Gen Z Start Here: Escape 🛑 STUCK in 10 Minutes (Interview With a Lion)
I was interviewed by a lion. For real.
It felt weird and fun. It also felt right.
Hey Lions. I’m Yakira. I help Gen Z escape 🛑 STUCK, build real self-worth, and choose work that pays. I’m your Independence Guide. Think of me as an older lion from your pride with a simple map. We walk it together, one small step at a time.
My Story: Why I Care
When I was two or three, I loved to sit in a quiet corner and read to myself for hours.
My mom worried something was wrong. Was I too quiet? Too distant? Too different?
She took me to the pediatrician.
The pediatrician said, “She’s fine. She’s simply independent. Don’t worry.”
But my mom still worried. In her eyes, independence felt like distance. It felt like rebellion. It was hard to control.
So she pushed me away.
In nature, when a young lion is about three, the pride pushes it out. The young lion must walk the savannah and find its own place. That was me. It hurt. I felt like I was wandering alone, looking for my pride.
That pain forced me to build my own worth through action, not approval.
Step by step, I learned a truth that changed my life: clarity comes from movement, not waiting.
I share the fuller passage in my book Gen Z Escape STUCK: 10 Hidden Keys to Unshakable Self-Worth and True Independence.
Read the story in my book →
What LionUP Is
LionUP is a small-step system.
Short lessons. Quick wins. Real-world moves.
You take one tiny step. You mark it done. You feel stronger. Then you take the next step.
The GoldZone Map
We all move through three zones:
- Bronze: frozen and afraid
- Silver: on autopilot, busy, scrolling, bored
- GoldZone: awake and alive, clear, calm, bold
No one lives in GoldZone all day. The skill is to notice your zone, then nudge toward GoldZone.
Take the FREE Independence Quiz — https://genzlionup.com/iquiz
What 🛑 STUCK Looks Like for Gen Z
🛑 STUCK sounds like a voice in your head. It says wait, play it safe, keep scrolling.
Here’s how it shows up:
- Fear, self-doubt, and overwhelm
- Waking up tired and already behind
- Around 7 hours a day on screens
- FOMO and toxic comparison
- Waiting for permission
- Hustle culture without heart
- Money leaks on tiny dopamine hits: coffees, carts, drops, subscriptions
- An empty account and a heavy mind
Good news. 🛑 STUCK isn’t your fault. But staying there is a choice.
You can walk out with small moves.
The New Map
The old plan said college, job, house, retire. That worked for another time.
Today costs are high. Jobs change fast. AI is changing the rules.
So plan it on purpose. Build skills. Keep costs low. Learn by doing.
If you want to be a doctor, lawyer, or engineer, you need college.
For many other paths, there are faster and cheaper ways to learn.
B.E.A.D.S. Personality Type + Career Match
Your path should fit your style. Our BEADS Personality Quiz is a personality type tool that gives a career match list you can use right away.
Five types: Builder, Explorer, Achiever, Dreamer, Supporter.
When your work fits your type, momentum grows faster and you feel better. BEADS Personality Quiz (career match) https://genzlionup.com/beadsquiz
Tiny Moves That Work
Pick one. Two minutes or less.
- Drink water and breathe slow for 60 seconds
- Clean one small spot
- Read one page
- Send one kind text
- Write one line about what you want this month
Do a 30-day streak of tiny wins. Finish one mini-project. Track it.
GoldZone grows when you track your wins.
For Parents: From Rescuer to Guide
Parents for Gen Z young adults. Shift from rescuer to guide.
Ask kind questions. Cheer small wins. Let your young adult steer.
From Rescuer to Guide: How to Help Your GenZ Young Adult Build Independence Without Getting Stuck in Rescue Mode
A short, friendly guidebook for parents who love hard and want to help the right way.
Learn how to step back with love, set clear boundaries, ask strong questions, and cheer small wins so your young adult builds real independence.
Read it in one sitting. Use it the same day.
Parent Wake-Up Quiz — https://genzlionup.com/parentsquiz
Try This Now
- Name your zone: Bronze, Silver, or GoldZone
- Do one tiny step today
- Log it
- Tell me your win in the comments. Say “LionUP” so I know you are here
I am on your side. One small step. Every day. LionUP.
About
Yakira Yedidia is a Gen Z Independence Guide and creator of LionUP. Like an older lion from your pride, she walks beside you with a simple map. She helps young adults escape 🛑 STUCK, find their GoldZone, and choose work that pays, one tiny step at a time. STUCK isn’t your fault. Staying there is a choice.
