Where did it all go wrong?

Two years ago, I was thriving. I was an achiever with a stable career, independent and content on my own. I was confidently pursuing my master’s degree, full of drive and ambition. My parents were healthy, and life felt secure and promising.

Now, everything feels different. I’ve been unemployed for a year, struggling to find a decent job despite all my efforts. The passion I once had for my master’s has slowly faded, replaced by exhaustion and self-doubt. I became emotionally dependent on a man who betrayed me more than once, and somewhere along the way, I lost parts of myself I worked so hard to build.

Then my father was diagnosed with coronary artery disease. We were suddenly faced with a ₱710,000 hospital bill for his surgery. I found myself knocking on doors and asking different politicians for medical assistance, something I never imagined I would have to do.

I used to feel strong and in control of my life. Now I feel lost, overwhelmed, and ashamed of how far I’ve fallen. There were nights when the weight of everything felt so heavy that I wanted it all to end, just so the pain, the pressure, and the constant fear would finally stop.