[PJ]

+1 for new challenges, and also just taking initiative to actually go do the things you've always wanted to do.

I'm in my early 20's and I had already gone through this.. still am.. sorta.
Here's a quick rundown of how it happened for me.

I became a project engineer when I was 20, which is a really young age for such a position. I'm still working the same job right now, but I don't plan on being here much longer. I mean money's great, but it's amazing how when you're making it doing something you don't enjoy, you finally understand what they mean by "money doesn't equal happiness."

Within a couple years into the line of work, I bought a nice car, started saving up for a down payment, and that's when the crisis hit me.. I asked myself.. I'm 21.. Do I wanna be doing this for the next 45 years? Am I going to be satisfied with my life? The epiphany really shook me up. I started reading some self help books and listing out things I want to accomplish.

A couple quotes that really stuck out to me from the books are: "If you keep doing what you're doing, you'll keep getting what you're getting." and "You'll only remember the things you did do in life, not the things you didn't."

As I was going through this epiphany, the craziest thing happened. I found out that there was one guy who worked over 30 years for my dayjob company, just retired, and passed away 2 days after his retirement. That scared the shit out of me. Work all your life and never get to truly enjoy yourself? I had to make a change.

Months later, I decided to clear my life of clutter. I downgraded my car, sold my time-consuming stocks, paid off all my loans, and started actually executing things I wanted to do, as well as taking on new challenges. (Still in a smart, calculated sense, of course.. I wasn't blindly burning money.) Too many people tell themselves they'll do things "some day."
I figure, if not now, then when? What's the worst that can happen?

In the last 2 years, I was signed to a temporary music development contract with a record label, got to (and still) work with musicians, artists and writers I never thought I'd meet, wrote a book, met a literary agent (book deal is in progress right now), and incorporated a company. I'm also going to China for the first time tomorrow for a business trip! This is on top of all the extra snowboarding, biking, and traveling that I've been doing. It's amazing how much more you can do by making the tiniest changes in things you thought you needed.

I really have a soft spot for helping people going through these depressions, as it can be hard to be taken seriously by your friends. I was able help myself by reading. But I understand that's not for everyone. Some people I know turn to drugs to give themselves temporary highs. They literally go to work everyday, go home, smoke a joint, watch tv, play video games, go to sleep, and repeat until the weekend, which then they go to the club to chase tail. That was something I really didn't want to fall into. Don't get me wrong.. I still go out, get shitfaced with friends, sit around and watch tv every now and then. But I don't let myself become dependant on those things.

If anyone ever wants to have a chat, online or over coffee or whatever, shoot me a PM. I don't bite.