Hope everyone had a great 4th of July!
This is not an orginal thought, and my apologies to Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, but it occurred to me that in going through the loss of a job, we go through the same stages of coping as dealing with a diagnosis of a life-threatening disease:
1. Disbelief
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance
They probably overlap - a lot! - but they're all there. It seems to me that it's important to go through them all in order to come out on the other side with a healthier outlook. If we let ourselves get stuck in any one stage, we're holding ourselves back from growth, growth that we need to have in order to triumph and go on to the next, better stage.
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Showing posts with label coping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coping. Show all posts
Monday, July 5, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Some Tips to Get Through the Day...
If you're reading this, you're probably unemployed or underemployed, right? And it's a daunting task to fill the day with meaningful stuff, isn't it? Here are some things that are helping me get through the days:
1) Set a schedule for yourself. Set the alarm clock, get up, shower, have coffee. I spend the mornings trolling the job boards and online newspapers, writing cover letters, etc.
2) Try to find at least one thing everyday that will get you out of the house/apartment - go for a walk, ride your bike, whatever. It's helpful to move and will make you feel less depressed. Honest.
3) Do you have a hobby? As long as it isn't a real money drain, indulge. Who knows, it could lead to something else, right?
4) Be kind to yourself, be good to yourself. Give yourself permission to take a break from the hard work of looking for work every once in awhile and read a book, watch a good movie. (Libraries are your friends!)
5) Make sure you have contact with friends and family, it's so important not to become a recluse. (I'm in danger of becoming the crazy cat lady on my block.)
6) Teach yourself a new skill - I'm trying to improve my typing and learn PowerPoint.
Lots of folks say they find volunteering to be helpful. I'm trying to find a volunteer opportunity or 2 in my community, and I'll let you know. I think it's also a good way to get out of your own head for a bit - self-absorption is NOT a good long term strategy.
Seriously, the most important thing that I can think of is: Try not to despair, even though it's so easy to feel worthless and beaten. Let me know what you think!
1) Set a schedule for yourself. Set the alarm clock, get up, shower, have coffee. I spend the mornings trolling the job boards and online newspapers, writing cover letters, etc.
2) Try to find at least one thing everyday that will get you out of the house/apartment - go for a walk, ride your bike, whatever. It's helpful to move and will make you feel less depressed. Honest.
3) Do you have a hobby? As long as it isn't a real money drain, indulge. Who knows, it could lead to something else, right?
4) Be kind to yourself, be good to yourself. Give yourself permission to take a break from the hard work of looking for work every once in awhile and read a book, watch a good movie. (Libraries are your friends!)
5) Make sure you have contact with friends and family, it's so important not to become a recluse. (I'm in danger of becoming the crazy cat lady on my block.)
6) Teach yourself a new skill - I'm trying to improve my typing and learn PowerPoint.
Lots of folks say they find volunteering to be helpful. I'm trying to find a volunteer opportunity or 2 in my community, and I'll let you know. I think it's also a good way to get out of your own head for a bit - self-absorption is NOT a good long term strategy.
Seriously, the most important thing that I can think of is: Try not to despair, even though it's so easy to feel worthless and beaten. Let me know what you think!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Here's my story: I was downsized - ugly word, isn't it?- on March 1, 2010. I guess I'm a little luckier than most because I snagged a job with the census right off the bat. Cool, right? Sure, except it's a short term solution - these jobs weren't meant to last forever. But it's a good way to keep myself busy and earn a little money.
I'm not a kid any more, either. I'm in my early 50's (which is a challenge all by itself) and have an unusual family situation. If you're also unemployed, you probably have the same feelings I do - anger, sadness, worry about what's going to happen next - and dealing with it all can feel as futile as emptying the ocean a teaspoon at a time.
I decided to start a blog because I can feel my brain getting mushy from lack of stimulation. So i figured I'd start this and challenge myself to write something here every day. I can't promise it will be great literature, but I'll try to make it marginally interesting, and not rant too much about the injustice of it all. So, thanks for checking this out, hope you come back!
I'm not a kid any more, either. I'm in my early 50's (which is a challenge all by itself) and have an unusual family situation. If you're also unemployed, you probably have the same feelings I do - anger, sadness, worry about what's going to happen next - and dealing with it all can feel as futile as emptying the ocean a teaspoon at a time.
I decided to start a blog because I can feel my brain getting mushy from lack of stimulation. So i figured I'd start this and challenge myself to write something here every day. I can't promise it will be great literature, but I'll try to make it marginally interesting, and not rant too much about the injustice of it all. So, thanks for checking this out, hope you come back!
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