Relearning at 35: Why I Decided to Start Over After a Decade of Comfort

For more than 10 years, my professional identity was crystal clear- a tendering professional in the engineering sector. I worked across hydro power projects, urban infrastructure, water and wastewater systems, sewerage, drainage and transport. It wasn’t easy, but it was safe. Familiar. Structured.

Then life hit pause — COVID.

Like many, I suddenly found myself off the usual path. During the lockdown, I pivoted to teaching. It was temporary, meant to “fill the gap”. But unknowingly, something fundamental shifted inside me. Those two years reminded me that curiosity doesn’t die when a career stabilizes, it goes silent.

When things returned to normal, I went back to my regular tendering job… but I wasn’t the same.

The Decision to Start From Zero Again

With more than 7 solid years in the field, I began asking myself:

“Is this really what I want to be doing for the next 10, 15, 20 years?”

The surprising answer was no.

What did excite me, however, was something completely different: digital marketing. Content creation, SEO, analytics, campaigns, social storytelling — the more I explored, the more it hooked me.

But there was one “small” problem:
I was 35 and starting from scratch.

What Relearning at 35 Actually Feels Like

People often sugarcoat it. I won’t.

It’s not just about learning something new. It’s about unlearning what old success feels like. It’s about becoming a beginner in a world where people expect you to be an expert.

• You compare yourself to 22-year-olds already ahead in the field
• Your brain feels slower (especially after long workdays)
• You wonder if you are wasting the years of experience you already have
• You face imposter syndrome at a whole new level

But here’s what I slowly realised:

This journey is less about leaving something behind, and more about evolving.

Why It’s Worth It

Having a decade of experience actually helps. You approach new knowledge differently:

✔ You don’t learn blindly — you learn with purpose
✔ You understand processes, so you can connect the dots quicker
✔ You’re disciplined (and that beats raw talent over time)
✔ You value small wins and consistency

Most importantly, you’re not doing it for a degree or certificate — you’re doing it because you genuinely want a new challenge.

That changes everything.

A Few Things That Helped Me Stay On Track

• Micro-learning: 30–45 min per day instead of 4–5 hour marathon sessions
• Applying immediately: building small pages, writing posts, experimenting on real platforms
• Community: following people who transitioned careers in their 30s (it’s hugely motivating)
• Forgiving myself: Some days are not productive — and that’s okay

Final Thoughts

Reskilling at 35 is not a “restart”, it’s a reinvention.

If you feel stuck in a comfortable career, that feeling is not a sign of failure it’s a sign of growth. The hardest part is not the learning itself, it’s letting go of the identity you built around your past role.

I’m still on the journey. Still learning. Still stumbling. But I already know one thing for sure:

The biggest risk isn’t changing careers at 35 — it’s staying in the wrong one at 45