So, you are out of work either by your choice or not. You’re
scared. You lack adequate savings to allow for a long period between jobs. Not
having savings or a spouse to support you through this period adds tremendous
stress.
And then on top of your own fears, everyone around you is scared
for you. Thinking of themselves, they fear what being out of work would
be like for them. This is not helpful. Who cares how scared they would
be if they were out of work? This is not their reality—it’s yours!
You don’t need their fears pushed on you. And yet, you need to expect this
behavior from others and learn how to deflect their fears.
Fear does not serve you. Yes, some fear is good because it keeps
you focused on what you need to do to find new employment. However, if you allow
your fear to guide your decisions and actions, if you come from a place of fear
and lack as you write your resume, interview and network, you will come across
sounding desperate making it harder to find work. You also make the whole experience
more stressful.
You need to take control of your mind, your beliefs, and the meaning
you assign to both work and being out of work, rather than allowing your mind
to run wild. Taming your mind requires awareness of how you think and the beliefs
you hold. Your beliefs drive your actions which creates your reality. Beliefs
are programming or conditioning you pick up along the way. You are responsible
for the thinking that guides your behavior, and you need to regularly reexamine
your beliefs. Use a journal to discover how you think about, your beliefs about,
or your perception of things. Then you can challenge your current thinking and
create different beliefs that better serve you.
What if, instead of leading with fear, you decided to enjoy yourself?
Trust in yourself and your abilities, that you’ll find another job shortly,
and you can have some fun while looking.
What if you decided to use this time between jobs as an opportunity
for self-exploration? You have been given a gift—without your current job
distracting you, you can see yourself more clearly and ask the questions that
require your attention. What are your skills that you love using? What are your
values, those things that you find most important in life? Choosing a job that
allows you to live your values will make you much happier than working at a job
where the values are different than yours. What would be your ideal job? If you
could do anything at all, what would you do and where would you do it? Perhaps
your next job could be your dream job or bring you closer to it by helping you
to develop the skill set required for it. This is how you chart your course for
a purposeful career, one that allows you to live your personal vision and mission,
and fulfill your life’s purpose.
Chose to approach job hunting as an adventure, an opportunity to
meet new people and expand your network of professional connections. A strong
network of peers and colleagues can assist you in finding new employment.
Everyone finds him or herself between jobs at some point in life.
By challenging your thinking about the experience, by learning to keep others’
negativity and fears at bay, and by charting your own course for success by exploring
yourself and your dreams, you empower yourself to live your life your way and
you enjoy your journey. PE
