I can't pretend to be okay anymore.

This will be a little long-winded but hear me out. I know where you're coming from and let me tell you...you can do it! I went to college for the first time almost 13 years ago. Graduated and worked in a field I couldn't stand that made me hate life. Now at 35 and with a kid, I am about to finish a bachelor's degree in another field and while it's been stressful and continues to prove difficult every day, I think it's the best decision I've ever made. The anxiety sometimes can be crippling, but you can't let it get the best of you. I know there are certainly days where I feel like I'm a failure or I'm not living up to my potential, or to the image I have of myself or that others have of me, but those moments of self-doubt you have to push away and realize that small spots in time like that don't define you as a whole. You've made the choice to better your life and that's commendable. Family life can also be hard. I've found as I've gotten older that "family" for me doesn't necessarily mean blood relations. It just means people who are there for me through thick and thin. I hope that you can find some light in your life and continue on. Never feel ashamed about sharing your thoughts; there is always someone else out there who understands and can relate. I wish you the best!

/r/offmychest Thread