I'm 25, and I just found a semi decent job post graduation. Though I should be happy, I feel a bit down and depressed. The job is somewhat in my field. I have a degree in English and Journalism, and I'm in Patient Access Services as a registrar at a hospital. I also got a freelance editing role for an up and coming Christian Book Publication in April. Though career wise, I have this, I sacrificed a lot going to college and struggled post graduation two years ago. I struggled finding decent employment for a long time. I've taken a couple of seasonal roles, had to decline or quit a couple of scams artfully marketed, and before my current job I was fired for the first time in my life and given no concrete reason. The role was a decent paying customer service role for the overnight shift. Growing up I thought education was the key to a financially stable and more fulfilling future. Coming from my background I thought it was the only way out. I'm from the inner city, raised in a single parent home. That later became being raised by my grandparents for the other half of my childhood. My father was incarcerated up until my late teens. Though I'd gotten good grades all of my life, I never quite fit in. I've always been articulate, and as a child not many children took to that. I'm glad I had a very small circle of friends up until college. I was raised in a strict Christian household. I've changed churches once I became 19/20, but for a long time I thought everything was a sin. Listening to Non-Christian music, flirting, attraction, make-up. Family wise I have a few aunts and uncles, a few much older siblings, and about 20 cousins. Of them all, only one other cousin and I went to college. Upon graduating college my extended family chewed me up and spit me out about how I was supposed to do things and how things didn't work out. They gossiped, blamed me, and it was rough. Especially looking for work in this economy. This past year I'm still wrapping my mind around a series of changes I went through as I tried to find something where I can afford to get my own place and vehicle. Now that I am able to start financially making moves on my plans, I realize I've been to myself a lot. I've had a couple of failed dating attempts that leave me petrified of letting someone in until I'm absolutely ready. I don't know what I like to do for fun any more, and when I get off of work I usually call a friend and watch my shows on Netflix. I also miss how confident I was before life crushed me in my job search. Now that I'm in a better place, I struggle with the following questions. How do I enjoy life after all of this? How do I get my confidence back? And though I'd like a significant other, how do I even try again? I'm open to any suggestions. Love and Light, InquisitiveBeauty