Burnout at 28: Rethinking Life Before 30

I’m on the verge of turning 30. Over the past decade, I’ve done a bit of everything—jumping between jobs, trying different paths, having fun along the way. But if I’m honest, my biggest regret is not taking care of my health the way I should have. That’s something I’ve started working on consciously now.

At 28, though, I find myself burned out and uncertain about what comes next. I don’t know what steps to take toward a life that feels fulfilling. My parents think marriage is the answer. I don’t agree—not entirely. I feel the pull to marry, but not from necessity.

The question “What next?” probably haunts most of us. Maybe that’s just human nature—to be unsatisfied, never quite “through” with anything. As I reach this point in my life, I realize that much of what I’ve experienced feels shallow compared to what I’ve learned. The last decade was mostly repetition: complaining about the state of the nation, the chaos in personal life, the same habits looping in a cycle. I didn’t really learn new things—just consumed more and more information, rarely reflecting on how it all shaped me.

Now it’s done. I know enough to survive, but is that enough?

Is life really just about going to work, raising a family, and paying bills? Is that the core of human existence? And more importantly, are we even wired to do that well? I’m not sure. Doubt clings to me.

But I’m learning to move in the direction of peace. Should all work feel miserable? Should we always be trying to escape it? The myth of work-life balance feels unattainable—at least to me, in my current circumstances.

So here I am, still figuring things out. This year marks a new phase in my life—one led by experimentation. I want to live the life I dreamed of for myself, not end up building someone else’s dream, whether that’s my parents’, friends’, or colleagues’.

As I inch closer to 30, I don’t want to be just another adult complaining about back pain, office stress, family pressure—miserable, dull, and resigned. The monotony of chasing something someone else expects from you will catch up with you eventually.

I just hope you don’t wait until your final breath to realize that.