Realistically, the real answers to this question are:
Get a lucky job prospect in your 30s or 40s, finally have mental space to do things, spend the next 50 years trying out all sorts of fun ways to answer this question.
Work shitty jobs forever, get used to it, continue “quiet quitting” for your entire career so you can spend some energy trying out ways to answer this question.
Work shitty jobs forever, become bitter and cynical, never do anything fun because you don’t have the mental space for it, die.
Everyone I know from my age group (mid to late 30s) was miserable for 100% of their 20s. Some worked a lot to improve their situation in their late 20s and 30s and got lucky with option 1. Some tried and failed because of life or luck and settled on option 2 - in some cases kids caused option 2 as well. I knew a couple of people in Option 3, tried to help them, but they didn’t want it, so eventually just stopped reaching out and moved on with my life because they just wanted to drag me down.
Tbh I’m doing ok financially at 26, I just have no time or energy because of crazy baby. I imagine once I hit my 30s I’ll get some more time and perhaps some energy, heck maybe more money. Fortunately I have a great job I mostly enjoy and doesn’t destroy me (cybersecurity ftw)
It’s just existing on a daily basis is absolutely exhausting. The house has gone to hell and I definitely don’t have the will to take care of my body outside of bare minimum because this child doesn’t sleep. For those that work harder than I do, damn the grind must be unreal.
Realistically, the real answers to this question are:
Everyone I know from my age group (mid to late 30s) was miserable for 100% of their 20s. Some worked a lot to improve their situation in their late 20s and 30s and got lucky with option 1. Some tried and failed because of life or luck and settled on option 2 - in some cases kids caused option 2 as well. I knew a couple of people in Option 3, tried to help them, but they didn’t want it, so eventually just stopped reaching out and moved on with my life because they just wanted to drag me down.
Tbh I’m doing ok financially at 26, I just have no time or energy because of crazy baby. I imagine once I hit my 30s I’ll get some more time and perhaps some energy, heck maybe more money. Fortunately I have a great job I mostly enjoy and doesn’t destroy me (cybersecurity ftw) It’s just existing on a daily basis is absolutely exhausting. The house has gone to hell and I definitely don’t have the will to take care of my body outside of bare minimum because this child doesn’t sleep. For those that work harder than I do, damn the grind must be unreal.