Willravel

These are some big questions, ASU. Right out of school I started working for an online business and did quite well for myself. I attribute luck for my finding such a position with so little experience, but I was making a wage I'd not planned on making until I was in my late 20s or early 30s at best. I was very happy with the financial security, but the job itself was demanding. Beyond fulfilling my responsibilities, I found that some of the people I worked for and with were not... I don't want to say not 'good', because what's good? Some of them weren't particularly ethical, others were highly irresponsible, and some were spoiled by their success. I suppose it's the old adage that one rises to the level of one's incompetence. After a few years of working there and putting in place a decent savings, I decided enough was enough and sough work elsewhere. I took about a 27% pay cut after taxes, but I managed to find a more rewarding job as a sort of assistant or vice administrator of a non-profit organization. My life became more enjoyable. The job wasn't stress-free, of course, but it was a healthier kind of stress, working hard to make sure the organization continued to function to the benefit of both employees and the people we helped. That second job eventually ended due to budget cuts, but even as I left I felt that through my efforts I contributed something of worth to the world.

Since then, I've started my own business and I've discovered a new level of fulfillment. It's crazy stressful, but like before it's a healthy kind of stress. I am, however, taking a massive gamble. People in 2011 aren't spending money in the same way they were in 2006, and one has to try and adapt to that. Moreover, people need more help now, so there's an additional flexibility that's required. I'm not saying you should start your own business, but I think it would behoove you to really explore what options are available to you. What do you love doing? What fulfills you? Can you find a vocation which will provide enough money for you to live but also make you happy?

Beyond that, it sounds like you've got some soul-searching to do. It's frighteningly easy for priorities to get all mucked up as you try to deal with what life throws at you. Over time, priorities that you understood to be important had to be pushed aside. Maybe now is the time for you to reconsider what's important to you. When you're on your death bed, what kind of life do you want to look back on?

Anyway, best of luck. You've got a lot of work ahead of you, but if you can persevere, there's a lot of joy ahead.