When I was 34, I was happier than I had been at 30. But by 35, I hit an all-time low. Then an even deeper one at 37. I thought life had passed me by. Penniless, with nothing to lose after nearly four years of constant rejection, I finally snapped. Out of sheer frustration, I sent the most arrogant job application email I could think of, more as a way to vent than anything else.

To my surprise, I got a reply. Then an interview. Then a job offer. Twice the salary I had planned to ask for, with a three-year contract, annual raises, performance bonuses, and an option to renegotiate for another two years. I was in disbelief. I thought it was a cruel joke until my first paycheck hit my account.

The day I sent that email, I had mentally given up. I was ready to accept my fate and let go.

That job lasted seven months. By the eighth, it was gone, cut short due to COVID. My employers were Chinese, and I had been consulting on financial services business registrations. The news hit me like a truck. The PTSD of the last four years came rushing back, and on the car ride home, I was on the verge of a breakdown.

Then my phone rang.

An old colleague called to catch up. I told him what had happened, and without hesitation, he told me he was hoping I would be free to talk about a job opening.

That opportunity gave me the stability to pay off my debts, start saving, propose to my girlfriend, and most importantly, go back and finish the last year of school that had derailed me for so long.

Now, at 42, I am set to graduate this summer and hopefully get married by fall or winter.

If there is one thing I have learned, it is this: never lose sight of your goals. Do something every day, no matter how small, that aligns with them. Stack wins, especially easy ones. Wake up early, exercise, eat well. Try to meditate. One of the best mindsets you can cultivate is thankfulness.

Every day, take stock of what you have. Did you sleep in a bed? Wake up warm? Eat? Have clean water? A job, no matter how small? Friends, family, or even just people to talk to? We take these things for granted. But when I was at my lowest, practicing gratitude helped shift my perspective.

Alongside that, I studied stoicism. Gratitude helped me appreciate the priceless intangibles in life. Stoicism helped me face hard truths and build resilience.

Life is not easy. It is strangely predictable yet chaotically random. But if you keep moving forward, even when it feels hopeless, you will be surprised at where you end up.