I've lost interest in my dreams

LegacyUser

I have been working in my current job for about 6 months now after returning to college as a mature student (I'm 35). It was easy for me to motivate myself to do well in college as I was a bit of a waster in my youth and I think my annoyance at myself for throwing away the best years of my life helped me to make a success of it.
It all worked out well anyway and I got my degree. On finishing my degree I had lots of hopes and dreams of a better life now that I finally had what I always wanted:the means to pursue a rewarding and enjoyable career and as a consequence, also have a rewarding and enjoyable life.
But over the last few months something weird happened:I lost interest in doing all the things I planned to do when I got my job. I wanted to see a bit of the world, build my own house (I still live at home with my parents), make new friends etc.
I don't know what happened, I try to get interested in things but I can't. I don't even go to soccer or GAA matches anymore which I used to love doing.
I haven't become embittered, I'm still a positive person, I like to see the good in people and am usually fairly cheerful. I just feel like "What's the point?" when I think of how much more I should be enjoying life.
Part of it may be my job, I don't like it very much, I work on my own so I don't have friends from work. I am looking for something else so I am trying to change my life in that respect.
I am just wondering if this has happened to any other people reading this?

J-Doll

I've been in situations in life where I also have entered a slump period but you get out of them.

You said you worked through college to get "a rewarding and enjoyable career", but it turns out you don't like your job, so it's kind of an anti-climax after all the work you put in.

For most people your job takes up the main part of your life and if you don't enjoy it, these feelings are going to seep into the rest of your life, you feel just not really in the mood for other stuff.

As you said your still a positive person so your not depressed which means it's not really going to be difficult to get over these feelings. You just need to identify the area in your life that's lacking, and I think you already have - it's your job. Have a good think about what type of career you would find the most enjoyable and try and pursue it maybe even one that could take you abroad if you want to travel.

I don't know if I've been of any help but I'm sure that this is a commen enough experiance for alot of people at some stage in their lives so more board users will surely reply but things should fall into place once you regain focus.

Craft25

now that you have your degree your options for the future are vastly greater.. you dont just have the dreams of a secure future, travel, nice things..

the reason is you have the option of more, for fulfillment now you may need something higher, like to have a positive impact on the world.. im thinking maslows heirarchy of needs here - self actualisation

you need to find some new and deeper goals for the future, this is a good sign as you only feel this because you contain within you the potential to do it, if you identify these new goals for yourself and put the energy towards them, you already have the security to know that you can attain the house/good life etc!

petergfiffin

I don't think it's that uncommon and went through something similar myself. I think part of it is that when you're studying (I went back too) you're really determined and you think this will make such a difference to your life and get ideas in your mind about what your life might be like when you're doing your new (dream) job. Then after a couple of months the gaps between what you thought the job would be and what it is start to widen and you can be left a little disillusioned and thats when the rot sets in.

If I were to give you any advice it would be to recognise your achievement and take pride in it but to then start looking at where you want to go next (which can take time), remember, getting your degree is only the start. Job wise it could be just that you're in a bad one at the moment and a move to a different one in the same field could be the kickstart you need

DublinWriter

Disinterested wrote: »

I am just wondering if this has happened to any other people reading this?

It started happening to me at various points in my 30's (I'm 38 now).

You could be going through a stage of professional or personal burn-out.

Personally I found that a change of scenery can help in the short term.

rabtazers

short answer: capitalism is unfulfilling

I suggest you read Flaubert's "Sentimental Education"

bye