24F in search of meaning, purpose and fulfillment

Hi everyone. Hope everyone is doing well. I’ve recently started posting a little bit on different Reddit threads and am sometimes taken aback at the hostility/ judgment that people can throw at strangers. I just want to start with thank you for reading this if you are, and a fellow human with struggles and aches and soul pains sees that same part in you. Anyways- I am 24, no degree, went to EMT school right out of high school (graduated in 2020 COVID era) and thought I’d be a firefighter. My mom died when I was 11, and I stopped receiving parental guidance. I grieve what my education/ life could have looked like if things were different tbh. Anyways again lol, worked for the fire department on an ambulance and as a tech in an ER. It was a rough experience for me for a multitude of reasons, and ended up leaving the profession with tears in my eyes. Followed an ex bf to the PNW and am a fine dining server / bartender now, gonna make just shy of 100k this year. I am deeply stressed about my future and what I should do to set myself up. I mean, deeply stressed, it keeps me up at night. I am highly ambitious and I’d say type A. I want so much out of life but feel stuck with what to do next. I’ve considered reupping my EMT license and going back to the medical world. I have an associates degree in psychology, I wonder if I should finish my bachelors. I’ve always been drawn to academia, and used to think I wanted to be a spiritual psychologist I’m also stellar at hospitality and wonder if I should focus on moving up there ( I work for a massive hotel company ) I am scared of leaving my souls mission behind in search of financial gain

I will say this though- I’ve spent my early twenties working very hard to support living alone and this idea of “success” and my soul is drained and tired. I’ve thought about quitting my job and subleasing my apartment and traveling. If any of you have read “Man’s search for meaning” I am doing exactly what that style of psychology describes. I’m searching and yearning and I’m reaching a breaking point

Wiser, perhaps older people of the interweb, what would you do if you were me? Financially I’m doing alright, 32k in a HYSA and about 89k in a Roth IRA.

Posted Jul 23, 2026, 5:04 AM UTC

23
Loading comments…