— Is this it?

Is this gonna be my life 30 years down the road? Is it too late for me to change?

While most of us might agree that we hate uncertainty, absolute certainty can also be a scary thing. Together, let’s look into how we can build a life that has solid support, while still having the space to evolve.

And, if that’s not enough, do we dare to contemplate more radical change?

— What’s wrong with me?

Everyone else seems to be just fine. Why can’t I be more like them?

Am I too picky? Am I too weak? Do I want too much? Am I high maintenance? All these questions can sometimes feel like self-flagellation, pushing us into a guilty mindset where we feel we need to suppress the “wrong” part of ourselves. Why? Because everyone else seems to be JUST FINE under the same conditions.

How do we reconcile with these “wrong” parts of ourselves? What are they trying to tell us?

— I don’t see a way out!

I know I am struggling, but what can I do?

Sometimes, sadness/depression can feel like having a giant black dog sitting on your chest, which just refuses to budge. We know we aren’t well, but there doesn’t seem to be anything we can do about it. We spend days, weeks, years feeling stuck in dull inertia. There’s no flavor in food, no fun in life, no point in trying. Yet with each passing day, it feels like we sink deeper into the darkness, drifting further away from the rest of the world.

What can we do when we feel overwhelmed? How do we deal with the weight?

— Why can’t I change?

Why do I always make the same mistakes, or find myself trapped in the same place? I have 1000 reasons to make changes, but why don’t I?

Many of us know in our head that change is good — I should go to the gym, I should stop smoking, I should start telling people that I am not well — yet somehow, we remain trapped in the same place. We prefer to lie on the sofa and watch Netflix, with a cigarette in hand, running away, or just looking away from our troubles because running away might count as a workout.

What is stopping us from taking the seemingly simple steps to feel better? How do we get from “I know I should do it” to “I will do it”?

— I don’t fit in anywhere

In a time when living abroad is easier than ever, we don’t always find ourselves in places where our identity, values and needs are welcome.

Leaving home takes deep motivation — whether it’s the hope for a better life, escaping fear, or following love. But in moving, we often leave behind a place where things made sense, and face the challenge of fitting in somewhere new. This can shake our sense of belonging, especially when being fully ourselves doesn't feel accepted. For some, that sense of belonging was missing even before they left home.

How do we reconcile this sense of not fitting in? What do we need to build our own tribe, our own community?