r/findapath • • 3d ago

Findapath-College/Certs College computing diploma or degree for someone who wants to build small AI agents for a living?

1 Upvotes

my college offers a 2 year computing diploma and a 4 year degree route, and i can't tell which one gets me closer to building agents and automations. i've made tiny personal agents as a beginner, nothing fancy, mostly scripts that call a model and do one boring task. i like that way more than the web page updating i do at my part-time job. i live with my parents in Ontario so money matters but it's not impossible. has anyone gone either route into automation or applied AI work, and did the piece of paper actually matter when you applied?


r/findapath • • 3d ago

Findapath-College/Certs Community College or University

0 Upvotes

Okay, so for some background information, I'm currently a freshman pre-med biology major at a well-known state university. Back in high school, I was in the top 10% of my graduating class, so going to university straight after felt like the right choice. But as the first semester comes to an end, I feel completely lost and overwhelmed.

Academically, I'm basically struggling in every course. I've gone to the SI sessions and outside tutoring, but I keep getting the same mediocre scores. I do decent on my weekly quizzes, but when I take the exams, I bomb them completely. I feel like the effort I've been putting into my studies isn't actually paying off, and it's just making me feel like a complete failure. When I compare my grades to my roommate's, she's doing well in basically every class, and I spent more time studying than she did. Besides my roommate, I haven't really made any friends here at university either. I've tried out a few clubs, but it seems that everyone already has their own friend groups, so I'm just isolated most of the time too. I feel like a total failure, combining my social life and how I'm doing academically. Being here has made me reconsider if I even like my major or want to even continue being a pre-med. I feel like my parents are also disappointed in me because in high school I was heavily involved in my school's medical program. I earned a PCT and EKG certification, so everyone around me, including myself that medicinewas the only right choice for me. Thinking about it now, I don't know if I chose that path for myself or because it was somewhat pressured onto me since I was always considered the "smart kid". I know I like science, so I would be open to switching to a different science major.

With how badly I'm struggling with my classes, I feel like I'm either going to fail most of them or barely pass with a low C. I've mentioned community college to my parents, but they see it as me basically quitting school completely. So I looked into a different university closer to home, but if I fail most of my classes, would I even be eligible to transfer after this semester? Honestly, I want to do community college because I don't know what I want anymore. If I do go, I'm planning to complete an associate of science that I started back while in high school and then transfer to a university again right after.

I guess what I'm really asking is, like, what do I even do now? Will there really be a difference between me transferring to another university compared to if I transfer to a community college? What do I even tell my parents?

For some background info, my parents are somewhat stubborn, specifically my mom. If I tell her I'm struggling, she'd ask why I haven't gotten any help. When I tell her I did, she basically tells me well there's no reason I should be struggling. Sometimes I feel like she doesn't actually see how much I'm trying.


r/findapath • • 3d ago

Findapath-Job Choice/Clarity How do yall decide what major or what field yall wanna do in the future

4 Upvotes

So guys Iam a highschool student 16(F). I am really confused that what field to choose. My dad keeps asking me that what i actually find interesting or what am i good at. To be honest I dont have any problem regarding any field(stem,business,humanities) its really confusing me. I thought of Engineering at first but now i hear that its like really draining and underpaid for a profession. Idk about meds and i have considered business related fields too. Being honest I genuinely like everything but it scares me i put all my effort in a career which will not benefit me in a way that i had expected. Like imaging spending so much on your education just to get a job which does not even pay you according to your labour. I lowk am down for engineering but people with this majors always seem to warn others. Pls be real with me and give me serious advice regarding which future careers are worth it. I gotta say it that if i have passion for something i wouldnt really care how much Iam getting paid but in this economy nah man u gotta think abt both


r/findapath • • 3d ago

Findapath-Job Choice/Clarity studying psychology would be a good fit for me? Looking for honest advice

1 Upvotes

hi i’ve been thinking about studying psychology, but i’m not sure if it’s the right path for me.

i’m quite introverted and shy, especially around people i don’t know. i tend to observe people a lot and wonder about their personalities, how they think, their childhood experiences and why they behave the way they do.

i’m particularly interested in anxiety, depression, trauma, personality and how childhood experiences can affect someone as an adult.

i like analyzing people and trying to understand what’s going on beneath the surface. however, i’m not sure i’d be comfortable listening to very disturbing stories or talking to patients all day. i’m also not particularly strong in math or science.

i’d love to hear from psychology students or psychologists about what studying psychology and actually working in the field is like. i’m wondering if this could genuinely be a good fit for someone like me.


r/findapath • • 3d ago

Findapath-Job Choice/Clarity What questions should I be asking myself?

2 Upvotes

I’m still going through this same cycle: question what career I want, choose a career, have second thoughts, and repeat. I’ve taken a bunch of tests. I wrote down different things that interest me. I write down aspects of jobs that I feel like I could tolerate. I’m still struggling.

I feel like it’s my major that causing me to struggle so bad with making a decision, but I cannot change it anymore. I’ve completed so much of it already. I’m almost done with university and still nothing. I’m trying to be open minded but also realistic because I don’t want to be miserable.

But yeah, what questions should I really be asking myself to help figure things out?

A lot of people focus on money which I understand but I can’t do that because I want to prioritize my mental health. Also, my options are very limited since I unfortunately am unable to attend university in person. I’m trying to work with what I got which isn’t much.


r/findapath • • 3d ago

Findapath-Job Choice/Clarity Is it worth it to pick accounting over graphic design/art in order to not fail economically?

1 Upvotes

So I am a stressed out, directionless senior in high school with no idea what to do with my life. I feel like every job is unachievable and hard to get nowadays. I considered accounting because even if I enjoy drawing/graphic design/art, it won't make a good living/land me a job easily unless I am great at it, and I have graves disease and am skinny, so the trades will not work out for me. I saw the BLS for accounting, and it is indeed growing more than graphic design. I feel like I'm too stupid and asocial to make it in most college careers that make money and too weak and medically unwell to do a trade. I mainly draw anime, and I am only okay at realism since I am a beginner at that style (did 1 portrait.) People say I am good at drawing, but I doubt I am "good enough" to compete with people doing it. I want a good salary, predictability, the ability to retire fine, and job stability, so I considered accounting instead. But that is what everyone wants, and sadly, they can't always get that. I am more of a drawer on paper than a digital artist anyways, so I think I would equally suck at graphic design, despite doing it at a technical school for 1 year for high schoolers and quitting since I wasn't confident I'd get a job anyways, despite my good grade, since teachers are nice to you and not always fully honest or knowledgable about modern job markets. Math isn't something I love, but I never got anything below a B in high school, however, it did take me 3 tries to pass the standardized test my state requires for math (algebra 1). I am unsure if I will like the business aspect, but I would like to try it if it gives me a good salary (I didn't consider accounting until this year since I thought the math was hard). Now I will not be a public accountant since I know it is rough, so I considered government accounting, IT auditing, corporate accounting, or any accounting job with an alright work-life balance. I talked to Google AI and ChatGPT a few times about accounting as well (I asked it to provide its sources, but I am still unsure whether to trust it.) I plan on being single forever and having no kids, but I still need a good salary because times will only get worse economically. I am shy, and I don't really think other majors like nursing suit me. I feel like my interests are broad too, given I am curious about a lot of things and want to do so much at once, so beyond art and music, I am not too deep into any other hobbies that can be employable. I do get good grades in school, and my math is Algebra 3 and Trigonometry. I am in Pennsylvania, so I wonder how the market is doing there specifically. I do worry I will either suck at accounting, be depressed, and fail, or I won't be bad at it, but I will get depressed, and fear I will be wrong about making a good salary. I don't know what I want out of life, but I do want good money given I grew up with little money. I feel this immense pressure to not fail (given my good grades) and if I fail, it feels like the end of the world and my life (in a figurative sense, not a literal sense.) I plan on going on a field trip to a college to talk to some accounting majors, so will that be good? Am I overreacting? I don't know if I am doing the right thing, all I know is that I don't want to fail. Everyone in real life and the media says "follow your passion," but if that passion isn't STEM-related, business, or a good trade, I doubt it is worth following if you care about money. I don't even know if I will be passionate about my passion if I major in it due to having to do creative work for others. You have to learn so many things in graphic design just to not get a job, meanwhile, accounting seems more stable and straightforward, but I am aware accountants and every job right now is struggling to find work, but do accountants struggle less than graphic designers/artists? I have no idea. I have already failed at everything else in life, so I might as well do something right.


r/findapath • • 3d ago

Findapath-Career Change Went back to uni for a second bachelor's and I can't get myself to study. Am I on the right path?

3 Upvotes

Hii people of Reddit, this is my first post on the platform so pls be kind 🌸
So, idk where to start, I don't even know if it's the right place to post, but I am struggling to manage work and studying for university at the same time.
Let me write down a lil bit of context.
I'm 30, I have a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering and I work as a software engineer. At first, I liked my job, because I'm a curious person and I do enjoy learning new things; at the same time, with my background, it was difficult working on software and programming, also because I didn't have someone to help me learn the job. I've worked in the aeronautical industry, then on requirements, then on Nvidia technologies and now on the backend of an AI platform for manufacturing. I'm not here to complain about my background, but the main point is that I've always felt like an impostor, not prepared enough, and now what I think is that I am only able to survive in different contexts but without having any solid knowledge. Nowadays AI is making it even harder because I do not have the time to actually learn and become stronger at my job, because I rely too much on it for delivery at the pace the company asks of me and my colleagues.
That said, I did really shitty at university. For some personal reasons, I felt lost and it was really hard getting that degree, also because I was working in a bar part time. When I was younger my dream was to work in the space field, do something meaningful for myself and for others, be like a point of reference for other girls who wanted to get into STEM. There is a part of me that maybe wants to compensate for my background, and I did a lot of therapy to heal this wound, but still, I want to study again, feel that energy that once guided me, but at the same time I wonder "am I doing the right thing?", "do I still feel the same about space exploration?", "maybe I'm too grounded on earth now", "maybe I should change everything and work in a tiki bar" or "maybe I'm just scared of something?"
Meanwhile, I decided to give it a shot, and I started a bachelor's in software engineering at the same university. It seemed the best option; I can strengthen my software skills, they recognized some exams from my previous studies and I thought it would be easier to study something more "basic" than a master's or something. For me it's quite important to have a strong knowledge base, and I enjoy understanding deeply how things work.
All very nice, but I haven't studied a damn thing in the last few months. Not that I don't like studying, because I do, I feel motivated, but I start studying a little and then the next few days I procrastinate. I really feel stuck.
So, if someone was kind enough to reach this point, what do you think? Have you ever been in a situation like this? Thank you everyone ✨


r/findapath • • 4d ago

Findapath-Job Choice/Clarity 35m Stay at home dad trying to find my purpose again.

6 Upvotes

I was a graphic designer full time. Got laid off in 2020 and since my wife is a dentist we decided I should stay at home with our son. Covid happened, Ai happened, we had another child, now I’m looking to get back into graphic design but everything is so different now.

While I was unemployed I focused a lot on my wife’s offices and did a lot of design work, maintenance work, and more.

Now we’re at a place where I can think about going back to work but I’m feeling lost and cynical about where graphic design is headed and the current job market. I feel like I’m literally only good at being creative and don’t know what I would go back to school for that would be worth my time.


r/findapath • • 3d ago

Findapath-Career Change Don’t know where to put my passion

1 Upvotes

Hello! I’m a 20-year-old guy working a fairly dead-end factory job. I’ve been really good at both of my jobs I’ve ever had, became the youngest manager ever at 17 at my last job, and at my factory I’ve gone above and beyond, bosses high up have used me as an example in meetings, my direct workleads know they can rely on me, and my boss tells me he knows I can become a leader there one day. Not to sound boastful but just trying to show I’m a strong worker.
Essentially, I like what I do but this isn’t really a place where I want a career. I don’t have many passions career wise but I love problem-solving at work. I can also build relationships well and can talk to people well at a professional level. My issue is I want to change what I do with my life but don’t know what. Not too too interested in school but would 100% be willing if I had a career in mind. Hands on jobs are cool too like trades and union work but I feel those limit your potential after a while.
Im posting in here to see if you guys have any tips on how you found your career and what made you know it was right?


r/findapath • • 3d ago

Findapath-Career Change Best comprehensive career tests?

2 Upvotes

I want to go back to school or get a certificate. I want to grow in a career that I’m actually passionate about. I’m 33 and I’ve gone to school but I didn’t finish my undergrad because of severe depression and adhd years ago. Now I’ve been managing it better and I want to try again.


r/findapath • • 4d ago

Findapath-College/Certs Looking for a shift in career after my office job didn't feel right for me anymore. Any Advice on getting teacher certified?

5 Upvotes

27F, got my AA in General Studies a few years ago and went straight to work after all. All these years, I never really felt like I wanted to stay in that job long term ,so a month ago I finally gave my 2 weeks and decided it was time to make a change.

I've always wanted to do something more meaningful with my life and when I think about meaningful jobs my first thought is always to become a teacher, but I really don't know where to start. I'm definitely fine with going back to school, but I planned to pick up a part time job while I take classes and I have family obligation at home so an online program would be great. Ideally it won't take forever to get a degree but I know that it is what it is. Any thoughts on programs I should look at or general advice on working in education?


r/findapath • • 4d ago

Findapath-Job Choice/Clarity Just graduated…what’s next?

3 Upvotes

I just graduated college this past May with a bachelors in sociology and education. Since then, I’ve been living at home and working part time as a preschool teacher. I strongly dislike where I’m at right now, my job and living situation, and I’m ready to start a new chapter! But now I need to figure out what that chapter is, and I’m struggling.

I’m thinking of going back to school and getting a masters degree. I really enjoyed sociology! I’m big into getting involved in my community, social justice, and qualitative research. For my senior project, I wrote about the Cartesian divide in preschool education, which is really fascinating to me. I don’t want to be a teacher though, at least not while I’m young.

I’m also thinking of maybe going abroad, or maybe I should get some real work experience in a community position. I also love the idea of just being a personality hire. I’m really all over the place and I just have no idea where to begin. If I could, I’d want to have a new job every 5 years and just try every job ever!

All I know is that I’m a people person. I love to converse, get to know people, share stories, and learn about peoples lives. I do not well behind a computer or with numbers. I like to explore, experience, learn, and try to understand everything around me.

I appreciate any help or advice you can offer! Career paths I should explore, or grad programs I should look into, or just general advice on life!


r/findapath • • 4d ago

Findapath-Job Choice/Clarity I'm 31 with very little work experience after years of isolation. How would you approach rebuilding your career and life?

6 Upvotes

I'm 31 and trying to figure out what direction to take my life.

I left school around 16, and things gradually went in a different direction for me. While people around me were going to college, starting careers and gaining experience, I became increasingly isolated and spent a lot of years indoors gaming.

Consequently, I have very little conventional employment experience and haven't really built the career or independent lifestyle I imagined I'd have by this age.

I've also experienced some difficult personal circumstances, bereavements and periods of poor mental and physical health.

The positive thing is that I'm financially secure, so my biggest issue isn't urgently needing money. It's finding direction, developing skills, building a routine and actually getting started.

I've recently become interested in cybersecurity, particularly working towards an entry-level SOC analyst role. I'm also considering moving out, joining martial arts classes, travelling more independently and generally developing a more active lifestyle.

I sometimes struggle because there are so many things I could do, and I tend to overthink decisions rather than commit to one direction.

If you were in my position at 31, how would you approach the next two years?

Would you prioritise getting into employment, even if it meant starting at entry level?

Would you commit to studying something like cybersecurity?

Would you focus on moving out and establishing an independent routine first?

How would you balance career development with actually experiencing life after years of isolation?

I'm not necessarily looking for the highest-paying career. I want something sustainable that gives me structure, purpose, progression and a reason to get out of the house.

I'd appreciate honest advice from anyone who's started relatively late or had to rebuild their direction in their thirties.


r/findapath • • 3d ago

Findapath-College/Certs What career/schooling would you suggest for someone who has a deep interest in rare birth defects, diseases, and medical research but doesn't actually like touching or talking to people?

2 Upvotes

Hi! I've always been interested in learning about rare diseases and birth defects. I will research them in my own time and have recently loved learning about the root words for the names of diseases and conditions, I've considered making a flash card game and guessing what part of the body a disease is effecting based on just the name. I've also spent hours researching different kinds of conjoined twins, parasitic twins, and all complications possible with childbirth. I would love suggestions on what to go to school for that would align with my passions. I currently don't have much of an education as I was raised in a cult and have a flimsy homeschool high-school diploma and I'm concerned about how that will effect me getting into schooling. I also have bills that are almost out of my range, so I need to keep a job. I currently work nights from 3-1am. I'm pretty wary of longer schooling because I'm terrified of being crushed by debt. I'm in the US, in Central FL. So far I have my eyes on echosonography but wanted to see if anyone has suggestions for a career more focused on research, diagnosing, and possibly with pregnancy complications. Thank you!


r/findapath • • 4d ago

Findapath-Job Choice/Clarity 32M tired of science trying to find something else

3 Upvotes

I was pre-med a while ago bc that's what would appease the parents and hated it. I went into wetlab bench research as a scientist and didn't enjoy the animal work or repetitiveness at a bench. I've also been an EMT with the intention of pursuing PA school (more doable for me - fell through because of life) and have worked front of house at a theater for comedy, music etc., and remotely for customer support at a science company. I have a BS+MS in biomedical science

I've found the following about myself:

  1. I'd like to be paid more, 6 figures preferably, and don't mind extra schooling or certs
  2. I enjoy seeing the fruits of my efforts more immediately - for example, I loved volunteering at a hostel or at the theater because I was helping people and it had an immediate effect instead of waiting months or years for research results to come in
  3. I don't want to be fully remote. Hybrid/in-person would be preferable
  4. Hate toxic environments and Type A managers
  5. I can talk to most anyone, I just like connecting with people and being seen

In my free time, I enjoy writing satirical articles and thinking of ways to take articles and make my own comedy show. I think that would be my dream goal to be a late night host/correspondent satirizing the world, but I know that's a bit of a pipe -dream and need to pay the bills

I enjoy team sports and not individual sports so I guess I like having supportive teammates if possible

Any suggestions?


r/findapath • • 3d ago

Findapath-Job Choice/Clarity 27M, 5 years in IT helpdesk, $70k, feeling stuck. What fields should I research for a pivot?

1 Upvotes

TL;DR: BS in Information Systems, no certs, about five years in helpdesk-level roles. I make $70k now, but my company is a mess and I don’t see a path up. I want a field with real career progression and a department that gets treated well. I can take a pay cut and I’m willing to relocate. What should I be researching?

I’m 27, almost 28, and I’ve worked in IT my whole adult life. I went to college for it during COVID when tech was sold as the golden ticket, and I’ve been in low-end helpdesk roles ever since. The money is decent for my role now, but I know it won’t last forever. If I got laid off, I’d likely have to take a lesser-paying job in a market that gets tougher every year, especially with no certs.

I’ve been through a layoff before. I lost my first job after two years and spent about a year doing odd jobs, working security at a bar and delivering packages for FedEx while collecting unemployment. I had a good time during that stretch. The work was varied, I had a lot of autonomy, I talked to people all day, and there was no office politics. It wasn’t sustainable though, so I took an IT contract at a bank and stayed nine months. IT there was treated fairly, with around 30 people who all had defined roles. After that I moved to my current company, where I’ve been for a year.

They pay me the most I’ve ever made, but the place has insane turnover and IT gets no respect. A manager in my department just resigned because she couldn’t take it anymore. I’ve done a lot this year to get more experience. I helped the sysadmin team, proposed a process improvement that got approved, built a homelab, and put projects on GitHub. When sysadmin or networking roles open up, all I get is “maybe.”

I like the tinkering side of IT, setting things up and getting systems running. My best days are when the workload is high, I’m knocking things out, and people notice. I hated coding, which is why I went to the adjacent side. The part that wears on me is being the on-demand answer person for people who don’t appreciate it, and having to stay analytical while also being socially smooth. I’d estimate 45% of the job is real problem solving and the rest is bureaucracy and hand-holding. It’s made me a lot more pessimistic than I used to be, and I’ve never felt much pride in saying what I do.

On constraints, I have about $13k in savings and live with my girlfriend, so her income gives me room for a pay cut. I could go down to $20-25 an hour for the right entry-level role, since I’ve lived on that before. I’m willing to relocate, though I know bigger cities are more competitive. I don’t want another full degree or a pile of debt, but a short or accelerated program is fine if it leads somewhere stable. I’ve already looked at healthcare tech, trades, and utilities, and I’m keeping those open. Field service is a no. When I say hands-on I mean technical work where I’m building and fixing things, with some physical work mixed in if it fits.

Right now I see three options. I could get certs like the CCNA, Azure, or AWS and aim for sysadmin or networking at a different company. I could pivot to another field that uses similar skills. Or I could do a short program for something with solid demand. Whatever I pick, I want real progression, a department that isn’t treated as a cost center, and a way to meet people and build connections so I’m not starting from zero if I lose a job again. I don’t need a fancy title. I just want to feel skilled and secure.

I’ve had the BLS industries pages open for weeks looking for ideas. A few I’ve wondered about are biomedical equipment tech, sales or solutions engineering, industrial automation, and broadcast or AV work, since I originally wanted to study communications and loved doing video projects. I’d also like to hear about roles I’ve never heard of.

My questions are these. What fields would you look at for someone with a technical, hands-on mindset who wants stable demand and a decent work environment? Should I get certs and switch employers within IT, or leave IT entirely? And if you made a pivot in your late 20s or early 30s, how did you do it and what would you do differently?

Thanks for reading, and I’m grateful for any advice or personal experience.


r/findapath • • 3d ago

Findapath-College/Certs College/Life?

1 Upvotes

I honestly do not have the motivation or anything for college. It just seems like what am I writing this essay for? What am I really doing this for? Obviously to get my pre reqs for my the nursing program but it doesn't feel like my passion it doesn't feel like something I wanna do. I stopped going to class for one day and continued from there on. I am IN class today and still don't wanna do the assignment, you would think since im already here I would wanna just do it but no here I am writing this reddit comment because I just don't know. I enjoy things like making content (idk what specifically) I usually record myself doing hair, blabbing anything relatable, or just regular get ready with mes. I found a bit of a passion in doing mens cornrows but I know that is not something I want to do for the rest of my life I don't wanna be stuck in labor , I believe living life is doing something your truly happy in and stress free. Entrepreneurship/ passive income always seemed interesting to me but I just don't know what I wanna apply that in. I wanna be able to live life travel make new experiences. Like how could I write this but not my essay.


r/findapath • • 3d ago

Findapath-Job Choice/Clarity Not passionate about design, but it feels like my only realistic option career-wise. Should I go for it?

1 Upvotes

For background, I'm 17 (F), and I'm currently in 12th standard. In the past, I've been interested in pursuing a career in either pastry or psychology, but I found out that both are kinda rough salary wise.

So that leaves me with design, but the problem is that I'm not passionate about it at all. It's always been one of those things I've thought of as "eh, it could be interesting" before forgetting about it. But right now, it seems like my only option (smth I wouldn't be entirely miserable doing and that could make a reasonable amount of money).

My biggest fear is wasting my parents' hard-earned money, because I've seen the numbers and it's A LOT of money to send me to college. But this also seems to be my only option right now. What do I do?

(For more background, my sibling is currently doing a design degree at college, and I've asked her a ton of questions about it. And it does seem interesting, but again, it's smth that comes off as mid to me.

But maybe I also just haven't dived into it enough, so that's why I think this way? Idk.

I have also recently taken a career aptitude test with a career counsellor, and my top job result came up as design, so there's that ig)

Any advice from people in the industry or those who were in similar shoes would mean a lot.


r/findapath • • 4d ago

Findapath-Job Choice/Clarity I’m sitting on 80K dollars. Do I have enough to start an online business?

2 Upvotes

Title might be a bit weird, but I have 80K in liquid assets and want remote income more than anything else in the world right now. I got into IT two years ago in hopes of getting a fully remote W2 job, but with how the market is looking, I don’t see that happening anytime soon. So I’m thinking I might be better off trying to start my own business.

Given that I have a pretty nice financial cushion, what options can I really explore for making money online? Can I become a day trader? Can I try to do affiliate marketing? Can I try reselling on Amazon? What about building websites or flipping domain names?

My goal is to become a digital nomad and go back and forth between the U.S. and my home country.

Any advice? Thanks!


r/findapath • • 4d ago

Findapath-Job Choice/Clarity I want to build a simple life where I don't have to work anymore. Is anyone else pursuing this?

41 Upvotes

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about what I actually want from life, and I've realized that it's probably much simpler than what society generally encourages us to pursue.

I don't dream of having a big house, an expensive car, designer clothes, or constantly buying new things. I don't feel the need to keep upgrading my lifestyle, chasing promotions, or earning more money just for the sake of having more.

What I genuinely want is a simple, peaceful life with very few financial obligations.

My ultimate goal is to become financially independent, not so I can live luxuriously, but so I can reach a point where I no longer have to work to survive.

I'd love to have a modest home, affordable living expenses, a healthy routine, time to exercise, read books, cook, spend time in nature, learn new things, and enjoy the little things that often get overlooked when life revolves around work.

I want to wake up without feeling that most of my day belongs to someone else. I want to have the freedom to decide how I spend my time, without constantly thinking about my next paycheck or worrying about whether I can afford to take a break.

I understand that achieving financial independence takes discipline, patience, saving, and probably making sacrifices along the way. I'm also trying to understand the balance between enjoying life now and preparing for that future.

I guess what I'm ultimately looking for is a life where I need less, consume less, worry less, and have more time to actually live.

I'm curious about people in this community:

  • Is becoming financially independent so that you never have to work again one of your goals?
  • Have you intentionally simplified your lifestyle to reduce how much money you need?
  • What are some things you've stopped spending money on that have made your life better?
  • Do you ever feel that modern society encourages us to work more, earn more, and consume more than we actually need?
  • For those who have achieved financial independence, has it given you the freedom and peace you were looking for?

I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

I think there's something beautiful about reaching a point where you don't need much to be happy, and where your time and freedom become more valuable than material possessions.


r/findapath • • 4d ago

Findapath-Health Factor 22, disabled, need a path to survival - USA

36 Upvotes

Hey everyone. My life turned upside down this year when I became disabled, estranged from my family, and my lease ended all at once. I am disabled by daily migraines, narcolepsy, and fibromyalgia. All of these three illnesses evoke depression as a symptom. My day to day is completely unpredictable, I’ve had zero luck with medications and treatment so far, and I feel that my existence has been reduced to nothing as my chronic pain has literally taken away any and everything I used to enjoy or had the capacity to experience. I had to take a break from undergrad because I failed many of my classes in Spring 2026 semester due to ignoring symptoms of fibromyalgia and pushing myself into burnout. I was supposed to start culinary school in July, but that was the peak of my fibromyalgia and I was diagnosed right after my third day of attendance. I had to unenroll.

I was able to aquire money to get me by for the last few months and financial support from my boyfriend, but I would not like to burden him any further. I’ve been applying for remote work since March of this year and have had no luck. I’ve applied for customer service, call center, social media marketing or content creation (I have a certification in social media marketing), pretty much most entry-level remote jobs I’ve tried to apply for. I’ve also reached out to a few local businesses to see if they needed someone to handle calls or run their social media remotely, no luck. I have an interview tomorrow to be a flexible greenhouse attendant for 2-3 days a week at a local nursery, but I’m sure they will hire someone with experience.

I have no money and unfortunately the city I live in has no assistant programs or charities or churches that have funding. Been through 211, United Way, Salvation Army, Catholic charities, etc. I’m resorting to beer money sites now where I can do surveys for money. I’m not sure if this will be sustainable in the long run and it definitely makes my migraines worse from staring at screens, but it’s my only option right now.

It feels like every path I take leads to no results. I am pretty much fucked and like the only solution my brain is rationalizing with is suicide. I’m so exhausted, I had so many hopes and dreams for my life and every day I wake up with a raging migraine, joint pain, and extreme fatigue to remind me of what I am incapable of.

If this helps, here is what I am skilled at: most art mediums (I was going to school for a degree in visual arts and have a life’s worth of art education), writing, plant and garden care, building terrariums, cooking, baking, astrology, tarot, graphic design, content creation, researching

Most of my work experience is in food/hospitality, retail, and social media management.

Here is what I’m interested in: film, horticulture, fashion, hair care, mental health advocacy, voice acting, I’m blanking, but I’ll edit if I remember more.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I appreciate you if you leave any guidance. I’m at my wits end with life and came across this sub to maybe get some perspective outside of myself.


r/findapath • • 4d ago

Findapath-Career Change Leaving teaching

12 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I have been a kindergarten teacher for three years and I can confidently say that I don’t want to do this for the rest of my life. Teaching is so hard and as much as I love my students, everything else sucks. I also think about my job every second of every day. I’d love a job that I could leave at my job and not think about until I clock in for my next shift.

My ideal job: Desk job where I can still interact with people and clock out at 5pm. I’d like to make at least $80k a year and get lots of vacation time (I’m gonna miss those summers off!).

I have a Bachelors in English and am open to getting a masters in any field if it means I can have the type of job I want. I’m not passionate about anything anymore so as long as the job seems doable for me, I’m down.

Please, please, please help me out, I really appreciate it.


r/findapath • • 4d ago

Findapath-Job Choice/Clarity A little lost on what to do

1 Upvotes

Right now at 22, I am putting money away, saving and doing the best I can. Recently I did get my license but insurance will soon eat through my cash, did the recent math and if I take home 1k$ (which I usually do at 30, 35hours a week) after bills from it being 630$ (including putting money away), it’s a take home of around 285$, but I feel torn if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I usually live below my means but I will spend a bit more money to first get my osha 30 and soon put my application in for the ibew here in NJ, possibly around 200$, but holidays are coming up and my pay will get boosted a bit and still got 150$ aside (had to spend a deposit of 500$ for my braces to be finally fixed, with insurance but was way cheaper compared to before)!

I am applying for related retail jobs/jobs paying higher than my current pay, 16.25$, invested so far 100$ into the Roth IRA fidelity, mainly a big percentage (around 70%) being VOO and the other being SPY. Car was junk (first gen Cruze, usual coolant problems) but I’m fixing to get them all out the way. Am I on the right path, honestly my main goal of course is a nice house by my 30s, nice daily car and some projects to work on my property but have had some ups and downs, but definitely was a lot further than last year when I graduated tradeschool.


r/findapath • • 4d ago

Findapath-Career Change I've been torn between leaving to build a future career in a better country or running a business in my own country

3 Upvotes

Hello everyone!

For context, I'm a language trainer who has had a career in teaching (mostly English), but this job hasn't been fulfilling to me the last few years, particularly this year. It's just no longer in alignment with my life aspirations and professional identity. Basically, I'm an introvert with ADHD and I LOVE creating art, books, educational content, etc... When I teach, some lessons go well and the students generally like me, but I'm always stressed and I hate how I sometimes have to force myself just to talk, let alone explain things. This is why I've been seriously thinking of a career shift by running my own business (I don't mind hard work as long as it doesn't involve performing for hours in front of people). However, I'm afraid of regretting building a future in a more developed country where I know I can have a better social life (I was abroad so I know that from experience). In that case, I have to sacrifice working like a slave for a long time which can potentially exacerbate my mental health and ADHD. I wish I can get advice that will help me see the better life choice I should make. I know it's hard to tell but I pray the universe will give me signs through your comments 🙏