This might sound stupid, but I have spent a good number of days going in circles.

I couldn't get a clear picture of what I wanted in life. I didn't have a plan, which resulted in my efforts being in vain. Eventually, I felt like I had been headbutting a wall for a long, long, time. Needlessly.

Luckily, I had made enough baby steps to where I could begin to get an idea of what I wanted. So, I headbutted the wall some more. But, I felt a little bit better since having a vague notion of what I wanted constituted a type of "progress".

Eventually, I started to conceive of methods I might use to improve my conditions. This gave me hope. After a long time, a plan began to take shape. The very next day I realized my plan was crap and had to be completely redone. Next day new plan. Next day I realized it was utter crap and had to start all over again.

That's the way it went for a long time.

Eventually, I got to the point where I began to feel more comfortable / confident and things got better.

It may have only been the difference between having a conception of what I wanted to pursue and methods by which I could conceivably pursue it. In some ways it was like the difference between being locked inside a cold, dark, turkish, prison. And, something resembling happiness.

Silly, isn't it? :X