It's like a koan. I keep expecting "and then he was enlightened" at the end.

You've figured it out. Take as much advantage of your employer as you can. Try not to make life harder on your coworkers. People matter. Heartless corporations don't. Eek out as much fulfillment as you can within that context. There's nothing better. At least not within capitalism.

Work in a capitalist society is (near-)unilaterally a partial theft of your labor. Your bosses owe you far more than you owe them. Don't work any harder than you have to.

Oh man, having a union job is awesome. It really is.

Think very hard about your definition of better is.

The people you work with and the management of the site/company/team/etc. are oft the most important factor in your experience while working there. I have worked for a company/management that literally was known for firing people without cause just to put a sense of fear into employees and a company/management that sent employees for paid educational courses without being legally obligated to do so. Same industry. Same city. Just different people. The attitudes of management tend to impart a flavor to the workspace that is nigh impossible to ignore. So, if you have the ability to get away from the workplace that mistreats you, do it. It's really not all people. It's those people, in that workplace, with that management. Chances are, if you chat with a few people in other places, you can find an in somewhere the people are not so awful, and the best time to look for a new job is always while you have one.

You arent wrong. The grass looks greener on the other side, always. I've been in a similar boat on the other side of the fence. Sitting a desk job, not a bad job, but it wasnt rewarding or fulfilling in a long time.

I am finding the issue isnt the job, or where you work, since there are goijg to be bad coworkers and managers everywhere you go. Working hard just isnt rewarding anymore. Doing just as much or more work for less food on the table, less housing to grown into, and entertainment and hibbies filled with scalpers or overpriced equipment. Life just doesn't hit like it did neforbefore, compared to a few years ago. Everything feels like a struggle, something is broken.

I don't know, in part because I don't know what your job is. You seem to be processing a lot of emotions based on not being a good personality fit with the coworkers of your job, but I don't know what your actually doing outside of some form of skilled labor.