It is a strange thing that sometimes you read something and become uplifted or energised (hate the word!) and feel quite positive about things in general. Then randomly you read a similar text and thought processes go the opposite way. The same thing happened when I read Headways "Where will you be in 10 years’ time?"
In 10 years time, I will be nearing a state pension. Whilst many people go on working past retirement age, it does bring it home to think there is but a short time left. After 5 years post injury without work and fruitless attempts to not only find work but get help to find work it, it does make you wonder what can change.
Whilst our quality of life is probably a lot better than others in our situation, a great deal of us aren't leading "happy lives" and much is said about getting positives from little things. However, minor victories are that - minor! Whilst people will say that you can build on minor successes to something greater - it would help if you knew what the "great thing" was.
Whilst I am not depressed about the future, even looking a year ahead, I can't see anything different on the horizon from what I am doing now. 10 years of minor victories and muddling on without any substantial achievements looks quite a miserable prospect.
Trying to set objectives is like trying to remember a name or a phone number it should be there but there is a complete void where it should be.
Do others feel the same or do you have a plan for the next 10 years ?
I purposely DON'T think about this stuff because I find it really depressing. It came as a shock to me to realise that this year marked 10 years since my accident and although there must have been some good times along the way they are lost in amongst the crappy stuff...Thankfully the amnesia protects me from this on a daily basis so for me to actually sit and ponder is like staring into a huge abyss.
They told me to "go and live a simple and happy life" and I guess to some extent that is what we try to do. I am not unhappy as such but when I think about this subject for too long I find the lost potential quite sad and the reality is that the future holds more of the same... with the "added bonus"
of all that comes with growing old... which in itself is not for cissies LOL
But we are survivors and we have no idea what the future holds... so its one foot in front of the other and on we go ...
I tend to be generally quite positive about things and tend to deal with things when they happen. Pre injury, I always had several plans in place for work, career, family etc. Now, with diminished skills even less financial ability making plans is almost impossible.
And as you have found loss of potential when you have had / still have lots of abilities and skills but can't find an outlet for them is quite frustrating