Staying in Control of Your Life

A major part of staying positive after you lose a job is to regain the feeling that you ARE in control of your life. Here’s how Dan Kesselring looks at it:

I [look] at each change as an opportunity, not a tragedy. [I use] a simple four-step process:
• Assess your desires and skills,
• Research (including lots of networking),
• Make a plan, and then
• Execute the plan.

You'll learn a lot along the way so don't stop there--continually go back to the beginning and reassess, etc. The key is to reconcile your career plan with reality. Times change, the job market changes, so things "ain't what they used to be".

The more you involve yourself in the process, the more in control you'll be and the more positive you will feel. When you're waiting for the phone to ring and it doesn't, how depressing is that? Instead, dial for dollars and make it ring on the other end. There are two types of people--those who make things happen and those who watch things happen. A saying from the Far North: "The scenery only changes for the lead dog."

Another way to feel in control is to STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES!!

I have been “disemployed” twice. I take advantage of the time to spend time with people I care about that I wouldn’t get to spend time with if I was working full time: my three children, my husband, my mother, my friends. I take a class that I enjoy on Tuesday mornings. I use the miles I collected while working to travel. I read the books I’ve been wanting to read—not business books! When I do these things, I remember who I am as a whole person, not just a professional, and it helps me to feel positive. None of this stops me from following Dan’s advice above—but more on that next time.