Im 38m, i lost my job in the summer and was planning to keep up with my college studies. I took an airline job in denver i thought everything was gonna be okay and realized it wasn't when I was expecting. I had to drop my college class so I wouldn't be overwhelmed with moving and adjusting.

The job is part time and they keep cutting hours. Before I took this job, I talked to my parents who I have lived with, they gave me thier word that I could return. If I didn't like it or things didn't work out. Ever since I took this job, I have been applying for full time work back my hometown. I realized that my parents wanted me out of their home and felt that i was being lied to and returning home was never an option. Every time I talk to my mother, she has always suggesting that I find full time work here in Denver, which I don't want to.

I'm starting to get jealous of everyone around me who is able to return home, there was a guy in my training class who was same age as me and from the same town, I was and was able to return home when he resigned. I have even offered to pay rent to my parents so I can continue to get my life on track and continue college Then i get a job offer from any of the jobs i jave applied, I will save up for a house and move out again and probably cut my parents off after.

Im scared and feel abandoned. Maybe i'm the one that caused this, and this is what I deserve.

Pain

I recently tried buying a townhome, and quickly realized that among many factors saving money and investing money was the better move for me because my income barely qualifies me for something decent. I don't even qualify for a 1 bedroom apartment in the area I would want to live which is 35 minutes from where I live now.

After doing a ton of math, my current savings trajectory puts me [25 turning 26 in a few months] at 250k across my brokerage account and retirement accounts by 28/29. The sacrifice being, I don't travel, I don't really have a big social life and just hangout with my parents, and I don't date because I am gay and my parents are anti-gay.

I know these are all reasons I should adult, but I also think moving for the sake of dating isn't benefical to my goals, and I really think waiting until I reach 250k will set me up for success later in life when I ideally meet someone or am ready to buy a home.

Part of me is trying to justify the trade-offs, and part of me sort of accepts that at least for now I am too busy to even bother dating to start with so it isn't really something I am missing out on.

My dad wasn’t around most of my life because he was in prison, he got released in 2011 (I was 8) when I was in the 3rd grade. He came around most weeks to hang out with us, but to me he was just some guy who I was told to be my father, but there was an emotional disconnect. He didn’t feel like my dad. I saw him as a father figure, but not as my dad.

My mom sent me to live with him in 2016 (I was 13) so that we could connect better but it really didn’t work. This was the first time we were ever under the same roof together I lived with him until I went to college in 2021.

From 2016-2021 were the years I lived with him and he still never felt like a father to me, I know he tried his best. But the connection just wasn’t there. He missed my prime years and I really think that’s what fucked us.

Anyway fast forward to today our relationship is still awkward and weird. We speak maybe 1-2 times a month, IF that. We’ve definitely gone months without speaking before. Whenever we speak it’s just always an awkward silence I never know what to say, he never knows what to say.

We never really hang out either. I want a better relationship with him but I don’t know where or how to start. I’m 23 now and he’s almost 50. Even as an adult I still don’t feel that paternal connection. I love and respect him but there’s a clear emotional distance between us.

It makes me feel bad as a son and I’m sure it makes him feel bad as a father. I wish it wasn’t this way. Our relationship isn’t totally dead, there are times where I’ll call him up because I need help with something or vice versa. But for the most part it’s awkward.

I’ve never been great at keeping friends. I have a lot of anxiety and find that gets in the way of building meaningful relationships. I’ve gone through a carousel of friends. Now I’m in my late twenties and they’re starting to marry off, have children, and leaving me behind. My last two friends just started dating each other. I haven’t seen either of them in months.

I’m trying to see this transition the way I did when I stopped dating 2 years ago. I realized no one was romantically interested in me. It was a hard pill to swallow, but the loneliness doesn’t bother me so much. I don’t even crave romance anymore. I’m hoping this loss can grow to feel the same way: a recognition that something is gone, but not longing for it.

Does the isolation ever feel normal?

I'm 19, working blue collar, and fucking tired of being broke. I want a Porsche 911, designer clothes, and the freedom to buy things I genuinely appreciate without worrying about being broke for the next month.

What makes it even more frustrating is watching some of my wealthy peers. They have everything handed to them, yet somehow have the most mediocre taste imaginable. Expensive cars, designer wardrobes, and absolutely no individuality. They buy whatever brand is trending, wear whatever everyone else is wearing, and mistake a high price tag for actual taste. Unlimited money, zero fucking originality.

Meanwhile, we're constantly told that hard work pays off, that if we keep our heads down and work hard enough, we'll eventually enjoy the same lifestyle. But some people start life with generational wealth while the rest of us spend our best years working to afford a fraction of it.

And after all that, these people can't even do anything interesting with the advantages they've been given. They have the money to own beautiful things, develop their own style, and experience the best life has to offer, yet they settle for looking like carbon copies of every other rich kid.

Imagine having every financial advantage in life and still managing to be both privileged and fucking boring.

Boring. Healing is boring, but it is healthy. You asked for peace and love and shit the above, but I am grateful. Sometimes I believe it is hard to make friends as an almost 20-year old adult.

I believe there are people that will stay and will go. I am not ignoring that, it is just because life is boring and in the end, you really only have yourself.

I feel like I am in deep transformation, spiritually, and it might be taking a toll on me. Yes, the universe is giving me what I asked for. Peace, love, and abundance. Whether if you believe it or not.

Has anyone experienced something similar and does it get better? What are your thoughts or stories?

I’m 38 and I live in Chengdu, China. After becoming unemployed, I started making videos about my everyday life.

Part of the reason is that I want to have a record of this time: what I do with my days, what I try, and how things change along the way. That includes the times when I’m still figuring things out and don’t have any clear answers.

I’m also wondering whether making videos could become a new direction for me. I want to give it a real try, see what I can make, and find out whether it’s something I’d want to keep doing.

At the moment, I’m still exploring. I’m documenting my daily life while figuring out whether I’d like to do this long term. I don’t know yet whether it could eventually become a job or simply remain a way to record my life.

I wanted to share where I’m at and hear from people who’ve been through something similar. Has anyone here tried something new after becoming unemployed in their thirties? How did you get started, and what helped you decide whether to stick with it?

Hi! 👋 Looking for a beginner-friendly gym around Sampaloc, Manila. I have zero gym experience but I really want to start my fitness journey and get into shape. Medyo nangangapa pa, so hopefully somewhere welcoming and not intimidating for first-timers. 😅

Bonus if they have friendly instructors or coaches who are patient with beginners and can help me learn the proper form and build a workout routine.

Any recommendations? Would appreciate your suggestions! Thank you! 💪

For those who enjoy nonalcoholic wine or beer, what makes you prefer it over other drinks? I’m more of a social drinker myself, so I’m genuinely curious about the appeal, especially when it comes to taste!

I just want to make money. That's all.

Sounds silly but I’m living in shelters and on the street. I keep getting opportunities for work, money, etc but I don’t have a place where I can communicate - I can’t hop on a zoom call. I have nowhere to do it.

Homeless shelters kick you out - they won’t let you stay there during the day when I need to be communicating with potential employers. I have nowhere where to do this

What hurts most is that I cut myself off from my friends and ended up alone. No parties, nights out or people to make plans with. I spent years in my room, ashamed of how I looked, with insecurities I didn’t want to face or do anything about.

I kept telling myself I’d sort myself out, then start living. I’ve lost weight and my acne is much better now, but I don’t feel much more confident. I’m still putting everything off and waiting to feel ready.

I work full time and feel worn out afterwards. I have savings and could afford driving lessons, but still haven’t started.

Coworkers my age seem to be at a different stage. They talk about partners and plans, and I feel like I have nothing to add. I’m embarrassed about not studying and having an ordinary job, even though I wouldn’t judge someone else for that.

I spent a lot of time with one person and we went out often. I finally experienced things I’d missed, but felt behind. That friendship ended, and now I don’t have anyone I can really talk to.

I’ve never had a relationship or what I’d call a proper date. Some outings with a friend felt similar, but I wouldn’t call them actual dates. It didn’t bother me much before. Now I’m lonely and ashamed of having no experience.

I try to be funny and sarcastic, and that is part of who I am. But I can overdo it and wear people out. People sometimes seem to think they can’t talk seriously with me. I don’t know how to show them the part of me that feels unsure and wants to be close to someone.

I grew up poor, with just my mum and grandma around, and hated being pitied. I’ve never felt I could really rely on anyone. My mum wants to do everything for me, but I can cook, handle my own stuff and pay my instalments. I don’t take money from anyone. Still, I feel like a kid rather than an adult.

As the title suggests, I (20F) have a friend (20F) whom I’ve always viewed as somewhat of a mentee. She struggles quite a bit with her self-esteem, particularly when it comes to romantic relationships, and I’ve often found myself taking on the role of an older sister or emotional support system.
For context, she doesn’t have many close friends or family members she can rely on. I’ve watched her go through some incredibly painful breakups, often completely alone, and it breaks my heart to see her in that position. Because of this, I’ve made a conscious effort to be someone she can turn to, even if that sometimes means simply sitting quietly beside her while she’s hurting.

However, one of the reasons I’ve maintained a certain emotional distance in our friendship is that I’ve witnessed a number of behaviours and decisions that I personally struggle to reconcile with my own values.
For example, she’s had multiple sexual partners without using protection and once confided in me about symptoms that seemed consistent with an STI. I encouraged her to seek medical attention and even offered to accompany her, but she refused. Eventually, I arranged for us to visit a pharmacist, since pharmacists where I live can assess and prescribe medications for certain conditions, such as UTIs. After assessing what they could, the pharmacist suggested that an STI was more likely and recommended further medical evaluation.
Despite this, she continued refusing to see a doctor and, to my knowledge, continued having unprotected sex without disclosing the possibility of an infection to her partners. This was particularly difficult for me to understand because her decisions could potentially affect other people’s health.

Beyond that, what genuinely hurts me to witness is how desperately she seeks love and validation from men who have repeatedly mistreated her. I’ve watched her beg for attention from partners who have cheated on her or subjected her to verbal abuse. She would sit beside her phone for hours, staring at iMessage and waiting for the typing bubble to appear, only to receive another message telling her that they wanted nothing to do with her.

I think this affects me so much because, in some ways, she reminds me of my teenage self. I recognize that desperation to feel loved, and perhaps that’s part of why I’ve always felt compelled to stay by her side.
I’ve also witnessed situations where her drinking has put her in vulnerable positions. I’m not much of a party person myself, and I’m allergic to alcohol, but I’ve attended social gatherings to connect with people. On several occasions, I’ve seen her drink until she completely blacked out, to the point where multiple men had to help carry her home while she was unconsciously throwing up throughout the way home. Seeing her in those situations genuinely worried me.

Another pattern I’ve noticed is how she approaches dating when she’s single. She often talks to several men simultaneously, each seemingly fulfilling a different role in her life. One might drive her around and pick her up whenever she needs something, another buys her gifts, another is someone she casually texts, and another is someone she sleeps with. She frequently rotates between video calls with them and keeps track of their locations.
I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with casually dating multiple people, provided everyone understands the arrangement. What makes me uncomfortable is that, from conversations I’ve overheard, some of these men appear genuinely interested in pursuing serious relationships with her. Yet she has told me she has no intention of doing so, while continuing to give them the impression that she might.

What confuses me most is the contrast between her apparent lack of self-esteem and the expectations she places on romantic partners.
Despite being deeply insecure in relationships, she also seems to believe that her partner should have very little say in anything, that she’s always right, and that a partner should be wealthy enough to satisfy her material wants.

She’s also one of the most controlling and anxious partners I’ve ever encountered. She expects access to her boyfriend’s social media accounts, private messages, and location at all times.
And when I say she monitors his location, I mean constantly.

We could be studying together, and instead of focusing on her work, she’d be staring at Life360, getting angry about how long her boyfriend was stopped at a red light. She would count how many times he crossed a street, question why he took a particular route, and become increasingly upset if he wasn’t responding to her messages.
I’ve found myself feeling anxious just sitting beside her during these moments.
Over time, I’ve realized that although I care about her and genuinely want her to be happy, there are significant differences between how we approach relationships and how we believe other people should be treated.

I don’t think she’s necessarily a bad person, and I recognize that some of these behaviours may be connected to her insecurities or past experiences. But I’ve increasingly struggled with the feeling that I’m constantly trying to support someone whose choices I don’t always agree with.

Which brings me to the reason I’m writing this post.
Recently, she called me and openly told me that she had started dating my ex-boyfriend. And she sounded proud and happy, there was no hesitation.
And I genuinely don’t know how to feel.

I don’t know whether I’m uncomfortable because he’s my ex, because of everything I’ve witnessed in her past relationships, or because this situation has made me reconsider the nature of our friendship altogether.
I’ve spent so much time being there for her through her relationships that I never really imagined finding myself personally connected to one of them.

Part of me feels that she’s entitled to make her own decisions, and I don’t want to act as though I have any ownership over someone I previously dated. But another part of me feels strangely unsettled, especially considering how much emotional support I’ve provided throughout our friendship.

I guess I’m trying to understand whether my discomfort is reasonable or whether I’m allowing my existing concerns about her behaviour to influence how I feel about her dating my ex. Because similar to her honestly, I also don’t really have parents who I can go to for advice like this, but I’m trying my best to seek advice.

Would you feel uncomfortable if you were in my position? And would this change how you viewed the friendship?

Women love to use the “let’s be friends” card on men that are attracted to them because they get girlfriend benefits without giving the man girlfriend service. The woman gets free attention, money, and an emotional shoulder to cry on. While the man gets nothing. No physical intimacy, no kisses no hugs just an unfulfilled situation for the man. The man has boyfriend responsibilities without getting boyfirned benefits. Unless the man isn’t attracted to the women it’s no benefit for him to be friends with her

When you finally hit the age of 30 that’s when life actually gets real and you realize you are 10 years away from being 40 😓 and you have no idea wtf you’re actually doing …

Just curious if any of you live back at home with your parent(s) and how old you are?

I’m 32. I bought a home several years ago, just sold it for a pretty big profit, and now I’m living back at home trying to save up money to purchase a home that’s more suitable for the long term.

I feel bad living back at home, I have a decent career and don’t really need to, but I decided I was going to purchase my next home in cash so I planned to live here for the next 3 years to reach a goal of saving $500k. I’m wondering if it’s worth it 🤣 sort of feels bad to be living back with my mom, but at the same time, I’m able to save so much (just fyi I do contribute by buying my own groceries and I pay the internet. House has no mortgage on it anyway). I was so tired of my old place and the constant rising HOA fee so I wanted out.

Hello I'm 23 in less than a month 24. So let me give you a little bit info about my background I am a holder of a BSc in UoC. In applied mathematics. I finished my studies in 4.5 years. I did my last semester in the Barcelona via Erasmus programme. So after that I had the dilemma of keep going with the academic career and do master's or serve in my country's army. It is obligatory for all adults. Nevertheless, I chose mathematics because I felt this filed is the only thing that made me happy in highschool. Or at least, I was finding fun to deal with. Truth is, in my country you take on some kind of national examinations in a field and then you choose colleges unis and stuff like that. I wasn't sure if mathematics was my thing, though at 17 I was pretty heartbroken at the time and so I decided to follow this path. I had twice the thought of giving up. I actually finished my studies. My honest motivation was always to do something so I won't be on the street, so I won't be a regular guy working for survival, dealing with something that expands my understanding of decomposition of the reality. I had hope. And of course, The fear of a future where I would spend my days at the office, researching or whatever was the reason for me thinking as a bachelor to give up. I didn't as I mentioned. I referred to erasmus experience because it was the catalyst. Then I got the idea. Study abroad again but for master's. You'll see it's better. Vetter unis, better job applications etc. I had this dream and I decided after the erasmus to get a job. I worked in 4 places. I was a cook for 8 months and then they fired me up saying I was too unprofessional anyways, I just know that the chef didn't like me hahah. Yeah I'd done a mistake but not a grave one. I don't feel bad at all though. The next two jobs was also related to cooking. So I actually resigned twice. Hands down. I love cooking, I cook since I was sixteen. But I had enough with the cooking in a place where you have so much pressure. I didn't like this idea. Respect to all cooks globally, they deserve it. It's hard out there. Therefore, the last job was a barista but it doesn't matter. I got accepted in RPTU. Very well known, new chapter etc. I had a bad feeling before even arriving to the city. Thanks to my parents I made it happen. I cam here. I had a lot of impediments to overcome at the beginning. However I'm in Germany a month now. And honestly? I don't like it at all. Maybe it's the country? I don't know. Honestly I don't. It's something, like my gut always telling me something. I resigned from the third cooking job as I suffered from stress crisis. Now here every week, I got problems with bureocracy, the people are cold, thankfully I got a psychologist to discuss with. But most of the job I'm doing it myself. I observe, I write down my thoughts. In all of these things of the past year. I discovered that I love rap. I always did. I never knew if I can rap. Actually I tried 3 years ago and 2 years ago as well but yk, it was crap. Now. Since 1/2026, I'm killing it. Is the only thing that makes me smile. Is like this feeling of doing something to reduce the stress to express. And yeah I'm not chasing a rap career, clearly 'cause it's not a career. It's art to me. And art has no labels, has no brands. Only expression and influence. So, as a person I've encountered many times problems with anxiety and trust. That's why I'm working on me and doing things that hold me close to my inner center. What's the point of all this and the wrong career? For the second time in my life, I'm asking myself, did I choose this? Do I want this? Maths Academics, research or industrialisation? To be honest? I love doing lots of things. Even maths. Like philosophers, I use maths to understand everything and they affect my rap bars as well. It's my dream to launch rap albums and make concerts. That's how I want to connect with people. Feeling that all of them are sure of what they're doing or else they hide it perfectly. But to me? It's pretty easy to describe me, because I can't hide my feelings. I'm not such a person. And here in Germany. I got the feeling that people are cold, societal anxious or lets say introverts. I'm an extrovert usually, but as soon as I filter the space around me. However I'm always down to discuss and listen. Right now I'm isolated. Thankfully my roommates here are very nice they help me. My friends in my mother country, I just don't know. It feels I'm losing them not all of them but you know, a lot of them see everything through stereotypes, not knowing how hard it is for a guy to move to different 2 countries in 2 years.. Spain and Germany. So that's my story in a nutshell ( hahahaha not even close I said toooo much ). Yeah lemme know what you think, I'm looking forward to do more about art, and Idk maths I guess but now I'm so confused. Thanks for everyone reading it ( you're a hero )