Image: Storm of X-Men from Fan Pop
Life brings adversity. At some point or points during your days on this earth you will be faced with misfortune, and as misfortune would have it, that tribulation will manifest when you are not prepared for it.
Budget cuts, poor sales, loss of clients, reorganization, restructuring and/or any other factor that results in employee layoffs have touched every industry. Many believe that only the private sector has contributed to the jobless numbers but the local governments have contributed to those numbers as well. IT professionals, consultants, lawyers, and teachers are just a few of those who have been laid off at the private and government sectors. In both sectors, I have friends who have been bequeathed with the henchman-like duty of laying off coworkers. They have felt guilt at being the one that handed down the bad news and relief that they survived another round of the companies lay offs. Now they work with one eye on their backs to be on the other end of those job cuts. As would be expected, the anxiety and panic of hoping to keep their jobs and hustling to send out resumes is taking its toll.
As for my friends who have been laid off, stress does not begin to describe their emotions. As a contract employee who has had significant employment obstacles this year, I share that stress. Once abundant contract opportunities have become scarce. While life has dealt much tougher realities, lay offs can be uniquely daunting when you have a mortgage and kids who rely on your to provide. So, now what? What do you do when you have been laid off? Easy. You look for another job. What do you do when jobs are few and far between or you are just one of hundreds or thousands applying for a single position? What do you do when employers are offering salaries that are significantly less than your skill set previously demanded? Well, you take it or try your luck and hold out for another opportunity. However, there are many that have not had the fortune of being offered a position.
Whether you are the designated henchman who now waits for your own ax to fall or a laid off employee, perhaps the time has come for you to reinvent yours. This, like most things, is easier said than done. First and foremost, you have to determine your goals, access your skills, and evaluate the means you have to reinvent. Are you going to go back to school? Are you going to switch professions? Do you need to rework your resume? Are you going to start your own business? Are you going to downsize your lifestyle and start again? No matter what you choose make the choice because it is something that you are legitimately interested in and not something that you think you should do. Success should always include happiness. This is an opportunity to do some soul searching. Whatever your situation, try not to internalize and be too critical of yourself. Sometimes things are what they are. There will be times when you are on top of the world and other times when the world is on top of you. Regroup and push forward. To keep things in perspective, be sure to continue to engage in the things that bring you joy.
Because these are stressful times, please be aware of symptoms of depression. The symptoms include, but are not limited to, the following...
- Loss of energy
- Loss of pleasure in almost all activities
- Insomnia or Hypersomnia
- Significant loss weight loss or weight gain
- Thoughts of death or suicide
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- Loss of sex drive
- Irritability
- Difficulty Concentrating
On a lighter note... Here is my Fashion Fantasy Look of the Day
Today, in my parallel universe I am a bouncer at a Hollywood Awards Show.
