I've spent several years recently writing various bits of open source software outside work, and trying to get a new search algorithm published in some journal. After several rejections, I stuck it on arXiv, but I think I'm done with it.
I'm not particularly bothered by my lack of drive right now. Sometimes it's good to just enjoy life and kick back. I'm sure something else will come along that I get into eventually.
I was living in a racist place where I was discriminated, I tried my best to keep the boat afloat, but eventually burned myself and the boat.
Now I took a step back, moved to a new place, started learning a new language cause it is fun. I am basically living a simple life and working on recovering myself and (hopefully) getting ready for when the next opportunity comes in.
What I think is a bit different is that many people has lost hope completely, I still have some hope that life will give you another chance, I just need to be ready.