Finding Courage in Difficult Times

There are times in life when you give it everything — you study, you practice, you put in the hours — and still the doors just won’t open. I’ve felt this so many times while looking for a place in IT… and honestly, in other fields too. You think you’re ready, but the opportunity just doesn’t show up.

What makes it harder isn’t only the silence or the rejections. It’s the comparison. Looking around, seeing classmates, friends, people — everyone moving forward while you feel stuck. And then the questions come: “Why not me? What am I missing?” That loop of thoughts can easily drag you down into frustration and self-doubt. Sometimes even darker places…

But here’s what I’m slowly learning: being stuck in that mindset is even worse than not finding a job. It’s like pressing pause on your own life, waiting for something magical to happen while the world keeps going.

Courage, at least for me, doesn’t always look like landing the perfect job. Sometimes it’s just about taking a side path, even a small one. For me that path has been experimenting with CNCs, trying out laser engraving, and building the first steps of a tiny business. It might not look like the “ideal career move” from the outside, but it keeps me moving — and that matters.

So if you’re in the same place, here’s a reminder I tell myself:

• Pausing is fine, but don’t freeze forever.
• Your timeline is yours alone — not theirs.
• Even small steps add up.

The comparison game never ends, but the only person you need to outgrow is yourself from yesterday.

And if the door you’re knocking on won’t open? Maybe it’s time to build your own. Or at least keep walking — there might be a window just around the corner.