From Disaster to Discovery: Coping with Job Loss
Losing your job doesn’t have to mean losing a sense of self-worth; use these tips to flip your perspective and move from disaster to discovery.
Everyone makes mistakes; it’s just a fact of life. But when you commit a snafu that leads to losing a job, it can leave you feeling stunned and wounded. Of course, I’m not talking about losing employment over inappropriate or illegal actions (clearly never acceptable), but about events that unfold with good intentions but, unfortunately, end badly.?
It’s painful to realize that something you mistakenly did may have temporarily derailed your career. But, whether being let go was an abrupt or unfair decision on your employer’s part or a justified outcome to your mistake, you shouldn’t live in shame. There’s a tremendous amount of growth that comes from challenges like these, even if they don't seem possible at first. The Center for Creative Leadership shares some tips on how to learn from this type of difficult experience.?
Clarity comes with time and distance; the more time passes, the more likely you’ll be able to reconcile what happened. Examine your part and resist blaming others (or yourself for that matter). Do you need to apologize? If so, do it without flogging yourself in front of anyone involved; acknowledge what happened, apologize for your part, then let it go.?
It’s easy to become isolated when things aren’t going well, but it’s essential to stay connected. Talk to someone, whether a professional or trusted colleague, about what you’re experiencing. People outside of the situation can offer insights that you haven’t explored. Journaling also helps your brain dump negative thoughts. Once those thoughts are out of your head and onto paper, you can toss them in their rightful place: the trash. Do this exercise often, if needed, to clear your head.?
This will help put setbacks into perspective and prepare you to embrace what lies ahead instead of ruminating the past. Our minds are masters of distortion and love to fixate on the worst-case scenarios. The good news is that your mind isn’t the boss of you. Getting some rest and focusing on self-care will help you recover. Remind yourself that you’re resilient, that you will survive and nothing, not even a job, has the power to steal your happiness.
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What training do you need before you start your search for a new job? How long has it been since your resume was updated? Now’s the time to get clear on what you’d like your next move to look like. Network with colleagues you admire, take professional development classes, and brush up on your interviewing skills.?
The famous quote by Alexander Pope, “to err is human, to forgive is divine,” applies to forgiving ourselves when we’re at our lowest.? Losing a job registers on the high-end of the pain meter, but it doesn’t have to make you wallow in misery. Instead, you have the opportunity to reinvent yourself even in the darkest of circumstances.
It’s not the mistake that defines you, it’s how you recover from it.
This article is authored by Phaedra Rogers and published on the Uplevyl platform. Explore more such nuggets of simple, profound wisdom by Phaedra and other women on the platform.
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