by Judith Morais

Created on: August 22, 2010

When the spectre of unemployment hovers in the distance, casting the insidious sense of insecurity, fear and self-depreciation deep within, it does seem a wee bit callous to be asking you to consider the rainbow faintly tinting the horizon. If you had been expecting this turn of events some time before, you may have fortunately had the chance to prepare for it to the best of your ability. But if you were given very little notice, or worse still, if your partner is facing similar difficulties at this time, the stresses of the situation may seem too much to bear. No matter how prepared you are, chances are, there will be negative feelings, a sense of insecurity and worry. You may not feel inclined to think about how to move on. But really, now is the time to take the next big step to change.

The most pressing of issues at this time is financial worries. Deep sacrifices must be made, and these can exacerbate the feelings of low self-esteem that are natural at this point in time.  But while making adjustments to address current needs, begin to think about how you could move forward.

Focus on looking for a job. Yes, you do want to work soon, and you will need to make searches, update resumes, and meet prospective employers. But don't allow this crucial task to take over all the new found time you have on your hands. Plan for all this to be done during a few allocated hours each day, and then move on.

This is the ideal time to pick up on hobbies you rarely had time for before, skills you'd always wanted to develop and relationships, especially with family, that you may not have had as much time to pamper previously. You don't need to feel guilty or depressed about enjoying yourself at this time; be positive and recognise that you are working on getting that next job and the extra time you have is time you deserve.

Families can be extremely stressed during stretches of unemployment, and this can be eased if you are at ease and demonstrating your positive attitude to your loved ones. This is the ideal opportunity to spend time with the kids, or your spouse. It is the time to develop that hobby or just go fishing. It is the opportunity to step back and discover hidden talents, often best explored as you take up new courses and just expose yourself to new experiences.  Perhaps you'd like to volunteer? And meet new people? Take up some courses to develop skills that will update your portfolio and keep you current. These are things you probably never had time for before.

Grasp the opportunity now to take stock of who you are, where you want to be and how you want to get there. You may surprise yourself by discovering something you could really enjoy working at.  And this may open up business opportunities too.

Whatever you do during this time of unemployment remember that if and when you do go after your next job, your positive attitude, smile on your face and confidence in the fact that you have been developing yourself will all cast their own light on anyone looking to employing you. 

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