The Call Came Without Preamble
My job, like a dozen others, would be cut due to a restructure in the region. I spent the better part of a week occasionally mumbling, I’m unemployed. I can’t believe I don’t have a job.
Then I did a mental head shake, a full body shake, and said: Okay, move on.
The company is generous in their bon voyage package, so I’m not panicking. It was a logical business decision, so I’m not taking it personally (hard to do). I met some great people, worked for a fun person, and learned some things.
Next, Please
God has, to my detriment or my benefit, given me a distinct ability to be flexible and adaptable. Whether my outside circumstances have changed or the inside me has changed, I seem to be able to weather whatever is going on and find the best way to move forward.
I’ve awakened the last several Monday mornings without having to work for someone else. The day job hours become filled with a multitude of things: working on one of my writing projects, filing for unemployment, updating my resume, finding networking opportunities, saying I’ve-done-too-much-of-the-aformentioned and delving into house projects: fall cleaning (yeah, spring never really got done), fall yard work, re-doing the closets. You get the idea.
Newly Unemployed…
I’m like Dad.
When he retired he said: I don’t know how I worked all those years, I’m so busy now.
I’ve Blogged About Goals
During my first week of unemployment, it was never more clear to me how important writing goals down is to achievement of them. I’ve broken the writing goals down into steps, hindrances, where help is needed, research I have to do. I’ve given them timelines for starting and completion. These actions are empowering, let alone doing the work. Knowing I have a plan, created with the same diligence as I would any work project for an employer, has emboldened the goals with new life.
What have you done differently when life has tossed you a curve ball?
What did I do? I took up blogging!
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Read: Hollywood & Men
Time outdoors always straightens out my thoughts, Andy. Good advice!
Wow Rose, does this resonate with me. I found myself in that boat 5 years ago now when I started my blog. Hence the name “findingourwaynow.com”. It is weird after always working to find your self momentarily not working (I like that sound better than unemployed). I was unsure which way to go out what path to take. I decided to go a completely different route and recreate my career and life and start my blog and haven’t looked back. Whatever you decide to do though your resiliency and attitude will pull you through. 🙂
Susan, I like the “momentarily not working,” and will add, “for someone else.” I’m so busy trying to find the right work that I’m as busy as a full-time job. Like you, I am selecting a new path–looking for that way to do the things I love the most: write, travel, share my faith. I feel certain that if I can’t find it out there, I’m destined to come up with the way to invent it! Thanks for your support.
When life throws me curve balls I find a way to make it happen. Something it takes longer than others. During my time of unemployment I was able to get focused and get my blog going.
It’s your optimism, Jason! Curve balls come at us all the time and ducking doesn’t help as much as catching them and taking them the direction you want to go.
I considered the transition time just like a job. Friday I left one company and Monday I worked 8+ hours on my transition plans. I did stop to feel sorry for myself for a few hours, then got busy on the new life.
All the best in your search.
Oh Jim, I can only see you spending the shortest time ever on feeling sorry for yourself! You are such a go-getter and were always an inspiration at our PAPEN meetings.
What I did was to start my own business. 32 years ago and I’ve never been sorry. We all find different solutions and I wish you well in making your decision.
When I was unemployed before, Beth, I tried to do copywriting. Yuck, not my forte at all. I am very good at editing and proofreading but creating copy from scratch for someone’s business was not to my liking. I quickly fell back to HR consulting, but that career is long gone (I’m not very sad about that!), so it is definitely new-journey time.
Welcome to the non-linear life! Working for so many years hospitals and mental health clinics ,my days were a string of 50 minute segments.When I began my career in voiceover, I started working from home. I felt as if someone gave me new game, but forgot to include the rules. Also, I felt a loss of significance. It’s amazing the illusions about who we are a job outside of the house presents. I’m major ADHD so one thing I do know is I need structure. Once I sat down and structured my day everything fell into place. What I miss the most is the camaraderie . I loved the characters and the banter. Unless I’m recording in a studio, VO is pretty much done in isolation..
Structure, Pamela–could agree more with how important it is. I figured out a while ago that having a schedule for my work was not the same as having my life in a rut. One helps me achieve goals and the other makes me bonkers! I love your career choice–I love that it is unexpected!
I salute your adaptability. An admirable trait.
Glad to hear you’re handling it so smoothly. Pragmatism at such times has helped me get through. I like the goal setting tool, as you say it ensures things get done efficiently.
Choosing your emotions and outlook well at such times really stands us in good stead, personally and professionally. Looking forward to hearing about the new opportunities that come your way
I can’t imagine not being pragmatic about this whole thing. Sitting in a corner being sad wouldn’t get me anywhere at all. Telling the world I’m looking for a new opportunity makes the most sense!
Sorry to hear that Rose. It takes time but you will find that prefect job for you that will be even better than your last one. It always happens that way doesn’t it. Best wishes.
I agree, Sabrina! The next best thing will come along. I have to be diligent about looking for it and make sure my eyes are open!
This can be a great chance to spend times on things you love to do and reassess your future direction. With your ability to adapt, your positive attitude, and your self-discipline, I’m sure you’ll find yourself on an interesting and fulfilling road.
Thank you for the encouragement, Donna! Changes are coming at us all the time–being adaptable can help us not lose our minds!
Well life has thrown me a few pretty big curve balls over the years and – like you – I’ve always been pretty adaptable. My response has always been the same – get busy. During the worst of times I was working 3 jobs and volunteering at the local food bank. When I had to undergo a year of medical treatments that required me to fly to Honolulu every week I made it my mission to entertain all of the sad looking patients in the doctors office with homemade cookies and corny jokes. No clue where this attitude toward life came from because it certainly doesn’t mirror family traits but it works for me. And it sounds like what you’re doing is working for you Rose!
Marquita, your comment makes me appreciate your Resilient Living approach even more! I can totally see that you would be the waiting room entertainment. We can choose to be despondent over these life-things-that-happen or we can roll with it and charge forward to the next, better thing. You’re an inspiration for me to keep looking ahead!
Sorry, I have been there.
I do know that when you are unemployed, there is a trap to do nothing. I was just sitting around the house, most mornings watching soap operas. Sometimes, you have to face this outright, and keep moving. If not, like I did, you have to wait for something to shake you out of it.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
I had a friend who was out of work once and she would spend time shopping (that was just weird to me) and doing other non-work search things. I’ve been self-employed in the past and have worked from home for many years so I’m pretty used to the discipline of being on my own and working to get things done.
That said, the occasional bon-bon eating day would be fun (just unlikely to happen!). HA!
I think you have handled it beautifully. While I haven’t experienced the same with my job, we all experience things in our life that are unexpected. Hopefully we all handle them with as much grace as possible and take a deep breath and a step into the unknown with faith that God has a plan and will not let us fall on our faces as long as we are trying to keep moving forward. “Keep Moving Forward” a Walt Disney quote that is a family favorite.
“Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious…and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” – Walt Disney.
Disney had it right, Ellie–thanks for sharing the quote. I am totally putting this phase of my life in God’s hands–I know He’s going to lead me to the right thing to do.
I was laid off from a job about a year before I was due to retire. My reaction? I celebrated. I worked for a company that became tighter and tighter concerning business expenses so for a few years I felt like all I did was try to save peoples’ jobs. I just do some occasional consulting from home now and I have to say I haven’t missed work at all. I agree with your Dad, I don’t have time for work.
Ken, that must have been a shock–to get a lay off so close to retirement. Bravo to you for celebrating! I had one person ask me if I was angry over this. I asked her why would I be? It’s a new chance. She said she got laid off once and was furious for a long time. Yikes, to expending energy on that!
Glad you like Dad’s approach!
I have moved from New York to Arizona and found many opportunities for the taking. Since moving to Pennsylvania I cant seem to find a thing. I’m toying with the idea of applying for a grant to start a small business. At times i think that I am too old and why start now. Not too sure why I csnt find a job but it has become a job in itself….but i must move on…..
Job hunting is never fun, Barb, but I hope doors start to open up left and right for you. And we’re never too old to dive into these new things. Joey and a friend started a business last year and it’s going great. You can too!
One benefit about Seester being unemployed is that she was able to come BACK to Montana again!
I have never lost a job unless it was my own choice so I don’t have that life experience but I’ve certainly had other curveballs thrown my way…..my motto for life is “keep on dancin’.”
Same here, Seester–I left jobs but never had one forced on me. It’s a totally new experience and not a terrible one. There are worse things in life. Yes, the beauty of technology allows me to be anywhere looking for jobs, taking phone calls–the whole bit. Isn’t that amazing?
We were dancing to Ed Sheeran, weren’t we?
I love that you see yourself as being so relilient…that’s half the battle, I think believing that you can bend gives you this secret power to make it happen. I think busy productive people manage to stay that way, whether they are employed or not! You strike me as being that way, so I suspect you’ll achieve your writing goals as well:)
If we choose not to be resilient, we can sure be beat up by the time we hit 50, right?
I am taking full advantage of this time period to work on the things I love the most and see if that is the new way for me to earn a living. Oh yes, please!
Now, Jacqueline, get thee back to work!