You've lost your job and feeling down. How can you regain your confidence and self-esteem?

I would add, consider how you can "rebrand" yourself. Maybe take that opportunity to start a podcast, YouTube channel, or social media feed. Volunteer at a social profit organization with a mission you love. Expand your network. These things always lead to feeling better and new opportunities.

Losing a job, especially unexpectedly, takes it toll financially and emotionally. It is an opportunity to see life in a new way. I explore educational opportunities and embrace trying new paths, expand my network and seek new energies. I always volunteer, whether I am employed or not. Giving back keeps one's spirits high, makes one feel good and keeps one's mind in a professional headspace. During any pause, I make sure to experience cultural and historical places in my homestate and beyond, many of which are low cost. One gains new perspectives and a mental boost all at once!

Embracing change is essential for personal and professional growth, as it presents opportunities for learning and adaptation. While change often brings uncertainty, adopting a positive mindset can transform challenges into chances for improvement. Building resilience through support networks and self-care helps individuals navigate transitions more smoothly. Setting specific, achievable goals and celebrating small victories along the way can maintain motivation and focus. Ultimately, viewing change as a natural part of life encourages us to be open to new experiences, fostering a more fulfilling and dynamic existence.

Find positive people who are truthful. You need someone to lift you up but also give you real and constructive feedback to put you in the best mindset for the next opportunity. So often, opportunities come, but people mismanage them because they need the job or feel pressure. Great mentors and people in your corner will make sure you are prepared to seize the right opportunity as it presents itself.

Overcoming job loss can be daunting, but having a supportive network can make all the difference. Leverage online platforms, ask for help when needed, and explore professional associations to create a network of contacts who can provide guidance and assistance during this time. These supportive connections can not only provide emotional support, but also introduce you to new opportunities and industry trends that can help you succeed in your next chapter. Don't hesitate to tap into this valuable resource and build a strong foundation for your future.

Lean into your network! And not just in LinkedIn family friends get some outside perspective, knock the dust off that resume and update your roles and skills. Review offer letter paperwork for help with bullet points and information about previous jobs. And don’t set hard deadlines in your mind those can/may lead to disappointment. Blank slate every day new applications, new contacts, new chances to be hired. The job market has definitely changed but still YOU GOT THIS!!

I agree with everyone saying tap into your network broadly. Find people you trust, especially those in the field who can give you honest feedback. The initial point about not just getting uplifting messages, but also constructive criticism is important. You can also reflect on your responsibility or shortcomings. Use that as part of your growth to be better in your next role. I'd also say don't just have social media or email conversation. Call people, share your insights, hear them out, and try to brainstorm together what could be a good next step. Finally, don't be afraid to take advantage of unemployment and other social services. State organizations have job fairs, job placement, resume and cover letter reviews, etc. Use it ALL!!

A key word in this section is practice. I love the quote, “Practice is the hardest part of training. Training is the essence of transformation.” ~ Ann Voskamp Reflecting daily helps increase self-awareness, reflecting on past decisions & the outcomes will help you learn from decisions and mistakes. You can improve emotional regulation, identify learned lessons from daily experiences, improve mindfulness, enhance positivity, and more. Reflecting daily about your experiences, how you responded, and how you can improve. Practicing specific behaviors like positivity every day will help you develop a growth mindset. Life is a master class. Cheers to daily reflection and practicing healthy behaviors! You can become a master at any of this.

Daily Reflection helps us improve. When we loose our jobs suddenly , we tend to go into depression leading to low confidence and low self esteem. Also the stress and anxiety is on rise which impacts our sub conscious mind and behaviour in a negative way. In this phase reflection on our daily schedule, reflection on our skills, reflection on areas of strength and weakness regularly is important. These reflections help us to gather the confidence in ourselves and also helps to clearly make a road map mapping trainings required for getting a new job. At action level actions towards getting a job - improving skills, job hunt are critical and at the sub conscious level keeping our frequency high is also critical. Reflect, improve and succeed.

You can be both reflective and action oriented. I stated in the previous section to consider your own faults in the dynamic that led to the job loss. Take some accountability and consider how you'll answer questions in interviews or networking conversations. We all make mistakes and you can own that in your growth. As for reflecting and staying positive while you plan your next steps, seek out resources that work for you. If your a faith based person go to your leaders for counsel. If there are free mental health services that can help you process, take advantage. Finally, Journaling, meditation, and all of the social media Motivational memes or quote of the day type tools may be the small jolt you need each day to help your mood.

Daily reflection can easily be self defeating. Don't spend time thinking and reflecting it can drive depression. Do. Find outlets and keep moving forward

There is no doubt that when you lose your job, you lose your confidence, and you complain, blame, feel bad and spend hours and days as to how you get your life back. Your job and your life back. However, It all depends on the way you communicate with yourself. How do you bounce back to restart? You may need new skills in today's market. Volunteering opportunities can help you to learn skills such as learning on computers and more often you can also learn soft skills. These skills can be transferred to many jobs such as leadership, networking and problem-solving. You can learn various skill sets depending on where you volunteer. Your mental and physical well-being is under control and it promotes your self esteem and personal growth.

Volunteering is also to keep oneself productively engaged and to remain connected with the space that they are passionate about. By taking on volunteering assignments, preparing for such engagements - not just keeps one engaged but also gives a sense of fulfilment. It's important to align the act of volunteering or the purpose with passion else it will start being a burden. Also it's important to give self permission to exit this act of giving if it's not fulfilling.

Volunteer and contribute always - in job or out of job because when we volunteer we feel we are helping others but actually volunteering helps us to learn & experience for ourselves. Especially, when we are out of job we need to volunteer more as it brings new learnings and experiences on the ground for us and lot of motivation, satisfaction, confidence and feeling of active engagement at the emotional level which boost our self confidence. Volunteering also can open doors for a new assignment if we are bit strategic as we mostly volunteer in the areas of our expertise and thus any of the volunteering opportunity can become a stair to get a right job as you are meeting different actors and stakeholders.

Volunteering should never be about regaining confidence or refining skills. Volunteer because people need help. Volunteer because you understand what it is to be marginalized and overlooked and you don't want others to have that experience.

Embrace a growth mindset and differentiate your skills and network(s) by dedicating just 21 minutes each day to learning something new, reinforcing existing knowledge, and helping others achieve their goals. These small daily actions build a powerful path of continuous improvement and collective success.

I know everyone says to redo your resume, but I would include re-order your resume. When I took a look at all the volunteer work I had done that was not necessarily related to my paid work, I was a totally different job candidate and it opened me up to different opportunities. Look at everything you do and use it.

Inventory all the good (and hard) things you’ve done. Use that as a source of strength and flex those diverse experiences and accompanying skills. More often than not, they connect with future opportunities and those hiring know this.

This is possibly the biggest challenge when you've lost your job, especially in this market. Your mindset can easily shift to negativity, causing feelings of overwhelm and discouragement. First off, know that this is normal. Secondly, understand that you can work on shifting your thinking. Any time you notice a negative thought like "I'm not good enough-- I won't even get an interview" or "I can't believe I haven't hear back-- no one is going to hire me," tell yourself to Stop, and then counter that negative thought with a solid truth about you. For example, "I closed $850K/yr in my last role-- that's valuable to whoever hires me next" or "I've written thousands of pieces of well-received content. I am a good writer." You've got this!

One of the things I have found helpful is being your own best friend, cheerleader and champion. Since we live in a world where it is often much easier to beat yourself and not give yourself a fighting chance, writing yourself becomes a preferred way of life. Embrace your loss with grace, self empathy and self acceptance. Use your loss to get much deserved rest. Rest, rest and rest some more without feeling guilty

Regaining Confidence After Job Loss Losing a job can be devastating, and it is not a reflection of your worth. To rebuild confidence, allow yourself to grieve, then focus on analyzing trends and planning your future. Update your professional profile, reach out to supportive networks, and engage in activities that bring joy. Practice self-care, reframe negative thoughts, and celebrate small wins. Identify transferable skills, showcase achievements, and develop a personal brand statement. Broadcast value in ROI-terms. Set achievable goals, track progress, and share successes. Remember, job loss is common and temporary. You are not alone. Share your story, offer support, and take action to rebuild confidence and self-worth."