I'm a mother and my eldest is 20 and he's at home at the moment.

Try to remember back when you were little. There were things you couldn't do. Imagine asking a six year old to take a bus alone. But asking a 12 yr old to take the same bus is not a problem.

As we evolve, our needs change. Our fears change, and our limits change. If you're not ready to leave home this year, next year could find you in a completely different space. You don't have to fear the fear.

Just take what life is offering you now, which is establishing the ability to keep on going (sigh) to a job every day without losing the plot - good discipline; and carrying on getting over the very real hump of learning to drive which contains many stresses and challenges.

When you have done that, you might find there is another mountain you want to climb. Right now you are doing things well: you are climbing the right mountains. When you are ready, you will feel free to leave home.

Often being ready involves having $5,000 in the bank. Your point of view changes when your level of financial security changes. And that's not age, and not experience, that's circumstances. :)

I was 20 when I first moved away from home. A year later I moved back. A year later I moved away. I year later I moved back. Six months later I moved away. I year later I moved back. Two months later I moved away. Four years later I moved back.
So I am back in my parents house now. I am 29. I am back here because my relationship hit the rocks and I had nowhere to go.
I will tell you about my experience and remember this is just my experience.
Since I have been home this time I have evaluated my life. A pattern is clear and I could not understand why this was happening. This is my answer.
My parents raised me as a child and kept me in the state of being a child.
I was not allowed to make decisions. Not only this but I realise my parents can not make proper life decisions. They simply lack the ability to do so and therefore could not possible of been able to teach me how to do so.
My parents gave me full and complete access to live in their house for however long and whenever I wished. I feel this is a bad thing. They never gave me encouragement to leave. Infact they encouraged me to stay so they could keep me in a state of being a child. My mother is co-dependent so she wants to take care of everyone and be the mother.
Everything was negative in my house hold. My parents would go on and on about how everything is going wrong in the world and how it is such a scary place. They taught me that your external environment effects how you feel about life. They taught me victim mentality. They still have victim mentality.
My parents never achieved anything in life. They were never successful. My mother does a job she hates and my father is unemployed. They kept telling me that I could be successful but they lacked the skills to actually teach me how to be successful.
The list could go on and on. My family house hold was not a dark scary place. These things were very subtle and I have only just picked up on them. The point is it was not my fault that I had this mentality.
Now there comes a time in life when you have to say I am responsible. I can not blame my parents. They were only doing the best they knew. All they knew was what they were taught by their parents. I have to forgive them. Plus they taught me many valuable life skills that I do use everyday so I am very thankful and grateful for them.
All the skills I want and need can be found in books, online and role models. They are all there and I can study and build up in the areas of my life where I am lacking certain skills. I am responsible for my life.
So this is my story. My advice to you is have a look in the mirror. Ask yourself who you are and who do you want to be? Find yourself a role model. Inspire to be them. You may be lacking certain life skills but you can work on them. As long as you are aware what skills you are lacking then you can work on them. I was in denial for many years. I blamed everyone else for my problems. Once I understood my strengths and weaknesses I could work on them.
On the plus side I look back at my twenties and smile! I had so much fun! So much learning! Life is about fun. Life is about finding yourself. Life is about the journey. All the ups and all the downs.
As for me. I am moving away in two weeks. I have a new life plan. I am learning the skills to be successful. I understand the cycle I was in so I am now free from it. I understand who I am and what I want.

Hey, if you're not ready, you're not ready. I'm 21 and I've lived on my own since I was 17(my mom got remarried and moved in with her husband and she owns my house) because I prefer to be alone. Now, my situation is quite similar to yours but different. I'm too scared to stay away from home, like I want to go spend the night with my mom sometimes, have a girl's night but I can't because simply I'm scared. Always remember that even if you do move out, your parents will still be there. And don't be too hard on yourself for this, if you're not ready, then don't. Hugs.

Life is different for everyone, and being able to live with family, in the family home, is an experience that changes your perception of what is important.

Every decision is a choice and has a result as a consequence. Take what you learn and make it positive, and move on.

I have an older child living at home after experiencing life on their own, and have seen the perception change as I experience recovery of my balance in anxiety relief techniques. No life is perfect, and so what was feared once, may be the strength to face a different fear later on.

You're doing the right things with the tools, thoughts, and techniques you have now. As you experience more, you'll add more tools and you'll find your steps!

Best wishes!