Why You’re Stuck

Now let me specify here who I’m talking about. To some degree, everybody gets a bit lost in their life and hopefully manages to find their way back. But here, here I am talking about the late teens/twenty somethings working part-time, no quite sure what they want to do with their lives and floating about from one job to the next getting enough money that month to pay a bill, rent to the parents, and a bit of spare money for drinking and having fun.

Months and months, and maybe even years, can pass before something throws you out of the cycle and you hit the ground—hard.

Life seems colourless, nothing makes you happy, and you're just floating around in your aimless job wondering what you are going to do next and why you are feeling so low.

Here's five blockers that could be stopping you from moving forward:

#1 You hate your (part-time, dead-end) job.

Good! Great! Then go out and get a new one. There is NOTHING stopping you from asking for help with your CV and advice from people on what you might be good at. Qualifications aren’t everything and if you can afford to work part-time, you can afford to do some junior level volunteer work to get work experience when you decide what career path you want to head down. Or try a few out. You’ve been floating long enough what’s a few more months?

#2 You can't be in a long-term mature relationship.

Whether you keep picking the wrong person, aren't in the right head space or aren't mature enough to be in a healthy relationship you need to take a breath and think about what you want. If you don't love, understand, and value yourself, no one else will. Make sure you are comfortable in your own skin before trying to please someone else. Desperation, jealously or insecurity isn't the start to a healthy relationship that will make you and your partner the best versions of yourself.

#3 You don't want to live at home.

There is nothing wrong with wanting your own independence. In fact, you crave it. Besides working part-time, what is really stopping you? Focus on a career, get yourself focused and start looking at how you can branch out on your own. It won't be cheap, it won't be easy but it will be your own space or you to grow, enjoy and be responsible for.

#4 You're in debt.

Whether through uni, through part-time work and too much partying you managed to get in debt. Did you borrow from you parents? Did you get a bank loan or finance for a car? Have you had a streak of bad-luck with your car since you brought it? It's very easy to rack up debt when you want things that you just can't afford. Focusing on better money management, more over-time or a second job and get yourself financially stable.

#5 You have too much time on your hands.

Too much time leads to a negative head space. You bounce around your part-time hours trying to navigate what your friends are working. One minute you're in a relationship and busy, so is your friend and the next one of you is newly single and the friendship becomes strained. It leads down a dark path that can feel quite hard to get out of.

A lot of this stems from not having a career and a focus in life. You need to have something solid and stable that fulfils you and allows you to do more than just pay bills and buy a few drinks every month.

Good luck!