Incidentally, one of the results is that now I see jobs as strictly means to an end - i.e. a way to earn money to be able to do interesting things. I think it makes me more resilient at jobs - whatever the level of suckage I experience in a job, I know that it is only temporary and that this sacrifice is for something. If I was career oriented, the depressing circumstances of many jobs would hit me much much harder (as career-oriented people see career as a huge part of their file, and the realisation that huge part of your life is a failure and makes you miserable surely can lead to massive depression).
The lies the company tells to dangle the carrot in front of you eventually destroys you when you never get it. At my company, the policies are great but they don't follow them. Plus, the project leadership/vision sucks.
I've never been diagnosed with depression. I tend to be happy, or at least content, when not at work. When I'm at work, I constantly dream of quitting.
I have a garden (big enough I can stuff), keep bees (and sell honey), grow shiitake and lions mane, make our alcohol (fruit wines, mostly from stuff I grow), make our own soap, and other hobbies that save or make some money. Of course I do the usual stuff like Netflix instead of cable, use a budget cell carrier, etc.
It helps, but the big influence is one's spouse. My spouse spends most of her money on horse stuff. I'm left to pay the bills and basically support us on a single income. She does not share my dream of retiring early.
Might try this sometime soon. I'm pretty well-versed, but which city in EE would you recommend?
