Thursday, September 17, 2009

Reason? Season? Lifetime?

2syllable words that we can use to attempt to figure out the placement of things in our life...hmmmmmmm We can apply these questions to not only careers and jobs but to also friends and significant others as well.

It's tough to grasp an understanding of this when we held jobs that we were happy with. When the "job" was like a dream or the the result of a prayer. When the "job" was something we held a great passion for OR when it was something even greater than that. When it was only about the work we performed and not the company we worked for.

Meditate on this phrase and see what you come up with. It will only be one of the two! !!!! Reason? or Season.... because nothing last "Forever". Change is inevitable whether things are currently going well or bad. So if things aren't going so well now then guess what? The law of nature says it can only get better. Stay positive with your thoughts and soon the "actions" will follow.... :)

Tip#3 -if you currently are taking prescribed medications for one of Pfizer's products check their website out. They have a program where they will give you free medications for 12months if you are currently uninsured. See details there!

Friday, September 11, 2009

Lost 1 Gained 3

I bet you haven't realized in no longer having the job title you had the end result would be picking up 3more... These new roles are totally new to us and we still haven't quite figured them out. There may be a few of us that's somewhat familiar to our new roles depending on your background. Who would have thought that the end result of what was comfort opened this big gigantic door of opportunity. If you never had to multi task in your previous position you are definitely doing it now! I bet you are doing a helluva job in your new role because I know I am... I am trying to figure out how to incorporate being a "CEO"; "CFO" and a "Marketing Brand Mgr"!

Hell yeah that's exactly what we are doing ...
  1. we own our own company (Our Future) with our family members and friends acting as our board members = "CEO"
  2. we are managing less dollars than what we had and making better financial decisions; we are learning how to stretch the dollar to gain a better return = "CFO"
  3. lastly we are networking and positioning ourselves so we can obtain the opportunity to demonstrate why we are the best candidate for the position we are pursuing. We are our own spokesperson that's carving out a new path... reinventing ourselves just like repositioning a product in the market place = "MARKETING BRAND MGR"

So embrace this change and see it for what it is... an opportunity to Re-invent and Re-position yourself on this journey called life!

Tip#2- Do something fun... think of something you did as a child and do it this weekend (play jaxs; dodge ball; kick ball; jump double dutch; basketball (using the milk crate) or soft ball.. the weather is going to be nice :)

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Similiar is the not the Same

Happy Wednesday!... Let me be clear this blog was not created as a means to support and participate in pity parties.... its just a passage to let those know that's in the same situation you are not alone. The words "empathy" and "sympathy" sound similar but they are not the same. According to Webster empathy means "the identification of oneself with another and the capacity to feel or experience similar emotions.. aka to empathized.... while sympathy means to feel sorry or have pity; a feeling of compassion for ones suffering. A lost of a job doesn't mean you are in need of pity. It means just what the words are... lost of a job. Your job doesn't define your character or the substance you represent. So now since that has been cleared lets move on to something of greater meaning... How can we turn around what appears to be a new challenge into a welcomed new task soon to be completed.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Feeling Misunderstood

I am sure all of us in this situation can collectively agree one of the most irritating things to encounter is the person that has the lack of empathy. Generally this person is the same person that expresses "sympathy" which is the last thing we need.... Empathy Yes... Sympathy.. HELL NO! My solution is to keep those folks at arms length. Deal with them on your terms meaning when you are in the mood otherwise you will find yourself mad as hell while they are happy and totally clueless . Don't bother trying to explain it either... They won't get it (trust me).. Keep your circle armed with a supportive cast and that will give you the emotional balance you need.

Tip#1 -
For those of you that live in the suburbs... NICOR has a program to get reconnected if you are currently disconnected before the heating season starts. The deadline to sign up for this program is Sept 18th, contact them directly at 877 444 2947.

Friday, September 4, 2009

How did I Get Here

I decided to create this blog as a sounding board for those of us that now hold a club membership we didn't ask to be apart of. This club is one of the United States most rapidly growing clubs. I call this organization the "Just Got Laid Off" club.

I thought it would be a good idea to have a place to vent the daily frustrations of dealing with unemployment as well as to provide encouragement and uplift each other on a daily or weekly basis. This forum will also be used to share information such as job leads; interviewing techniques; quick receipes to share if you have an interview and still need to prepare dinner and any special government funded programs etc. So Let's begin....