I just turned 29 and I feel a constant sense of urgency to figure out what my ideal future self is and move towards that, but I feel like I still don't know what that future self is, or sometimes I'll imagine a future self I like, but it either seems unrealistic or like it isn't worth abandoning all the other potential future selves for. I feel most passionate when doing creative things but don't have one type of art or craft that I'm specialized in, so I'm not in a place to make a creative career for myself yet, and I'm in a job I'm grateful for but that I'm struggling to do well in. I'm feeling really behind and depressed but I just started seeing a new therapist and she's been really helpful. Right now I'm working with her to help me with the panic I feel around decision making, which I think is a form of FOMO for me because I get stuck and waste energy trying to decide what to do, rather than doing, and feeling like there are a million areas where I need to improve and that whenever I work on one, the others get neglected. She and I decided that to start with, I should focus on figuring out my current budget - what is my income and where is it going, as well as eating healthy and exercising. I think we may end up moving from the bottom up on Maslow's hierarchy sortof, so I'm not working through my career stress with her right now, but she knows I have a lot of stress surrounding my career and I think the budget and health stuff, once I get into a more sustainable and thoughtful routine, will help me be in a better spot to make career decisions. Just sharing in case anyone else is in a similar spot!
Not sure if this helps, but I've lived through the most common life failures nobody wants to encounter. For myself, I chronically overthink and want to be prepared for everything. I always want to perform beyond expectations. I get stuck in thought cycle in every job hyperfocused on how I can always make a bigger impact. So these recent failures in my life triggered my anxiety and depression like no other. I thought I had it all - educated, former college athlete, career focused and hungry to increase my value. I was shaken to the core. I'm later in my 30's and during the pandemic I went through layoff, a broken engagement and , consequently, had to leave my home. Massive oof (she married a year later - double oof). This occurred when I was completely burned out on pushing myself to take on additional responsiblities, projects and even training coworkers. A few years and a pandemic later, I'm still working gap jobs and trying to figure out how to reinsert myself into a better career. Tons of resume submissions later and nothing has become clearer. Don't feel alone in not having the answers or being able to see the path clearly. The challenge is to maintain a learning mindset and to stay keen to catching glimpses of potential roles / career directions that gets you slightly closer. The average tenure in positions is like 3 years max. Less than 10% actually has a real career. Upwards of 72% of college grads don't work in something related to their degree. I'm still working on breaking up my panic into digestable pieces. I'm glad you are asking - how do i take action, now? I'm sitting with that as well fearing I won't make the best decision. However, hesitation and inaction gets you nowhere. Wish the best for you.
I'm in the same boat! I can relate, and it's not easy trying to deal with the pressure of getting older and trying to rush to get it together when everything is literally in chaos and don't really know which way to go. I hope you find what works for you, and don't stop searching!!
You can definitely put UA-cam on your resume as "Content Creator" or "Editor" you can finesse anything in your favor. Also I would look for a remote job or something part time. Also I'm older than you and switching the career I had for 10 years to something completely different and starting from the bottom. There is no timeline to our lives.
Im 30 and just now trying to figure it out. Society conditions us to have it all together at the age of 30. And then when you dont, theres comments from family, friends, your best friends mom, and literally every other "well intentioned" person you share your thoughts with. People want to us to define ourselves based on what we do for a living, and status. But then people finally get the high paying career they fought for and they hate it. So then how do they define themselves when they hate the very thing that supposedly gives them a sense of worth? I want to learn to define my worth based on the value God assigned to me. And based on being his creation.
dont stress. you will be fine. just appreciate life and take it one step at a time. no regrets. am 48yrs and had my first child just four years ago. looking back in my life i am glad because ive learned alot.
I guess people mainly build the wall for undocumented immigrants not unemployed lol. But, I can relate. I am only a few years younger than you but recently, I was stressed about what I was doing and what I need to have done by thirty. To be honest, you won't be too behind than your peers, you may surpass them.
It sounds like you have been struggling with Internalized capitalism. I have struggled with it as well. It’s hard to be proud of yourself when you live with internalized oppression.
Jeez, y'all come up with all types of conditions & states these days, it's hard to keep up 😂 Here's a young lady trying to balance settling in a new country, finding a career she loves & starting a family and you already have a label of what she's "suffering". It's not always that deep.
I just turned 29 and I feel a constant sense of urgency to figure out what my ideal future self is and move towards that, but I feel like I still don't know what that future self is, or sometimes I'll imagine a future self I like, but it either seems unrealistic or like it isn't worth abandoning all the other potential future selves for. I feel most passionate when doing creative things but don't have one type of art or craft that I'm specialized in, so I'm not in a place to make a creative career for myself yet, and I'm in a job I'm grateful for but that I'm struggling to do well in. I'm feeling really behind and depressed but I just started seeing a new therapist and she's been really helpful. Right now I'm working with her to help me with the panic I feel around decision making, which I think is a form of FOMO for me because I get stuck and waste energy trying to decide what to do, rather than doing, and feeling like there are a million areas where I need to improve and that whenever I work on one, the others get neglected. She and I decided that to start with, I should focus on figuring out my current budget - what is my income and where is it going, as well as eating healthy and exercising. I think we may end up moving from the bottom up on Maslow's hierarchy sortof, so I'm not working through my career stress with her right now, but she knows I have a lot of stress surrounding my career and I think the budget and health stuff, once I get into a more sustainable and thoughtful routine, will help me be in a better spot to make career decisions. Just sharing in case anyone else is in a similar spot!
Not sure if this helps, but I've lived through the most common life failures nobody wants to encounter. For myself, I chronically overthink and want to be prepared for everything. I always want to perform beyond expectations. I get stuck in thought cycle in every job hyperfocused on how I can always make a bigger impact. So these recent failures in my life triggered my anxiety and depression like no other. I thought I had it all - educated, former college athlete, career focused and hungry to increase my value. I was shaken to the core.
I'm later in my 30's and during the pandemic I went through layoff, a broken engagement and , consequently, had to leave my home. Massive oof (she married a year later - double oof). This occurred when I was completely burned out on pushing myself to take on additional responsiblities, projects and even training coworkers. A few years and a pandemic later, I'm still working gap jobs and trying to figure out how to reinsert myself into a better career. Tons of resume submissions later and nothing has become clearer. Don't feel alone in not having the answers or being able to see the path clearly. The challenge is to maintain a learning mindset and to stay keen to catching glimpses of potential roles / career directions that gets you slightly closer. The average tenure in positions is like 3 years max. Less than 10% actually has a real career. Upwards of 72% of college grads don't work in something related to their degree. I'm still working on breaking up my panic into digestable pieces. I'm glad you are asking - how do i take action, now? I'm sitting with that as well fearing I won't make the best decision. However, hesitation and inaction gets you nowhere. Wish the best for you.
I'm in the same boat! I can relate, and it's not easy trying to deal with the pressure of getting older and trying to rush to get it together when everything is literally in chaos and don't really know which way to go. I hope you find what works for you, and don't stop searching!!
You can definitely put UA-cam on your resume as "Content Creator" or "Editor" you can finesse anything in your favor. Also I would look for a remote job or something part time. Also I'm older than you and switching the career I had for 10 years to something completely different and starting from the bottom. There is no timeline to our lives.
Life is funny
We always want what we dont have
Imo, as long as you are happy and living well, you're doing it right. ✌🏻
Im 30 and just now trying to figure it out. Society conditions us to have it all together at the age of 30. And then when you dont, theres comments from family, friends, your best friends mom, and literally every other "well intentioned" person you share your thoughts with.
People want to us to define ourselves based on what we do for a living, and status. But then people finally get the high paying career they fought for and they hate it. So then how do they define themselves when they hate the very thing that supposedly gives them a sense of worth?
I want to learn to define my worth based on the value God assigned to me. And based on being his creation.
Preach Sis!
Embrace your God-given free will and not live by Society's dictates. What is meant for you will occur at the appointed time.
dont stress. you will be fine. just appreciate life and take it one step at a time. no regrets. am 48yrs and had my first child just four years ago. looking back in my life i am glad because ive learned alot.
Am proud of you.
Congratulations!
I'm 30 now I have one child married I don't have a career or my own house yet so hopefully a year from now I hope to see that change
I guess people mainly build the wall for undocumented immigrants not unemployed lol. But, I can relate. I am only a few years younger than you but recently, I was stressed about what I was doing and what I need to have done by thirty. To be honest, you won't be too behind than your peers, you may surpass them.
Yes I definitely merge my worth with my job!
thank you for this!
May be you can study something, its not too late
It sounds like you have been struggling with Internalized capitalism. I have struggled with it as well. It’s hard to be proud of yourself when you live with internalized oppression.
Jeez, y'all come up with all types of conditions & states these days, it's hard to keep up 😂 Here's a young lady trying to balance settling in a new country, finding a career she loves & starting a family and you already have a label of what she's "suffering". It's not always that deep.
Sweden has a 1 year maternity leave?!?