I don’t understand how people do it — work, every single day, like it’s nothing. I used to. I’ve been a substitute teacher, even worked at a grocery store. But now, just the thought of working anywhere fills me with panic.I have a degree in psychology, so I understand fear and anxiety on paper — but living it is something else.
My mind spirals all the time and suddenly I’m frozen. Everyone around me seems fine. My friends loves their jobs. My sister is thriving. And I’m just… scared.I wish I could explain it better — this dread that sits with me whenever I think about “forever.” I’m terrified of retirement, terrified of never feeling okay enough to work again.
— Lauren, 29, Sacramento, CA
