I had 5 solid years of struggling (around the last recession) then made my first “adult” decision. I found out I could relocate and keep my job so I did. I used my tax return and 1st time home buyer benefits offered at the time and bought a house. The house was cheap with no real yard but it was mine. A couple years after that I got a new job that offered stability, upward mobility, better pay and benefits. I started working up the ladder and am still recovering from the struggle to get here. I ended up moving again for a better opportunity and upward mobility came with it, same employer. I have been really lucky ever since I decided to buy that first house. There have been struggles along the way but I realized my parents house was not an option so I made safer choices.