Here I am, 26, three jobs and 4.5 exes wiser.

Am I any closer to figuring it all out? IDK.

But I had this random thought the other day that both careers and relationships have a lot in common (hear me out!)

Both are messy, unpredictable, and honestly? Exhausting as hell. Both are about finding something that makes you excited to get out of bed in the morning (or stay in 👀).

Here’s the kicker ! While you can ghost a bad date and call it a night, you can’t exactly do that with a job. Bills don’t pay themselves, and let’s be real, explaining a series of two-month stints on your CV is about as fun as the morning after drunk calling your ex.

And here are four things that I learned after all this trial & error:

1. They’re not failures, but plot twists: Each job and relationship taught me something defining about myself. That startup gig? Showed me I thrive on a bit of chaos, just not THAT much chaos.
2. The “perfect match” is a myth: Just like there’s no perfect partner, there’s no perfect job. It’s all about finding something that aligns with your values and doesn’t make you want to scream into a pillow every night.
3. Growth is uncomfortable: Those moments of “What the hell am I doing with my life?” in both my career and love life? Yeah, they sucked. But they also pushed me to figure out what I really wanted.
4. Timing is everything: Sometimes, it’s not about the job or the person being wrong—it’s just the wrong time. My first corporate job might have been great if I wasn’t fresh out of college and terrified of Excel Sheets.

Each disaster is a story. Each misstep is a lesson.

And somewhere between the awkward interviews and the bad dates, you start to piece together what you actually want.

So here’s to the next adventure, whatever shape it takes.

May your coffee always be strong, your Wi-Fi signal never weak, and your next gig (or date) be less of a dumpster fire than the last.