I was laid off about a year ago, and have struggled to find work since. Recently, I started my own business, but it's generating very little, not enough for me to live on. I've tried looking for contract work and have applied for other positions, but I keep getting rejected. The latest rejection was just a few minutes ago via e-mail from the local county, merely stating that they chose someone else.

I feel so hopeless, and my heart hurts. My family is supporting me financially, but I know they're also worried about me because I'm depressed. I want to try to be positive, for their sake and mine, but it's so hard when everything seems stacked against me. I don't know what to do with my future. I'm over-educated, under-experienced, and it feels like society is saying that I'm not needed. I feel trapped. How can I feel hopeful again? How can I feel positive about the future again?