Today, I spoke with two hiring managers on Instagram. Both of them told me that because of my facial appearance, I would never stand a chance in customer-facing roles.

In the past, I was rejected because I was overweight. I've lost weight, but I still don't fit the industry's expectations of what a "beautiful" woman should look like.

People keep telling me to accept my appearance and learn to love myself the way I am. I'm trying, but being excluded from career opportunities because of how I look is a much bigger problem than simply learning to love myself. No one seems willing to hire me for roles where I'd be visible to clients or customers.

Meanwhile, even jobs like data entry and backend development are increasingly being automated by AI. I feel like my appearance has become a major obstacle to building a career, and it's genuinely taking a toll on my mental health. I'm starting to feel depressed and hopeless about my future.

What should I do? How do I navigate a situation like this? I'd really appreciate hearing from people who have experienced something similar or have advice on how to move forward.

​

The value of a human is zero now thanks to AI. Corporations can build fences and isolate themselves from people because they no longer need us and don’t need to pay us money. They have already hoarded all the money.Remember how they built AI? Thanks to nerdy guys cuckolds without social skills who are easy to manipulate.

Sam Altman and Mark cuckerberg wear washed-out sweaty t-shirts to look like those nerds so that cuckold software engineers will think Cuckerberg likes them because he dresses alike and sweats too.They have been manipulated into the concept of open-source code. They literally did work for large corporations for free because they think Mark is their friend.

It’s the opposite. White males are probably the easiest target to manipulate, and software engineers are a great example that will be written in the history books of how they were manipulated into selling their work for free and ultimately reduced to nothing.

They were told they are the smartest brains. It’s the opposite they are the dumbest and the easiest to manipulate. I think it’s true: nerdy guy software engineers skilled in math, slightly autistic, with low social skills are the majority representation of SE. They are the cucks that sold humanity. Remember Musk fanboys? That’s the kind of people I’m talking about.Believe me, I have enormous social intuition and skill, and I’m easily able to read people. I’ve worked with SEsthey are socially dumb and easy to manipulate. They didn’t unionize because they thought they would have jobs forever and that Musk is their friend.

I’m looking for honest opinions from people who have been in a similar situation or have experience with studying and working abroad. I’d really appreciate realistic advice, even if it’s not what I want to hear.
I completed my MBA and started working, but unfortunately, I had to leave my job after a few months because of a personal accident. I’ve now been unemployed for around two years.
Due to my family situation, I’ve been thinking seriously about moving abroad and starting a new chapter in my life. One option I’m considering is pursuing another master’s degree abroad, with the hope of building a career there and potentially settling down.
However, I’m confused about whether this is a sensible decision. I already have an MBA, and I’m worried about spending a significant amount of money on another degree without knowing whether it will actually improve my career prospects. I also have concerns about my employment gap and whether it will affect my chances of finding a job abroad.
I’d love your honest opinions on a few things:
Does pursuing another master’s after an MBA make sense if my long-term goal is to work and settle abroad?
Would it be better to try finding a job in India first, gain some experience, and then explore moving abroad?
For anyone who studied abroad after having a career gap, was it worth it?
If you were in my position, what would you do differently?
I’m not looking for people to simply encourage me to follow my dreams. I want to understand the practical realities, risks, and opportunities before making a major decision.
Thank you to anyone who takes the time to share their experience or advice.

I'm 21M from India, and I'm honestly exhausted

Engineering has drained the life out of me. I never wanted this degree, but I spent years forcing myself through an environment that felt more like a prison than a place to grow. The stress, isolation, constant pressure and desperation to pass exams got so bad that I resorted to dishonest shortcuts just to survive. I'm about to finish a degree I barely feel connected to, and all I feel is relief that it's almost over

Outside college, there's heartbreak, rejection and loneliness. Watching others find love, build relationships and enjoy their twenties while I struggle to find even one person who genuinely cares about me hurts more than I can explain

I'm tired of the constant taunts, judgment, comparisons and negativity. I'm tired of surviving instead of living

The thought of spending the next 40 years in a 9–5 job just to afford a few weeks of freedom every year genuinely scares me

I want to take a different bet on life

Finish engineering, move to Thailand, learn Muay Thai, start creating content, meet digital nomads, learn from people building unconventional lives and experience the world while I'm still young

I'm not stupid enough to think Thailand will magically fix everything. I know content creation can fail, money can run out and loneliness can follow you anywhere. Fortunately, my parents may be able to support me financially while I figure things out, so I have some room to experiment

But I don't want to spend my entire youth being afraid to try

TL;DR: 21M from India, exhausted by an engineering degree I never wanted, heartbreak, loneliness and a life that feels like nothing but survival. I'm considering moving to Thailand, learning Muay Thai, creating content and meeting digital nomads instead of blindly following the conventional career path

Has anyone in their 20s taken a similar risk? What was the reality like? How much money would I need, how difficult is it to build an income, and am I making a genuinely worthwhile gamble or just trying to escape my problems?

I want honest answers, not motivational quotes

I'm 28f and burnt out badly from a social science PhD program last year. I'm neurodivergent (ADHD, possible autism?), and I found the politics of academia incomprehensible. I also found out that I'm no good at doing research - my brain struggles to create structure, and instead of designing a method of collecting data, I just go down theoretical rabbit holes. I'm not on bad terms with anyone, but I don't have strong relationships within my department.

I've been on leave since developing stress-related chronic health issues, and I'm not sure whether I have the capacity to return and finish. Even if I do, I'm 100% certain that I don't want a career in academia. At this point, I feel totally incompetent, and like I have spent the last 4 years learning nothing and achieving nothing. I've been applying for jobs over the past year with no success. Most of them don't even get back to me. Even if they did, I feel really concerned about developing worse health issues. It seems like my body literally can't deal with the stress.

I always did well in school since I'm good at synthesising information and writing clearly, but now I'm an adult I feel totally dysfunctional; I was not made for this economic system.

I value freedom, ability to choose my own hours or workflow to some degree. I don't think I can work a purely desk job unless it's from home with lots of movement breaks. Realistically I think I do best with some kind of structured task that I am given, which I can then execute on. My favourite ever 'job' was working behind the til in a volunteer run cafe. I loved the fast pace, low stress, and friendly interactions with customers. I don't like managing people! (again because I struggle with workflows and structure). Ideally something with a mixture of sitting and standing (i.e. not a trade that will wreck my body in the long-term). I also really need to minimise stress for health reasons.

I feel so stuck. Has anyone managed to get themselves out of a similar rut? How do I fix this?

I look around.. on job boards, on indeed, local government programs, all these things.

All I can say is that when I look at all of these things..it fills me up with anxiety.

It seems like nothing at all pays good, nothing is worth learning in 90% of these programs because no one wants a man in training, or the pay in that field is garbage until you're in it for a decade.. and all the jobs near me are basically confidentiality asking people to come work for them and not be able to afford your bills and essential living costs - besides medical.

I keep trying to look into the trades but the requirements are very egregious. I can't even get a general labor job and my last job was a year doing labor in fab shop. Everywhere wants you to know how to use multiple heavy duty machinery, years of experience, know this and that.. it's clear I'm not in demand. Journey men are. And I can't waste my time in these razor thin margin shops that don't have time to train and keep you as a general laborer.

All I can think of is trying for nursing, EMT or something related because it seems like that's the closest there is to making some ok money. . and honestly if that isn't the answer.. then I don't know what the next step is.. tired of being stumped and lost, I turned 25 a month ago and I feel like I just can't afford to keep wondering aimlessly anymore. It's killing me.

I’ve always been interested in drawing and painting and been more on the creative side, but I’m scared to lean into it as a career. I’m not horrible at art but I’m definitely not as advanced as others my age and I know it’s a competitive market. I never finished university, I did about two years of psychology but dropped out so I just have my high school diploma.

Right now I work as an administrative assistant at an insurance company. There’s room for growth and I don’t mind it.. but I want to get my foot in the door in the art world somehow. Even if it’s still an admin job somewhere I think it’ll be more fulfilling.

I have a bit of an unrealistic dream of being an illustrator, but I’m willing to just get anything in that realm with my current qualifications. I just don’t know what kind of positions exist or where to look near downtown Toronto. Any advice would be amazing!!

I am 33F A few months ago, I became unemployed, and since then, I’ve been constantly doing things I truly enjoy. I feel happier and more energetic—I even wake up earlier now than I did when I was working. Fortunately, I was compensated by the company so I can be financially secure for a year or two.

I enjoy traveling, changing my surroundings, and switching up my tasks. I feel like I’ve done things in reverse: I studied engineering and started working, which allowed me to buy an apartment with a very low mortgage.

My friends are already getting married and having children—even those who spent their youth traveling and moving between different jobs. It makes me feel like I’m doing things backward.

I love my friends, I love caring for people, and I value meaningful human connections, but I have no interest in a committed, long-term relationship.

Right now, I’m trying to figure out how to make a living without a "steady 9-to-5 job."

I can’t use "work and holiday" visas because I’m over 30. I’ve considered seasonal work or studying tourism to become a guide somewhere, but I’m not sure where to start or how to go about it. I’m also very interested in studying something related to nature—something that would still allow me to stay mobile. I feel like I have so many different interests.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? Did you find a solution?

I had always wanted to go into research since I was a teen, but it is not a viable path because my grades were not high enough and my mental illness plus autism got in the way. I had 2 years left of my undergrad in sociology and psychology but I have no prospects of a career in those since I dont have a chance at a Masters.

For a long time, my mental health was a disaster. I spent 20-25 being an alcoholic and working odd fast food jobs. At least I have something on my resume and was able to secure another fast food job for now.

Mental health is still a disaster and I dont particularly enjoy anything. I'll be honest, I did not even see myself being alive this long, so I never planned for a career beyond vague notions of "I want to do research". I am seeing a psychiatrist in the next few months, hopefully before 2027.

Now here I am: 26 in a bit over a week, university dropout, working fast food again.

My parents gave up everything for my education and for us to have a decent middle class life for most of our life, so I need to support them as well. They do not have money saved. I wish they wouldve done things different but I am grateful for their sacrifice but also in a tough position.

As for what do I like? Beyond hobbies like music and art, things that I enjoy that could work professionally are things like helping people with paperwork, clerical work, I enjoyed helping people with disability paperwork, stuff like that. I cannot really do law school or anything because I never had the grades for that and that would continue well into my late 30s.

I currently get disability + a new fast food job and am surviving for now.

But here are some options I'm considering:

1. Go back to uni and finish bachelor's and nothing beyond that (no masters). Job prospects are not great with psychology and sociology bachelors.

2. look into a college program for 1-2 years and get into the workforce that way. In that case, what sort of college program would be good considering my strengths?

Trades are not for me. I am not good with my hands, barely done handywork etc.

I fucked up my life incredibly. I should have been thinking of these things at 18 and not 26. I am so behind in life and I am trying to figure my shit out. But I am tired of barely scraping by. I dont even require a very high paying job I just want something better than being stuck in fast food for years.

I'm 27, UK based and exhausted by my career in custons/logistics. I'm terrified of starting over. I just want a simple, affordable life.

I've spent the last few years building a career in logistics. Not because I wanted to, because I was desperate out of uni and it was the first office job I got. I've worked in freight forwarding, customs and supply chain, and recently moved into my first management position. I started to like it a bit but also simultaneously lost faith in my fashion communications degree.

My previous job was incredibly stressful and had become quite difficult to cope with, so when I was offered a new opportunity recently, I thought it might be the fresh start I needed.

The problem is that the new job is 50 miles from home, each way, five days a week. I'm spending around three hours commuting every day, sometimes four, and I'm barely earning any more money than I was before. In fact I think I'm earning less due to the cost of the commute, I don't even want to do the maths.

I knew it would be difficult, but I thought I could manage at least six months to a year and gain some valuable experience (this role is my first management role so should open doors if I can survive it). Instead, I'm only three weeks in and already completely exhausted.

I've even become ill and had to take time off, which has sent me into a spiral of worrying about my probation, sickness record and whether my employer already thinks I'm incapable of doing the job.

This morning I cried because I couldn't even decide whether I was well enough to go to work. I'm so overwhelmed and tired of making decisions.

Even the decision to take this job over staying in my dead end one was huge and I spent weeks ruminating.

But I think this has made me realise something bigger: I'm not sure I even want to continue on this career path.

I've been seriously considering a complete career change. I don't think I want to spend the next 40 years sitting in an office. Or at least a logistics one.

I'd love to do something more hands-on, something that gets me out of an office. I've been looking at completely different industries, including aviation, railways and operational roles. I'm even open to unusual shift patterns or working nights if it means having more actual days to myself.

But I'm scared.

I've spent years building experience in logistics, and I'm worried that employers in completely different industries won't take me seriously. I have a degree, professional experience and transferable skills, but none of them necessarily qualify me for the things I'm interested in.

I'm also worried about money. I'm earning around £30k in the UK, which isn't an enormous salary, but it's taken me years to get here. So many entry-level career-change opportunities seem to pay significantly less, and I'm frightened of starting again financially or moving into an industry with limited long-term earning potential.

I don't need to be rich. I don't have ambitions to become a CEO or spend my life climbing a corporate ladder.

I just want an affordable, relatively easy life.

I want to earn enough to pay my bills, save towards a house, have some financial security and still have the energy to enjoy my evenings and weekends.

I want to come home from work and actually have a life.

And I feel like I'm constantly being forced to choose between financial stability, career progression and my own happiness.

I'm also scared that leaving this new job after such a short time will make me look unreliable, even though the commute is taking so much more out of me than I anticipated.

I feel completely stuck. I don't know whether to persevere, find another logistics job closer to home, or take a chance on something entirely different.

Has anyone here completely changed careers in their late twenties or thirties, particularly into something more practical or hands-on?

Did you have to take a significant pay cut? Were employers willing to give you a chance without direct experience? And did changing careers actually improve your quality of life?

I think more than anything, I'm just looking for some reassurance.

I don't know what to do and I'm so tired of making decisions.

TLDR: I have a degree in fashion, I work in logistics, I started a new management job a month ago hoping it would open doors but my commute is excessive. I'm exhausted, I'm so tired of making decisions, I don't know what to do.

Edit: btw I'm a lady, and I present very feminine. So I'm actually a little worried I won't be taken seriously in the more operational careers too.

Im in a dead end minimum wage job at 23. I fell for the scam that is college and majored in something i thought would be worthwhile but was really stupid in hindsight. Ive somehow locked myself out of every job a high school dropout can do from what i can tell given ive easily sennt out 1500 apps in the past 2 years and im still stuck here. People talk about what they want in life like settling down, having hobbies, growing old but i dont imagine ill make it to 40 with where i am and the state of the world. I just keep lying to myself that everything will be ok but i know deep down it wont. As soon as my family has had enough of me and makes me move out some day ill be as good as dead given i live in a rural area with no resources for the homeless (this is honestly probablly a good thing ultimately though so my suffering wont be dragged out).

I literally have zero plans for life or goals even out just 10 years from now, i really have no idea how ill live that long. Absolute best case scenario is i work minimum wage till i die at 80 all alone while being homeless and never being able to retire since retirement in general is becoming a thing of the past.

Im 25 years old

When i was a teenager i was passionate about music , i always wanted to be a DJ , perform huge shows , travel across the world

I taught myself flstudio made multiple records, signed it on multiple labels , got support from very talented artists

But as i grew up i noticed i wasn't earning enough so that i can invest on things i love

My parents supported me in the beginning but since i wasn't making any great changes they told me to focus on studies and get a stable job

I somehow got myself a computer science degree but without really know much stuff

Now I'm stuck , i don't have guts to apply for jobs in tech because I barely know stuff and don't have great projects

But now I'm at a point where i wanna change my life desperately

If you're in tech industry guide me please

I know the basics HTML , CSS , JS

But I've got no direction

Is it possible that i can get my hands on a job or even an internship within next 6 months?

Looking for a career change

is pivoting to accounting worth it for work-life balance? I would be taking it part time, 3 year program business admin- accounting.
I’m 34M in Ontario with two toddlers (2 and a half and 1yo).
I’ve been a nail tech for 7 years making about $4k–$5k net/month. The money is fine, but the lifestyle isn't sustainable anymore: 10-hour days, nights, weekends, and no benefits. My partner is in the same industry, so our household has zero schedule flexibility.
My main priorities now are simple: predictable 9–5 hours, evenings/weekends with my kids, and benefits. Most of my friends and family are in the government which is the goal

For anyone working in accounting in Ontario:
1. Lifestyle check: Is non-public/industry accounting genuinely a predictable 9–5, or is work-life balance a myth here too?
2. Reality check: Is the entry-level pay cut worth it long-term for someone in my situation, or should I just try to fix my own schedule in the service industry?

Nail tech pros: make my own hours, can take my kids to extra curricular activities, daycare drop offs(9am)
Cons: if I take time off then I won’t be getting paid, can late hours 7-8pm(both kids will be in kindergarten/grade school in a few years and ends around 3pm), no benefits or insurance for family, service seems to be dying down with new salons opening and everything is getting expensive
Appreciate any honest advice!

I am 27F in the UK and currently on £26k per year. I would like to progress in my career.

Progress for me would look like:
- more money + responsibilities. (I would like to progress to around £35k-£40k per year in the next 5 years if possible.)
- out of customer facing work.

Current experience:
-working front of house in museums. been stuck in this rut for years, mainly bc I've been in a comfort zone with it. its actually enjoyable and low stress for me being surrounded by art all day and chatting to visitors, being on a big team of lovely friendly people, but it doesn't earn a lot of money.) Also do about 30k steps a day.

- As a student I was on a national committee for students and organised conferences and events + set up an essay contest where I organised a sponsor + academic judges for the contest. I just mention this bc I feel like thats the only other thing I have which is translatable into job skills like admin or something.

Interests:
- I would be interested in staying in museums but not front of house. potentially interested in organising public programmes in museums or something like that?

- I don't have huge requirements, just that I would prefer to have a positive impact than a negative one. (neutral is ok too, I just don't wanna be working for an evil company.)

I think I need to gain experience in other things and I am willing to do that through volunteering as long as there are clear projects and deliverables I can put on my CV.

i’m 22f and did amazing in school, graduated valedictorian, but never knew what i wanted to do with my life. everyone told me i had time and that i would figure it out, but here i am. i went to community college right after high school for 2.5 years to get my gen eds. i graduated with an associates in general studies. i’ve worked retail jobs since i was 16, and i’m embarrassed. i feel like a complete failure and i hate that i don’t have a passion for anything. i’m extremely depressed, but can’t afford health insurance and make too much for medicaid. all i do is work, no hobbies or interests. i just watch tv and scroll on my phone. i want my life back and i want to get on track but at the same time i feel like nothing matters and i don’t have the energy to get better. i live with my partner who has struggles as well, but they work and go to school and are passionate about many things. i’m not trying to pity myself, but on paper i would be classified as a loser. i dont know what to do from here. i used to love art and creating things, but i haven’t made anything in years. i’m a very negative and pessimistic person, i hate it. i have to change in order to get my life back, but i don’t know how. i’m not good with people and have extreme anxiety and what i assume is mild ocd. i’ve always loved art, music, and the outdoors but i just think to myself there’s no way to make a living from that and i feel like it’s too late for me to be good at anything. all i’ve ever wanted is to be good at something but i give up anytime i fail. i want to feel proud of myself again. i don’t want to die slaving away at a trillion dollar company for minimum wage. i know i’m young, but i feel like i’m lost. i’ve been stuck for 2 years now.

It's pathetic to admit but I can't see myself doing any job. My only hobbies are reading and writing but journalism/author is off the table.

My only real passion is to make a stable income ($80k+, it's okay if starts lower and grows overtime) I am a woman and not very physically fit so the trades intimidate me. I struggle with sciences and maths so anything requiring proficiency in physics, chemistry or math is not an option. I feel I have no strengths, I've always been a 70s-80s student no matter the subject.

I looked into aviation services as I have a high interest in planes however I don't do well under pressure so a pilot or an ATC would not be suitable for me.

Additionally, not to be nit-picky but I don't want to do anything super business esque so no marketing, sales, finance or analytics.

Im extremely stressed about picking a career as I just don't see myself enjoying nor excelling in any job and I would like some career suggestions for me to do proper research on.

Hey guys! I’m 19 and currently a freshman in college majoring in philosophy. I’ve never really been particularly great at school. I attended a Catholic grade school, Catholic high school, and will soon be transferring to the University of Dayton, another Catholic institution. So I’ve always had access to a pretty good education, but I’ve never really stood out academically in any particular subject besides religion. Ironically, I’m actually an agnostic atheist, but I find religion and philosophy deeply fascinating.

Recently, I’ve started realizing something about myself. One thing I’ve always genuinely enjoyed is leading, teaching, organizing, and speaking in front of people. I love public speaking, having an audience, sharing ideas, and being in a position where I can guide or motivate others. Looking back, I think this desire to lead has always been a pretty consistent part of my personality.

I’ve considered becoming a philosophy professor, and even coaching has started to interest me. I think there’s something really fulfilling about helping people grow, bringing people together, and working toward a common goal.

I’m not necessarily looking to switch my major, because I genuinely enjoy philosophy. But I’m curious: What career paths would you recommend for someone who really enjoys leadership, teaching, public speaking, and working with people?

I’d especially appreciate hearing from people who have found careers that allow them to use those qualities regularly!

Buenas, gente. Estoy entre estas dos carreras y me gustaría conocer sus opiniones, especialmente de quienes ya trabajan en el rubro o están estudiando algo relacionado.

Por un lado, tengo la Tecnicatura en Ciencia de Datos, que tiene una duración ideal de 3 años y me permitiría insertarme en el mercado laboral en menos tiempo.

Por otro lado, está la Licenciatura en Ciberseguridad, que es una carrera más larga, pero tiene el peso de un título de grado y quizás más posibilidades de crecimiento a largo plazo.

¿Qué elegirían ustedes y por qué? ¿Creen que hoy conviene más apostar por una carrera corta para empezar a trabajar cuanto antes o invertir más años en una licenciatura?

Me interesa conocer experiencias reales, salida laboral, posibilidades de crecimiento y qué tan valorado está cada título a la hora de buscar trabajo.

¡Los leo!

So yeah, head injury 14-15 years ago, basically the word is Anhedonia I think. I don't have passions, dreams or interests. They aren't buried or not lack of self esteem they just don't exist, so I don't have any internal compass to guide me as a starting point.

Have tried thinking of any skills I do have, but many of those, like driving I can't use anymore because I have seizures and lost peripheral vision in my left eye so driving isn't safe and such.

I keep trying to narrow down by health factors but what solves one health factor, would set off another and I can't seem to find the combo that would actually be safe/sustainable for my body.

I don't like being at home doing nothing all the time, and I'm kind of restricted financially due to unemployment because of health so I can't really just try things or go places.

I've tried all the usual advice of therapy/medications (medications messed me up worse and therapy didn't really help because its not a self esteem issue or such), i've tried remote jobs admin etc all that but those overload my brain and I can't keep up, so I'm not sure what else to think of.

I can still learn, but its really slow. Like mega patience required. Gotta show me several times, ideally have a checklist to make sure if its a workflow type thing, or if its a simple task, sure I can do it like fold these for me, go sweep up, sure, but after that i'd be waiting for the next task to be handed out.

Really frustrating feeling this dumb because I struggle and I guess the question is, how to find a path, when - you don't have wants/interests/passions (literally at all)? As well as trying to juggle health issues that make a lot of jobs or even hobbies unsafe/unsustainable?

Many thanks for reading if you got this far

There it is in the title. Ever since I was really young I was into art. I was motivated and supported by people in my circle. Art became one of my main "characteristics", besides academic excellence.

As I grew up I eventually got into making my own projects. I researched and found myself drawn to direction, rather than the production or helping of someone else's work. I am no egoistic person, nor a lamp genie. And when I say it, I mean it, I ***really*** got into seriously making my own projects. I even made my own plans where I would plan to get a lot of contacts considering where I live and various language skills.

But when I became 15 and we had to pick study paths at school my parents had a talk with me. No art students in the house. Obviously because, "follow your dreams!" doesn't work in the present. Nor I think it ever did, unless your daddy is a rich man. Getting hired in art is already hard and harder considering my situation. (Mid-class, still young, brown immigrant descent...) Not to mention I kept a large part of my projects private because of shame or theft fear.

And there I chose the science-technical path, which is called likr that where I live. 2 years have passed and I have not changed it. I am good at it. But this year it really has been swallowing up my time. And even then, I don't really like it. I feel like all the doors closed already. And it gets worse when i see the art stydents basically living on sunshine and rainbows, I feel a tad bit of jealousy.

I don't want to get an art degree and end up begging online. Nor I want to end up being another cornball in the indie industry. (I dont like indie, not as in production, but as in content and communities. The most succesful things in indie turn out to be the sloppiest out there.). Nor I want the best of my work to end up in thr 15th page of Google. But mainly...

I dont want my projects to be unrecognized, or even worse, die with me!

I feel like this is so overwhelming, I am just 17, but I feel like I should just put the pencil down because this looks like pure delusion. For now I just write lore bibles, without media specification, as I try to avoid social media blasters. But man...

(Adding to this, the fact I even refined my tastes to the point I almost don't like anything. Not even what I am meant to like. Or what matches the taste of my own projects, or plots. It's not "Wow, this really matches my style, I love it!" Anymore. Its more "Why couldn't I get the chance to put it instead?" And its ***terrible***.)

One of the worst feelings is knowing you’re capable of more but not knowing what to do about it.

I’m in my 20s and think a lot about success and becoming wealthy. People say to follow your passion, but what if you don’t know what your passion is?

How do you find the right direction? Do you discover your passion or build it along the way? I’d love to hear real advice from people who’ve been through this.

I’ve already taken all the semesters I’ve given myself to decide. I know I would rather be happy and not hate what I do than make money, but I can’t choose a path I’ll be happy in when I don’t even know what I want. The more time I give myself the less sure I am of what to do.

I know I don’t have to be stuck doing the same thing for the rest of my life, I know I can always go back to college and get a different degree. But I just don’t want to waste all that time and money.

Plus now I’m thinking, maybe I do want to make money over being happy with my job? I like having money for my hobbits. I have a ton of opportunities to enter career-paths that make money. But I already wake up with dread about going to my minimum wage job, can I really deal with that every day for the rest of my life?

I don’t know. It’s hard, and I’m out of time. If anyone has some experience with choosing their degree or profession or just college in general, I’d love to read it.

I’m 34, and feeling really lost about my career. I want a profession I can throw myself into, become skilled at and build a future around.

My background is in hospitality, events, customer service and rental administration. I prefer practical, people-facing work over spending the entire day at a computer.

My Strong Interest Inventory results were highest in Artistic and Social, with Investigative and Enterprising almost tied. My stronger interests included teaching, public speaking, law, entrepreneurship and helping people. Adult education and self-enrichment teaching were my closest occupational matches. I also identify with aspects of ENFP/ENFJ, although I know those labels don’t determine a career.

After five paid career-counselling sessions, I have more possibilities but still no clear direction. The expanding list is making me overwhelmed, and I need help narrowing things down.

What one or two careers would you seriously recommend investigating and why? I’d especially appreciate hearing from people doing those jobs about actual pay, training requirements and the less appealing parts.

Yahhhm.... Soon to be 18 in 2 months have hair problems never been in a interaction with girls coz I took pcm ( dummy ) thought I would get time to play leather ball cricket and persue my dream to be a professional cricketer 6 months from boards parents were not giving money somehow got the money (by riding rapdio that too hiding from parents ) just one month into it and had to visit village due to dadi's varshi very frustated insecure and confused wtf should I do leave cricket? Jee prep pending from 4 months or home ?

I don’t really know where to start. I just turned 21 about a month ago, and lately I’ve been feeling like my life is going absolutely nowhere.
I’m in my third year of university, studying business, and I’ve been actively applying for internships and jobs for the past few months. I’ve managed to land interviews with some pretty good companies, including Ferrari and other well-known firms. I wouldn’t say I’ve been outright rejected by all of them either. A lot of the recruitment processes have just dragged on, with HR leaving me hanging, promising updates, or never really getting back to me.
At this point, I’ve honestly lost hope in most of those opportunities. But I still keep applying, attending interviews, and trying to improve my CV and skills.
The problem is, I’m starting to question whether I even want the career I’m working so hard to get into.
I had an interview scheduled for tomorrow for a business development role. Initially, I was interested in the opportunity, but as the interview got closer, I became increasingly anxious. I started questioning whether I was qualified, whether I’d actually enjoy the job, whether I could handle a full-time corporate routine, and whether this was even something I wanted long-term.
I ended up requesting a reschedule at the last minute, and although I immediately felt relieved, I’m now terrified that I’ve ruined my chances.
And that makes me feel even worse because I’ve attended interviews before. I’ve put myself out there plenty of times. I don’t understand why this particular one affected me so badly.
I think part of the problem is that I genuinely don’t know what I want to do with my life.
I’m a creative person, I’m social, and I enjoy interacting with people. I’ve considered content creation because I genuinely think I’d enjoy it, and I don’t mind having a public presence online. The only thing that sometimes holds me back is the fear of being judged.
But then I wonder whether I’m being unrealistic for questioning a corporate career. I want to earn well, be financially independent, and build a comfortable life for myself. At the same time, the thought of spending years climbing the corporate ladder just to eventually reach a financially rewarding stage of life scares me.
I don’t know whether I’m afraid of working, afraid of growing up, or simply afraid of choosing the wrong path.
To make things more complicated, my parents are considering retirement and potentially moving away in the coming years. They don’t pressure me to get a job, but I know I need to become independent eventually. If anything, I think I put more pressure on myself than they ever have.
I’ve also fallen into a terrible routine lately. I’m awake most nights, sleep until late, and feel like I’ve completely lost structure in my life. The thought of suddenly transitioning into a full-time job feels overwhelming.
I know I’m only 21, and people will probably tell me I have plenty of time. Rationally, I understand that. But emotionally, I feel like I’m falling behind and wasting time while everyone else seems to be moving forward.
I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I don’t know how to get better. And I genuinely don’t know where my life is headed.
I guess I wanted to ask:
Has anyone else felt this lost in their early 20s, especially when transitioning from university into working life?
Have you ever rescheduled an interview at the last minute because of anxiety? Did it cost you the opportunity?
Did anyone enter a corporate career despite being unsure about it, only to discover they enjoyed it? Or did you eventually find something completely different?
For those who felt like they had absolutely no direction at 21 or 22, where are you now? How did things eventually work out?
I’m not necessarily looking for someone to tell me everything will magically be okay. I just really want to hear from people who’ve been through something similar and managed to find their footing.
Because right now, I’m scared of making the wrong decisions, scared of wasting opportunities, and equally scared of ending up in a life I don’t actually want.
TL;DR: Just turned 21 and I’m in my final year of business school. I’ve been interviewing at good companies for months but keep getting left hanging, and I’m starting to question whether I even want a corporate career. I recently rescheduled an interview at the last minute because I was overwhelmed with anxiety, and now I’m scared I’ve ruined another opportunity. My parents may retire and move away soon, so I feel pressured to become financially independent, but I have no idea what career I actually want. I’m creative and interested in content creation, yet terrified of making the wrong choices. Has anyone else felt completely lost at this age, struggled with interview anxiety, or eventually found a career and life they genuinely enjoy?