a scarcity mindset is difficult to shake
I feel this more and more as I see prices in New York City hit mind boggling numbers. I just don't work hard enough / make enough money to survive here long term and it is frustrating that maybe I should have done more (like you said) with opportunities I had when I was younger. I chose the fleeting memories every time.
Do you ever consider moving? I wonder if that is a thing these days where people are moving out of the more expensive cities to somewhere cheaper - especially with remote work as an option.
The last bull should have secured me. Instead, I am pretty much where I was...
I think about moving all the time. I left New York City in 2009 a year into my first marriage and spent 10 years away in some pretty great US cities like Austin, TX; Denver, CO; and Phoenix, AZ. But it is hard to turn your back on family when your presence is needed, so hopefully after my lease is up August 2024, I will be in a much better position to move away.
As much as I go on about cost of living and the high price of everything, there is still a lot I love about the city including my access to some of the best nightclubs in the world, amazing museums and art collections, and the vibrancy of a diverse mix of creatives and urbanites all together. The one time I tried relocating to a smaller, quieter town an hour outside of a major city, I got kinda bored kinda quickly. Tbh though, I think that said more about my inability to entertain myself than anything, so I'm hopeful it will work out the next time I try it.