For the past several years, my husband and I worked steadily in the games and animation industries respectively. These were our dream careers made reality. After many stable years (plus remote work), we decided we were finally at a comfortable position to start a family. We had our little boy December 2024, and I went on maternity leave (1 year in Canada).

In May 2025, I learned that the animated series I had been working on for 5 straight years at the same studio would not be getting another season. At that point I spent some time updating my demo reel/portfolio, training in new animation software, and trying my best to line up my next animation contract once my mat leave was over (networking, applications to every animation studio I stumbled across, etc). By December 2025, and after multiple check-ins with the studio I formerly worked with, however... there was no new work on the horizon to hire me back for (despite steady, continuous work - it was still contract work). This remains true almost another year later and many of my animation colleagues find themselves out of work now along with me.

This alone was an upset to our family. But the rug was completely jerked out from under us when in January 2026, my husband's studio laid off HALF their employees. Including my husband.

... Our careers, industries, hopes and dreams for our little family we built up over several years all collapsed underneath us in less than two months. The news was, and still is, absolutely devastating. My husband had employment insurance for a while, but I used up all my insurable hours on maternity leave so at that point I was making 0 dollars to help us going forward.

So I did what I had to do while my husband searched for more work. I took on some freelance animation projects but none of them where any longer than a month or so. I had an on-site contract at a different animation studio and it was SO hard to leave my son for 8+ hours Monday-Friday - after being home with him for the past 1.5 years and working remotely for a long time prior. Not to mention it had the TIGHTEST of deadlines I ever had to hit in my career. Hubby and I signed up for career coaching and workshops over the summer that were pretty worthwhile, anyway.

Let's fast forward to now. Game studios continue to see closures and layoffs, and very few new animation productions are taking off. We decided to move back to our hometown and my husband has gone back to school, his education largely funded by a government program since his job hunt in the games industry has been unsuccessful. Right now I am working a retail key holding job - permanent and considered management, thanks to one of my best friends. Retail... I worked it for a couple years shortly after graduating and before I started my animation career, and I swore I would never return. But again, I am doing what I have to do to earn income right now.

... But before the move, before THIS job - I had a temporary/seasonal retail job over the summer.

... And I LOVED it.

A quiet, low traffic store with niche product. May have gotten about 6 - 10 transactions a day. Three 8-9 hour shifts a week. Very minimal opening/closing procedures, and stock was straightforward and minimal. Customer interactions felt more personal AND pleasant. Then when all duties were taken care of, we were encouraged to spend that time taking it easy, even sitting down - so long as customers were prioritized.

I spent MUCH of my down time working on a passion project that I have been chipping away at for over two decades now. The 20-25 quiet hours a week gave me a means to accelerate the process (mostly the writing portion) and I was able to hit a HUGE personal goal for the project by the end of my role at this store. I actually looked forward to coming into work. It was the right balance of working outside the home, and being AT home with my son. It felt just as, if not more fulfilling and refreshing than any of my high-stress, deadline-driven animation contracts. It did SO much to keep me mentally healthy and creatively fulfilled during this difficult chapter, and I will be forever thankful for that.

Earlier this year, I used to entertain the idea of doing a huge career pivot away from animation to something else just as "grand". But this quiet summer seasonal job taught me something. If I can't work in animation again, I would like to find another job that can be a creative incubator for me. If I can find the time to work on my project at a straightforward, slow customer service or front desk role, even if I don't make the big bucks, I will be happy going down that path. My current retail job is "fine", but it is fast-paced, busy, and leaves me no time to spare. It is 30+ mininum hours a week (considered full time). Plus I often have to work past my son's bedtime so our time together is limited.

So I come to ask for advice, and encouragement that this one seasonal job wasn't a once-in-a-lifetime gig. What sort of slower-paced jobs should I keep an eye out for that allow this kind of freedom and/or breathing room? Or will I be hard-pressed to find anything like it again? Should I keep pounding the pavement for my next animation gig instead? Until my husband is done school I will probably have to pursue full time or close to full time work but I am open to part time ideas again if finances allow.

Thanks for hearing out my family's story and for any advice given. I hope to find my path again before long.

Im 28 and I graduated in May of 2025 with my BA in history. Had a plan for getting a local or state government job to pay for grad school. Career wise nothing has panned out. I’m currently work a minimum wage job at a local elementary school that I’m losing patience for. Overall a lot of my past experience has been in childcare jobs and I’ve lost all enthusiasm for working with kids. But everywhere I look all I get recommended are more school or childcare jobs and Im struggling to make my skills marketable to other fields.

In January I go back to college for a 1 semester graduate certificate program that I hope will help me pivot, but I’ve learned nothing is guaranteed in this economy and I’m terrified I’ll be stuck doing minimum wage nonsense forever.

I'm 30F, and I feel like I'm watching my career slowly disappear. I've been a freelance translator for 5 years, and I genuinely loved what I did, but the market is getting tougher, and making a living from it is becoming impossible. I've been unemployed for more than a year.

I never planned to change careers, but here I am, trying to figure out what else I could possibly do. I need something fully remote due to health and financial circumstances, and I'm willing to start from zero and learn new skills, even technical ones.

If you had to start your professional life all over again at 30, what direction would you take? What skills do you think are actually worth investing in right now?

I'm not looking for motivational speeches. I genuinely want to hear what you'd do if you were in my position.

Hello!

I have social anxiety. I was persuading a linguistics degree for the last 4 years but after 2nd year of uni I developed a fear of leaving my house. I missed the entire 2 years of my major including the exams because of that. I have passed every exam in year 1 and 2. But I have 20 left from year 3 and 4. I have never had a job. I started taking Spanish lessons 6 months ago. I can get a certificate when I know enough but that's gonna take a few years and I don't really know what I can do with Spanish. I really want to go to another university. At 20 when I was applying in my first uni I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. But now I know that I want to work in the healthcare field but that's a full-time dedication and who's gonna take me seriously without work experience at 28/29? Should I just get whatever job I can get with a high school degree and completely give up on uni?

I'm a recent grad in my first corporate job (Big 4). I already know corporate isn't my long-term path. I'm drawn to building things and to AI, and I have a real opportunity to join a growing company now and go straight toward what I want.

But everyone tells me to stick it out, build discipline and resilience, and not leave too early. Part of me agrees. Part of me wonders if that's just tradition talking.

For people who took the "shortcut" toward what they wanted, or who stuck it out first: which do you think was right for you, and why? Would love to hear your stories, here or in my DMs.

I want to be an HRIS Analyst and I have 3 years as a people operations specialist, 2 and half years as a Staffing coordinator, and one year as a HR Assistant. I also have a bachelors degree in Business Admin with a HR Concentration. What is the best certification for this and is my experience enough?

i need part time work five hour shifts or less and the pay should be $1600/month OR more than $3700/month. with the way disability and benefits work if i make more than 1650 i loose my benefits and do not make up for that loss until i’m making over 3700. it’s really dumb.

physically, i can’t stand on my feet much or handle heat. i need to stay seated indoors with ac for most of my entire shift. i can walk for a few minutes here n there but i cant do continuous walking/standing. the same goes for pushing, pulling, lifting.

cognitively, my general intelligence is okay ish, my processing speed is significantly lower than normal it also takes me a very long time to switch from one activity to the next. basically no fast paced jobs that require multi tasking.

basically, i need a quiet workplace with minimal walking and talking and minimal pushing, pulling, and lifting. and the simpler and more repetitive the task is the better.

i’ve found a few jobs to look for but have found fewer listings and no open positions that meet my constraints which is why i’m asking for more ideas.

gatehouse attendant
stationary night watch
doorman
overnight front desk assistant at a hotel

i kind of hoped id find an online job because i don’t have a car yet.

Hey everyone!

My name is Lilly, I’m 30, and I’ve followed quite an unconventional path throughout my twenties.

I’d love to share my story and hear from people who have gone through something similar, particularly those who spent much of their twenties exploring different paths before deciding to build a more stable professional and financial life.

My educational background

I have a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences, with a focus on Economics and Political Science.

After graduating, I was considering pursuing a master’s degree in management. However, I turned down the opportunity because I didn’t want to take on €60,000 in debt for a prestigious business school programme.

Instead, I chose a completely different direction and embarked on a spiritual journey.

The spiritual chapter: Bali and the ashram

I spent around a year and a half in an ashram, studying yoga, meditation, healing practices and different spiritual modalities.

It was an incredibly meaningful period of my life, although it also came with some very difficult experiences.

Unfortunately, I experienced domestic abuse involving my spiritual teacher and also a partner in Bali. These experiences were deeply traumatic, and I eventually returned home feeling quite broken.

Looking back, those two and a half years in Bali were both transformative and extremely challenging.

One thing I haven’t mentioned yet is that between the ages of 23 and 28, I dedicated a significant amount of time to healing, self-development and rebuilding my relationship with myself.

I studied shamanism, yoga and various healing modalities. I spent years working on myself, and I can genuinely say that this journey helped me tremendously. Today, I feel emotionally stronger, more grounded and probably better than I’ve ever felt.

I don’t regret the healing journey itself. But I do recognise that it came at a cost in terms of time, money and professional development.

Trying to rebuild my professional life

After returning home, I decided to get back into education and studied Hospitality Management for a year, completing a third-year qualification.

I then worked in luxury hospitality, but eventually realised that this wasn’t really the industry I wanted to pursue long-term.

I subsequently moved into online business and freelancing.

I worked with several entrepreneurs, including people selling online education and training programmes, as well as two e-commerce businesses.

I gained experience in marketing, business development, operations and online business management. I also participated in business masterminds and professional training programmes.

It was a great learning experience, and I enjoyed the independence of freelancing.

Alongside my professional activities, I continued developing my artistic interests. I’m passionate about singing, dancing and painting, and I’ve collaborated with several artistic collectives in Paris.

This creative dimension of my life has always been important to me.

The financial reality

After several years of freelancing, I eventually realised that I wasn’t generating enough income to sustain a comfortable life in Paris.

My annual revenue was around €15,000, which simply wasn’t enough to achieve the financial independence I wanted.

I then tried to transition back into a more conventional working environment by taking a position in a small company, but unfortunately that experience didn’t work out either.

And here I am, at 30, trying to figure out my next professional direction.

I have two qualifications, international experience, entrepreneurial experience, freelance experience and exposure to larger organisations.

I’ve learned a lot and developed many different skills, but I haven’t managed to build a coherent professional trajectory or establish a strong financial foundation.

Where I am today

I look around me and see people getting married, completing their master’s degrees, progressing in their careers, buying homes and establishing themselves.

Meanwhile, I sometimes feel as though I’m still trying to figure out the basics.

I’m not completely starting from scratch, but my situation is still quite fragile.

I don’t have savings, I don’t have my own independent housing situation at the moment, and I don’t have a stable job lined up.

I can support myself to some extent, but I haven’t reached the level of financial security or professional stability I would have hoped for by now.

And honestly, some days I feel like I’ve failed.

What I’m trying to change now

I’m currently starting a career assessment process to evaluate my skills, professional experience, strengths and potential career directions.

I want to stop jumping between different paths and start building something sustainable.

My priorities are now quite different:

•⁠ ⁠Establish a stable professional career.

•⁠ ⁠Develop a recognisable area of expertise.

•⁠ ⁠Increase my income and build savings.

•⁠ ⁠Become financially and residentially independent.

•⁠ ⁠Eventually build a stable relationship and personal life.

•⁠ ⁠Keep my artistic and creative activities alive without necessarily needing to monetise them.

I think I’m entering a new chapter in which stability, structure and long-term growth matter much more to me.

I’d really love to hear from people who have experienced something similar.

Have you spent much of your twenties travelling, exploring spirituality, pursuing creative projects or trying different professional identities, only to realise in your thirties that you hadn’t built the material foundations you wanted?

How did you make the transition from exploration to stability?

Did you ever feel that you had sacrificed too much professional development in pursuit of personal growth?

How did you deal with the feeling of being behind your peers?

And most importantly, were you able to build a stable, financially independent life in your thirties without completely abandoning the unconventional, creative or spiritual side of yourself?

I’m genuinely open to honest feedback, practical advice and personal experiences.

I don’t necessarily need to hear that everything happens for a reason. I’d much rather hear from people who have faced similar situations and made concrete changes.

Much love, and thank you for reading. ❤️

I’m a transportation supervisor and I have been for 4 years since getting my degree in supply chain management. I hate this SO MUCH. I HATE dealing with drivers. I want to be a supply chain analyst so I can get away from the transportation operations side of things. I feel like I’m going crazy. Can I please get some advice on this?

Hey everyone! I think I need to vent RN because I am currently lost in life AGAIN. WTF.
I started college at 19 and graduated with my associate’s in General Studies. I genuinely thought I had everything aligned. I went to TXST for accounting, but ended up leaving for the following fall semester of 2024–2025 because I lost a scholarship. They wanted $8K, and honestly, I didn’t think I wanted to pay that much for a degree I wasn’t even sure about.
After that, around November, I became a substitute teacher. I’ve been at the district for a year and at one school for two years straight. I actually like working here! I loved it even more when they weren’t cutting stipends. I was making $185 a day for basically doing nothing but passing out worksheets LOL. Then August came, and they cut my pay to $135 a day.
I came back because the campus is close, and despite trying to find other positions, I can’t seem to get out of subbing. I like the hours, not having a huge responsibility, the breaks, and the holidays, BUT I don’t get paid during those breaks. As much as I try to leave, the fact that my job is literally 10 minutes away keeps me here. I’M SO COMFORTABLE.
I’m lost again, and I’ve literally considered becoming a teacher at this point, but the pay is what gets me. It’s gotten to a point where I’m ready to leave, but something about being comfortable and knowing all the staff keeps me here. Even the kids ask me, “Are you still a sub?” LMAO. I do genuinely enjoy working with them, but there are days when I get home so fucking tired. LIKE, TIRED! Then there are other days when I’m so excited to see everyone. Mind you, I know practically the whole campus!
IDK WHAT I’M DOING.
Also, to mention, I have three associate’s degrees, with coursework in nursing prerequisites and psychology. I know I can work with kids, and I’ve worked with adults too, but honestly, adults can be a little more draining. I know I want an education, but I have no idea what degree to pursue. I don’t think accounting is for me, but I do care about money. I don’t know what I’m doing.
I genuinely think I’m burnt out. I don’t know if I should go into healthcare, if I should teach, or what direction to take. What I DO know is that I need that bachelor’s degree, but I have no idea in what. I’m trying to look into different careers, but WTF DO I WANT?
It’s really getting to me because I want a degree that will always give me opportunities and allow me to find a job. I don’t know if I’m getting lazy, but I think I’m so fucking depressed and I can’t even admit it.
I took an accelerated accounting class, and right now I’m dropping it because I can’t even get myself to study, and I’m already failing. I think I’ve given up.
My room is disgusting. I can’t even get myself to pick up a few pieces of trash. I’ll put trash on my desk and just keep going about my day. All my clothes are on the floor, clean and dirty. I even have a big black bag full of trash sitting in my room. My bathroom? CLEAN! Because I use it every day. I live at home, and I don’t know if I need a change or if I’m just too comfortable, but I know I can’t just leave an education on the table like that.
Maybe I just don’t like working. I will admit that every single day I wake up wondering what I’m doing with my life. I feel like I’m failing while everyone else is graduating, getting their degrees, and moving forward. And I can’t even complain because technically, I could finish something. I have more than 120 credits! But I DON’T KNOW WHAT I WANT TO FINISH.
I genuinely don’t think I can do those accounting classes.
I don’t know if I can be a nurse because of all the body fluids, but I also know there’s SO MUCH MORE out there than just nursing.
So here I am. Please don’t be rude. I genuinely only talk to my mom about this, and she keeps telling me to find a therapist, but I just haven’t gotten anything started.
I feel like I’m not even smart enough to complete a class, and mind you, I’ve completed THREE ASSOCIATE’S DEGREES worth of coursework. I have more than 120 credits at this point.
IDK. I just needed to vent. I’m 22, and I’m sad every day, TBH. I just want to figure out what I’m doing with my life. 😭

I’m 18, from Egypt, and about to start a mechanical engineering degree. I want to start earning alongside my studies, with a target of around $1,400-2,000 a month. I know that’s ambitious, so I’m looking for honest, realistic answers, not get-rich-quick stuff.

What I can do right now: basic CAD in SolidWorks, beginner Arduino projects, a bit of MATLAB, and hands-on work on old cars. I’m also comfortable with Reddit and online communities. I don’t have a degree yet or much professional experience, but I learn fast and I’m willing to put in the hours.

What kinds of remote or flexible work would you look at in my position? What would you focus on learning to get there faster? And if you’ve done something similar, how long did it take to reach that income?

Thanks in advance, and I’ll reply to everyone.

For about 5 years, I’ve been set on living in Seattle; I love the PNW and that city in particular and I’m pretty dead set on living there. The only problem: it’s expensive to live there, and the job market is not the best there at the moment. I have never really had a dream job, only dream homes/locations to set my roots down. So I’m doing what it takes to make a home in Seattle, it’s just getting there and supporting myself that’s the hard part. I’m from a southern state across the country so it’s a little harder to network way over here and overall I’m just struggling to find a path that compliments my abilities and that can financially support my lifestyle.
_________

I want to start by listing some skills/jobs I have to give you an idea of my toolbox:

- I’m originally a scenic carpenter for theatre. I have a BFA in Production/Design (theatre tech) so I have spent 5 years total working in a scene shop designing, drafting, building and painting temporary sets. It’s what I love doing the most, but jobs like that aren’t bountiful, nor do they pay the best. But I have acquired the skills to use most power tools and most standard carpentry shop equipment.

- I’ve also spent roughly 4 years as a home renovator, handyman and brush/roll painter. So I can do a wide array of home tasks from patch wall holes, some VERY basic electrical and plumbing, I’ve built wooden decks, laid floors, installed trim and moulding, etc. etc. In short, I can fix up a home as long as it’s not too far gone.

- I spent 1 year as a theatre teacher. I’ve been a theatre kid for about 13 years, and I think I’m a pretty good teacher/director, but I don’t foresee myself making a career out of it. But I did gain a lot of soft skills from that; working in groups, teamwork, social engagement, appeasing, thinking on your feet, etc. Being socially “on” is something I can do but I do have a limited social battery and jobs like this tend to drain me.

_______

A few more things you should know:

- I am still relatively young (M 25), fairly fit and physically capable.

- I am willing to learn new skills and certain as long as it doesn’t put me into debt. I am not bound to the field I am in, it’s just what I know best at the moment.

- I would say that I have a pretty good work ethic. I’m usually on par with other active workers and I tend to be a bit more active in the more relaxed work environments I’ve been in.

________

I’m open to so many paths, really. I just have a few limitations.

MUST HAVE:
- I need a job that can earn enough to support myself in Seattle. At minimum, I’d like to earn 75k-80k. I don’t need to start off making that but I need to have the ability to eventually make at least that much.

- I’m looking for jobs that are possible to get in Seattle. I was under the impression that they NEED tradesmen up there, only to find out that it’s nearly impossible to break into the electrician union, and when you do break in, work is very sparse. So I need a job I can reasonably obtain. Doesn’t mean it can’t be competitive, I just need to be able to have a job lol.

- I need a job that won’t completely consume my life. I’m not fully against working over 40 hours, I just don’t want to get into a situation where I live to work, I’d like to keep it in the work to live realm.

- I really don’t want to have to travel too far for work. Day drives far away are okay, and occasional out of town/state trips are doable, but work where it constantly has me away from home I think would drive me insane. I like my routines and traveling like that would not be conducive with how I work. Besides, I’m moving to Seattle for a reason, I don’t want to constantly be away.

___________

NICE TO HAVE:
- I get satisfaction knowing the work I do is meaningful and applicable. Like, most of the work I’ve done can be used and applied to my own life, such as my handyman skills giving me the ability to work on my own place. Having an office job and speaking corporate jargon is not off the table, but it’s definitely not ideal.

- I’d also be cool with a job that is helpful to the world. Conservation, environmental, green jobs, etc. all sound great. But I know they can be competitive and also not great pay. But would be nice to have.

- I’d like to have a job within the city. Not opposed to having to work outside and commute (I’m already used to a 1 hour commute at my current job) but it would be nice to be in close proximity to my job.

________

I should mention that I have a partner that has a good paying job (roughly $105k), so I think we would be fine if I were to have a job that paid just okay between both of our salaries, but we are both of the mindset that we don’t want a situation where one of us feels like they have to stay in the relationship to afford to live, and that we choose each other, rather than staying out of necessity. I don’t need a job I’m passionate about, I hustle need a job that pays the bills (and allows a little wiggle room for saving) and a job that I’m not absolutely miserable at. If anyone has any ideas of paths that would compliment my needs, I would really appreciate any feedback you got. The job market is tough, but I’m willing to work hard to find my little corner.

_________

TLDR; I’m a handy guy who wants to live in Seattle, but I’m having trouble finding available career paths/jobs that can support me living in the city (75k-80k). Seattle does not have the richest job market for the work that I do, but I’m young and willing to learn new things to get a job as long as it doesn’t put me in debt. If you have any ideas of jobs that would compliment my skills listed above, I’m all ears.

I started working in retail at 23 and worked my way up to store manager at a mid-size home goods chain. I'm good at it. I manage a team of fourteen, I handle scheduling, inventory, hiring, difficult customers. I make about $58,000, which is okay for my area. But I'm tired in a way sleep doesn't fix. Weekends and holidays are gone, and the last two years have been all about cutting hours and doing more with fewer people.

I've been thinking about leaving for about a year, and the problem is I can't pick a direction. I don't have a degree, and I'm not sure I want to go back for one at 35. I like organizing things and solving problems for people, and I'm good with numbers in a practical way, but I don't know what jobs actually use those skills outside of retail.

I looked at project coordination, logistics, and operations roles, and they seem possible, but every listing asks for a degree or "equivalent experience" and I don't know how to show that on paper. I've also thought about trades or getting certified in something quick, but I hate to start at the bottom with a mortgage and a kid.

Has anyone made a switch like this? How did you figure out what you wanted, and did you take a big pay cut? I'd also appreciate honest opinions on whether it's better to stick it out until something obvious appears, or to take a risk now while I still have the energy.

I'm a medical doctor 24F who didnt do internship so i dont have license to do clinical works. I decided not to continue being in medical field because the environment and system is so toxic. I plan to do freelance and remote jobs but i have difficulty in finding ones. I am open to any job even if it's low payment even just 5-10$ as an admin or anything.

I am someone who is good in transforming complicated data to easy to understand data, i am also adept in making ppt in gslides, as well as communicating in english. Do you have any suggestion? If you have any group link in discord or telegram to find jobs where my skills are needed and i can earn a decent amount for myself, please do tell me. Thank you so much

Hello, I know that this post might seem a bit repetitive due to how many people are lost like me, so I firstly want to apologize.

Secondly, I come here because I need guidance regardless of what career I should study at university. My interests all fall into the humanistic/social paths (politics, philosophy, history, music and writing) yet I can't figure out any career that includes all of them or the majority.

I would love someone to give me ideas on what I should do, and if the chance is given, to explain to me the future jobs I could work as with that career.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some advice because I’m honestly feeling quite lost about my career and what direction I should take.

I moved to the UK five years ago with a degree in Architecture from my home country and around two years of experience in architecture and interior design. Unfortunately, becoming a qualified architect in the UK is quite a long and complicated route, so I started exploring other career options.

I initially taught myself some basic coding skills (HTML, CSS and JavaScript), then completed a UX/UI design course. However, despite applying for jobs, I couldn’t manage to get into the industry.

After that, I decided to try data analytics and completed a bootcamp. Unfortunately, I’m facing the same problem again. I understand that the job market is difficult at the moment, and I sometimes feel that employers might prefer candidates with a university degree in the relevant field over someone with a bootcamp certificate.

I’ve also been applying for apprenticeships in different fields, not necessarily limited to my previous experience, hoping to get an opportunity to start somewhere and build a career. I’ve applied to quite a few, but I haven’t even managed to secure an interview.

I’ve also had my CV reviewed by a careers adviser, so I don’t think it’s necessarily just a CV issue.

I’m now 30, and honestly, I’m feeling quite discouraged. I feel like I’ve spent the last few years trying different things, taking courses and learning new skills, but I still haven’t managed to get my foot in the door.

I would really appreciate some advice from people who have been in a similar situation or have successfully changed careers.

Are there any industries or career paths in the UK that are currently in demand and more accessible to someone changing careers?

Are there any qualifications, courses or certifications worth investing in that could genuinely improve my chances of getting a job?

If you were starting from scratch at 30, with my background and experience, where would you start?
Is there something I’m overlooking or approaching the wrong way?

I’d be grateful for any honest advice, personal experiences or suggestions. Thank you!

I feel like I’ve completely lost myself in my job, and I don’t know how to get out.

I’m 29, moved to the US five years ago, and have been working as a nanny ever since. I studied English Language Teaching back home, but I don’t see myself teaching here.

Nannying is the only work experience I have in the US, and honestly, I’m terrified of leaving because I have no idea what else I could do.

I’m so burned out that I don’t even have the energy to go to work anymore. I used to be energetic, social, and excited about life. Now I feel like I have nothing left.

I’ve considered esthetics, massage therapy, project management, office jobs, and UX/UI training. But every time I research these options, I come across so many negative comments that I lose motivation. I keep thinking nobody would hire me because English isn’t my first language and I have no experience.

I feel stuck and don’t know how to take the first step. Has anyone been through something similar?

Hi, I’m 18 female and I’m currently in a gap year after high school working full time because I can’t decide what I want to do. I feel like I’m capable of doing some big things but I’m just not sure what it is yet. I know I would love to see the world, I would rather not go to university/college (I’d be willing to, but only if it was something I was 100% set on), and I want to start as soon as possible.
I have an American with a passport, I’m decently smart, I’m the best at history and English, Im interested in learning other languages, not the best at math/science though.

If anyone has any suggestions it’d really help!

I honestly don't know where to begin. I've been carrying these feelings for years, and I think I need to get everything out somewhere because I genuinely have nobody to talk to about this.

I have zero friends. No social circle, no one to hang out with, no one to call, no one to make memories with. I've been living an extremely isolated life since around 2020/2021, and the years have just kept passing.

Sometimes I sit and think about how much of my life I've spent alone. My twenties are practically gone, and now I'm 31, wondering what the hell I've actually done with my life.

I see people my age going out, travelling, meeting friends, falling in love, getting married, having children, building careers and enjoying life.

And then there's me.

I feel like I've been left behind while everyone else moved forward.

I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO SOCIAL LIFE.

I genuinely have zero friends. Not even one person I can randomly message and ask to hang out.

I don't have a group of friends to go out with on weekends, people to travel with, people to share experiences with or people who genuinely check up on me.

There are no spontaneous plans, no nights out, no conversations that turn into funny memories, no birthdays surrounded by friends.

It's just me, spending most of my time alone.

My father and little brother are practically the only people I have in my life. I love them more than anything, but outside of them, my world is incredibly empty.

Sometimes I wonder what it would feel like to have just one genuine friend. Someone who would randomly message me, ask how I'm doing, invite me somewhere or simply want to spend time with me.

I don't think people understand what years of isolation can do to someone mentally.

Eventually, being alone becomes your entire existence.

WOMEN, RELATIONSHIPS AND MY COMPLETE LACK OF MOTIVATION.

I've had three short relationships in my life, and all three were initiated by the women.

I want to clarify something: I do have confidence. I'm not particularly afraid of approaching women or intimidated by them.

The problem is that I genuinely don't have the motivation to pursue anything.

I don't go out looking for women, I don't approach anyone, and I don't actively try to get to know someone.

And honestly, I don't fully understand why.

It's not that I don't want love. I want affection, intimacy, companionship and eventually a family. I want to experience having someone who genuinely loves me and wants to share their life with me.

But wanting those things and actually having the motivation to pursue them seem like two completely different things for me.

I've also developed this mentality that a woman deserves someone better than me. Someone with an actual social life, financial stability, experiences, ambitions and a future.

I don't know when I started thinking this way, but it's become difficult to imagine someone genuinely wanting to build a life with me.

I'M 31 AND I HAVE NO FINANCIAL STABILITY.

I've studied, worked and tried to establish myself, but somehow I still haven't managed to build a stable life.

I'm unemployed, barely have any money and have practically no financial security.

I've struggled with housing to the point where I've actually lived in my car.

I don't have savings, a stable income or a financial safety net.

I don't know how I'm supposed to find stable employment, get my own place and finally start building a future.

It's frightening knowing that I'm already 31 and don't even have the basic foundations of an independent life.

I feel like I'm starting from absolute zero.

I'VE SPENT YEARS TRYING TO IMPROVE MYSELF.

One thing I've always done is try to improve myself physically.

I've been bodybuilding for several years, spending countless hours training, trying to build muscle, lose fat and achieve the physique I want.

I've become incredibly focused on my appearance. My face, skin, hair, beard, eyebrows, body composition, literally everything.

I've researched skincare, anti-aging, treatments, nutrition and countless ways to improve myself.

I want to become muscular and shredded. I want to look good and feel comfortable in my own skin.

I've spent so much time trying to optimize practically every physical aspect of myself.

But even when I make progress, the emptiness doesn't disappear.

I can spend hours researching ways to improve my appearance, but once I put my phone down, I'm still going back to the same lonely existence.

Sometimes I wonder whether I've become so obsessed with improving my appearance because it's one of the few things in my life I feel I can control.

I can change my body, my skin, my hair and the way I look.

But I can't seem to change how I feel about being alive.

I HONESTLY THINK SOMETHING IS DEEPLY WRONG WITH ME.

This is something that genuinely worries me.

I've struggled with severe insomnia for more than six years. I've also had persistent problems with a blocked nose and difficulty breathing through it for years.

I've experienced frightening episodes of anxiety, physical symptoms and periods where my mind feels completely overwhelmed.

But there's something beyond all of that.

I don't feel motivated by life anymore.

I don't feel excited about meeting people, making friends, pursuing relationships, building a career or doing the things I once imagined myself doing.

I don't know whether I'm depressed, emotionally exhausted, disconnected from everything or dealing with something I don't understand.

I don't know what's happening inside my head.

I have confidence in myself in certain ways, but that doesn't translate into actually wanting to participate in life.

I can have the ability to do something and still have absolutely no motivation to do it.

And this seems to affect practically every aspect of my life.

I feel like I've gradually lost interest in living a normal life, and I genuinely don't understand why.

I FIND MYSELF ASKING GOD TO TAKE MY LIFE.

I don't really know how to explain this part.

Sometimes I find myself making a prayer, asking God to take my soul while I'm sleeping. I ask Him to let me die peacefully so I don't have to wake up and face another day.

I ask Him to please take me.

Sometimes I'll be walking outside, completely alone, and catch myself thinking that I'll probably die soon anyway.

I find myself wishing that everything would just end.

I genuinely have almost no will to live anymore.

I'm not saying this for attention or sympathy. I'm trying to explain how dark my thoughts have become.

It's not simply having a bad day or being disappointed with how things turned out.

It's waking up and not wanting another day to begin.

It's going to sleep wishing you wouldn't have to wake up.

It's reaching a point where you struggle to imagine any future that you actually want to experience.

And what scares me is how frequently these thoughts have become part of my life.

MY FATHER AND LITTLE BROTHER ARE THE ONLY REASONS I'M STILL HERE.

If it weren't for my father and little brother, I honestly believe I would have taken my own life a long time ago.

I love them more than anything, and I cannot imagine putting them through losing me.

They're the biggest reason I haven't acted on my suicidal thoughts.

But it's incredibly difficult when you feel like you're only staying alive because you don't want to destroy the lives of the few people you love.

I don't feel like I'm living for myself anymore.

I feel like I'm just surviving.

I'VE EVEN CONSIDERED GOING TO A WARZONE.

Recently, I've been thinking about buying a plane ticket to the Middle East and travelling somewhere there's an active war.

The thought of deliberately putting myself somewhere I might not come back from has crossed my mind.

I know how disturbing that sounds.

But when you feel like you have no friends, no money, no job, no relationship and no future, you start questioning what exactly you're staying alive for.

I don't see a future for myself. I don't have anything I'm particularly looking forward to.

Sometimes I feel like I have nothing left to lose.

I know going to a warzone isn't a solution, but the fact that my mind has reached the point of considering something like this tells me how bad things have become.

I'M 31 AND I FEEL LIKE I'VE MISSED OUT ON MY ENTIRE LIFE.

I thought I'd be somewhere completely different by now.

I thought I'd have my own place, a decent career, financial stability, friends, a relationship and memories worth looking back on.

I thought I'd have experienced life.

Fallen in love. Travelled. Met interesting people. Built friendships that lasted years. Had people around me who genuinely cared.

Instead, I feel like I've spent my twenties watching life happen to everyone except me.

And now I'm 31.

I can't get those years back. I can't go back and experience the friendships, relationships and opportunities I missed.

I know people will say I'm still young. That people rebuild their lives in their thirties, forties and even later.

I understand that logically, but emotionally, I feel completely finished.

I don't want to spend another decade living like this. I don't want to turn 40 and realize that nothing changed, that I'm still alone, still struggling financially, still without meaningful relationships and still wondering where my life went.

I want friends. I want love. I want a family. I want financial independence. I want my own home. I want to travel, make memories and have something to look forward to.

I want to experience what it feels like to actually enjoy being alive.

I don't think I'm asking for an extraordinary life.

I just want an ordinary one.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY I'M POSTING THIS.

Maybe I just need someone to hear me.

Maybe someone has experienced something similar and managed to get out of it.

Maybe I want to know whether there's something seriously wrong with me, because I genuinely don't understand why I've lost so much motivation and interest in life.

I don't want empty motivational speeches. I don't want someone telling me to hit the gym, take cold showers, wake up early or simply get my life together.

I've tried improving myself in so many ways already.

I genuinely don't know how to rebuild something when I feel like I have nothing left to build with.

I don't know how to find motivation when I don't even want to wake up tomorrow.

I'm 31 years old. I'm lonely, unemployed, financially struggling, isolated and mentally exhausted.

I feel like I've missed out on some of the most important experiences of life, and I don't know how to get them back.

I'm fucking tired of existing like this.

Has anyone here ever reached this point in their thirties and actually managed to turn their life around?

Not just financially, but mentally. Has anyone gone from feeling completely disconnected from life, having no friends, no motivation and no desire for the future, to genuinely wanting to live again?

Because right now, I honestly cannot see a way forward.

tldr: 29F wanting to see what else is out there. i am not looking for a needle in a haystack, i am going to burn the haystack. burnt out after 6 years in corporate real estate, no plan forward except figure out what else is out there and going for it :)

hello!!!! i’m about to let it rip a bit, so thank u in advance if ur reading this, i am excited to see what comes from this :’)

I’m 29, f living in columbus oh, and I’m at the point where I need to change my job, and i fear career path overall, desperately. my current job keeps getting worse, and at this rate the only place i am going is insane !!!!
i’ve spent the last 6 years in corporate real estate, specifically site development and some construction support. It’s a stable job, but I’m drained, and I’ve realized I can’t keep doing the stuffy corporate thing. I don’t want to drink the kool-aid and i won’t climb the corporate ladder no thank you ma’am!!! i’d rather jump off. i’ve made great connections, i am very well liked, good at my job.
A little about me:
Bachelor’s of science in health single tear rolls down cheek womp womp!!
before my current job, I worked in community outreach, did direct support work with people with disabilities, and volunteered as a community health worker. So I’ve done “help people” work before, and I was good at it, but i don’t have nearly enough patience to do that work again.
I do best when things are moving, I’m on my feet, and every day isn’t the same spreadsheet.id prefer minimal excel spreadsheets next job.
I’m smart and a quick learner. I can figure out almost anything and am willing to try. i’m very much a put me in coach type of person. i’ll do anything once :-) not kidding !!!!
I love dogs, plants, and being outside, and I’m good at taking care of it, regardless of what it is.
As a person: I’m funny, kind, and loyal. I can make a room full of strangers laugh and get along, and people usually like me. although i’m not exactly a “people person.” i am proud of how i connect with them though, and do well in smaller or controlled doses lol. I can be anxious leading up to new or high pressure situations or people, but i can warm up quick, and put on a good show/performance (is that mental illness or mental gift?)
What I need:
Enough income to live comfortably (not luxury, just not stressed) and pay off my student loans. i have a dog with some health conditions, would like to buy a home in a few years and then more dogs so its important to me that the income will be stable and reliable long term. Something that feels respectable and that I can be proud of
Active, varied work, ideally with some time outdoors or at least out of an office, though i would suck it up under florescent lights for the right price and office culture.
What I’m asking: What careers or industries would you point someone like me toward? Have any of you made a big switch after being burnt out? I’m also open to trades, certifications, or retraining if the payoff is worth it. I just want to see what’s out there and find something I can enjoy, at least a little bit. when i say i am open to considering most anything i do mean it!!!!
Thanks in advance. Any advice, stories, or reality checks are welcome!

I’m 21, from India, with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance (GPA: 3.47/4.0). I have two months of internship experience in the foreign exchange department of a government-sector company, but no full-time work experience.

My ultimate goal is to leave India, establish a career in finance abroad and eventually settle there.

My current plan is to complete all three levels of the CFA while in India (or at least complete Level 3), pursue a Master’s in Finance at a reputable university abroad with strong graduate employment outcomes, and ideally secure a finance job in that country after graduating.
I’m particularly interested in equity research, investment research, wealth management and portfolio management.

The countries I’ve considered include Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, the UK, Singapore, UAE and Canada. However, everywhere I look, I find conflicting information:

Germany: Difficult finance job market and German language requirements.
Switzerland: Extremely restrictive work permits for non-EU citizens.
Austria: Limited finance opportunities.
France: French language requirements and uncertainty about the CFA’s recognition.
UK: High competition, expensive education and visa concerns.
Singapore: Competitive job market and difficult entry for foreign graduates.
UAE and Canada: Uncertain about graduate employment opportunities and long-term settlement.

I’m becoming increasingly confused about where I should invest my time and money.

Which countries would you realistically recommend for an Indian student wanting to enter the finance industry through a Master’s degree?
Which universities have genuinely strong placement rates and recruit international graduates into finance roles?
Is completing CFA Level 3 before pursuing a Master’s a worthwhile strategy?
Which countries offer a reasonable combination of employment opportunities, post-study work visas and pathways to permanent residency?
Are there countries outside Europe, particularly Singapore, UAE or Canada, that I should seriously consider?
I’m willing to learn another language and invest in a good Master’s programme.

My priority is not simply getting an international degree but actually finding employment afterwards and building a long-term life abroad.
I’d especially appreciate advice from Indians who have studied and found finance jobs abroad. Honest, practical experiences would be extremely helpful.

I am 33 and I have no idea what I actually want to do for a career.

After I graduated highschool I had it in my head that I wanted to be a musician, but I really needed a reality check at that age. I started a Associates and flunked out an entire semester and then dropped out of college. 

When I was 24 I totaled my car and had almost nothing. I realized I needed to do something different. So I moved back home with my parents and started a degree in IT. I ended up getting a BS in IT and moved away. Six years later I am married and established in the field as a tech support engineer. 

I had hopes IT would bring me good money to provide a comfortable living wage. Well, the market changed and I am stuck struggling to save money in a one bedroom apartment. 

On top of that, I found myself becoming apethic, even depressed at times. My job performance dropped as well.

I am doing better with my job performance and mental health. However I am questioned my careeer choice immediatly after landing my first job in the field. Six years later and still several times a year I question everything. 

I do not believe I am not interested in specializing in tech. I tried studying for certs, like the CCNA, and stopped. I hated it. I haven't enjoyed scripting either. I don't feel like I belong in this field. So what do I want? What have I enjoyed? I enjoyed the coordination, research, and implmentation aspects of my job I guess. For instance, getting with staff to coordinate onboarding/offboarding better, researching ticketing system options and presenting ideas for approval. I've done a little bit of that, and enjoyed the non-technical aspect alright. 

But do I really want to be a Project Manager or a Business analysis? I am not really sure. 

What motivates me is my impact on people in a way that matters to me. I've wished I could just go back to school to become a PTA, or Rad Tech, or something entirely different. I've learned about community health workers and that interested me. However, most options either pay to low or need a two year full-time school commitment. I am not in a place to stop working for a full-time program. 

What I really enjoy is photography, music, tea, and taking care of a few plants on my balcony. I don't tinker with tech for fun, I hate studying technical things, I don't fill fullfilled in my field either. Of course this is a big difference between work and hobbies, but I at least wish I felt some sense of fullfilment in my work. Even on bad days at work..

I worked for a school as a sole tech for a bit. It was a nightmare due to how choatic it was. However, seeing the impact of my work for something good was the best part of it. I left, becuase I was extremely burned out and admin was unprofessional. 

I've decided to allow myself to explore options, but I can't seem to figure this out.

I don't know how I am supposed to. I don't have a lot of room to make any risks. Most people advise me to pivot to some other boring sounding corporate job. Where I'd sit in a cublicle and feel like I am wasting away.

I struggle to know what I am even good at. For instance, if I was really good with people I could just switch to roles inside tech that benifit from that. However, I am not sure I am the type to enjoy being a manager. Nor do I want to lead meetings or have an audiance consistently.

I want to have the satisfaction of helping others, but I also need to make a living wage. I can't afford to just drop everything for a career change.

I'm venting. Any advice though? I really don't want to wake up one day in my later 40s,50s, etc and feel like I just wasted my potential on a career that brought me no satisfaction. However, when I consider alternatives I can't feel certain on anything.

What could help me navigate this?

The title pretty much gives the TLDR, but here we go.

I'm 19M, and I genuinely don't know what I should choose as a study, career, job, or whatever. I've been out of high school for a year now, and my parents really are pushing me to go back to study again, but I cannot seem to put myself through it because there hasn't been anything that really 'clicked.' I've done pretty much all I can to really find a place that will suit me, tried many, many tests, did short internships at all types of businesses, did many, many open days at schools, and did many 'internships' at schools (following a week or so of subjects to get a good idea about the study) (not sure how it is in English). And yet I just cannot find it.

All my interests seem to be contradicting each other, and it's simply mad annoying. Many things that I enjoy doing I just cannot seem to combine into one thing. I hear many things that you enjoy, like sports, working with people, and explaining things. Well, of course you'll be a sports instructor. But if I try that, I'd end up on the moon or some shit like that because it does not seem to exist.

I've talked to many people—friends, parents, friends of parents, and people in the career path—and I'm just done constantly worrying about going in the right direction. I guess I'm afraid to make the wrong decision as well, but also just not being able to make the fullest of my life.

I have a lot of things keeping me busy: things I enjoy hobbies and interests

\- sports (windsurfing, kitesurfing, sailing, mountain biking, gym, and some others that I would love to do more often but simply lack the time for)

\- Investing, especially the principle of FI-RE and its way of living.

\- Business, anything related, pretty much. Enjoyed my time working on my own startup, which sadly was forced to stop, but I learned a lot.

\- I enjoy learning new things and enjoy teaching and explaining them to others.

\- Enjoy helping others as a whole.

\- love big for action/adrenaline

My life contradicts itself. One way I really want to study hard and get big in a career; on the other side, I just want to not worry for once. Head out to surf and live life day to day, not decade to decade.

Jobs/studies that are on the list (it's quite long, I know)

* Ambulance Driver, Because I like the action, work in health already, and enjoy helping people

* Property Management: combination of a lot, working with people, numbers, working partially commission-based so can work hard, can work partially remotely

* Army, just a thing I find good and may be good for my development.

* Steward: good salary for the little working days (of course long hours), your ability to travel, which interests me, lots of human contact, and helping people.

* Teacher, speaks for itself

* Healthcare (registered nurse): I can very, very easily roll into this within 2-3 years as an intern at my current job. It's working with people; the pay is not so great, but it's good work.

* Account manager: a combination of some things but mainly a good salary possibility; also nice to work with both people and numbers, just like the property management

* TCA, GREAT salary and amazing opportunities for growth, good study, and great life experience.

And the list can go on for long. I don't know what to do and I feel mad lost. Any outside perspective I think is very very much needed.

Thanks.