REMEMBER I AM NOT A THERAPIST. I AM ONLY SHARING MY THOUGHTS.
Unemployment is without a job or work and a situation where a person actively searches for employment but cannot find work.
The unemployed worker is actively seeking employment and is unable to find work.
It is not easy being without work at any age because each age group encounters unique challenges.
The 30s
About 40% are homebuyers and may or may not have families. This working group is learning to build skills and establishing experiences for brighter future growth. Becoming unemployed is a setback for career and financial development. Keeping a positive attitude, being patient, believing, and knowing incredible opportunities are ahead.
The 40s
About 50% are homebuyers and have families preparing children for college or trade schools. This working group has the experience, an established career, and a comfortable pay scale, and they feel it challenging to start over financially or to develop additional working skills to lead to an unknown profession. It becomes difficult to see the latest opportunities.
The 50s
This age group may need help finding new employment opportunities due to ageism and bias in the job market. The competition has increased since their 30s, and new skills are required, possibly going to school to take classes to find employment with lower pay. Changes to pay the mortgage off and the retirement plans change.
The 60s
This age group fears being reviewed as having less energy, less productive than the younger person, and needing more computer knowledge. The loss of self-esteem is lower than usual to search for employment because of the rejections.
It is stressful and a challenge to accept our new livelihood.
Being unemployed throws us off balance and places us in a particular position of worry and fear. The change is disappointing and painful, making us ask if we are good enough and how to take the next step.
Accepting our new livelihood is a challenge, and we begin to have doubt.
1. Be true to yourself and acknowledge your emotional state.
2. Work diligently to move from the denial state.
3. Attempt not to place blame on anyone, including self.
4. Have moments reflecting on ways to grow and learn.
5. Review daily positive quotes.
Many of us turn to alcohol which is a depressant, or drugs to mask disappointment, and we have to be careful not to ALLOW DEFEAT to lead and take control. How do we do this?
1. Pay attention to the mental state by asking what feelings are trigging the use of drugs or picking up the bottle.
- Is it the financial stress of being unable to care for the family or put food on the table?
- Is it the social status the job supplied?
- Is it loneliness?
- Is it the frustration of searching for employment daily, landing an interview, and going to the next interview phase to learn another candidate was chosen?
2. We should not accept the emotional ups and downs we are experiencing are personal, even though it feels as such. If we focus too long on the negative, the disappointments become more significant, and weakness slips in for using drugs, alcohol, or both.
3. Know and accept NOTHING last forever, despite the challenges.
4. Try and read stories of successful people who experienced the loss of jobs and did not give surrender to defeat and are thriving today.
5. Take a trip to the library, which is full of information.
A few people to search are Steve Jobs, Walt Disney (the best story), Ellen DeGeneres, and Tamron Hall.
Being unemployed for an extended period DOES NOT mean defeat, and working on keeping a healthy mind contributes to releasing negative feelings.
Life experiences, stresses, lack of sleep, and the nutrients put into the body all contribute to mental Health.
1. Try not to speak negative thoughts aloud. (Examples, I can’t find a job, no one is calling, etc.).
2. Speaking negative thoughts aloud brings negative energy into life, and the mind stays in that state.
3. Moving forward requires changes to the energy flow.
4. Work out by walking, running, swimming, cycling, any exercise to change the negative energy.
5. Smile when feeling down, and ABSOLUTELY KNOW everything will work out.
Remember, self-work and paying attention to developing and accepting the true self are highly important. Exercise, try not to sleep more, instead find other activities. Get a part-time job to keep the mind occupied. Rearrange habits and work on being patient.
As always, I am here and listening. Thanks again for tuning in and sharing your thoughts.