Without a family as in fully on your own since legal age, be it kicked out / had to leave at 18 or from a foster background, or from an orphanage.
I’ve been homeless multiple times, thankfully never rough sleeping yet. Employers have always been an issue because the system is built around the idea of you living with the family or being able to go back to them if you fall on tough times: without that, any form of thriving is more frequently than not out of reach.
I had to move countries multiple times purely out of necessity due to the housing crisis engulfing possibly everywhere, but you can try to hop around, it worked out temporarily for me, but the alienation due to friendship loss and language barriers are soul crushing.
I am currently going back to a country where I speak the language of, even though it’s near guaranteed I will be homeless rough sleeping there (I moved countries to avoid it, but I cannot take living where I ended up).
People like me I knew growing up ended up with severe mental issues. Some resort to sex work, some are on government money. Some aren’t with us any more…
I was unable to finish my degree due to not being able to afford rent + food, on top of that not even having the time to learn due to shifts, many scheduled during my lecture hours in spite of getting hired for my student status for tax purposes.
i love that you asked an interesting question and also answered it yourself. what area are you moving to?
Due to how unique my life is I prefer to keep information private not to get identified. My apologies.
Been on my own since I as 17. The first few years were rough to say the least.
I worked 2 jobs, 30-60 hrs per week and went to college. I shared shitty apartments with some pretty creepy people. I moved so constantly I ended up paying for a post office box so I could get my mail. I did not have a vehicle (no car) so I rode a bike for up to 60 miles per day. Even all that wasn’t enough without government grants and student loans to pay for college.
Food was something that I ate when I had it. I spent a few months with mybe 4-5 real meals. Cornflakes and ramen where the bulk of my diet for a while.
I took the first professional job I could find. It was terrible but it paid well. I gained 50lbs to be at a healthy weight the first year. The next few years I jumped around jobs until I landed in one I liked.
The last few weeks before I graduated college I met my wife. Her family has become mine over the past 25 years.
Today my income alone puts us in the top 10% of earners. My wife makes close to the same. At many crucual times in our lifes we’ve taken advantage of government assistance. To be blunt, it’s not possible to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. You need a helping hand once in a while no matter how small.
Food was something that I ate when I had it. I spent a few months with mybe 4-5 real meals. Cornflakes and ramen where the bulk of my diet for a while.
That brings back memories. Oats and pasta were my wonder foods. You can do a lot with those and a couple extra dollars, or shoplifting a jar of sauce/bottle of milk if you’re penniless and starving.
I read this as farting in life. I am farting in life very well thank you for asking.
I have a family. Are you farting as well as me, though?
I’m alone all the time. Just go to work, earn a paycheck, come home, do it all over again.
I still have an aunt I see, but my parents and brother have been out of my life for 12 years due to estrangement. I finally feel like there is no voice in my head criticizing everything I wear or how I look and viewing me as an extension of themselves.
10 years strong. Thinking about changing my phone number; because ever since my mother spoke dirt on my name to the whole family, I never changed it. Anyone who wanted to find out what the score was could have called or texted. For ten years, they could’ve called or texted. Not one of them has. Not one of them has come to ask what the story was from my side. They just let her lie on my name and did no further investigation, so…
Fuck 'em. I probably should change my number, maybe even change my name while I’m at it. Make a full severing of it.
I had my surname changed. Changed my number recently too. Good luck with yours. :)
Before I start, a little bit of a background story. Since I was a teenager, I’ve lost my close friends and family - suicides, health issues, tragic accidents, etc. Eventually I got to the point where the relationships with people I know and cherish were at most few years old. I cannot tell if the everyday drama made me the way I’m now or was it how I was born but I always was “alone”. Not lonely, alone. I had significant others, in fact for most of my adult life I was in a happy relationships. It’s a different story why I’m not longer in those but I have no regrets.
To answer your question, I’m pretty happy with my life. I have fulfilling career, clear plan for what’s next, some disaster recovery plan if things go awry and I go with the flow to some extent. I lived through some hard times but “whatever doesn’t kill you, simply makes you stranger”.
