I am feeling very lost in life and confused. What should I do?

Question

Sometimes I fall into the "self-pity pit" and wind up feeling lost and confused. Other times life is just a grand adventure. I went backpacking through Europe years ago, I have been sky diving and hang gliding. Lately though I have fallen into a kind of slump. I moved to Germany to get married to my long distance boyfriend of 4 years, and we broke up a few months after I came here. It was a mutual break-up without fighting or tears it ended like this... "Do you really want to get married?" My response, "Nah, not really." That was it marriage off. I sold everything I owned in America to come to Germany. I worked like a maniac to save every dime so I don't have a lot of education. I am 24 years old and I only have an AA degree with some University. Most people my age seem to have things basically figured out. Now I am in a strange position and I am not sure what to do if I go back to the States and start over or stay here and try to work things out with my ex. I have limited German language skills so my job chances here are close to nil. I can't seem to focus on a goal. My ex said that as soon as I start following a "path of life" I immediately run back into the forest and spin myself around a bunch of times. I have had a lot short term life passions that last a couple of weeks but then I lose interest. That type of passion goes with people, places, religions, studies and possible careers. On the other hand I can keep jobs for several months and I can go back to any job I have ever had because I am a solid worker for 6 month spurts. That pretty much sums up my life anyone out there have any suggestions on helping someone find out who they are...

Answer 1

Don't be too hard on yourself.  24 is young, and it is reasonable that you are still trying to find your path.  I agree that it would be hard to carve out a life in Germany, and you should locate yourself where you feel you have the most support.  Consider talking to a psychologist about your tendency to lose interest.  I am in no way implying that you are mentally unbalanced.  I've just found that a good psychologist can be very insightful and helpful with these sorts of issues.

Best of luck!

Answer 2

It sounds to me that you need a job that provides a lot of stimulation and variety. A photo-journalist where you get to travel the world and cover situations might interest you. A career in the armed forces would pay for your education and believe me they offer a lot of very interesting careers, might be your thing. You'd get to travel the world, have your education paid for see new things and meet new people.I would start out by seeing a vocational counsellor have some testing done. That will give you some starting points. I'm just like you. I wasn't able to stick with anything, until I chose to use my writing ability. I don't write fiction, I write about social issues, and the world is my oyster. As a writer I don't have to do the same thing day after day. You'll find your niche, trust me.