Discussion feeling lost

[willitpass]

i've always known what i wanted to do with myself since 8th grade when i decided i wanted to be a nurse. i was going to go to college and get my degree asap. now that i don't plan on continuing college i don't know what i'm doing with myself. i don't know where i want to go with my life or if i'll ever get a well paying job or go back to school. everything i had planned for my life has gone down the drain and i no longer have a true sense of self

 

[ColorlessTrees]

Wow, I relate. I was going to make a post about this eventually, down to being set on nursing. Being set on something and focusing all your energy toward it trying to see the light, then you get there, it all comes crashing down, and you're annihilated. Lost. Exhausted. Expectation vs reality. I'm too dysfunctional for college and it's all I've been bitching about for weeks. I had my life all planned out but even when I kept lowering my goals my failure whittled them away little by little.

I wish I had advice, but you're definitely not alone in this. It's very rough to feel lost and especially lacking a future in this society.

 

[timf]

Once when taking an employment physical the doctor noticed that my father was a physician. He said that since his own kids wouldn't tell him why they decided not to be doctors, maybe I could tell him why I chose not to be one. I said we knew the difference between being a doctor (said with awe and reverence) and being a doctor (said with pragmatic realism). He said that this he could understand.

Dreams by nature are not practical. Consider all the kids that want to be veterinarians so that they can work with cuddly animals when the actual work can be disappointing.

We often have to adjust our plans as we discover that our dreams may not have matched our abilities, interests, opportunities, or even reality.

My father in law worked his way up to the vice president level of a big corporation only to find out that it was run by idiots. In my own path I found I could work at a low level and could be friendly with 80% of the people. At the level of supervisor, I could be friendly with 60% of the people. At the level of manager I could be friendly with 40% of my coworkers. It was just not worth it to work with people who were increasingly frustrating to work with.

Consider what you enjoy and the work that you can enjoy. If you have a desire for the work (if not the pay) of nursing, you might still find opportunities in volunteer work.

Many people work simply to earn an income and use their free time to pursue special interests. Sometimes frustrated plans can be a blessing if it causes to to find a path that provides satisfaction.

 

[inanimate]

my life began unraveling when the "essence of my identity" was obliterated a long time ago. has only gotten worse and worse, I think I feel your pain. this sucks