I'm floating through life, what do I do?

[Anonymous]

At this point in my life I feel like I'm floating through life. I have absolutely nothing to look forward to when I wake up in the mornings. I know exactly what my dreams are and what I want to do with my life but at 24 I have made no progress in any of my dreams. Unemployed, broke, lonely. I am a college grad working on a masters degree but out of necessity more than want. I don't know how to be happy. Always felt that having my dreams come true would make me happy but they are not happening. I don't know what to do anymore,

Updates

+1 y

Hey guys a lot of you have been asking about what exactly my aspirations are. I have always wanted to sing and act since the day I knew there was such a job as being an entertainer. My undergrad is not even close to that and neither is my masters. I have always been told to be more 'realistic' when It came time to choose a career path for myself so needless to say I have no support for these dreams.

[UnderDriven]

I understand how you feel--it happens to all of us at one time or another. The problem with dreams is that they are often grandiose, and that very fact makes them appear to be unattainable. You should keep your dreams, but create a series of achievable goals on the path toward your dreams--all the while recognizing that life is unpredictable, and you may decide to change to a different path at any time. Even so, achieving a simple goal is a positive step and will give you confidence and hope. After you have achieved a few goals you will no longer feel like you are floating through life--instead you will feel like you are in charge of your life, at least as much as anyone can be in charge of their life in an unpredictable universe...

The key is to make sure your goals are achievable, especially the first few goals. Many people have been stymied by unrealistic initial goals. Small steps are crucial at first--later you can work on more ambitious goals. Also, don't forget that you are changing and growing as a person throughout your life. A dream you had years ago might not seem as enticing in a few years--keep reevaluating your dreams as time passes, and change your goals as needed...

Very few people know how to be happy. Everyone assumes that this knowledge is built into us, but that's not true. Yes, we automatically know how to seek pleasure but true happiness is much more than momentary pleasure which quickly fades. Our society tells us that buying things will make us happy, but that is a never-ending cycle which gets us nowhere. Our society says very little about contentment, since that doesn't sell any soap. One thing which will assist you on the path toward happiness is to seek out beauty--not to possess it, but just to appreciate how wonderful it is that such a thing can exist. It might be different for every person: a sunset, a flower, a painting, some music, a sculpture, or even the diversity of nature as you take a walk in a park. Whatever it is for you, try to experience it every day if you can. A day without beauty is a drab day, and too many drab days in a row can make you numb to the joy of life...

Good luck...

[Brontosaurus]

Not that a big ol' group hug accomplishes anything really, but you are definitely not alone.

I've had dreams -- for my own life -- and they aren't happening for me. Now I feel like they never will. I've let myself get dragged so far down the hole I can no longer see the light above me.

I feel like a rat in some cosmic conditioning experiment. I work so hard to convince myself that this time I will get some food when I push the lever and ... ZZZZZAP! How dumb do I have to be to even keep trying? Even lab animals can figure that out.

The reality, however, is this: you can't get anywhere if you do nothing.

We are stranded in a desert, with sand all around us as far as the eye can see. If we stand here we will shrivel up like a raisin. We have to walk. One step. Then another.

But what if we walked in the wrong direction? What if we wanted to get to (destination), but we mistakenly walked in the opposite direction? What if we would have encountered an oasis if we had gone the other way? What if we wind up walking in circles? Understand that these things don't matter. We cannot let our doubts prevent us from walking. We must walk. One step. Then another.

By focusing on our current step we don't become overwhelmed by the thousands of steps that must follow. We can't take step 1,018 before we take the steps before it. Our step can be as small as we need it to be to believe that we can succeed (even if it's just "I will pour myself a glass of milk"). And when our foot does get stuck in the sand and we fall, it doesn't matter. We get up, brush ourselves off, and keep walking. That is the only option. One step. Then another.

And I realize that's all very cheesy, infomercial-sounding "Take control of your life!111" BS, but I hope it helps in some small way.

Best wishes, and may you some day reach your dreams.

[MiaChan]

well as randy Pausch said :The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They are there to stop the other people!

So now its up to you if you want to be blocked by this wall or want to break it.

[Electric_Dreams]

Okay well how about youtubing yourself - you will be at least making an opportunity for yourself and ideally enjoying yourself at the same time. Besides, there are a lot of indy/amateur film production companies around. I had no idea how many of them there are and it turns out there is one very close to me, which has produced a few feature films including a very much low budget independent zombie apocalypse film with a cool spin in which it's also a love story of two old school friends seeing each other for the first time in years during the apocalypse.

Anyway, point is, if nothing better maybe there are low budget independent B movies being produced near you at least. Maybe. Could be worth checking out.

[davdus]

At this point in my life I feel like I'm floating through life. I have absolutely nothing to look forward to when I wake up in the mornings. I DON'T know what my dreams are and what I want to do with my life but at 24 I have made no progress, since graduating from high school, 6 years ago. Unemployed, semi-broke, lonely. I am still working on an associate degree (long story, don't ask) I don't know how to be happy and have recently been using a strip club to get away from it all. Always felt that having my dreams come true would make me happy but they are not happening. I don't know what to do anymore.

As you can see, I'm pretty much exactly in your boat, only slightly different, so I feel your pain. However, I do not see a question here...only a rant. I can't help you if there's no question.

[davdus]

i still don't see a question here

[Electric_Dreams]

Is your college degree working towards your dreams? Because, if not, then after college you got options such as settle into a dead end job, settle into a progressive career (not as easy as the former obviously), or don't do anything with your degree not immediately at least and chase it - chase your aspiration. Now, there's an element of reality check. For example, if you want to be a hugely successful movie star, then you have to accept that it most likely isn't going to happen, and if you never studied at an acting school, in a theatre group or anything like that, it's probably you should just drop it.

However, if you're dream is more realistic, like say you want to work on a wonderful safari park, well then you can chase that.. it's much more chase-able than the above example. Maybe you've just gotta' decide just how chase-able your aspiration is, and then decide if you're gonna' chase it or drop it.

[SiliceousOoze]

The world is a vastly different place to when we were children and unfortunately nobody is giving any of us a chance to prove our skills talents and abilities, least of all graduates with a bachelors degree working towards a masters degree. I'm in the same place but I'm 3 years older than you, the best you can do is stick it to the world by not giving in.

[dx021]

There was a great book I read by Meg Jay titled "The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter--And How to Make the Most of Them Now"

link:

link

A solid recommended read

[Anonymous]

If it's any consolation, I know exactly how you feel, as I'm 24, unemployed, broke, and lonely myself, and just like you I've made very little progress towards any of my dreams, but I don't even have a college education, at least you have that going for you. Hopefully things will one day work out for people like us.

[feng_xian]

Who cares? I can tell you that nobody would really care what's going on with your life? Cause every1 have to take care of them self. Every1 have their own problems. So, Wipe your stupid mind and move on. Don't think bout it so bad, it's not like the end of the world or something. Well that's my harsh advice. My soft one, Try to listen Boyzone " father and son ".

[Muratek]

Are you sure you did everything you can?

Did you asked before it to your self that you did everything you could?

If your answer is yes than you need a real lover boy friend. :D

I think you looking for a reason to keep move on.

Your answer is a Man but someone who deserve you. okay?

[Anonymous]

You're having an existential crisis, nothing to worry about. If you don't have long term goals then your immediate goal should be finding one. There's always that. Nobody can say s/he has nothing to look forward. When I'm not after something I'm searching for something to go after.

[Anonymous]

I'm unemployed, broke and lonely as well. I've found that I just keep myself busy with schoolwork or studying. I get so engrossed in my subjects that I forget I'm depressed, and I actually feel better because I accomplished a lot during the day. I typically celebrate with a run, which is the only time I leave the house. I won't feel weird being alone since lots of people run by themselves.

[jamesma87]

Well the easy part is figuring out a plan to get to your dreams. You've already done what is usually the hard part. Maybe if you update us with your goals and ambitions we can help you get there

[JimreyChan]

I'm jealous,you know exactly what your dreams are and what you want to do,but I don't.I have nothing in the world,no dreams,no plans but youth,so I've been thinking about my future.Where I want to go,what I want to do.lol~

You should set a plan and goal,how parts of the plan you should accomplish,and approach the goal gradually.

[highondrugs]

you feel bad cause you are isolating yourself in your own mind.

the way out is connecting to others through radical honesty. learn to express your raw thoughts to people and you will feel a million times better..

[Crewchief69]

You are doing the right thing. Get that masters and love will find you. I can promise you that. Life sucks during the college years. Unless you are a party flunkie

[Anonymous]

at least you still have money and nice family right?

[yaddayaddayadda02]

What are your dreams?

[Asker]

May sound corny or common but I love music and acting.

[yaddayaddayadda02]

Well let's modify your dreams to fit with reality. The reality is that you likely won't be able to support yourself on those things at this point. So get a job, then teach yourself guitar or take lessons (or whatever) Get in some community theater. That way your hobbies can be your passions.