I wouldn't worry too much about your age. I'm 26 years old and still living at home because for the past 10 years I hadn't any clue as to what I wanted to do with myself. Now I know and I'm conciously making an effort to get myself into the situation which I would like, but to expect change overnight is absurd in my situation. It's frustrating, but also freshening to know I'm on the right path at least. I really can't wait to have my own independence, it's almost the single most important thing in my life I wish to achieve right now.
I think as children we are conditioned to believe that life is incredibly short and as a result when we come to make important decisions we might rush into them. Mostly due to an innate belief that opportunities will disappear should you take your eye off them for a moment. Of course everyone should be encourage to live their life to the full, I just feel the way we're shocked into action isn't the right approach.
Family issues, I have those too. I love them, absolutely and unconditionally. But I also feel sometimes that I've out-grown them, mostly due to my desire to improve myself in every way possible. My parents are happy doing their job, coming home and sitting around watching tv or doing chores around the house, not for one moment stopping to think there is more to life than just existing. And the hardest part for me is that I try to encourage my Mother to do more with herself, her life. She will entertain my thoughts but eventually dismiss them as youthful exuberance, almost as if she expects me to grow out of it.
After reading what I've just wrote I'm not entirely sure where I was going with this
, perhaps some comfort in the knowledge that a fair few of us are in the same boat.