Layoffs and Opportunities

Our family has been hit by this recession and layoffs like so many others.  It is an emotional time and a time for reassessing our lives.  In a flash, there was shock, hurt, and a bit of panic, followed by anger, though tempered with an understanding that the decisions by the company were purely financial.  Then there came some depressive feelings with a realization that life is just not fair sometimes.  After the initial shock, here are some things that I have found can be helpful to feeling more in control of our own destiny.

 

 Take this time to review your past employment and see if it is a good time to make a change.  Look at this transition time as one that gives you an opportunity to get retrained, learn new skills, take a new direction.  There are lots of classes and books available to help you get started.  Just don’t sit at home and feel sorry for yourself.  Make it your job to find a job or new career.  Work at it every single day.

If you haven’t got one, create a budget showing all your income and expenses.  Where can you cut expenses?  Make some decisions that will help your bottom line.  Stop an unnecessary service or sell something you don’t really need.   If you have a financial planner, talk to them for advice.  Check out Suze Orman’s website for practical information that can get you back on track financially. 

You are in control of your time each day.  If you need to, make a list each evening that will help give you direction the following day. Then get started.

 

 

 If you haven’t received your COBRA information for continuing your insurance within a couple of weeks of your layoff, inform your employer’s Human Resources staff.  They make mistakes too and sometimes that can delay your COBRA information from arriving in a timely manner.  And we all know how important it is to keep that health insurance in effect, if at all possible.

 

If you are without health insurance and can’t afford to obtain your medications, look into Partnership for Prescription Assistance.  It is a cooperative for 475 Prescription Assistance Programs which have rolled their assistance opportunities into one-stop shopping that can be accessed through the web or by telephone.

 Apply for unemployment benefits, even if you were just reduced from full time to part time.  They may cover the lost hours and that will surely help your bottom line.  Your employer should give you information regarding this process.

 

 

Start posting your resume with online job hunting sites, like Indeed.com, Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, Craigslist.org, Care.com, snagajob.com, usajobs.gov.  If you know of other great sites, please add a comment below and share the information.

 

 

 If you are spiritual, don’t forget to let your beliefs and practices help guide you to a more assured sense of wellbeing.  Having a basic belief that things will be alright is essential now.  Mindfulness skills, meditation, praying, positive thinking, and giving to others are ways to help us focus on what we can do to help ourselves and others during this difficult time.

 

 

 Tell all your friends, colleagues, past and present, and family that you are looking for work.  There is no shame in losing your job.  That’s just the way of the world at this point in time.  It will get better.  Get signed up for LinkedIn and Facebook and let your social networking help you with leads.  If you have time, volunteer with an organization that inspires you.

 

 

 Plant a garden to help with the grocery bills.  It’s great therapy to get outside, and gives a sense of accomplishment when those plants begin to bloom and produce fruit or veggies.  

 

 

 

I know this can interrupt your sleep, but try deep breathing relaxation exercises or listening to calming soft music when hitting the sack and keep reminding yourself that even though things are not as they were, you can adjust and create a new life.  There is an end to this recession. 

 

 

There is a new beginning just waiting to happen.  Embrace the Possibility!