What sign?
Alt text: I’ve been lying about my career for years, and now I don’t know how to come clean without looking like a fraud.
I’m 34, and for the past five years, I’ve been lying to almost everyone in my life about what I do for a living. It wasn’t supposed to be this big, and honestly, I don’t even know how it spiraled out of control. Back in my late 20s, I was in a rough spot. I’d dropped out of grad school because I hated it, couldn’t land a decent job, and felt like I had nothing going for me while everyone around me seemed to be thriving. Then I went to this get-together with some old friends, and of course, someone asked, “So, what are you up to these days?” I panicked. Without thinking, I blurted out, “Oh, I’m working in cybersecurity.” No idea why I said that. I guess it sounded impressive, like I had my life together. I figured it’d be a harmless little lie just to get through the night. But people were interested. They asked questions, treated me like I was doing something cool, and for the first time in a while, I felt respected. I liked how it felt. So, I kept it going. I started learning enough tech jargon to sound convincing. Nothing deep, just surface-level stuff I could Google quickly if needed. Over time, this fake career became part of who people thought I was. My family brags about my “awesome job.” My girlfriend tells her friends how I work in cybersecurity. Even my friends refer people to me for tech advice. I’ve actually given advice to people, hoping they wouldn’t ask anything too specific. Here’s the reality: I work a night shift as a stockroom clerk. It’s not glamorous, but it pays the bills. And honestly, it’s not a bad job. But the lie grew so big that I don’t know how to back out of it. Now, the guilt is eating me alive. Every time someone talks about how “proud” they are of me or asks me about work, I feel like garbage. But the fear of telling the truth feels even worse. I’m terrified I’ll lose people’s respect, or they’ll see me as some pathetic loser who couldn’t just be honest. I don’t even know how to start that conversation. Like, how do you sit down with people you care about and admit you’ve been lying for years? Is there even a way to come clean without completely wrecking everything?
Alt text: I’ve been lying about my career for years, and now I don’t know how to come clean without looking like a fraud.
I’m 34, and for the past five years, I’ve been lying to almost everyone in my life about what I do for a living. It wasn’t supposed to be this big, and honestly, I don’t even know how it spiraled out of control. Back in my late 20s, I was in a rough spot. I’d dropped out of grad school because I hated it, couldn’t land a decent job, and felt like I had nothing going for me while everyone around me seemed to be thriving. Then I went to this get-together with some old friends, and of course, someone asked, “So, what are you up to these days?” I panicked. Without thinking, I blurted out, “Oh, I’m working in cybersecurity.” No idea why I said that. I guess it sounded impressive, like I had my life together. I figured it’d be a harmless little lie just to get through the night. But people were interested. They asked questions, treated me like I was doing something cool, and for the first time in a while, I felt respected. I liked how it felt. So, I kept it going. I started learning enough tech jargon to sound convincing. Nothing deep, just surface-level stuff I could Google quickly if needed. Over time, this fake career became part of who people thought I was. My family brags about my “awesome job.” My girlfriend tells her friends how I work in cybersecurity. Even my friends refer people to me for tech advice. I’ve actually given advice to people, hoping they wouldn’t ask anything too specific. Here’s the reality: I work a night shift as a stockroom clerk. It’s not glamorous, but it pays the bills. And honestly, it’s not a bad job. But the lie grew so big that I don’t know how to back out of it. Now, the guilt is eating me alive. Every time someone talks about how “proud” they are of me or asks me about work, I feel like garbage. But the fear of telling the truth feels even worse. I’m terrified I’ll lose people’s respect, or they’ll see me as some pathetic loser who couldn’t just be honest. I don’t even know how to start that conversation. Like, how do you sit down with people you care about and admit you’ve been lying for years? Is there even a way to come clean without completely wrecking everything?