The cCourage to cChoose for yYourself The Courage to Choose for Yourself

I have been thinking about my life a lot recently/lately. I have been thinking about my life a lot recently/lately.

I’d saylike to voice all these thoughts that have been sitting deep inside of me for a long time. I’d like to voice all these thoughts that have been sitting deep inside of me for a long time.

"I'd say" would be describing a habit you used to do, and doesn't fit here.

I’d say all these thoughts have been sitting deep inside of me for a long time. I’d say all these thoughts have been sitting deep inside of me for a long time.

(I’d say a) All these thoughts have been sittingkept deep inside of me for a long time. (I’d say) All these thoughts have been kept deep inside of me for a long time.

I could spend an embarrassingly large amountnumber of hours doing things that don’t really make me closer to who I want to be. I could spend an embarrassingly large number of hours doing things that don’t really make me closer to who I want to be.

Units that can be thought of as discretely countable would rather use "number" than "amount"

I could spend an embarrassingly large amount of hours/time doing things that don’t really makebring me closer to who I want to be. I could spend an embarrassingly large amount of hours/time doing things that don’t really bring me closer to who I want to be.

I could spend an embarrassingly large amountnumber of hours doing things that don’t really make me closer to who I want to be. I could spend an embarrassingly large number of hours doing things that don’t really make me closer to who I want to be.

It's not a grammatical issue, but we usually say "number of" with "hours". Maybe amount is more vague, for things you can't count. I'd also suggest the phraee "amount of time" instead because it's more standard for this kind of non-specific scenario.

Also, it seems to me that I’ve known that long enough. Also, it seems to me that I’ve known that long enough.

Also itIt also seems to me that I’ve known that long enough. It also seems to me that I’ve known that long enough.

“It also seems” may flow better. Another option is to add a comma to make it “Also, it seems…” but the punctuation might affect the flow.

Also, it seems to me that I’ve known that/it long enough. Also, it seems to me that I’ve known that/it long enough.

Also iIt seems to me that I’ve known that long enough. It seems to me that I’ve known that long enough.

I removed the "also" because the sentence didn't really feel like it was adding a new unrelated idea to the previous sentences.

JI just didn't want to pay attention. I just didn't want to pay attention.

JI just didn't want to pay attention. I just didn't want to pay attention.

Still, all these things actually feelt productive at first. Still, all these things actually felt productive at first.

Back at university, all I wanted was to have enough time for language learning. Back at university, all I wanted was to have enough time for language learning.

Back at university, all I wanted was to have enough time for language -learning. Back at university, all I wanted was to have enough time for language-learning.

ProbablyAnd even pass an international exam. And even pass an international exam.

More clear

ProbablyMaybe pass an international exam. Maybe pass an international exam.

If only I had hadthe time, I would immerse myself in it completely. If only I had the time, I would immerse myself in it completely.

This sounds a little better

If only I had hadthe time, I would have immersed myself in it completely. If only I had the time, I would have immersed myself in it completely.

The conditional perfect tense “I would have/I could have” may be more suitable here as it is an imagined scenario.

If only I had had time, I would've immersed myself in it completely. If only I had had time, I would've immersed myself in it completely.

The tense of the second half of the sentence was present tense, but the first have was... I don't know what it's called, but I changed the second half to match the first.

Now I have a full -time job and also work under a civil agreement. Now I have a full-time job and also work under a civil agreement.

Now I have a full -time job, and also work under a civil agreement. Now I have a full-time job, and also work under a civil agreement.

All these don’This doesn't sfeem to bl like my dream job. This doesn't feel like my dream job.

More natural

All of these don’t seem to be my dream job. All of these don’t seem to be my dream job.

All theseHowever, this doesn’t seem to be my dream job. However, this doesn’t seem to be my dream job.

All these don’tNeither of these seem to be my dream job. Neither of these seem to be my dream job.

I changed to "neither" because you only listed two jobs. If there were more than two, you would use "none" instead.

It’s not rewarding or fulfilling, with a few exceptions. It’s not rewarding or fulfilling, with a few exceptions.

It’s not rewarding or fulfilling, withsave for a (scarce) few exceptions. It’s not rewarding or fulfilling, save for a (scarce) few exceptions.

You can add the word "scarce" to emphasise that there are very very few.

But it does have its pros/advantages. But it does have its pros/advantages.

My salary covers my needs and allows me to (save moneyfor the future/build savings). My salary covers my needs and allows me to (save for the future/build savings).

I suggested these two alternatives, because "save money" is usually used to mean a method of spending less money (eg. taking the bus instead of driving). You can also use it to mean "saving up money", but to avoid confusion I gave other options.

I would have been impressed if I had been told that atback in university. I would have been impressed if I had been told that back in university.

Natural phrasing

I would ha've been impressed if I ha'd been told that atback in university that I'd have a job like this. I would've been impressed if I'd been told back in university that I'd have a job like this.

I added a bit more detail to make the meaning clear, and used contractions so it sounds better.

In reality, however, it was the other way around. In reality, however, it was the other way around.

Colloquially, you can say 'round (with the apostrophe to show a missing letter), or just write it as "round" in informal situations like texting, but normally it should be written in full.

As soon as I finished my studies, I started to feel stuck. As soon as I finished my studies, I started to feel stuck.

As soon as I finished my studies I started to feel stuck. As soon as I finished my studies I started to feel stuck.

As soon as I finished my studies and got this job, I started to feel stuck. As soon as I finished my studies and got this job, I started to feel stuck.

I added context again to connect the ideas better.

Even though I was in a favorable positionat an ideal place (compared to many of my classmates). Even though I was at an ideal place (compared to many of my classmates).

“At an ideal place” or “in a good spot” are possible synonyms for this expression that are more commonly used. In formal writing, this statement may be considered incomplete. It may be attached to the next sentence →

Even though I was in a favorable position (compared to many of my classmates)., Even though I was in a favorable position (compared to many of my classmates),

I connected this into one sentence with the next sentence because it atarts woth "even though".

Even though I was at an ideal place (compared to many of my classmates), I felt as if I was missing something. Even though I was at an ideal place (compared to many of my classmates), I felt as if I was missing something.

As if I should work more, make more money, and learn new things. As if I should work more, make more money, and learn new things.

Oxford comma added for clarity

At the same time, my income hit thea wall. At the same time, my income hit a wall.

At the same time, my income hit the wall. At the same time, my income hit the wall.

“hit a wall” is another expression that could be used with a slightly difference nuance

At the same time my income hit thea wall. At the same time my income hit a wall.

At the same time, my income hit the wall. At the same time, my income hit the wall.

Given this, I used to panic and would look frantically for a new job. Given this, I used to panic and would look frantically for a new job.

I know that people will never be content with what they have, butand I ended up falling into that trap all the samesame trap. I know that people will never be content with what they have, and I ended up falling into that same trap.

I knoew that people will never be content with what they have, but I ended up falling into that trap all the same. I knew that people will never be content with what they have, but I ended up falling into that trap all the same.

And I think I don’t need a new well-paidying job. And I think I don’t need a new well-paying job.

And I don’t think I don’t need a new well-paidneed to find a better paying job. And I don’t think I need to find a better paying job.

I just need the courage to do what I’ve wanted to for a long time. I just need the courage to do what I’ve wanted to for a long time.

I'm trying to make my speech and writings more vibrant and dynamic. I'm trying to make my speech and writing more vibrant and dynamic.