#Lifedesign

A shift is unfolding in Bangkok university counseling centers and rural temple courtyards alike. Thai students increasingly talk about “purpose anxiety” — the pressure to define a single transformative life mission. This reflects Thailand’s rapid modernization and the way traditional sources of meaning are evolving.

The urge to “find your purpose” dominates Thai social media, from inspirational quotes to career fairs promising life-changing opportunities. Yet experts warn this push can create more stress than clarity. A counseling psychologist at a major Bangkok university notes many students arrive feeling they’re failing because they haven’t identified a grand calling by age twenty.