Sumit Mukherjee

A little difficult to write this, but here goes. Things haven't been great financially for me lately. And honestly, with Diwali and the festive season around, it feels a little harder than usual. I'm not sharing this for sympathy. I'm trying to find a way forward, 1/5

Happy Diwali 🪔🎇

Lately, I've been thinking about how different my life looks from what I imagined it would be. I have a job, a decent career, responsibilities and things I'm grateful for. But there's also a part of me that feels restless. I want to earn more, build something of my own, explore opportunities outside my regular job and do more for my family. I have ideas and plans I've wanted to pursue for a long time, but many are still waiting for me to make time for them. The frustrating part is that I don't lack ambition. I know what I want. I just find it difficult to give those things the time and attention they deserve while managing work, financial responsibilities and everyday life. Before I realise it, another week has passed. I keep telling myself I'll start next Monday or make more progress next month, but life rarely gets less busy. I also know I can't keep using responsibilities as an excuse. At some point, I have to become more disciplined about how I use my time and actually make room for the things I say I want. I don't want to spend the next few years doing only what's necessary, collecting salaries and waiting for the next promotion. I want to take calculated risks, create additional income, build useful things and see how far I can go. Maybe I'm being impatient. Maybe I expect too much from myself. But there's a difference between being unhappy with your life and knowing you have more in you that you haven't put to use yet. I'm grateful for where I am. I'm just not ready to settle here.

Didn't really expect so many ppl to read my earlier post about my financial situation. I've been trying to figure things out quietly for a while now, and putting it out there wasn't easy. Things haven't suddenly become better. I'm still dealing with the same responsibilities and trying to find ways to earn a little extra. But reading some of the replies made me realise how many ppl are going through something similar. I wish I had better news to share rn. Hopefully, someday I will.

Ngl, festivals hit differently when you're struggling financially. You see everyone buying things for their families, making plans and celebrating. You wanna do all of that too, but sometimes you just can't. And it hurts. I've worked hard to build a better life, but I'm still figuring things out. I just hope I can give my family the comfort they deserve someday. Happy Dhanteras. ❤️

I don't think people talk enough about the guilt that comes with financial struggles. You want to spend on your family, help your parents, enjoy a festival or simply buy something you've been wanting. But then you remember your financial commitments and postpone it again. It's not that you don't earn. It's that you have so many things to take care of that you rarely feel financially comfortable. Sometimes, I miss the days when I didn't have so much to worry about.

I don't expect anyone to solve my financial problems. I want to earn my way out of them. No more unnecessary borrowing. No more adding debt to manage existing debt. Just using my skills, doing honest work and slowly building the financial stability I've been wanting for a long time. That's my goal this Diwali. 7/7

You can book a session with me here: topmate.io/sumit_mukherjee14… If you find my experience useful, I'd genuinely appreciate your support. And if you know someone who needs this guidance, please share the link with them. 6/7

So I'm making more time for one-to-one mentorship and career-guidance sessions. If you're preparing for Azure Data Engineering interviews, need help with PySpark, Databricks, ADF or SQL, or want guidance on your Data Engineering career, I'd be happy to help. 5/7

I also know that simply waiting for my next salary hike isn't enough. I need to create additional income using the skills I've spent years developing. I've been working in Azure Data Engineering, building solutions with PySpark, Databricks, ADF and SQL. I also genuinely enjoy helping other engineers prepare for interviews and grow professionally. 4/7

I've made financial mistakes, and I'm taking responsibility for them. I don't want to keep borrowing or depend on credit to manage everyday expenses. I want to clear my obligations, build savings and reach a point where an unexpected expense doesn't disturb my entire month. 3/7

There are so many things you want to do for your family during festivals. Buy gifts, make plans, enjoy the celebrations and create happy memories. But when you're trying to get your finances back on track, you think twice about almost every expense. It's not the position I want to be in. 2/7

Diwali is around the corner, and honestly, this year feels a little different. I've been going through a financially difficult phase. Despite having a job and working hard, managing financial commitments and everyday expenses hasn't been easy. I wish things were in a better place right now. 1/7

I thought getting a better job and earning more would mean I'd never have to think twice before spending on my parents. But here I am, still calculating, still managing expenses, still trying to make everything work. And when it comes to their health, I hate that money even enters the conversation. I don't want expensive things for myself. I just want to reach a point where I can give my parents whatever they need without worrying about how I'll manage everything else. I wish I had reached that point already.

Hard truth