First of all, thank you for this beautifully articulated op-ed that communicates what so many of us feel navigating this time in life — society says we’re “meant” to have figured it out, especially when we’ve been socially conditioned to be overachievers by design (ie., if you’re black and woman or any other marginalized group moving through the western world). The late 20s are a doozy, man. BUT I also read this as a friend who has more context, and I think you’re being hard on yourself. I have no advice on how you stop being so, and I’m not criticizing you for doing so, but just remember very specific circumstances have led you to this thought-space, and essentially, you’re now in healing from it. Professional trauma, professional environments that chip away at or even crush your self-confidence are very real things. You’ve come out of the other side of an experience. Sure, it’s anxiety-inducing, it’s uncomfortable to the point of painful, and it’s giving your confidence a beating, but…to echo one of the perhaps annoying voices above…you’ve got this.
