I have a job that goes for three hours in the morning, and that's about all I do for the day. When I get home I lock myself up in my room and smoke and eat. I have a weight problem, and every night I resolve to do something about it, but when I get home from work I just can't do any of it. This year i'm supposed to be figuring out what I want to do next year, like university or a job or something, but i have no plans and no direction, and I can't seem to force myself to do anything about it. Advice anyone?

You need to focus on what you want from life and make a plan on how to get there, then put that plan to action, only you can have the determination to get out of this rut, hte more you achieve the better you will feel and it will give you the umph to carry on. Y not start small, make a plan that after work, you will go home do the bits that are needed indoors, then pop to the shop the library or just round the park for a walk, if you spend some time outside then you will feel so much better, and it will stop you sitting indoors eating and smoking.
Hope this helps, good luck ;)

Also, please keep in mind that you deserve more and are worthy of being happy and enjoying life. Do it for yourself!!

Wow, you sound a lot like me, especially the part about resolving to do something about it every night and then just not doing it when you get home from work. I would so rather sit around and eat and smoke than do other things, but I am just tired of being in a rut.

If you can make just one really big change you will be forced into more life changes. For example, my husband and I decided to look for a new house, and all the sudden in the matter of a day we have put in an offer on a house, and if we get it, in the next 30 days we will have to get ours ready to be rented, and we will both probably have to look for new careers...it just all sends things into a tailspin - so I don't have time to sit around anymore.

So just start with, say, university..start applying places, anywhere you think you might like to go, and once you get accepted somewhere you will have to start making exciting decisions, that will get you motivated, things will start to snowball from there.

What are you interested in? What are you good at doing? Maybe you could talk to school counselor. If you could go to college and find something you love, I'll bet your life would turn around. Do you like children...what about teaching? Medicine...there are tons of ways you can help in that field. Journalism...advertising...acting...law. ...computers...I could go on and on. If you pick a place to start learning, you'll get out of your room and your rut, and on the road to a real career. Clubs at schools are great places to meet people too. Work, go to school and play...busy people don't have time to overeat and smoke :) Best wishes to you...I hope you find what you are looking for.

Thanks everyone! Talking made it so much easier. I've made a plan ( yeah, haven't heard that before :rolleyes: ), and I feel really good about it. It's a daily, short term thing. I went shopping with my mum after work and we just chatted and relaxed and it was nice. I think I've just been too tense, actually, I know I have. When I had anxiety really bad in year 12 I would cry myself to sleep at 5am after studying for my exams all day, and i realised I was practically doing the same thing. So i thought 'what did I change last time?' and i realised I have a whole year to figure myself out, so i shouldn't let it stress me too much. Thanks for everyone's help, it was so nice hearing from you.

layla= - I'm glad I began starting small, my plans are always big ones like 'okay, here's what you're going to do for the rest of your life...' lol, they never work...
TINALOWE1961 - *blushes* Thank-you! I guess my problem is I'm always doing it for someone else, especially for my mum who I feel i'm always disappointing. Hopefully doing it for myself will help.
mjewell - hm, I guess uni prep would be a good idea. I never really have anything to inspire me, it's always little shallow concerns that can only occupy me for so long before I say 'sod it, what is this all worth anyway?'
SRMom - I have a problem talking with people face-to-face. I've seen a number of shrinks and stuff, but I can only ever see them the one time, anything more is too awkward for me. I know it sound silly, but that's the way it is with me.

Thanks again!

blutack:

Your problem talking with people face-to-face does not sound silly at all. It can be a huge problem for some people to the point they cannot function in society. Social anxiety, agoraphobia, etc. are all various diagnoses of anxiety illnesses, for which there is help if it turns out this is something you are suffering from.

On the other hand, it could just be that you are a little insecure about yourself, therefore too shy to put yourself out there. I'm pretty shy myself until I get to know someone...then I don't seem shy at all. It's getting through the first part of new relationships, jobs, doctor visits, school, etc. that is the toughest. I always try to remember that everyone else is just as scared as I am, and then I feel compassion for them and it's easier for me to approach them. Does that make sense?

Good luck with your plan. I hope you find the inner strength I know you possess. :)