Failed entrepreneur, broke, unemployed, now taking care of aging parents. Help.

Your post has a lot of "XYZ bad thing is happening because of ZYX external thing." Well, you don't have much control over ZYX external thing.

So, the first recommendation I have for you is to stop making that link. Instead of "XYZ bad thing is happening because of..." stop yourself there and instead say, "XYZ bad thing is happening. What would I like to have happen instead? What actions can I take to get there?"

This won't happen instantly, but try to get thinking like that. It'll be a constant battle of sorts to shift your thinking there. Stop pegging your problems to the environment and start thinking about what you'd actually like instead and what action you can take. This goes from disempowering to empowering.

Second recommendation - work on improving fundamental areas in your life. Pick one or two little things in a week, and try to make them a bit better. Spend a little more time in nature, a little more time exercising, a little more time working on a creative project, a little less time aimlessly surfing the net or watching TV, a little more time sending emails and trying to correspond with people you respect (btw, I'm in fucking Outer Mongolia, you want somewhere with no "scene"? Try here. But it's okay because I correspond with a couple dozen interesting people. How'd I get to doing that? Slowly, by dropping a line to interesting people I respect, and encouraging others to drop me a line.)

Anyways, there's lots of things going on in your life. I've been in a similar place at one time. In total, it can be overwhelming. But if you trend upwards in a fundamental area each week, pretty quickly your life starts looking a lot better.

Again -

1. Stop attributing problems to external things. Just say, "XYZ isn't what I want. What do I want? What action can I take that might get me closer to it?"

2. Improve fundamental stuff a little bit each week. Don't beat yourself up if you don't make massive progress, because massive progress is rare. It's also unnecessary. Just trend upwards - eat a little better, a little more time in nature, a little more time corresponding with people you like, a little more time creating things, a little less time on distraction whatever. If you make these regular incremental improvements, your life improves dramatically within not too long.

You're not alone here, many people have been where you're at and have gotten out of it. Lots of people are rooting for you. Good luck and godspeed. Take responsibility for everything and trend upwards gradually and you'll have a pretty good life pretty fast.

My entire family suffers from social anxiety disorder

There is no ecosystem to help drive and create new things. Local city and business "leaders" I talk to about doing something politely nod their head in agreement but it never leads to anything.

You know, you are probably very much like us, a functional manic depressive. We are dreamers - bugs who want to change the world. And it drives us crazy. When we work for someone we disparage it and call it a J.O.B.. Yet, getting paid is the key marker of value being created. Another word about manic depressives, that is how we get into debt because we are too optimistic when we are manic.

I had a failed startup once, and you know what? Working for people isn't at all bad. I don't watch TV, and I spend a lot of time tinkering around with ideas. Hopefully one of them works, but if it doesn't, my family will still be fed and clothed.

I'm not going to offer any concrete actions, but to reassure you that you are doing the right thing in putting your parents ahead of yourself. Just as the blind can't drive, the cripple can't walk, if you are crippled by massive debt, you can't take business risks.

Instead, I'd like you to reframe what your definition of success is. Success is not a million dollar house, or a changed world.

Success is when you have become a role model and become a source of inspiration. Tackle your problems with dignity and that is success in its own.

One thing I might suggest is meditation. It is free, and you will hopefully learn to better pierce through your current anxiety, and see that it is a your parent's social anxiety manifested in another form.

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