Hi CL,

While I can't say I've experienced anything near as extreme as you, I can say that I recognize many personality traits in myself. I lack confidence frequently, but I believe that I am improving, in no small part due to the people around me who (most of them) are willing to give me advice and boost my ego when I need it. Are your friends doing this? If not, you may need some better friends - such as the people here The important bit is that you allow yourself to believe them. I've often had the atitude that once I've accomplished something, it mustn't be very worthy, since I was able to do it. This is an extremely destructive attitude and I don't know if it's one you also have, but things like that need to go. I am not a fatalist and I don't believe in cosmic overlord-type entities and so I believe that the only thing in this universe that owes you a pleasant existance is you. Just because you've completed an engineering degree doesn't make you duty bound to be an engineer. If teaching makes you happy, teach! The time spent at college getting your teaching degree may help you meet more friends, too If you really do want to pursure engineering, you may want to consider other countries - are there any others where the job market doesn't suck so badly? I'm an IT sysadmin/programmer type, so my job prospects suck pretty much everywhere (which is kind of galling as it was great when I started), but that's not to say it'll suck forever. You may find the same with your chosen field.

Anyway, I hope you can take something out of that.

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