hi y’all. mostly just coming here to vent, feel free to comment if you need to vent as well, i’m happy to listen. so i’m 22 and i have a full time job that pays 55k in the tech world, don’t want to get too specific. in a lot of ways i’m extremely lucky because my job has good benefits, i can afford to rent a place so i don’t have to live with my parents like a lot of my friends (i do have two roommates though), and i have almost no experience in tech so i’m really lucky they took a chance on me. i sometimes get frustrated though because despite how lucky i got with all of this, i only manage to save like $500 a month despite making a huge effort to reduce my spending.

also, this definitely is not my passion in life and i have no idea what i want to do. what really sucks is i do have dreams but all of them seem genuinely impossible. my dreams would be to be a stand up comedian, a history professor, or maybe a journalist/writer. i don’t think i could find the courage to find stand up and the odds of failing are EXTREMELY high, i checked reddit threads about becoming a history professor and it’s also EXTREMELY difficult to get into (not to mention the cost of all the degrees you’d need just to not be able to find a job), and i have no idea how to get started in journalism if i’m already out of college and have no experience in it.

a great benefit of my current job is i can get my masters for an extremely reduced price, but i don’t even know what i’d want to get it in. i have a BA in history.

so yeah, i’m not necessarily looking for advice because i know this is just part of being 22 but if anyone has any advice or experience to share i’d really appreciate it. sending love to you all ❤️

So for some background, I'm currently a community college student (full time) living at home with just my mom and brothers, and i also work part time around 30 hours per week. My classes are on tuesdays and thursdays and i spend most of my day on campus trying to get hw done and stuff. However I just don't know how to spend the rest of my time. I work nights usually like 3pm-11pm shifts so that gives me several mornings per week where I just have nothing to do. I'm just home alone and don't know what to do with my time. I don't really have any friends (i do have a gf tho but we don't see each other often). I have hobbies but I've done them so much im getting bored of them. I go for walks, i do chores, but just feels like I should be doing something else. I actually recognize that I have a lot of free time and I want to spend it in a good way, actually feel like im doing something with my life yk? But I just don't know what to do most days, I'm just very bored. I don't really like doing things just to pass the time, although I guess that's waht hobbies are for. I'd like to try some new hobbies but idk. Just can anyone else relate and tell me what I should be doing with my life?? Lol thanks.

I 26F am trying to find a job that fulfills me, but seems impossible. I graduated with my BA with Communications in December 2022. I currently work as a front desk receptionist and it is so boring and unfulfilling and I feel like I have to be so accommodating to the higher ups here it’s insane. I have ADHD (medicated) so I need something that always has me moving or my mind racing. I spoke with my therapist and he suggested an aptitude test. The main ones I saw was paralegal, legal assistant, social worker and history teacher, HR but then also engineering which is confusing considering I don’t like math or science or anything like that. I do think the others relate to me but the problem is I will admit I have problems connecting and keeping relationships with people (I’m working on that). I always wanted to go into law but it is just really intimidating for me honestly. My mom did mention cyber security may be good especially because I am very observant, am very literal but then when I spoke with the EVP at the company of the cyber security department he says he just does not see me doing it. And I feel like I would be stuck at a computer all day which is not what I am trying to do. I feel like I personally just get discouraged so quickly just because of my past. I’m just venting but anyway how accurate are these career tests?

I feel completely lost. I (27) have a degree and a master’s in History, with research focused on the History of Technology and Philosophy of Technique. However, I no longer envision myself as a history teacher or in academia. I’m fluent in Portuguese (brazilian) and English, understand French and Spanish, and am currently learning German. Thankfully, I found a deep, enduring love, and have been with my husband for almost eight years, two of those married. He supported me in leaving my job as a teacher and moving to Germany, where I now live. Many people think I just followed him, but the truth is I didn’t want to continue teaching in Brazil — not with the constant stress, particularly during the Bolsonaro years, which brought additional challenges. I endured a lot out of love for my profession, but ultimately, the pressure and mental health strain were too much. After balancing a master’s program and a full-time job and experiencing several breakdowns, I knew I needed a change.

I considered a Ph.D. critiquing digital technologies in the Anthropocene. There are so many questions I want to find an answer to. But realized I couldn’t keep focusing on this during such apocalyptic themes. I want to work on something with everyday applications. I respect critical theory, but I no longer see myself leading those conversations. Additionally, while I did well in my master’s program, the experience left me feeling out of place. The limited time and lack of a scholarship made me feel inadequate compared to my peers, which probably tied into my long history of burnout and a depressive episode during my bachelors.

I’ve thought about switching to health fields like nutrition, physical education or physiotherapy (especially), as fitness has been an important part of my life — I love running. Psychology also appeals to me, especially clinical or school psychology. I also have lots of interests in the technologies surrounding those fields. But the barriers to starting that in Germany (language and academic requirements) feel insurmountable at the moment. I'd take SO long to insert myself in any of those fields and it seems like a lot of time without financial autonomy.

My husband, a software engineer, suggested I explore tech, which could offer stability, time to dedicate to my hobbies, and opportunities to support social-impact projects. I’ve started learning to code, but it’s disheartening to think that I might just be enriching others without building something meaningful. I also think about entrepreneurship, but I struggle with practical ideas since my background has been so theory-heavy.

I genuinely want to learn more practical skills, like software development, and explore ethical applications, but staying motivated is tough. I’m torn between starting another degree, pursuing impactful work, and fearing that I’m just a burden. It’s been nearly two years since I’ve worked, and I feel inadequate. I know I have valuable skills: I’m a diligent learner, a good writer, and communicator, but I’m utterly lost. The education sector is so different from other industries, and I feel like I’m missing a fundamental understanding of how companies operate. I also wanna feel more confident in myself and in my past. I feel like what I did so far has value as well, you know? How do I find motivation to keep going, and where should I begin?

tldr: I’m 27, with a degree and master’s in History. Though I have good abilities and I am now living in Germany, I feel completely lost about my career. Teaching in Brazil was draining, and I’m not drawn to academia anymore. While I considered a Ph.D., I can’t focus on such heavy topics anymore. I’m interested in health, fitness, psychology, and tech but face obstacles, especially in Germany. My husband suggests tech for stability, but I feel unfulfilled by the thought of working without purpose. I want practical skills and meaningful work, but after nearly two years without a job, I feel inadequate and unsure where to start. How can I find motivation and direction?

I’m just trying to find something easy to save some cash and make it easier to live because I’m behind on rent and need things paid for desperately.

The thing is, every apprenticeship requires a license. I don’t have anyone to teach me and I have terrible social anxiety so driving instruction isn’t an option for me.

Or they require a drug and alcohol test, now I smoke a lot of weed and I know it’s bad but I can’t go without it or I spiral into suicidal thoughts.

So I’m lost, I don’t know what to do every time I try to take a baby step there is something the block my path.

Hey everyone,

I'm looking for some guidance here. I started out in Dentistry and then moved into Medicine, but I'm now at a point where I really feel like I’ve found my true passion – and it’s not in clinical work. I’m almost 26, and I’m seriously considering going back to undergrad for Computer Science and Math.

The thing is, I’m passionate about tech, machine learning, and AI in medicine, and I can see myself working in this field, potentially even aiming for a PhD in a top U.S. university down the road.

I know it sounds like a bit of a winding path, and I'm wondering if it's too late to make a move like this. Is it realistic to go for another undergrad at this age? Is this a smart path if my end goal is to work in the intersection of tech and medicine, maybe even in academia or high-level research?

Would really appreciate any insights from people who’ve made similar transitions or anyone with advice on navigating this field. Thanks in advance!

I’m a freshman in college. And from my schools catalog of degrees and certs. I just don’t find much of anything on it that interests me. Which worries me as I’m going to have to decide at a certain point what career I need to pursue. For those who’ve already found their career they want to pursue. How did you find it?

A lot of this is quite vent-y, so feel free to skip to the last paragraph as I feel like it gets to the point a bit better. Also if this isn't the right place for this post, feel free to delete. Thanks

Summary of my life in the past 6 years or so:

- Went to community college and studied "programming and analysis"

- Did an 8-month internship (co-op) in the government doing full-stack/dev-ops work

- Didn't receive a return offer, but was given the opportunity to interview with them again for a full-time junior position (which I likely would have gotten because I was on good terms with the supervisor there), but turned it down as I thought it to be more prudent to pursue a bachelors in CS to open up more opportunities in the future

- Went to a mid-low tier uni and got my bachelors; a lot of it was hybrid due to covid, and I did not apply myself at all, causing me to sink into a bad depression (coupled with life-long social anxiety, which made me a walking shadow everywhere I went); made it out with a 3.8 GPA (not impressive coming from a school with a shoddy CS program during covid times where grades were heavily inflated) and 0 connections. Could not do any internships because of some contractual transfer policy for transfer students that had done internships/co-ops during their time at their previous institution

- Applied to over 200 jobs on indeed and Otta and made a couple small projects (one of which didn't amount to anything despite the hefty amount of time I put into it (3 months))

- Spent 3 months hating myself and how much of a failure I've become; wishing that I had forgone uni and continued working in that government position, potentially making up to 90-100k a year by now

- Play video games for 8 hours a day with immense brain fog. Slowly starting to feel like I've forgotten everything I learned in school

It's been a year now since I've graduated and I'm more depressed and socially anxious than I've ever been. Motivation to do anything productive is at an all-time low. I feel like the market for new-grads/juniors is barren, especially if you didn't graduate with at least 2-3 internships and/or impressive side-projects. Despite, that I'm still hopelessly applying to nearly every job opening I see on indeed. I'm not smart. My IQ is probably a little below average. I am often told by people that I am "slower" than most, to which I usually laugh off or even play into the role. I have come to terms with the fact that I won't work at FANG, and that's fine. I just want any tech job with any company that is willing to take me in - making 80k a year is perfectly fine in my books. Though it seems that even this is becoming less and less of a possibility for me. I have been living with my parents since graduating, and I can tell they are starting to get sick of me sitting at home while unemployed - wouldn't be shocked if I was kicked out tomorrow.

I genuinely feel as though I've hit rock-bottom, but I know that things can get *much* worse if something doesn't change. I haven't done anything coding related in about 3 months now, but I'm willing to try again. I feel as though my options are to try and work on one BIG project that could make me stand-out, or I could pursue a masters. With regard to the former, I'm not confident in my ability to think of a unique idea for a big project. Even if I was, I worry that garnering the skills necessary to see the project to completion will cost me too much time (as in time not working a tech job or in school, which is already a big concern for me as it stands). As for the latter, I've spoken to a couple of people and they told me that a masters won't really help someone like me (they claim it is only for those that want to hyper-focus on a specific sub-field of CS); I feel this is true, however, I also feel as though any opportunity to go back to school and "delete" this past wasted year of my life could be beneficial. I'd hope that it would allow me to look for internships again, or that it would give me a chance to potentially graduate once the market for juniors/new-grads has recovered. However, one can only speculate as to the state of future job market, and I'm not sure if I'm willing to spend money to go back to school based on that sole contingency. I'm already nearing 26 and I have nothing but 8 months of internship grunt-work at a public sector job to show for it (and this was close to 4 years ago).

Any guidance or words of wisdom is highly appreciated.

My post is dedicated to anyone who has conciously been practising awareness of self.

People can abuse their self-awareness in several ways, such as:

Overthinking: Constantly analyzing their thoughts and feelings can lead to anxiety and paralysis in decision-making.

Self-criticism: Heightened self-awareness might lead to harsh judgments about oneself, fostering low self-esteem.

Avoidance: Being overly aware of flaws can cause individuals to avoid situations that challenge them, stunting personal growth.

To use self-awareness positively:

Mindfulness: Practice being present and observing thoughts without judgment to reduce overthinking.

Constructive Reflection: Focus on learning from experiences rather than critiquing oneself harshly.

Setting Goals: Use self-awareness to identify strengths and weaknesses, setting actionable goals for improvement.

By fostering a balanced perspective, self-awareness can be a powerful tool for personal growth and emotional well-being.

That being said, share your experiences navigating self awareness. Are you abusing your gift? How are you shaping your understanding of self for the better?

Hi. I'm seeking some wisdom and guidance as I am totally lost in life. As the title says, I'm 30 and can't find my footing career-wise. I have a couple of years of experience in financial service (tho I didn't find it fulfilling) thought it was going to be the ladder i would climb but ultimately was laid off. Now im in a client-facing role in hospitality field.

All my jobs had an administrative component to it that i just find mind-numbing. I thought getting a job in another industry would help fix me but i still feel burnt out as ever. Worst is that i can't get excited to go to work. What i thought i was passionate about, im not anymore.

I just feel lost in life. No solid career, jumping from job to job. I feel like im waiting for something that will never happen. I dont even know what i want. Anyone have career advice? Life advice? Even if its just an opinion, put it here...

Hello, I'm currently a senior in high school finishing my first round of applications to undergraduate school, and I'm really interested in neuroscience but I am starting to have doubts about pre-med because of the extensive amount of education required, but would still like to get a masters or PhD. I'm looking for a well paying career in neuroscience, but I'm not sure if I would like doing research or a career in academia. I've applied to most of my schools under a neuroscience major as my application surrounds that path, but I was thinking of doing a computer science double major or switching to something like biomedical engineering. I really don't have much in depth experience about my choices and uncertainties but don't want to get stuck doing something I don't like or make enough money from. What should I do?

Now I’m going to preface this by saying I know how lucky I am to be in my profession. But lately it’s all too much.

I come from a very working class migrant family, from as long as I can remember they encouraged me to go into medicine, it was their dream, I was young and didn’t know any better. Who really knows that they want to be a doctor at 14? Anyway, roll on the years and I get into medical school, it was amazing, I had the best 5 years and made the closest of friends, I even met my current partner who is my rock (together for 3 years).

I have poured my heart and soul into this profession, every fibre of my being, my entire childhood and the first half of my twenties. Working. Days, nights, weekends. Sacrificing it all to become a doctor, chasing this dream that was never mine. I’m here now, I’ve just finished my second year of work, and I am so lost. My friends have all moved on to different cities, seemingly connecting with others better than me. I stayed in the same city I studied in (where my partner is based). I can’t help nudging this feeling that I haven’t moved on, I walk the city after a set of nights, delirious, feeling like a total stranger and passing buildings where I once had happy memories. Now I see a friend once every few months if I’m lucky. My whole social world has collapsed, I can’t remember the last time I saw a friend for dinner, a coffee, a drink. Because of shift work, I spend most weekends alone and most days roaming around, filling the time endlessly.

The career that i am provides little comfort, the constant and relentless battle to further my training, coupled by the fear of being flung around the country with no stability adds to this feeling of misery, I don’t know what I’m doing, I don’t know if I’d be happier leaving the profession for something more stable and social.

I can’t say I love what I do, is it too late to find something else?

No more bullshit, I'm done being the guy left over, the broken piece. I love the people around me but I'm starting to hate them all because I'm objectively inferior. They have a life, relationships and I have nothing meaningful in mine.

I am inferior and that is fine. It's a nice challenge. Let's see what will become of me in 2 years when I'm done with all my training that I planned, both with MMA and professional hacking. The thing that pushes me right now is being inferior. It's a good fuel, I cannot pass on that. Sorry to bother y'all. The only thing I could advise you is to find the breaking point and remember it for a while in order to change.

I've spent the last 20 years on my own self-improvement journey, transforming from someone living in my mom’s basement to living a life many would consider enviable. Today, I own a business, have strong relationships, and have traveled the world, among other things. Now, I'm at a point where I want to give back—not just as a passing interest, but because I feel it's the most meaningful path for me.

Despite the wealth of self-improvement content and forums out there, I find myself unsure of how to make a genuine impact. I’ve answered questions on various subs, but many people seem more interested in venting than committing to real change. I’ve started creating content on YouTube, but the algorithms favor content that's entertaining and surface-level—something I’m unwilling to compromise on.

I find the greatest fulfillment in offering one-on-one mentorship (or coaching, however you want to call it). However, gaining traction in this area has been challenging, even when offering free sessions. It feels like the sheer number of coaches and mentors out there—often backed by flashy marketing—makes it difficult to stand out authentically.

I hope this doesn’t come across as a rant. I'm genuinely interested in hearing from the community. Here are some questions I’d love insight on:

• Has anyone here turned their self-improvement journey into a meaningful career or business?
• For those who are working on personal growth, how many of you are deeply invested versus casually exploring?
• Any suggestions on how I might move forward and connect with those who are serious about meaningful change?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and stories!

I (31m) feel ready to make some changes in my life. To give some background for work/education that might be useful: Education: Bachelors in business administration Work experience:

• business owner ~ operated a courier service, had contracted workers
• Mortgage underwriter
• paralegal ~ most recent job

I'd like to get into either project management and supply chain management and I'm trying to figure out how to break into either of them. With project management I'd try to find a coordinator role to start out. From what I've seen through job sites, there are more jobs available in the project space. Getting into Healthcare, construction, or IT without needing the specialized skill seems like a good opportunity to me.

Supply chain is very interesting to me as well and I feel like going this route would give me more experience in a field that I could leverage later to possibly get a project manager type role in the future.

I'm leaning towards supply chain to start out, but am not really sure about how break into that space. I started by taking an excel course to learn some more advanced features and am studying for the cscp certification but that's about it for now.

Is there anything else I should be doing or does anyone have any suggestions for what types of positions I should be looking for? Would a coordinator role or entry level supply chain role be easier to get into? I'm willing to move anywhere in the US and would volunteer if it meant getting some experience in either field.

About to graduate in a very competitive field with no internships and certifications. (A few personal reasons, for the person that will inevitably go over everything I’ve done wrong during my undergrad and how I’m an idiot for missing these opportunities. I’m well aware, I’ve heard it enough from countless people I know personally.) I wouldn’t mind not doing anything related to my field again, I just want to consider my options. I know nothing is owed to me and I should keep my expectations in check, but I want to put some sort of semblance of a plan in place. (Sorry for my poor grammar, English is not my first language.)

I’ve been working in a warehouse for the past year, but I’m ready to pursue a new career path. Currently, I’m attending community college part-time due to my work commitments, primarily taking general education classes while I figure out my direction.

I’m interested in learning any certifications or skills that could help me enter a new field, as warehousing just isn’t for me. The only skill I have at the moment is music production/mix engineering, and I'm also keen on making money online. Right now, my music production work is more of a side hustle, but I’d like to gain a certification or learn a new skill that could help pay the bills while I develop my side hustles.

If anyone has recommendations on skills or certifications that could open new doors, I’d greatly appreciate it! Additionally, if you have any ideas on how I could leverage my music production skills online, I’d love to hear those as well. Thanks in advance for your help!

I’m a SAHM who is going back to school and have been accepted into two programs, one being Occupational Health and Safety, and another being X-Ray Technology (Both 2 year programs).

For the last 3 years I have been a SAHM for my 2 children. Prior to that, I was a Dental Assistant for about 5 years. I wasn’t happy in that career. Aspects of it I did not like was the lack of autonomy, was a dead end career, and dealing with high patient volumes in a Dental setting burnt me out.

My heart is telling me to pursue X-Ray because it will complement my past health care experience, and that I truly have a deep interest in that field.

But, after consulting with a few friends who are X-Ray Technologists, they are encouraging me that I pursue the Occupational Health and Safety program, because the career offers predictable working hours that complement the needs and schedules of having 2 young children.

In comparison to X-Ray, where it is mainly shift work I have been told and it makes it more difficult with a family.

I feel torn because I think I have more of a passion and interest for X-Ray, but when I think of my 2 children and family I would think a more predictable schedule would be easier for us. I want to be able to have dinner with my husband and kids and be there for them on the weekends.

If you were in my shoes, which option would you choose?

I'm in my 30s with my own business (dog training) that is pretty high stress. I work with dogs who are fearful/aggressive/etc, so not only can the issues be stressful and have very real consequences if not handled appropriately, but there is a lot of emotion involved. No client wants a dog who is a liability, nor does it feel good to not be able to have the life you pictured having with a dog who is difficult to handle. I've seen good dogs be put down needlessly and not been able to stop things. Happens all the time with these types of dogs.

The cherry on top is that most clients have wildly unreasonable expectations of what training is (thanks dog whisperer and doggy daddy) and the process of training overall is not necessarily easy. It often requires the owner to confront their own flaws and habits that created or contribute to the issues that the dog has. And it's easier to blame the trainer for things not working, than admit one's own fault. So all of this together makes for a difficult job emotionally, and it's also quite draining physically. No it's not playing with dogs all day, not even close. Just imagine 14 hour days, no vacation or off time, and a lot of literal shit.

I've been doing this for years and am at my limit. I feel very lost because I don't know how to market myself on a resume as a business owner. Currently I am overwhelmed feeling too and I know that's not helping me make a plan. Additionally my life has gone from military (too far back to be relevant on a resume I think) into having my business. I feel like I don't have much to show.

The good news is that I do have a business plan for my next business and I know I'd be able to execute it as well. While I know that nothing is written in stone, I know I have the skills to make the new business succeed. The issue is that in the interim I think I will have to find a job working for someone to make ends meet and I'm worried that I'll be totally out of luck. I don't even know what are good avenues to look for a job, how not to get locked into one that is hard to leave or is just as draining. I'm also scared because you see posts where people have sent hundreds of resumes and only get a handful of call backs. Lastly I'm also worried because I'm not sure exactly what to look for. I know I don't want a customer facing job. I want to do a simple-ish job, even just part time, and not have the world pressing down on me all the time.

Any advice or insight would be appreciated.

The job market is a crap shoot right now. What is a job sector that is actually looking for people to hire?

Please help me decide

I have been struggling to find a place for myself for so long, along with that i have zero self confidence, and have not many useful skills, ive been trying to narrow down where i should go. Many say it is what your passion is, but what if you are empty and unsure what your passion is, ive been using career test after career test, and rely on these anwers, but i know it has to be something deep down. Yet all my life ive accepted that i am nothing that i am just garbage, this thinking has lead me to stay lost in my path, as any belief is sullied and others say you don't need to know anything to have value, but its hard for me to accept this. I always apply for the bottom, and have been struggling to find my path, I'm in my 30's its sad, i want to be like everyone else and have it together but I'm learning the hard way that defeating yourself is a long and hard journey, but I'm determined but I'm out of energy and hope, and give up on myself very easily. How can i find a place and purpose, please?

I'm 27 years old and I'm located in the US

I'm pretty fed up with the state of my career right now. I get paid well, and working from home is pretty nice, but finding and keeping work is a nightmare. I'm currently at a consulting company on the bench, and if I don't find something by February they're going to let me go. I think my odds of salvaging this job are slim and at this point I don't even think I would want to stay with the company.

I enjoy writing code, but I've realized I only like doing it as a hobby or as a side hustle (I've made a few websites for small businesses and special events, but this work has only come from people I know personally). My professional career to this point has been very disappointing. I wouldn't mind working at a smaller company, but my last two jobs have been at huge corporations and the "culture" disgusts me. I just don't know if I can find anything decent because I have a large gap in my resume, and I'll only have 6 months in this deadend position when they fire me.

At this point, I'm pretty much willing to do anything so long as it pays a living wage within 2 years. I'm like 20 pounds overweight but I go to the gym and I'm above-average height. I have enough strength to pick up heavy things on the job. I also don't want the sense of impending doom every time I'm between jobs or work starts slowing down. Ideally I want something with high demand and insufficient labor so I can find something fast, I suck at job hunting. Something with a union would also be a huge plus.

From what I've researched in the trades, I think electrical would be a decent fit. Just enough physical exertion to keep me in shape with some technical aspects to keep my nerd brain happy. I'm really open to any suggestions, though. If you can propose something I never even thought of, that's great

tl;dr: I'm disillusioned by the state of my career in tech right now. I'm looking for something stable where I can start making money quickly (I understand the wages won't be so good in the first few years). I don't mind getting my hands dirty and I'm desperate.

I work in insurance sales for a State Farm agent. I love the job but can’t sell life insurance and that’s what drives commission. I get paid hourly but the big bucks are in commission. I’ve tried it all to be better at sales but it simply isn’t my passion or strong suit.

I desperately want something else, a place I can grow over time and make a decent salary (50k+) I don’t have a college degree, only high school diploma. I live in New Mexico.

I need advice, help, guidance. I’m burnt out from my current job and dread trying to make life insurance sales because I actually am just trying to help but people don’t like to listen.

Where do I go? What do I do?

Hi there!

I'll preface everything by saying that I know that the work I'm interested in is difficult to find, untraditional, and might not even exist outside of a few rare circumstances.

I'm a classical musician with an undergrad degree in the social sciences and master's degree in performance for my instrument. The pursuit of my musical engagements, artistic growth, and creative goals are what will usually win out for me. That being said, it's no secret that unless you've scored a seat at one of 5 orchestras (at least in the US), are a frequent principal singer with various opera companies, work in academia, come from money, or have a relationship of a very particular sort with a wealthy benefactor, a classical musician needs supplementary income sources to get by. We all know this when we go into it.

For most, this translates to a patchwork of being a freelance private lesson teacher and church musician between meatier performing gigs. In the past few years, however, many fellow artists have accomplished finding "correlating careers" that run parallel to their artistic careers. These are typically closer to a corporate "muggle" job, but allow a flexibility to leave town/the country for a few weeks for a performing contract. Based on personal observations, these most commonly end up being 9-5s in arts/nonprofit administration, temp office admin work, realty, or side-gigs in photography. Some have even managed to swing an active performing career with some flavor of consulting or a remote tech job.

So my question is this: aside from those mentioned above, what are some other suggestions for "correlating careers" viable for those needing flexibility to step away for a few weeks a few times a year?

There is probably some obvious solution that I'm not seeing but I honestly just feel so lost and have no idea what direction I want my life to go in. I have a bachelor's degree in physics and I've been working as a software developer for just over a year. The thing is, I have no idea what I'm doing. I hate programming and only firmly grasp foundational stuff like basic logic and syntax. ChatGPT has been doing half of my work for me the last 6 months because I can hardly ever even figure out how to get started on a task I've been given. I feel like I just barely get enough work done to not get fired and it makes me anxious. For reasons I'd like to keep private, I need a higher-paying job (I'm underpaid for a software developer). I've been trying to find a higher paying software developer job but I screwed up the only interview I was able to get in months because I didn't know how to answer some preliminary questions. I don't want to work in software development anymore but it feels like my only option to get a higher-earning job.

You're probably wondering what sorts of things I'm interested in. The answer: nothing marketable. Aside from leisure activities, my main interests are in physics and astronomy, and video game development. I got my degree in physics thinking I'd go on to graduate school, but I didn't get into any of the schools I applied to. Either way, my parents don't have any money saved for me for graduate school, so I'd need to get a fully-paid TA position to consider it. I might try applying to schools for next year, but the applications are really expensive and add up if you're applying to a lot of different schools.

I consider video game development a hobby. It's hard to make time for it, and unless I have a portfolio of 5+ games I've already made and put out, no game company is gonna hire me at a livable salary. I'm working on my first one right now, but it's a passion project.

If we lived in a world where money didn't exist, I would like to be a professor of astrophysics conducting research in cosmology and/or galactic evolution. This is probably my dream career. Or maybe game design, but I don't think I'd feel fully fulfilled doing that.

I can't do much with a physics bachelor's degree alone (in my field at least), and I was very lucky to snag a junior software developer job with hardly any experience. An obvious option would be to work at a planetarium, but there are none in my city. I make 60k a year right now, which seems like a lot of money, but with my current living situation I'm barely making ends meet.

Please give me advice. I know this post definitely comes across as a "boohoo there's nothing I can do" sort of post and I know there are solutions, I just feel like I need an outside perspective to be able to see them.

TLDR: I hate software development and need a new job that pays more than 60k. I have a year of experience in software development and educated in physics and astronomy. Dream job would probably be a professor of astrophysics, but I don't have money to support me through grad school. I like video game design and have minor experience with it. No planetariums in my area. What should I do?

I 21 F Currently live with my parents. I live in a small podunk town where jobs are extremely hard to come by. It took 8 months out of high school to get a job which I was fired from 2 weeks later (unrelated). It took another year to find a second job.

During this second job as a direct support worker every shift I’d work I’d go into the bathroom at least 2 times to have a panic attack and few times had panic attacks in front of coworkers and residents. It got so bad that at night I’d have nightmares about going back to work, the breaking point is when I almost smashed my leg with a hammer so I wouldnt have to work anymore. I quit after that and my manager cussed me out, after that my parents cussed me out telling me how “ I’ll never get anywhere in life”

A few months after I decided to apply to college instead of working but my parents refused to help me and didn’t support me going into college for zoology. I applied all with the help of a school counselor but got waitlisted then rejected which crushed me.

I decided to bite the bullet and keep applying after that, immediately I got a job in a kitchen but they never sent me a schedule or asked when I’d be available and scheduled me at 6 in the morning, my first day on the job like the last job I had panic attacks again, this time 4 in one day, and started to become homesick. The second day I quit after relapsing from self harm because of how much I hated myself for having panic attacks. I basically said “I’m quitting for mental health reasons, I can’t do this anymore.” When I got home I then attempted to drown myself in the bathtub but failed.

A few ours after my mom told me how she wished she aborted me, my mom’s boyfriend told me I’m a failure and went on about my weight and how fat I am (not even related??) and my grandmother kept trying to ask me when I would get another job. Then when I told my parents I had an attempt they told me it was a cop out.

Since then I’ve been seeing a counselor twice a month and found peace staying at home cooking, cleaning and taking care of my animals. I feel behind though, but am to anxious to get another job though I need money.. I’m am sort of lost now..

I 28F just feel absolutely stuck. I just got out of a toxic 5 year marriage and I'm unsure if it's my mind playing with me constsntly reminding me im a failure or of this is an actual reality.

I've been trying to get into some sort of medical related school. I couldn't get into med school which I've accepted and turned to nursing school. I was put on a wait list because I kid you not, my college transferred transcript companies and thus they didn't submit my info in time and the nursing school wasn't sure about me. Thus I was waitlisted.

On top of it in my military career I switched from being a medical officer to civil affairs, nobody told me this means I'd be demoted in rank and my promotion would be nulled.

I feel so bad all the time. A failed marriage, I couldn't get into any sort of school (ive been trying for 3 years), and now I've managed to fuck up my army career. I don't know what to do, does it get better?

25 m Sophomore Mech engineering student (41 credits, 58 at the end of the semester). I'm tired of feeling behind in life and want to be in a position where I can make enough to support myself and have more free time. My grades suck and I'm failing calc 2 anyway.

I have never been in a relationship or been intimate in my life and still live at home while only working enough to pay my few bills. I feel so incredibly lonely and behind in life. I have been a loner for all my life and want to be able to have a relationship. But I have no time or money to be in one or where to even find one. Dating apps suck and the one person i met on there I got along with I let go because I just didn't have the time.

I'm ready to just drop out and find a job to support myself so I can focus on having more free time.

I just hate feeling that Ill never get the chance to experience young love.

IDK I'm just venting