25 Mar 10 What is unemployment teaching you?
- Image by George Eastman House via Flickr
Carla, a longtime blogging friend, posted this on my Facebook wall yesterday:
I want to pose this question, Dan, to you and some of your readers of your blog. I am pondering the answering to this in my own life because I need some perspective in my own family’s situation, and would like some thoughts from others on this too. “What is unemployment teaching you”–about how you see life, family, Faith etc. It’ll be interesting to hear answers to this question!
When I think about the times I’ve been unemployed (and even underemployed), they have been defining moments for me.
I think I’ve been able to see my life as more than just a job. Unemployment forced me to separate work from my identity. With so many other people unemployed, and with the “wounded animal” demeanor that often accompanies the announcement that one is unemployed, I resolved to not let it be the most interesting thing about me.
It has naturally been a huge strain on my family financially. Unemployment benefits are certainly better than nothing, but they are barely enough to live on. So it forced us to really consider what is important. As one friend told me, when it’s really boiled down, all we really need is food, shelter, and clothing. This friend has been seriously reconsidering the direction his life is taking and is making some changes.
Managing the emotional side of job search has been one of the key things I really went after this time around. I resolved at the beginning of 2010 to be an incurably tough-minded optimist. It’s been hard, but that resolve has helped me focus on protecting my mind from negativity and disappointment.
I’ve read so much more during this period because I knew I needed to continue growing and changing, and I look forward to continuing this habit.
Having emotional support, not only from my family, but also from my church community and local job search support groups, has been very important this most recent time around.
Now it’s your turn…
What do you think about what Carla has asked? What is unemployment teaching you?
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Tags: emotional support, job search, Underemployment, unemployment, Unemployment benefits
I’m really thrilled that you took this on board, Dan
I’ll post some of my thoughts soon. It’s such a heavy question, but I don’t think a lot of people really evaluate it until they really have to. The emotional aspect of the recession gets glossed over much of the time.
I worked for a software company for 10 years. I also had a “side” business that always ended up being placed on the back burner because there was always an “emergency” task that was required for my job. About three years into the “Regular job” I inquired into the possibility of working or buying some ownership of the company so when the owner decided to sell and retire I would not be left holding an empty bag of chips. I was told that would not happen. Well it did.
While being unemployed helps you to remember what is important such as family and health … I think the best lesson I got is to follow your gut instincts all the time. Don't depend on anyone. any company or government for that matter to provide for you. When it comes down to it we are all responsible for our own well being and future.
Thanks for the post