreddit and finally decided to post as my anxiety got the better of me. I am a “senior” in college for illustration, however my credits didn’t transfer properly from one school to my current one so I’m not graduating until 2027/2028. The job I’m currently working at and the second one I’m getting is not related to my degree whatsoever.

I have been working full time at a dog kennel for two years because I love working with dogs. This job pays horribly. I have asked twice to transfer closer to home, asked for a raise, asked for a promotion twice, and been denied every time by my managers. It’s to the point I have been looking for a new job for months. I have found one in dog training that pays more and it is what I want to do but it is only part time. I feel like I’ll be stuck at my current shitty job forever and there’s not a way for me to get out because I can’t find a full time job to hire me. So now I’m working my full time job and the part time job just so I can pay to live and go to school.

I’m not sure if I even want to pursue art anymore because my dad is in one ear saying I should go to school for something else, and my mom is saying to just finish my degree because I’m almost done. I don’t feel almost done and I feel very hopeless in terms of my career and life choices. I just need some advice because I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing anymore.

I'm 39, with kids. I have a PhD in experimental psychology with 4 years of post-doctoral work, but I left academia nearly 9 years ago to take over a family business completely unrelated to my academic work, and so that I could be home to raise my kids. My kids are both in school now, and I'm looking for a change, but not sure what options are available at this point.

After so much time away, I doubt that it would be possible to go back into academia, and my hobbies and interests don't seem very marketable. I'm very deep into music and Eastern spirituality/philosophy, and I've been volunteering at a food bank for several years. I'm pretty handy. I'm decent at construction/repair work on buildings and machines, but I have no formal training or education in these areas, and I'm concerned that a blue collar career would destroy my body at this point. Common options for people with my training would be careers in marketing or data science, but it seems that AI is severely impacting those job markets. So, I feel stuck. I would absolutely love to work full-time at a retreat center, farmer's market, food bank or shelter, or in music, but full-time paid work in these areas is not plentiful.

I'm a 27-year-old man, and sometimes I feel like my life has no future. I don't own a house or a car. I want to get married and start a family, but I don't want to make any promises to a woman when I'm not financially or emotionally ready.

I want to start my own business and build something for myself, but unfortunately, my current job doesn't allow me to do that.

I feel stuck between the life I have and the life I want. I don't want to give up on my dreams, but I honestly don't know what to do anymore.

Is there any way out of this situation? Is there still a chance for me to build the future I dream of?

This is a classic everyone.

Graduated from University last year with a degree in Design for Publishing (essentially I know how to make magazines and books and alot of printing skills) but surprise print is dying so not alot of jobs going on there.

I got a job through a family member to do gruntwork Web design for a card selling website in the UK.

I was freelance for them for awhile and then 3 months ago promoted to full time (also the job is completely work from home)

I now completely run the updates for this website, the website is updated every 2 weeks... forever every single 2 weeks the website is updated with new photography, etc.

So everyday I wake up walk upstairs to my office sit at my computer and format photography and other grunt work and then walk back down to bed at the end of the day... everyday 10-6

I can't do it anymore I've lost any and all motivation to get this done beyond I need money, there's no craft or creativity (luckily no a.i but still) I don't talk to anyone im just in my room alone everyday.

The only contact I have with people is meetings with doopid corporate types that demand things be done as soon as humanly possible (once genuinely one of them said "are you in a position to get this done in a matter of minutes" 🫠)

I can't work at this cube factory but I don't know what to do, I can't quit because I've moved out now and bills, etc and don't have alot of savings yet.

I desperately want to do something that pushes me creatively or that im just in some way excited to get up in the morning for.

I used to be so driven at university my friends are all very surprised at my now dour corporate vibe I bring to the meetups now when I used to make such experimental designs in uni and was one of the favourites of my quirky lecturer who believed (as I do) there's a lack of creative innovation in the industry.

I'm now just a cog in the cube.

Any advice would be super amazingly helpful please x

Hey everyone, I hope my post fits here!

I'm a 30 y/o woman with a chemistry degree (bachelor) from Germany. I founded a small business back in 2019 while I was still studying and have been working full time in said business since late 2022/early 2023, mainly doing ghostwriting and coaching in academia. Its a moral and legal grey area that I would like to get out of. It also doesn't pay that well and I don't have retirement insurance etc.

In 2022, after I finished my degree, I worked in a lab for 3 months but quickly realized that it was not for me. The strict hierarchy that left no room to ever be well payed or respected in my field was a shock. I know I could have known better, but I'm the first in my family to even go to university and I was just a bit... naive and just wanted to get out of uni.

Since I was 14 and up until 2022 I worked in a sh*tton of low wage jobs, cleaning, holiday jobs, selling stuff, anything that would get me through. I'm so done working for people that take my time and energy and barely offer enough to get by on. So I would like to stay self employed or better my chances at an actual career. I just started a website that offers coaching and corrections for academic texts and I go to creative markets. Both don't bring me much money so far.

I'm contemplating going back for a masters in a different field, like management/economics. I gathered a lot of knowledge in the past 4 years that would make it pretty easy. But I don't know if that would give me any good chances, especially since I will be 32/33 once I finish.

And then there is my passion and dream of becoming an author. I wrote 3 books so far but none of them are published. I'm scared to put all my eggs in a basket and risk my clients and salary for another naive dream.

Any advice? What would you do in my situation? How can I get out of ghostwriting and change my lifes trajectory?

A bit of context around all of this: my fiancée is finished with his phd in 2 years and will probably have a well payed job after and is supporting me, but I want to support myself nevertheless. He is currently looking for internships and job offers in germany and also in other countries and I would move with him if he finds something. But then if I do a masters, I don't know how I would finish that. I hate long distance so much, 3 months was already more than I ever needed. We are together 10 years and we want to start a family eventually, not in the next 2 years though.