Young adults finding their way support in Ukraine 🇺🇦

“When I was in the thick of it, I thought everyone else had it figured out and I was the only one stuck. They don't. They're just better at pretending. Start with one small thing: a shower, a walk, one application. Not because it fixes everything, but because it stops the gap from growing. And ask for help with the money stuff early. The debt people are not scary, they're just people with a spreadsheet. You're not a failure for needing a while. You're just early in the story.”

“You don't have to have it all figured out by 25 or 30. I'm 30 and still don't. What helped me was finding one thing that was mine, like the gym before sunrise. It's not a fix but it's a start. And talk to someone, anyone. Even the dog. It sounds silly but saying things out loud makes them less scary. You're not the only one who feels behind.”

“If you're at the start of this, I won't pretend it's easy. The first few months were the worst of my life. But I'm writing this from the other side, and some days now I forget to be sad. I volunteered two mornings a week and it gave me a reason to get dressed. Go slowly. God willing it gets easier.”

“Reading this late at night? I've been there. In 2023, that was me. The worst part: every entry job wants experience. I wake up most days without that dread. It comes back slowly, like feeling in your fingers after the cold. x”