I do wonder how it could be. People always say that you need to work to be happy, but it's not like they know it from experience. The few months you spend on the brink of starvation while searching for a job isn't comparable to an indefinite vacation.
Just like permanent vs. temporary housing for the homeless. One helps them, the other pushes the problem along.
Needing to work to be happy, or to have a meaningful life, or to feel productive or fulfilled, or whatever - that’s been an alien concept to me my entire life.
People talk about their careers with pride, they look forward to going to work and … I don’t understand it. Is this supposed to be an achievement? There is no amount of money or perks that could fool me into believing I’m not selling my life away. It’s really fucking hard to pretend everything is fine, when sometimes I just want to disappear in the woods.
Might depend on the job. A woodworker perfecting their craft as a job might feel that way. Meanwhile I'm a paper pusher and wish I didn't have to be at work, AND this is with my job not being terrible actually.
My job is all about providing and treating drinking water for people. Even though I'm underpaid, overworked, and have some issues with the boss, I really love it when I can make a customer happy. Some people have had stinky or orange water for years and when we come and fix it and they get good, clear, safe, high pressure water for the first time in their house they are ecstatic.