> Every day is mental pain as I get older and younger folks are above me. It feels undignified, humiliating at times.
This is transitory. I get it, but it only stings now because you're not that old yet, so you feel you should be in that fight. A few years more and it's typical for the manager to be younger, nobody has the population pyramid for seniority promotions anymore.
It helps to get somewhat out of the ladder and go freelance or similar. It ends up being very very similar, but in your head you're on a different track.
This is transitory. I get it, but it only stings now because you're not that old yet, so you feel you should be in that fight. A few years more and it's typical for the manager to be younger, nobody has the population pyramid for seniority promotions anymore.
It helps to get somewhat out of the ladder and go freelance or similar. It ends up being very very similar, but in your head you're on a different track.