Lilllabettt Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 sacrifice is not an exclusively Christian thing. Sure, we do it well. But the market is hardly cornered in that area. People of all faiths and none find meaning through sacrifice all the time. so pick a mission and go do it; probably it will hurt some and then you will get to choose: me or the mission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Era Might Posted June 11, 2013 Author Share Posted June 11, 2013 (edited) Era, I don't have any answers, but I have felt exactly the way you do (and I'm sure I will again), and tbh any time I asked other people for answers I found a reason why the answers given were rubbish. There seems to be a real despair going on for you, and I'm not sure how/when/if it will pass. For me, I found that realising that I'm stuck here whether I like it or not helped me to just try to enjoy small things to do something to offset the big woes. I know that doesn't help, and it doesn't help to say that I'm thinking of you and I hope it gets better soon. But it's all I have. Thanks, and I think you're right about enjoying the small things. Edited June 11, 2013 by Era Might Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgiiMichael Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 I still say you should find a hobby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Era Might Posted June 11, 2013 Author Share Posted June 11, 2013 I still say you should find a hobby. Yes, I shall take up scrabble. :winner: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
add Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Anyone have any advice on surviving a useless life? Not a hard life, but a useless life. Laborers have a hard life, but a hard life is not necessarily useless. I know all the advice about finding meaning, doing your best with what you got, blah blah blah. I'm not made out for that kind of self-help stuff. I sit in the office and look around and literally it doesn't matter what I do. Work, don't work, doesn't matter...do good work, do poor work, nobody would know the difference. Maybe I should just be grateful I have decent check...but I'm not motivated by that. What are the alternative options? Bide my time and wait for something better? I don't have that kind of patience, and there is nothing better...this is the pinnacle of my life, and anything better will just be another rat race. This post is the only thing keeping me from throwing my coffee mug against the wall and leaving. In another life I would do that, but I have bills to pay and mouths to feed...and even that's not enough motivation to me. I honestly don't know how to find meaning in meaningless...I've tried, but I don't have it in me. try being totally selfless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel's angel Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 try being totally selfless. That happens right after you become God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Era Might Posted June 11, 2013 Author Share Posted June 11, 2013 (edited) try being totally selfless. This is fine advice for finding meaning in life...maybe I should clarify, I don't have a problem finding meaning in generalities, but in work itself. I find work in society useless and meaningless. And while American idealism is nice and everyone wants to be an entrepreneur and find their passion, and some do, and great for them, but that doesn't change the reality of the situation with the meaningless of work in society. W.H. Auden has a poem called "The Fall of Rome" where he mentions work as one of the causes: Caesar's double-bed is warm As an unimportant clerk Writes I DO NOT LIKE MY WORK On a pink official form. Unendowed with wealth or pity, Little birds with scarlet legs, Sitting on their speckled eggs, Eye each flu-infected city. Altogether elsewhere, vast Herds of reindeer move across Miles and miles of golden moss, Silently and very fast. The things everyone has mentioned are great advice for finding meaning in LIFE: sacrifice, optimism, selflessness, etc. But that does not solve the problem of meaningless in work, and while there are ways to get around meaningless work, not everyone is suited to just ignore 40 hours of their week and be happy the rest of the time. That doesn't come easy to everyone, me included. And the realities of life don't always make it possible to do whatever you want to do. Edited June 11, 2013 by Era Might Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleWaySoul Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Where do you work, Era? Why is it useless? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisa Marie Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Have you thought about making peace with the fact that your job might be meaningless? You are not your job, it is not the pinnacle of your existence. Can you take a vacation? Plan a vacation for the future? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatholicsAreKewl Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 If you could work somewhere else and pay wasn't a problem, what would you do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriela Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 (edited) If you do not find meaning in your work, but you do find meaning in your faith, then put some of your faith into your work. It doesn't matter if you work fast or slow, much or not at all? Lucky you! That means you have plenty of time to say a prayer before every single thing you do—turning on your computer, going to fill up your coffee cup, filling out a stupid form, going to a meeting, etc.—offering that stupid, meaningless thing up to Jesus, begging Him to give it some meaning for you, consciously putting all your heart and soul into it, not for your employer, not for your paycheck, but out of love for your God, who gave you this job and this life. If you make your whole day about offering up to God in love every little thing you do, I bet you you will suddenly find your day is full of meaning. If closeness to God is achieved by doing even the smallest of things with love, how close will you get to God if you do things so small that they are pointless WITH LOVE? Edited June 11, 2013 by curiousing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Wednesday Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 I worked myself earlier this winter/spring to the point of depression and burnout. I do not like my current job but I'm learning to persevere until I find another one. I think Noel is right about learning to enjoy the little things. And even though the work isn't fulfilling at times, I try to find meaning day to day through the people I work with. Even if it's just a smile and asking them how their day has been. And while it IS true that not everyone finds that "passion" -- that's kind of an elusive thing for most people. I work in a career that I enjoy, as a designer and artist, but even then sometimes I think, what is the POINT? A lot of the work I do in graphic design is just ads and a bunch of throwaway gunk. I think, work is good. But I think the phrase "we work to live, not live to work" does hold true. Letting our lives revolve around our work and putting it as central in importance in our lives isn't really sustaining. But even if you don't find purpose in your job, the fact that it does pay bills and feed mouths does give it some purpose. You work so that you can more or less enjoy your life and not the unpleasant alternative when we don't have work. Oh blessed perseverance of the donkey that turns the water-wheel! Always the same pace. Always the same circles. One day after another: everyday the same. Without that, there would be no ripeness in the fruit, nor blossom in the orchard, nor scent of flowers in the garden. Carry this thought to your interior life. The Way, 998 I'm not really into Opus Dei but I always liked that Escriva quote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winchester Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Be an excellent lover. Which basically just means listening and accepting errors with good humor and a willingness to try again. And also good hygiene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominicansoul Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 give yourself to others... There's a whole world out there filled with people who need you...start serving them, you will find your life extremely useful... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winchester Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 give yourself to others... There's a whole world out there filled with people who need you...start serving them, you will find your life extremely useful... I just said that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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