[alpinecode]

@anonymouskid, I'm 31 and have been working since I was 16. From 16 to 25 years old I did various construction jobs (tiling, roofing, etc) and always worked for peanuts - many times I wouldn't get paid on time and sometimes they wouldn't pay me at all. Including the US, I have lived in three countries and had to learn the language and adapt at each country from scratch.

As a self-taught programmer in the Bay Area (no college degree) I made around 145K at my last job - my dream job! Yet I quit and went on a trip for a few months to refuel. Now that I'm back in the Bay Area, I'm trying to start from scratch once more and it's scary. However, I have faith in myself that I-will-figure-it-out! I don't know how yet, but I know I will. After all, that was the whole point of the refueling, to put myself in uncomfortable situations and see if I can figure it out!

Sometimes you might feel burnt out, scared, angry, or confused. It's totally normal - all these feelings are as important as happiness for a diverse life. I have found that sometimes all I need is some refueling. Other times I've needed to make drastic changes in my life - for example starting a new career, moving to a different country, or committing to a hobby that has nothing to do with programming or computers.

Life is all about trying different things. The other option is that it happens on its own. When I complained to a manager once about a task, she reminded me that "It's not rainbows everyday"... and indeed it's not.