Welcome, and thank you for coming over from Reddit 🙏. Honestly, it means a lot that you not only read this but felt it deeply enough to say so
This piece might wear sarcasm, but it came from somewhere tender. Lines like “I miss the younger me…” weren’t just throwaways — they came from actual moments of looking out the window at work, wondering when I started performing more than feeling. And that “diversity ornament” line? It was hard to write — because it’s been hard to live.
I tried to capture the exhaustion and quiet grief that often sit underneath our ‘professionalism.’
If that spoke to you, I’d appreciate to keep the conversation going — here or in DMs, whatever feels right.
Literally love this!! I rewrote mine a couple of years ago to reflect a bit more reality, but I don't think anyone reads it... I don't think the algorithm appreciated it, not the people who kept as asking me to take out a free month on Premium!
So glad you enjoyed it, Steve! Would appreciate to see your version of the “honest CV” ---sounds like it deserves more airtime than the Premium bots gave it 😅
Honestly, I hope more people take a second to reflect on what their CV really says about them. Not just the shiny parts, but the pauses, pivots, and quiet survival moments too.
This is the beginning of mine and I now realise that it's at least two years out of date anyway!!
"I am fed up with standard descriptions, I've realised. When I was putting together my biography for the latest Unpsychology Magazine - An Anthology of Warm Data – I broke out a little; perhaps in the spirit of the contexts. So I've put it here because I think I like it...
So if you read this and relate - get in touch!
STEVE THORP weaves his way through a number of life strands and passions. Family, coast, psyche, soul, body, music, ideas, words. These coalesce into roles and identities that include (currently) being a husband, father, grandpa, sibling, son; poet and reader of LeGuin, Hillman and other inspirations; collaborator with musicians, artists and deep friends.
His writing is published by Raw Mixture Publishing. He works as a school counsellor, and integrative psychotherapist. He cycles, swims, surfs and generally keeps moving. He founded Unpsychology Magazine in 2004 with Cae Hawksmoor, edits it with Julia Macintosh and continues to find an activist’s joy in its crafting. www.21soul.co.uk & www.unpsychology.org"
Good to see more people talking about this. A small but dangerous minority won’t get your sarcasm. Of those who do, some accept the status quo. Others are slowly dying inside. I’m in the latter camp - and looking for a way out. Have you thought about what a real solution would look like?
I hear you—really. That slow internal death you're describing? Familiar. It's like existing in a constant state of buffering: the screen doesn’t freeze entirely, but you’re stuck watching your own life lag slightly behind your intent.
And yeah, I’ve been thinking a lot about what life beyond the performative professional might look like. Not just the aesthetically curated escape—olive trees, Substack musings, and solar panels—but the logistical, everyday stuff too. Like, how do you unpick a life built on survival without accidentally pulling out the thread holding your rent together?
Because here’s the truth: I don’t have a family safety net to catch me if I slip. No trust fund, no “just stay in our Notting Hill townhouse until you figure it out” energy. I’ve got a decent salary on paper and still, I share a flat with two mates and celebrate when I find a yellow-stickered burrata at Sainsbury’s. The idea of taking a “risk” on something that might lead to joy—whether that's creative, geographic, or personal—feels less like a leap and more like stepping off a ledge without knowing how far down the drop is.
And then there’s the community piece. I've been lucky to have some exceptional friendships, the kind you only get from surviving your twenties together or making each other laugh at a funeral. Rebuilding that kind of intimacy elsewhere—especially as an adult with baggage and boundaries—is hard. I can do “chatty at the pub,” sure, but finding your people again? That’s a kind of labour no one puts in the job spec.
Still, lately, I find myself romanticising the idea of escaping with a group of like-minded souls to a charming (affordable) little village. We’d work remotely, make overly elaborate dinners, walk to the one pub in wellies, and catch the Thursday train into London once a month for four days of culture, chaos, and overpriced cocktails. Is it idealistic? Probably. But is it impossible? I’m not so sure. I think some part of me is holding out hope that if enough of us start imagining it, maybe—just maybe—it becomes real.
So no, I don’t have the answer. But I’m asking the question louder these days…
Thank you! That means a lot, especially from someone who’s clearly made it out the other side (survivor’s glow and all).
But seriously, if there is life on the other side… drop a pin! Is there a map? A secret knock? A moderately priced wine bar where the ex-professionals gather to swap stories and finally exhale?
Because some of us are still in the tunnel, waving our Oyster cards like they’re going to open the gates to freedom...
Sent via reddit and I enjoyed both pieces immensely. Beautifully written and thought-provoking. I found myself agreeing with much of the sentiment also. This standard of thinking and writing deserves a far bigger platform. Subscribed nontheless.
Tay, you’re making me blush like I’ve just been caught napping under my desk during core working hours (which, let’s be honest, is always a tempting prospect)!
Honestly, thank you—that means the world. I'm thrilled the pieces resonated with you, and I’ll be clinging to “beautifully written and thought-provoking” like it’s a bonus I actually got paid.
It’s incredibly reassuring to know I’m not screaming into the void alone - especially when the void responds with such grace and intellect. The fact that you subscribed and still think I deserve a bigger platform? I’m this close to WhatsApping my mum and telling her I’m basically a journalist now—Pulitzer pending...
More pieces are coming (knackered but not down), and I hope they continue to earn your brain space. You're officially part of the inner circle now—tea, biscuits, and occasional existential dread included.
Came from Reddit. Thank you for sharing. 🙏 This resonates deeply with me. Open to conversation with anyone who found this as profound as I did.
Welcome, and thank you for coming over from Reddit 🙏. Honestly, it means a lot that you not only read this but felt it deeply enough to say so
This piece might wear sarcasm, but it came from somewhere tender. Lines like “I miss the younger me…” weren’t just throwaways — they came from actual moments of looking out the window at work, wondering when I started performing more than feeling. And that “diversity ornament” line? It was hard to write — because it’s been hard to live.
I tried to capture the exhaustion and quiet grief that often sit underneath our ‘professionalism.’
If that spoke to you, I’d appreciate to keep the conversation going — here or in DMs, whatever feels right.
Either way, I’m glad you’re here
Absolutely outstanding. Keeping thought leadership at the forefront (yikes on bikes!). Seriously, this is great.
Literally love this!! I rewrote mine a couple of years ago to reflect a bit more reality, but I don't think anyone reads it... I don't think the algorithm appreciated it, not the people who kept as asking me to take out a free month on Premium!
So glad you enjoyed it, Steve! Would appreciate to see your version of the “honest CV” ---sounds like it deserves more airtime than the Premium bots gave it 😅
Honestly, I hope more people take a second to reflect on what their CV really says about them. Not just the shiny parts, but the pauses, pivots, and quiet survival moments too.
Send it my way if you're up for sharing!
This is the beginning of mine and I now realise that it's at least two years out of date anyway!!
"I am fed up with standard descriptions, I've realised. When I was putting together my biography for the latest Unpsychology Magazine - An Anthology of Warm Data – I broke out a little; perhaps in the spirit of the contexts. So I've put it here because I think I like it...
So if you read this and relate - get in touch!
STEVE THORP weaves his way through a number of life strands and passions. Family, coast, psyche, soul, body, music, ideas, words. These coalesce into roles and identities that include (currently) being a husband, father, grandpa, sibling, son; poet and reader of LeGuin, Hillman and other inspirations; collaborator with musicians, artists and deep friends.
His writing is published by Raw Mixture Publishing. He works as a school counsellor, and integrative psychotherapist. He cycles, swims, surfs and generally keeps moving. He founded Unpsychology Magazine in 2004 with Cae Hawksmoor, edits it with Julia Macintosh and continues to find an activist’s joy in its crafting. www.21soul.co.uk & www.unpsychology.org"
You can find my profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-thorp-7143a64/ thoughI'm less and less interested in it for some of the same reasons that you imply in your piece!
Thanks for sharing 🙏🏾
Love this. What a thoughtful, funny, and wise piece. You truly capture what it looks like working in 2025!
Good to see more people talking about this. A small but dangerous minority won’t get your sarcasm. Of those who do, some accept the status quo. Others are slowly dying inside. I’m in the latter camp - and looking for a way out. Have you thought about what a real solution would look like?
I hear you—really. That slow internal death you're describing? Familiar. It's like existing in a constant state of buffering: the screen doesn’t freeze entirely, but you’re stuck watching your own life lag slightly behind your intent.
And yeah, I’ve been thinking a lot about what life beyond the performative professional might look like. Not just the aesthetically curated escape—olive trees, Substack musings, and solar panels—but the logistical, everyday stuff too. Like, how do you unpick a life built on survival without accidentally pulling out the thread holding your rent together?
Because here’s the truth: I don’t have a family safety net to catch me if I slip. No trust fund, no “just stay in our Notting Hill townhouse until you figure it out” energy. I’ve got a decent salary on paper and still, I share a flat with two mates and celebrate when I find a yellow-stickered burrata at Sainsbury’s. The idea of taking a “risk” on something that might lead to joy—whether that's creative, geographic, or personal—feels less like a leap and more like stepping off a ledge without knowing how far down the drop is.
And then there’s the community piece. I've been lucky to have some exceptional friendships, the kind you only get from surviving your twenties together or making each other laugh at a funeral. Rebuilding that kind of intimacy elsewhere—especially as an adult with baggage and boundaries—is hard. I can do “chatty at the pub,” sure, but finding your people again? That’s a kind of labour no one puts in the job spec.
Still, lately, I find myself romanticising the idea of escaping with a group of like-minded souls to a charming (affordable) little village. We’d work remotely, make overly elaborate dinners, walk to the one pub in wellies, and catch the Thursday train into London once a month for four days of culture, chaos, and overpriced cocktails. Is it idealistic? Probably. But is it impossible? I’m not so sure. I think some part of me is holding out hope that if enough of us start imagining it, maybe—just maybe—it becomes real.
So no, I don’t have the answer. But I’m asking the question louder these days…
So so well written (and been there!) there is life after it all I promise haha
Thank you! That means a lot, especially from someone who’s clearly made it out the other side (survivor’s glow and all).
But seriously, if there is life on the other side… drop a pin! Is there a map? A secret knock? A moderately priced wine bar where the ex-professionals gather to swap stories and finally exhale?
Because some of us are still in the tunnel, waving our Oyster cards like they’re going to open the gates to freedom...
This is brilliant!
Sent via reddit and I enjoyed both pieces immensely. Beautifully written and thought-provoking. I found myself agreeing with much of the sentiment also. This standard of thinking and writing deserves a far bigger platform. Subscribed nontheless.
Tay, you’re making me blush like I’ve just been caught napping under my desk during core working hours (which, let’s be honest, is always a tempting prospect)!
Honestly, thank you—that means the world. I'm thrilled the pieces resonated with you, and I’ll be clinging to “beautifully written and thought-provoking” like it’s a bonus I actually got paid.
It’s incredibly reassuring to know I’m not screaming into the void alone - especially when the void responds with such grace and intellect. The fact that you subscribed and still think I deserve a bigger platform? I’m this close to WhatsApping my mum and telling her I’m basically a journalist now—Pulitzer pending...
More pieces are coming (knackered but not down), and I hope they continue to earn your brain space. You're officially part of the inner circle now—tea, biscuits, and occasional existential dread included.
Thanks again, seriously. You’ve made my day 😊