Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that 14.0 million Americans are unemployed and the unemployment rate has held at 9.1 percent. Losing a job has tremendous impact on an individual and their family. The added stress of trying to pay rent or a mortgage, pay the monthly bills and feed or clothe children on little or no money is significant. That’s the obvious part. The not so obvious part is that a job loss is a loss and a person will experience real grief. The added stress and worry of job loss can make a person edgy, distractible, fearful, and depressed. It’s not uncommon for an individual to displace these emotional responses by directing their strong feelings towards other things or people in their life. If you are getting feedback from others that you are acting in a way that projects your unhappiness on them (i.e. blame, sharp tone, impatience, anger etc.) don’t dismiss it, take heed. If not, you may find your relationships begin to suffer and/or come to an end.
Be aware of your feelings and find safe, appropriate ways to express them. Communicate with your spouse or partner about the anxiety you feel because they are probably feeling the same way. Seeking support from someone outside your family (e.g. clergy, trusted friend, colleague, job coach etc.) will also help you to work through these feelings, which are real and normal given the employment circumstances that you are faced with.
As difficult as it may be, try to find something positive to think about every day. The more positive thoughts you have, the more likely you will be to attract positive people into your life. And with positive people, comes postive opportunities, which translates often into a new job offer.
Photo Credit: Danilo Rizzuti http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=851
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