Living the dream?

I often wonder what it is that each person is living for.  I mean, do we live for ourselves or do we find ourselves living for others or how we believe we are supposed to be?  Some reason as I sit and watch people, or listen to people, it as if they live their lives by how they think someone else believes they should, that they are following rules that someone else has set in stone for them.  Do we ever question why we do the things we do or how we learned the things that we know?
I guess my main concern is that I am doing what everyone else expects of me instead of what I want for myself...if that makes any sense at all.  Do I think and feel the way I do because I want to feel that way or because someone taught me that I am supposed to feel a certain way in a certain scenario?  When I mess up, am I feeling bad because I fear others will look down upon me, or do I truly feel bad for making the mistake.  Seems I'm looking way further into this than I need to, but sometimes this is just how my mind works.  I want to know why I feel a certain way towards someone, or why somethings bother me and others don't.  I don't think it's asking too much but I think it will be a great journey to discover what I am searching.
I have a good job, make pretty good money, I have a car that is almost completely paid off, a really nice apartment to live in, yet I always feel something is lacking.  So how do I know if I am living "the dream"?  What is that everyone dreams or wants to achieve?  If I made more money would I be better...If I looked more like a beautiful movie star would I be better...if I gave up all suffering and wanting and lust would that make me a better person?  So many questions, no answers.  There has to be something more to life than work, money, possessions and status.  There has to be more that I am need of finding to be fulfilled and happy.
I've been reading a book about Buddhism and how if we learn to let go of suffering and turn it into compassion and understanding that we will have great inner peace.  There could be something behind that, if we learned to let go of the things that bring us misery and pain.  Why do we allow ourselves to have mental suffering, could this be the cause of the depression epidemic?  I believe in holistic remedies for everything and I'm willing to try them before any man made drug.  I believe that we can heal ourselves and become content with life if we allow ourselves to.  I want to live my dream, not the dream someone else thinks I should have, thus I will continue on my journey for what will ease my wants and calm my soul and hope that people will follow me on my journey and help me a long the way.