It has happened to me.

I am coming out of it.

I listened and discussed on a few tribes. Please refer to my blog if it might help you. It is personalandintense.. lot of fear and confusion.

I suggest to go to a plapce which has water and trees. And the cultural mix which helps you feel good.

Seattle is a super experience to live in and learn from many people for alifetime or just a little few months.

Invest the money & leave it behind.Ttake a backpacking tour around the countries that have always drawn you and look for yourself. You may find that money and security have nothing to do with what you want. Yes, you will need them, but while you can, get out there- find you, and the rest will come - when you truly know what that is that you want to come.
Just a whim ;-)

btw...empty is not always a bad thing. To fill with clutter just to be full is not fulfilling.
It is clutter. And it is difficult to offload. Space is key to find yourself and you seem to have some space. Fill it with questions, and answers will come.

Just go slowly towards the little things you do know of that bring you moments of peace and happiness.

it may not sound like much, however such things can be built upon and gather fullfilling momentum.

To answer your question. How do you fill an empty heart?
With small consistant acts of love.

One drop of water in a bucket may not seem like much yet left to constantly drip the bucket fills and when left to go on dripping...this same bucket can be used to help an entire garden flourish.

Such is life.
Allow yourself to complete small acts of love for your heart.

Take time to check in with your heart and listen to what it would like.

Perhaps different ways on different days.
Bless you Malaika

Good luck

I agree with a person below who suggested stuck energy might still be in your wounds - that said, however, It seems
that you are still processing what happened to you((hugs)). It sounds like a post-traumatic depression, which is more common than
may people realize, and of delayed onset, too. It's really UN-helpful when other people just tell you to just snap out of it because it's been
awhile since a significant experience, too. Really honor your process, and seek out peaceful natural places to be,
even if is for just an afternoon, whatever you can do right now if a longer period is not possible for you at this time - anything that helps you connect to your basic self which cannot be destroyed no matter what happens to us on the material plane. And don't make any major decisions right now - you're still healing. Lots of times, even after the physical manifestations of a major experience are past, it takes awhile to catch up on the unseen levels. If you can, a compassionate counselor/energy worker can be enormously helpful to help you through this transition. Or maybe a group setting of people who have been through similar experiences and feeling the same way. Getting the job was good - saving some money is good - you are creating on the material level should you wish to cut loose later and consider what you want to do next. When you get to the next part of your transition, likely the job will change, or disappear, leaving the way open for your next steps. You'll know you are moving along, too, when you are able to get back to your painting. This last I can relate to, because I personally went through a period of domestic upheaval that torpedoed my process, leaving me unable to paint for several years, and am now just getting back to it in the past year, due to a very happy and fortunate relocation back to San Francisco.
((hugs again)) - take care!