Thanks for the replies. They are a lot more positive than I thought I was going to get. Thanks for sharing your paths in life - it is very interesting. I wasn't trying to make this personal, but it is probably necessary since I'm asking for ideas and perspectives:
I'm a bit behind in life. Started off well in college: 3.8/math. Something happened and I lost confidence in myself/anxiety/depression. Dropped in and out. I'm about ~40 credits short of finishing (3 semesters). Worked maintenance at a hotel (Man, maybe I should go back...). Drinking. Psychiatrist. "Lost" 10 years of my life. I'm finally getting it figured out again at 33. Well, figured out is being kind. Waking up on time, going to work, and trying to do a good job. Honestly, I can't believe I've made it 3 months. As pathetic as it is, it's been a big change for me. I mentioned in my first post that I have had a privileged life - I couldn't ask for more growing up. It scares me when I compare what kind of life I had growing up to what my future life is going to look like.
"You never work a day in your life if you love what you do." Some variation of that statement is all over. There has to be some truth behind it but I have yet to feel it. How would you go about finding something that you would enjoy? Isn't that the million dollar question. Using the trades as an example, what would be the best way to get a feel for them - HVAC/Electric/Plumbing? Community college? Try to contact some companies for job shadow (have tried in the past with no avail). I have even tried to contact companies that are hiring and haven't gotten a response - not looking for a job, just looking to check things out. I'm not sure where to go from here.
"Money cannot buy happiness." I was trying to get at this idea in my first post but I didn't word it right. This is one I really struggle with. I'm sure it is in conjunction with the the statement above. Since I haven't found anything that I'm really drawn to, I have focused more on jobs with higher potential income so that I can do the things that I'd like to do. To the point that I would not even consider a career field if it didn't pay a certain level. Obviously, this hasn't worked for me. I guess I'm having trouble looking for a comfortable spot. Some of you have mentioned that you are happy, or at least seem content, with your current lifestyles. How did you know when you got there? You had to work your way up to your current spot - what made you "stop" there? What kept you from working to that next level?
What I would do for someone to tell me, "Hey, you'll be pretty happy doing ______." Not even happy, I'd be satisfied with content.
I'm a bit behind in life. Started off well in college: 3.8/math. Something happened and I lost confidence in myself/anxiety/depression. Dropped in and out. I'm about ~40 credits short of finishing (3 semesters). Worked maintenance at a hotel (Man, maybe I should go back...). Drinking. Psychiatrist. "Lost" 10 years of my life. I'm finally getting it figured out again at 33. Well, figured out is being kind. Waking up on time, going to work, and trying to do a good job. Honestly, I can't believe I've made it 3 months. As pathetic as it is, it's been a big change for me. I mentioned in my first post that I have had a privileged life - I couldn't ask for more growing up. It scares me when I compare what kind of life I had growing up to what my future life is going to look like.
"You never work a day in your life if you love what you do." Some variation of that statement is all over. There has to be some truth behind it but I have yet to feel it. How would you go about finding something that you would enjoy? Isn't that the million dollar question. Using the trades as an example, what would be the best way to get a feel for them - HVAC/Electric/Plumbing? Community college? Try to contact some companies for job shadow (have tried in the past with no avail). I have even tried to contact companies that are hiring and haven't gotten a response - not looking for a job, just looking to check things out. I'm not sure where to go from here.
"Money cannot buy happiness." I was trying to get at this idea in my first post but I didn't word it right. This is one I really struggle with. I'm sure it is in conjunction with the the statement above. Since I haven't found anything that I'm really drawn to, I have focused more on jobs with higher potential income so that I can do the things that I'd like to do. To the point that I would not even consider a career field if it didn't pay a certain level. Obviously, this hasn't worked for me. I guess I'm having trouble looking for a comfortable spot. Some of you have mentioned that you are happy, or at least seem content, with your current lifestyles. How did you know when you got there? You had to work your way up to your current spot - what made you "stop" there? What kept you from working to that next level?
What I would do for someone to tell me, "Hey, you'll be pretty happy doing ______." Not even happy, I'd be satisfied with content.