Have other people experienced reacting this way when their ideas were rejected, and how did they learn to separate the criticism of an idea from their sense of self?

How can I make sense of this loss and move forward after giving so much of myself to a dream that did not find a market?

I spent about five years building a working robot device and funded a company around it, but after several years no customers bought it, and we are now closing the company. I understand that we failed to test whether users actually needed it, but I still invested much of my life in the dream.

How can I make sense of having invested so much and chosen to stay, then losing the dream anyway, so that I can move forward?

I spent several years on a hardware project that began with enthusiasm but became draining through ineffective communication and overtime. After a failed acceptance and colleagues being dismissed, I chose to stay because a new leader and the hardware market gave me hope. Although we eventually passed acceptance, budget constraints stopped the product from being updated, and I realized the project was finished.

How can I tell whether this loss of interest is a temporary pause caused by my current pressures or whether something important in me is disappearing?

For about a year, poor job prospects, high household expenses, and caring for my child have left me sitting in my car after work, unable to feel interested in hobbies or friends. I have put those parts of my life on hold, but I am unsure whether they can return.

Why do I react so strongly to other people's awkward moments, and what might this reaction mean about me?

At work, when colleagues are sharing their opinions and suddenly cannot continue speaking, I feel intense secondhand embarrassment for them.