Most days I sort of feel like I’m empty and I’m not really sure what to do about it. I want to be better and hopefully find some sense of direction, motivation, or fulfillment. I could definitely use some advice and help, please and thank you!
The vast majority of people are wired to get a dopamine boost from helping others.
Doesn’t matter how you do it, can be as inconsequential as noob sitting in a video game, or real world productive like volunteering at a soup kitchen.
But it’ll help.
Is there anything you enjoy doing? I could use some inspiration
Everyone’s different.
The Humane Society is a great place to start, but you can also just be cognizant of your surroundings and put effort into helping people when they seem to need it. You don’t need to change anything else, just “be a helper”.
Find somewhere you can volunteer. Doesn’t have to be with something you’re interested in, but it helps.
I’ve been considering this a lot but really hesitate to commit for whatever reason. I think I’m worried I will not enjoy volunteering and then I’ll feel terrible about abandoning a good cause and failing at yet another thing 😕
Start small; don’t commit to always being there; just do drop-ins. Or contribute to a github project. There’s lots of ways to volunteer that don’t involve running the program.
Just keep going. I’ve struggled with my depression for 15 years, and the main thing I’ve learned is that there is no magic bullet. The only way out is through. Do what you have to do to keep your life together, and eventually you’ll find direction again.
I’m sorry to hear. I hope you’re doing okay now, or at least hanging in there.
Thanks! Hanging in there!
So much this. If you’re in a hole, a big focus is to just get through the day. Every day you continue to exist, is a wonderful middle finger to the void. If a day is easy, then a week. This is progress worth celebrating. Celebrate yourself and your continued victory over the things that unsuccessfully tried to hold you back.
Just do something you haven’t done before, even if you’re not or just barely interested in it. But most of the time, we all have things we always wanted to do but a plethora of things stopped us from doing it: stigma, fear, lazyness, whatever.
Just go do it, even if you think it’ll suck. Almost guaranteed, it will not suck. Very likely, you’ll find something you love doing.
What sorts of things do you like to do or have you tried in the past?
Play theater, start a software business, be a twitch streamer/youtuber, psychoanalyze my trauma, go scuba diving, learn how to talk to people, study economics, have lots of sex, help people around me, craft decorations for my apartment, improve my rationality, play lots of different video games, learn the piano, throw a really big party… Obviously not all at the same time, but this is still just an excerpt, it just feels like there’s just so much to do you can’t run out
The best part about all of this were the people you meet while doing these things, especially as a socially incredibly anxious person like me. Not all people are amazing, but I got to find some of them, restoring my faith and building an amazing set of friends.
Some recommendations that have changed my life and many others’:
- Learn to WOOP, by Gabrielle Oettingen. If that fails,
- Learn about the Procrastination Equation and CSI-Approach, by Piers Steel. If that fails,
- Read and internalize A Liberated Mind by Steven C. Hayes. I’d recommend this even if the above don’t fail.
Please let me know if you have questions :)
I’ve added A Liberated Mind to my reading list and bumped it up to the top. I’m not usually a fan of self-help but it seems like it might be good for me. Thank you! 🙂
I mean I’m on the same boat lol
I just…
Write stories…
Poetry…
I’m writing my memoir right now…
Not sure if I’d end up having any readers when/if I do publish…
Also thinking of potential novel ideas to write about…
You, specifically, having readers? Homie I know I’m not alone in following the bits of biography you’ve already posted with great interest. I’d read the fuck out of your memoir.
Edit: read HurricaneLiz’s response. Lol, I’m one of those invisble fans they’re talking about, and I am rooting for you 😁
Re: memoir, I like to think that each of us is some group of alien’s favorite TV show. That we all have invisible fans rooting us on. Like if they’re outside time and space they can just check out the Akashic Records and watch any of our shows and they’ll be like “omg I loved when you xyz that one time!” when they fan mob us after we die 😂
Compass.
Someone already beat you to that one buddy 😆 but thank you!
