Get yourself to a therapist, and evaluated by a psychiatrist. Concerns around holistic well-being aside, it is an urgent practical matter for you to be able to sustain yourself. For me, the combination of COVID, a soul-sucking employer (though with a fantastic team I miss very much), and being unable to see my family on the other side of the planet for three years was too much. I'd have been fired were it not for the…
Ask HN: What are we even chasing?
121–130 of 167 posts
Re: Ask HN: What are we even chasing?
#122There are a lot of great answers in this thread, I particularly like inphovore and Waterluvian's, but yours might be different.
You need some minimal things to find happiness, enough food, shelter, and health. Sadly, in the US, we don't get those things, but there are places that can help you. You may need to move. You may need to live with family, friends, or strangers to get started on your journey. But, you must start your journey and only you can do it.
Read quotes from Mark Twain, The Obstacle is the Way, and The Conquest of Happiness.
Do something that brings you joy and embrace it -- this is particular hard for me. I'm still searching after 50 years.
Re: Ask HN: What are we even chasing?
#123Re: Ask HN: What are we even chasing?
#124Re: Ask HN: What are we even chasing?
#125Re: Ask HN: What are we even chasing?
#126The pursuit of outcomes, or the search for fulfillment and satisfaction, is a fundamental aspect of human nature. It is natural to strive for goals and to desire to improve one's circumstances. However, it is also true that the attainment of a goal does not necessarily bring lasting satisfaction. This phenomenon is often referred to as the "hedonic treadmill," where people quickly adapt to new levels of achievement a…
Re: Ask HN: What are we even chasing?
#127Re: Ask HN: What are we even chasing?
#128I don't know what anyone else is chasing, but I know precisely what my primary goal is. I want to live a life of idle leisure. I'm 20% of the way to my goal now that I only work 4 days (32 hours) a week. It may be that I don't get to 100% until retirement, if I'm even able to retire at all. It may be that I have a setback and end up working 5 days again. It may be that I get extremely lucky earlier than that. I know…
How did you achieve 4 days a week? Curious to hear about your strategy.
Re: Ask HN: What are we even chasing?
#129We are “multistaged” beings: First stage: As Animals, we are chasing our impulses. It is just LIFE. Second stage : As Rational Beings, we are chasing our "personal" desires/goals. Most people, most of the time, are content to feel the satisfaction and move on to the next one. However, for some, sometimes, a voice emerges, a nagging voice. It says: "What are we even chasing?". The satisfaction is not there anymore. Th…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_need...
Re: Ask HN: What are we even chasing?
#130My answer was found by having kids. For me, one of the absolute best things about having kids was that it eliminated all doubt: I now had a 100% crystal clear main quest that trivially answers, "what should I be doing right now?" if I'm ever not sure. Everything else in life, especially my career, is just a side quest now. Why am I working? Before kids I foolishly thought it had something to do with being part of a t…
What would you tell your kids, if they ever ask you what they should be chasing?