I feel like I'm beginning to run dry?

M

Master

New member
I don't know, I'm only 17, but even right now (when I should really be enjoying life) I feel like I'm getting more and more exhausted when it comes to life in general. The complaints that I hear many times from middle-aged adults (rather than teenagers) are the ones that really ring true in my mind (not the physical complaints, but emotional and mental).

I do my best to try and help people out, and be the best human being that I can be, but I don't feel like it counts for anything. I wouldn't necessarily say that I am a complete doormat. I do give and give and give, while receiving nothing in return, but people aren't taking advantage of me. I just feel like I'm running dry now. I'm starting to feel more spiteful, and tired of everything. I don't really feel like helping anymore; I don't see much of a point.

How can I get back to my "normal" self? How can I get back that happiness, and that giving feeling?

I suppose I am feeling a bit spiteful for always being the giving, caring person, when few other people are willing to extend that to me as well.
 
You just need to take a break from helping people, and let people help you. Maybe take a mini vacation, and relax. You need to know when to say no and let people do things for themselves. You sound just like me.
 
You know, life gets harder as you move on. And at some points, it gets easier (winning the lottery, for example). Most people are bitches. Excuse my language, but really. Even sometimes, i'm a dick, and I have to accept that. To become who you truly are, live with your flaws, they make you who you are. The flaws are the things that make people unique. Wash away the thoughts of gangster, goths, druggies, et cetera, and just focus on you. You can really re-live your childhood by watching your favourite childhood movies, visiting the area you lived in your childhood, and maybe even going to Disneyland. Sometimes you won't get things in return, no matter how hard you try. I'm not saying to stop being nice; act positive. You're positive attitude attracts positivity (therefore your negative attitude attracts negativity).

I hope this helps :)
 
Seems to me that you need to get back your "beginner's mind". Zen is difficult to practice because once you get more experienced, it's harder to keep an open mind. Read Siddhartha by Herman Hesse or Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki. Anyways, stay open minded about others, sleep, exercise, eat fresh fruits, and take care of yourself overall. And if all else fails, try skydiving or bungee jumping. :) feel better, ok? just seems that people don't give and care. try to notice the little things about people.
 
It's not easy being more mature than most of those in the same age group as yourself. There's something to be said for living through a few "wild & stupid" years before settling down into adulthood.

I was just like you when I was your age. One thing I've found out: Being mature and growing up doesn't necessarily mean acting your age. ;-) I've actually learned to live life more like I should've been living it when I was your age, and I only seem to get better at living young with each passing year.

Some of us are born old. Some of those are fortunate enough to be able to figure out how to grow young over the years, some sorry sods only manage to get even older.

I think you'll be okay - I hear it in your tone, you're going to be like that - i.e., you're going to "grow down" as you age. That's actually a good thing - you'll be able to act young & stupid without actually BEING young & stupid. It's not quite the same as being able to act young & stupid with the good health and non-achy joints to enjoy it, but in some ways it's even better.

Just decide to have fun. Even if you can only do it in small doses at a time. Do wild things that make no sense just because they make no sense. You might not feel like you have the drive to do such things at first - that's normal. You develop the drive by actually living life that way first - you have to kind of "push" yourself in that direction to get it started. So just live like you feel you want to live, even if you don't feel like it at the moment. The more you do it, the sooner you'll start feeling like it again. It's not easy - complacency and depression can make one lazy, which only compounds those symptoms even further. But I think you can do it. Ask a friend to help you, or join a local group of some sort where you can interact with others in similar life situations.

Good luck! :-)
 
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