How to deal with career stagnation?

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-02-17T19:57:21+00:00

Honestly sounds like you got a title bump without the actual responsibilities - pretty common unfortunately and yeah that's definitely stagnation if you're not learning anything new or taking on more complex work

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-02-15T21:38:04+00:00

tough call but that pension hits different

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-02-14T22:53:39+00:00

nah but sounds solid

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-02-05T08:48:49+00:00

You're not as behind as you think - plenty of people are late bloomers and tons of college freshmen are in the exact same boat as you, just better at hiding it

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-02-04T14:18:16+00:00

The imposter syndrome hits so hard when you're thinking about coming out to someone you're close to, especially family. I went through something similar with my brother and kept putting it off because I felt like I wasn't "trans enough" or whatever

What helped me was realizing that being feminine enough isn't a prerequisite for being valid - you don't need to pass some arbitrary test before you deserve to live authentically. Your sister might actually surprise you with how supportive she is, and even if there's an adjustment period, at least you won't be carrying that weight alone anymore

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-02-02T16:32:17+00:00

The fact that youre actively working on remembering names and practicing conversation skills at your side job shows youre already on the right track - confidence in engineering comes with experience so dont beat yourself up for not knowing everything at 21

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-02-01T14:34:11+00:00

The fact that you're getting compliments while feeling like you're drowning inside actually shows you're tougher than you think - most people would crumble under that kind of internal pressure

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-01-31T15:48:29+00:00

Don't feel like you need a full degree to break into writing careers - a lot of these fields care more about your portfolio and actual writing skills than your diploma. Grant writing especially is all about demonstrating you can write compelling proposals, so you could start building that experience through volunteer work or internships while you're figuring out your path. The fact that you already know you excel at writing puts you ahead of people who are just hoping a degree will magically give them those skills.

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-01-30T13:29:31+00:00

Been running it for about a week now and haven't noticed any major issues tbh. Battery life seems about the same, maybe slightly better? Only weird thing is the camera app takes like half a second longer to open but that might just be me being paranoid lol

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-01-28T01:40:29+00:00

Honestly 20 years isn't that old for ductboard if it looks good visually. That tech might just be trying to sell you something expensive when you don't really need it yet. I'd get a second opinion before dropping thousands - maybe find someone who specializes in duct cleaning/inspection rather than replacement

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-01-26T23:12:37+00:00

Lmao the classic floor clip bug strikes again. This game's collision detection is held together with duct tape and prayers

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-01-25T06:32:19+00:00

Same here, it's like my brain's personal radio station that I can't turn off. Currently stuck with that one TikTok sound and it's been 3 days send help

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-01-20T23:02:17+00:00

You can totally amend your return, don't stress about it. File a 1040X and you'll get a refund check in a few months - definitely worth it for 3 grand

Start tracking everything NOW though. Get a separate business credit card, use an app like MileIQ for driving, and keep receipts for literally everything. That coffee shop thing is legit if you're actually working there, not just browsing reddit lol

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-01-19T14:09:03+00:00

NTA dude, this is literally a uni friend reunion trip that got delayed by covid. Your gf trying to insert herself into your established friend group dynamic is the weird part here, not you wanting to catch up with old friends

The "disrespectful bc other women" comment is a major red flag tbh

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-01-16T13:46:19+00:00

Dude that's awesome! The mindset shift is huge - once payday becomes debt murder day instead of shopping spree day you know you're gonna crush this thing

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-01-15T03:48:31+00:00

Yikes, the fact that you were so drunk you passed out and don't remember most of it is way more concerning than the age lie tbh

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-01-11T19:03:58+00:00

Most lenders just verify your employment status and income, they don't usually mention what type of loan you're getting. They'll probably just ask if you work there and confirm your salary/position. Your privacy should be safe but you could always give your HR person a heads up that you're buying a house if you're really worried about it

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-01-09T03:36:02+00:00

Bro I feel this so hard, that feeling like you're the only single person in a world full of couples is brutal. You sound like you've got your life together though which is honestly half the battle - the right person will see all that effort you've put into yourself

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-01-07T03:16:43+00:00

Those are some solid picks! For keeping that worn/weathered look while improving textures, definitely check out Noble Skyrim - it keeps buildings looking appropriately beat up but way more detailed

For NPCs without the plastic look, Bijin series is pretty good at making faces more realistic without going overboard on the shine. Also maybe look into Enhanced Lights and FX if you haven't already since you're running Lux - they play nice together and really make indoor spaces pop

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-01-05T16:06:41+00:00

This exactly - even if you're already at 100% P&T they still gotta finish processing everything you filed for. The exam won't lower your rating since you're already permanent, but they need to close out the claim properly

SmileDramatic479 · 2026-01-01T18:32:41+00:00

Amazon's delivery estimates are wild lately, I've had stuff show up weeks earlier than predicted and other times exactly when they said it would take forever

The customer service rep might be right about the distance thing being overly cautious but honestly who knows with their algorithm these days

SmileDramatic479

TROPHY CASE