A Handful Of Young People Reveal How They Stopped Freaking Out About The Future
Info, forums and online tools for whatever life throws at you.
If you’ve ever felt stressed and overwhelmed by your future, then you are 100 percent in the vast majority of all people, ever.
Whether you’re trying to figure out who you are, what career to pursue, where to live, or anything in between, there’s nothing quite like the great unknown to make you feel a bit lost and freaked out.
But take comfort in knowing that plenty of people have faced the same kinds of big questions, found a way to deal with the anxiety, and come out the other side better than before.
That’s why we asked a handful of young Australians about the times they were freaking out about the future and how they overcame challenging or overwhelming situations.
Matthew, 23
Matthew, a country-turned-city boy and proud member of the LGBTQI+ community, kick-started a successful career in media before finishing his university degree.
“The pandemic was a really hard time – I was completely unsure of my job and living situation. Having grown up in country NSW, I caught myself weighing up whether or not living in a major city was a smart move for me, which led to a lot of unnecessary stress and anxiety.
“I considered moving home and fully re-evaluating my career path, but it was through regular visits to a psychiatrist that I realised my fears were irrational, and pursuing my career in a city where I was able to reach my full potential was best for me.
“It’s so important to reach out when you need help. I would genuinely recommend a psych visit for anyone going through a hard time – it has genuinely changed my life for the better.”
Sarah, 26
Sarah is a bubbly Sydney-sider who has overcome hurdles like significant family grief, debilitating physical injury, and a hectic work life.
“Recently, I was feeling really overwhelmed by my job. The workload was intense and I was feeling ready to quit because I couldn’t see it getting any better. I took a week of leave to get my mental health under control and have some breathing room to mentally unwind from the pressures of work and see a psychologist.
“It didn’t solve all my problems, but it gave me some time to fill my cup and be in a better place to take on the world again. Sometimes you just need to put your mental health first.”
Jason, 33
Jason Ball made waves when he was the first high-profile Aussie Rules footballer to come out as gay. Here’s what he had to say about facing himself and his future in an interview from ReachOut’s What’s Next? video series:
“I figured out that I was gay when I was about 13 years old, and, at the time, I thought that this was the worst possible thing that I could be…Luckily, I found the courage to talk to a friend and, when their reaction to my sexuality was positive, it was just a huge weight off my shoulders. And I came to realise that a lot of the fears that I had about how people were going to react to me weren’t realised.
“Whether you’re gay or bi or trans or non-binary, having the courage to be proud of who you are is actually a really strong trait to have, and it’s something that deserves respect. And it’s something that I’ve learned to respect, in feeling comfortable about who I am.”
Drisana, 28
Drisana has been advocating for the rights of people in the deaf community since she was a teenager, and she’s now a teacher and a Young Australian of the Year award-winner. She talked about the feelings of intimidation she overcame to take hold of her future in ReachOut’s What’s Next? video series.
“When I was in high school, I never thought that I would go to university. I wasn’t dumb, but I was made to feel that I was [dumb], that I was not good enough, that it was not an option. I wish back at that time that I’d been more confident in my abilities to succeed at a high level. For example, in tertiary education.”
Juliette, 28
Juliette is a media and law graduate who is absolutely killing it in her journalism career, living by herself for the first time, and proactively handling her anxiety and depression.
“My personality is not really that YOLO – I don’t just live each day as it comes with no consideration of where I want to end up in terms of my health, career and relationships. These days, my go-to tactics for taking the heat out of unnecessary future anxieties are talking to my close friends, exercising, and practicing gratitude.
“I’m also moving from just talking about my problems to trying to practice a high-agency mindset. If something is bumming me out, from bad housemates to sub-par relationships, rather than just wallowing in those feelings, I also ask myself, ‘Is there a solution to this problem that I’m yet to try?’. To me, both feeling the feelings and taking the actions that I can with the resources that I have on hand are a powerful combination.”
Some names have been changed for anonymity.
This article originally appeared on Junkee.
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Hear how other young people have handled future stress and find info, forums and online tools for whatever life throws at you at ReachOut.com.
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(Lead image: fizkes / Shutterstock)