Your experience is becoming the norm more and more. Be kind to yourself, first. I am a data engineer with a decade of experience, and I turn 30 this year. I was

Your experience is becoming the norm more and more. Be kind to yourself, first. I am a data engineer with a decade of experience, and I turn 30 this year. I was a "gifted and talented" kid who "fell off the boat" as far as external perspectives were concerned. In reality I was undiagnosed ADHD, with a few other personality disorders, and having hard-ass parents made a recipe for disaster. I left school with a semester to go, and similar GPA because I realized I never wanted to be there in the first place. Fortunately I had a lot of practical skills, building a career has been easy compared to any difficult times I remember in school. Being kind to myself in the last 5 years has been the biggest help though. You have self awareness, lean into that. You don't seem like you're making excuses, but if you dwell for too long you'll get there fast. Just keep moving forward, improving, and try to make each day better than the last one. It's all we can do.